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These are the appendixes for the report, "Stabilizing School Performance Indicators in New Jersey to Reduce the Effect of Random Error." This study applied a stabilization model called Bayesian hierarchical modeling to group-­level data (with groups assigned according to demographic designations) within schools in New Jersey with the aim of improving reliability, particularly for small groups of students. The four appendixes in the document include: (1) Theoretical review; (2) Methods; (3) Supporting analysis; and (4) Other analyses: Implications of the use of group-level data arising from relationships among demographic composition, subgroup size, and scores.

The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 requires states to use a variety of indicators, including standardized tests and attendance records, to designate schools for support and improvement based on schoolwide performance and the performance of groups of students within schools. Schoolwide and group-level performance indicators are also diagnostically relevant for district-level and school-level decisionmaking outside the formal accountability context. Like all measurements, performance indicators are subject to measurement error, with some having more random error than others. Measurement error can have an outsized effect for smaller groups of students, rendering their measured performance unreliable, which can lead to misidentification of groups with the greatest needs. Many states address the reliability problem by excluding from accountability student groups smaller than an established threshold, but this approach sacrifices equity, which requires counting students in all relevant groups. With the aim of improving reliability, particularly for small groups of students, this study applied a stabilization model called Bayesian hierarchical modeling to group-level data (with groups assigned according to demographic designations) within schools in New Jersey. Stabilization substantially improved the reliability of test -based indicators, including proficiency rates and median student growth percentiles. The stabilization model used in this study was less effective for non test based indictors, such as chronic absenteeism and graduation rate, for several reasons related to their statistical properties. When stabilization is applied to the indicators best suited for it (such as proficiency and growth), it leads to substantial changes in the lists of schools designated for support and improvement. These results indicate that, applied correctly, stabilization can increase the reliability of performance indicators for processes using these indicators, simultaneously improving accuracy and equity.

This study analyzed Pennsylvania School Climate Survey data from students and staff in the 2021/22 school year to assess the validity and reliability of the elementary school student version of the survey; approaches to scoring the survey in individual schools at all grade levels; and perceptions of school climate across student, staff, and school groups. The survey encourages data-informed efforts in participating Pennsylvania schools to foster supportive learning environments that promote social and emotional wellness for students and staff. The study validated the elementary school student survey but found that one domain--safe and respectful school climate--did not meet the reliability threshold and thus suggests that revisions are needed. At all grade levels noninstructional staff had the most positive perceptions of school climate, followed by classroom teachers then students. The study found that different approaches to combining the school climate scores of students, teachers, and noninstructional staff within schools yielded slightly different distributions of school climate summary index scores. It also found that different performance category thresholds resulted in similar distributions of schools across categories. Scores calculated using simple averages were strongly and positively correlated with scores calculated using a more complex approach (Rasch models), suggesting that both approaches deliver similar information. School climate scores varied across student groups (defined by race/ethnicity, gender, and grade level) within schools and across school groups. Larger schools and schools with higher percentages of Black students tended to have lower school climate scores than other schools. The findings can inform the Pennsylvania Department of Education's decisionmaking on revisions to the elementary school student survey, approaches to scoring and reporting survey results, and efforts to increase participation in future survey administrations.

These are the appendixes for the report, "Strengthening the Pennsylvania School Climate Survey to Inform School Decisionmaking." This study analyzed Pennsylvania School Climate Survey data from students and staff in the 2021/22 school year to assess the validity and reliability of the elementary school student version of the survey; approaches to scoring the survey in individual schools at all grade levels; and perceptions of school climate across student, staff, and school groups. The three appendixes in the document include: (1) Data and methods; (2) Supplemental findings; and (3) Additional findings.

Assigning upper elementary grade teachers to teach their strongest subjects to multiple classes ("departmentalizing"), rather than teaching all subjects to a single class, ("self-contained instruction") could mean more specialized instructional expertise in the classroom or focus for teacher planning time and professional development. This study examined the experiences of 90 schools that either voluntarily switched to departmentalized instruction for up to two years or continued with self-contained teaching in 4th and 5th grade classes beginning in fall 2019. The findings show that schools that switched were able to implement the key steps needed to departmentalize instruction but struggled with aspects of the approach. Teachers' reported experiences were consistent with some of both the benefits and challenges that prior research had hypothesized. Although the pandemic significantly disrupted instruction and the study activities, school and teacher experiences during this challenging time may inform schools and districts considering adopting departmentalized instruction.

This appendix is a companion to the report "Evaluation of Departmentalized Instruction in Elementary Schools: Exploring Implementation Experiences." The appendix provides additional information about the study, which sought to explore schools' implementation of departmentalized instruction, teachers' experiences with the strategy, and how the strategy was related to key outcomes. This additional information includes details on departmentalized instruction (Section A), study design and execution (Section B), key findings presented in the report (Section C), and additional findings that are not included in the report but provide important context (Section D).

Appropriately identifying children with disabilities--in ways that are timely, comprehensive, and accurate--is critical for ensuring that learners receive the supports they need to meet early milestones and succeed in school. In turn, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) charges states and school districts with: (1) finding all children, birth through age 21, suspected of having a disability; (2) evaluating them to determine if they are eligible for IDEA services; and (3) measuring and addressing racial or ethnic disparities in who is identified. Since IDEA's reauthorization in 2004, there is greater access to data and more sophisticated approaches to screen for and detect certain disabilities, an increasingly diverse child population, and new regulations on how to measure disparities in identification. This report examines how state and district practices during the 2019-2020 school year aligned with IDEA's goals of appropriate identification.

The Head Start REACH: Strengthening Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Approaches with Families project is focused on understanding the eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance/retention (ERSEA) approaches that Head Start programs use to engage Head Start--eligible families experiencing adversities. One of the foundational activities of the project was to conduct case studies to obtain an in-depth understanding of the ERSEA approaches that are being used with families experiencing adversities; the factors that affect their implementation; and how families find and experience early education and child care, including those who are and are not enrolled in Head Start. Six urban and rural Head Start programs of varying sizes from six Administration for Children and Families (ACF) regions were part of the Head Start REACH case studies. From February to April 2022, the study team collected data from (1) Head Start program staff, (2) families who participate in their programs, (3) organizations the programs partner with to work on eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance/retention (ERSEA), and (4) Head Start-eligible families who were not currently enrolled. This brief summarizes findings from these case studies. hods section at the end of this brief details the sampling, data collection, and analysis methods.

Head Start programs engage parents to support children's growth from birth through age 5 through services that promote early learning and development, health, and family well-being. These programs specifically seek to assist families with low incomes and families facing a variety of other adversities. The Head Start REACH: Strengthening Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Approaches with Families project is focused on understanding the eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance/ retention (ERSEA) approaches that Head Start programs use to engage Head Start--eligible families experiencing adversities. In this brief, the authors detail how programs develop and implement their criteria and processes for selecting families for enrollment. Selection refers to the procedures a program follows to assess their community's needs, update their selection criteria, and use those criteria to assign points to submitted applications. The authors highlight how programs use their selection processes to identify and select families with the greatest need. They also summarize approaches that programs perceive as successful and those that reflect opportunities for growth. The Methods section at the end of this brief details the sampling, data collection, and analysis methods.

Head Start programs engage parents to support children's growth from birth through age 5 through services that promote early learning and development, health, and family well-being. These programs specifically seek to assist families with low incomes and families facing a variety of other adversities. To foster positive child and family outcomes, Head Start programs build collaborative relationships or partnerships with community organizations that often provide various services to families who are eligible for Head Start. Strong community partnerships also appear important for supporting Head Start's eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance/retention (ERSEA) processes, particularly for families experiencing adversities. The Head Start REACH: Strengthening Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Approaches with Families project is focused on understanding the ERSEA approaches that Head Start programs use to engage Head Start--eligible families experiencing adversities. Six urban and rural Head Start programs of varying sizes from six Administration for Children and Families (ACF) regions were part of the Head Start REACH case studies. When recruiting programs, the study team asked program directors to name up to four community organizations they partner with for their ERSEA activities. From February to April 2022, we collected data from: (1) Head Start program staff; (2) families who participate in their programs; (3) organizations the programs partner with to work on ERSEA; and (4) families who are eligible for Head Start but not currently enrolled. The Methods section at the end of this brief details the sampling, data collection, and analysis methods. This brief summarizes findings from the Head Start REACH case studies to illustrate how programs partner with their community organizations to reach and support eligible families, including those experiencing adversities.

Conducting rigorous impact studies that produce actionable evidence for educators and policymakers is a key goal of the Standards for Excellence in Education Research (SEER). Although studies can be initiated by individual districts or schools, researchers often conduct their own studies to address broadly relevant questions about the effectiveness of an education program, policy, practice, or intervention. This brief offers practical strategies for researchers newer to school-based impact studies to consider during the various phases of a study, with the aim of helping them achieve their recruitment goals. The strategies focus on four topics that, based in part on the authors' knowledge of recent recruitment efforts, may play an increasingly important role in affecting a district's or school's ability and willingness to participate in impact studies: (1) Attention to urgent priorities and needs; (2) Limited staff capacity; (3) Commitment to fairness and collaborative practices; and (4) Protection of student and staff privacy.

The Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) is the nation's largest network of public charter schools. KIPP began as a network of charter middle schools designed to serve underserved communities, with the goal of closing achievement gaps and preparing students to succeed in college. KIPP has since expanded its model to include elementary and high schools in most regions, and expanded its goals to include preparing students to persist in multiple postsecondary pathways. In this report, we present the results of the second phase of a long-term tracking study that follows 2,066 students who applied to enter 21 oversubscribed KIPP middle schools through an admission lottery in 2008, 2009, or 2011. [For the first phase study "Long-Term Impacts of KIPP Middle Schools on College Enrollment and Early College Persistence," see ED603636.]

The appendices accompany the full report "Using Bayesian Meta-Analysis to Explore the Components of Early Literacy Interventions. WWC 2023-008," (ED630495), which pilots a new taxonomy developed by early literacy experts and intervention developers as part of a larger effort to develop standard nomenclature for the components of literacy interventions. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) uses Bayesian meta-analysis--a statistical method to systematically summarize evidence across multiple studies--to estimate the associations between intervention components and intervention impacts. Twenty-nine studies of 25 early literacy interventions that were previously reviewed by the WWC and met the WWC's rigorous research standards were included in the analysis. The following apprendices are presented: (1) Components of Early Literacy Interventions; (2) Data from the What Works Clearinghouse's Database of Reviewed Studies; (3) The Bayesian Meta-Analytic Model; (4) Additional Results; and (5) Component Coding Protocol.

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) released a report that applies two methodological approaches new to the WWC that together aim to improve researchers' understanding of how early literacy interventions may work to improve outcomes for students in grades K-3. First, this report pilots a new taxonomy developed by early literacy experts and intervention developers as part of a larger effort to develop standard nomenclature for the components of literacy interventions. Then, the WWC uses Bayesian meta-analysis--a statistical method to systematically summarize evidence across multiple studies--to estimate the associations between intervention components and intervention impacts. Twenty-nine studies of 25 early literacy interventions that were previously reviewed by the WWC and met the WWC's rigorous research standards were included in the analysis. This method found that the components examined in this synthesis appear to have a limited role in explaining variation in intervention impacts on alphabetics outcomes, including phonics, phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, and letter identification. This method also identified positive associations between intervention impacts on alphabetics outcomes and components related to using student assessment data to drive decisions, including about how to group students for instruction, and components related to non-academic student supports, including efforts to teach social-emotional learning strategies and outreach to parents and families. This report is exploratory because this synthesis cannot conclude that specific components caused improved alphabetics outcomes. [For the appendices to this report, see ED630496.]

Despite the contributions of their work to the learning and development of young children, child care and early education (CCEE) educators are among the lowest paid workers in the United States and have high rates of turnover in their jobs. In a pioneering effort, Washington, DC has launched the nation's first large-scale, publicly funded program to supplement CCEE educator wages. The Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund (PEF) was created to achieve compensation equity with DC Public Schools teachers. This initiative, launched in Fall 2022, delivered initial lump sum payments ranging from $10,000 to $14,000 to approximately 3,000 CCEE educators across the city. This policy research brief shares findings from a study using quasi-experimental methods to examine the immediate impacts of these initial payments on CCEE employment levels in Washington, DC. The analysis uses synthetic control methods and data from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages for the period between 2019 and 2022.

In fall 2017, TNTP received a $7.8 million Mid-phase Education Innovation and Research grant from the U.S. Department of Education to implement its Turnaround Leadership Teams Strategy (TLTS), a whole-school reform model that provides training and support to cohorts of principals, school leadership teams, and teachers. Under the grant, TNTP worked with two large school districts in the southeast United States to implement a tailored version of its TLTS program. This evaluation used a randomized controlled trial design in 28 schools to assess the effectiveness of the TLTS program in raising student achievement. After two years of implementation, TLTS had positive effects on student achievement in English language arts (ELA) and math, the two subject areas of focus for TLTS program supports. The effects on students' ELA and math achievement were roughly equivalent to an additional 1.5-2 months of instruction in those subjects. TLTS did not show positive effects on student achievement in other classroom subjects that were not a specific focus of TLTS supports. Null impacts on science achievement and negative impacts on social studies achievement suggest there may have been a tradeoff between core subjects (ELA and math) and non-core subjects (science and social studies). Future research should explore how school reform efforts can avoid such tradeoffs.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education's (PDE's) Office for Safe Schools partnered with REL Mid-Atlantic to conduct a study using data from PDE's school climate survey. This survey, which is available on a voluntary basis to any school in the state, provides a way to track school climate and identify schools that need additional support to improve school climate. The REL study analyzed changes in scores from a pre-pandemic year (2018/19) to the 2020/21 and 2021/22 school years, both of which were affected by COVID-19 and related policy changes. In a sample of Pennsylvania public schools that took the survey consistently across multiple years, students and teachers reported more positive perceptions of school climate in the 2020/21 school year, during hybrid and remote learning, compared to 2018/19 and 2021/22. This was an unexpected positive bump in the year in which schools experienced the most pandemic-related disruption. In contrast, school climate scores were steady across the years before COVID-19. The study also found no evidence of a significant decline in school climate scores between 2018/19 and 2021/22, suggesting the pandemic did not have a lasting negative effect on school climate in this sample of schools. One important caveat of this study is that the sample of schools was small and not representative of the rest of the state of Pennsylvania. The study also examined the relationship between school climate scores in 2021/22 and the amount of virtual and hybrid instruction used during 2020/21 and found no association. However, this analysis was limited by the small sample size and could only rule out a large association; a small or moderate association is still possible. [For the appendixes, see ED629791.]

These are the appendixes for the full report, "Changes in School Climate during COVID-19 in a Sample of Pennsylvania Schools." The REL study analyzed changes in scores from a pre-pandemic year (2018/19) to the 2020/21 and 2021/22 school years, both of which were affected by COVID-19 and related policy changes. These technical appendixes are meant to supplement the slideshow to provide extended detail on the methods and analyses used to answer the study's research questions. Appendixes: (1) Data and methods; (2) Supporting analysis; and (3) Nonresponsive bias analysis. [For the full report, see ED629789.]

Identifying and supporting students in early elementary grades with low literacy achievement is critical to help them achieve grade-level proficiency and stay on track academically. "Reading Recovery"® is an intervention that provides one-on-one tutoring to students in grade 1 with low literacy achievement. This supplemental program aims to improve student reading and writing skills by providing one-on-one tutoring, tailoring the content of each lesson to each student based on observations and analyses of the student strengths and weaknesses from prior lessons. Trained "Reading Recovery"® teachers deliver tutoring daily in 30-minute one-on-one sessions over the course of 12 to 20 weeks. "Reading Recovery"® teachers incorporate instruction in topics such as phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, writing, oral language, and motivation depending on student needs. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) reviews existing research on educational interventions to identify evidence-based programs and practices. This WWC intervention report summarizes the available evidence on the effects of "Reading Recovery"® on student achievement in elementary school. [For the Intervention Brief, see ED629012.]

Identifying and supporting students in early elementary grades with low literacy achievement is critical to help them achieve grade-level proficiency and stay on track academically. "Reading Recovery"® is an intervention that provides one-on-one tutoring to students in grade 1 with low literacy achievement. This supplemental program aims to improve student reading and writing skills by providing one-on-one tutoring, tailoring the content of each lesson to each student based on observations and analyses of the student strengths and weaknesses from prior lessons. This Intervention Brief provides an overview of the full Intervention Report, which summarizes the available evidence on the effects of "Reading Recovery"® on student achievement in elementary school. [For the Intervention Report, see ED629013.]

Leadership is important for quality improvement in center-based early care and education (ECE) settings that serve children birth to five. However, little is known about who leaders are, what leaders do, and how leadership influences quality outcomes in center-based ECE settings. Leadership can be defined by the range of staff who participate in decision-making and quality improvement and the actions they take as leaders. The Early Care and Education Leadership Study (ExCELS), funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families, has three goals: (1) fill the gaps in definitions and measurement to understand how effective leadership can improve the quality of experiences for children ages birth to five in center-based ECE settings, (2) develop a measure of ECE leadership, and (3) identify actionable leadership development initiatives and methods of evaluating them. This snapshot presents the ExCELS theory of change to show what ECE leadership looks like as well as the influences on and the influences of ECE leadership.

Early childhood home visiting (ECHV) has the potential to support families' economic well-being. In ECHV, trained home visitors work in the home with expectant parents or families with young children. Generally, their services focus on supporting and improving maternal, child, and family health and development outcomes. Some ECHV models also address economic aspects of families' lives and have demonstrated positive effects on outcomes such as parents' income. Given the connections between economic stability, parenting, and caregivers' well-being, a stronger focus on family economic well-being in ECHV could benefit families in many ways. The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in the Administration for Children and Families in collaboration with the Health Resources and Services Administration initiated the Supporting Family Economic Well-Being through Home Visiting (HomeEc) project to better understand how to define and measure family economic well-being and to learn how ECHV agencies have supported or could support it. This report summarizes the findings from targeted reviews of literature and practice documents from ECHV and related fields, such as social work, child welfare, and employment- and income-focused supports. It includes (1) a definition of family economic well-being; (2) a summary of the factors that contribute to or are influenced by it; (3) a summary of how it is measured in research and practice; (4) a set of practices that can support it; and (5) implications for later work on this project and future research.

In 2019, more than 5 million providers cared for one or more children either in their own home or in a child's home. Home-based child care (HBCC) providers are a varied group that includes listed providers and unlisted providers who do and do not receive payment. HBCC is especially prevalent in communities of color, communities with high concentrations of people from immigrant backgrounds, areas of concentrated poverty, and rural communities. Yet, research on HBCC lags behind research on center-based child care and early education (CCEE), and the least is known about unlisted providers who do not appear on state or national provider lists and work outside the formal systems supporting CCEE programs. This brief focuses on describing the characteristics of the communities in which unlisted HBCC providers live and, for many, where they typically care for children. It uses the 2019 National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE), the American Community Survey (ACS), and the Child Opportunity Index (COI) 2.0.

The COVID-19 virus brought on a public health emergency that massively disrupted school systems and learning nationwide. During the 2020-2021 school year, many local education agencies (LEAs) in Pennsylvania and other states adopted remote learning to help slow the virus's spread. However, remote learning came with challenges for students, families, and LEAs. These challenges included very practical ones like not having a reliable internet connection or the correct link to log into classes, as well as fatigue from so many remote meetings and feelings of social isolation. This brief examines remote learning in Pennsylvania and its role in shaping education outcomes and COVID-19 case rates in local communities during the 2020-2021 school year. Key findings for the 2020-2021 school year: (1) Vulnerable groups of students were more likely than students overall to attend LEAs where the predominant instructional modes included remote learning; (2) The same groups of students were also more likely to be in LEAs where larger shares of the student population had trouble accessing reliable internet; (3) More remote learning was associated with lower assessment performance in grades 5-8, especially in schools with higher levels of economic disadvantage. It was also associated with lower suspension rates in grades 6-12 and did not appear to harm or help graduation rates; and (4) Remote learning in high school was associated with lower subsequent COVID-19 rates within an LEA's boundary, suggesting it had an important public health benefit. [Contributions from Candy Miller, Rhonda Johnson, and Rosemary Riccardo.]

Educators can employ a variety of classroom management strategies in their efforts to foster a classroom environment in which all students can learn. "Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT)" is one such strategy. As part of "CW-FIT," teachers establish classroom rules, provide instruction on target skills, place students into teams, and then reward teams for demonstrating target skills, all with the aim of improving student behavior and creating a positive learning environment. "CW-FIT" seeks to reinforce appropriate behaviors, minimize social attention to inappropriate behaviors, and provide self-management tools to individual students who need extra support. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) reviews existing research on educational interventions to identify evidence-based programs and practices. This WWC intervention report summarizes the available evidence on the effects of "CW-FIT" on student and teacher outcomes. Eight studies of "CW-FIT" meet WWC standards and contribute to the effectiveness ratings in this report. Based on the eight studies, there is strong evidence that "CW-FIT" positively impacted student behavior and promising evidence that "CW-FIT" positively impacted teacher practice. [For the Intervention Brief, see ED628224. For the Single-Case Design Appendix, see ED628225.]

This appendix provides additional characteristics of the studies of "Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT)" that meet What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) single-case design standards, including six studies that contribute to the findings in the "CW-FIT" intervention report and six studies that do not contribute to the findings because the WWC could not calculate a design-comparable effect size for any of the outcomes. [For the Intervention Report, see ED628223. For the Intervention Brief, see ED628224.]

Educators can employ a variety of classroom management strategies in their efforts to foster a classroom environment in which all students can learn. "Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT)" is one such strategy. As part of "CW-FIT," teachers establish classroom rules, provide instruction on target skills, place students into teams, and then reward teams for demonstrating target skills, all with the aim of improving student behavior and creating a positive learning environment. "CW-FIT" seeks to reinforce appropriate behaviors, minimize social attention to inappropriate behaviors, and provide self-management tools to individual students who need extra support. This Intervention Brief provides an overview of the full Intervention Report, which summarizes the available evidence on the effects of "CW-FIT" on student and teacher outcomes. [For the Intervention Report, see ED628223. For the Single-Case Design Appendix, see ED628225.]

Teachers can use a variety of classroom management practices to help foster a classroom environment in which all students can learn. "Good Behavior Game" is a specific classroom management strategy that aims to improve social skills, minimize disruptive behaviors, and create a positive learning environment. Teachers place students into teams and reward them for demonstrating appropriate behaviors and following classroom rules. This appendix provides additional characteristics of the studies of "Good Behavior Game" that meet WWC single-case design standards, including 10 studies that contribute to the findings in the "Good Behavior Game" intervention report, and 15 studies that do not contribute to the findings because the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) could not calculate a design-comparable effect size for any of the outcomes. [For the Intervention Report, see ED628136. For the Intervention Brief, see ED628138.]

Teachers can use a variety of classroom management practices to help foster a classroom environment in which all students can learn. "Good Behavior Game" is a specific classroom management strategy that aims to improve social skills, minimize disruptive behaviors, and create a positive learning environment. Teachers place students into teams and reward them for demonstrating appropriate behaviors and following classroom rules. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) reviews existing research on educational interventions to identify evidencebased programs and practices. This Intervention Brief provides an overview of the full Intervention Report, which summarizes the available evidence on the effects of "Good Behavior Game" on student and teacher outcomes. [For the Intervention Report, see ED628136. For the Single-Case Design Appendix, see ED628140.]

Teachers can use a variety of classroom management practices to help foster a classroom environment in which all students can learn. "Good Behavior Game" is a specific classroom management strategy that aims to improve social skills, minimize disruptive behaviors, and create a positive learning environment. Teachers place students into teams and reward them for demonstrating appropriate behaviors and following classroom rules. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) reviews existing research on educational interventions to identify evidence-based programs and practices. This WWC intervention report summarizes the available evidence on the effects of "Good Behavior Game" on student and teacher outcomes. [For the Intervention Brief, see ED628138. For the Single-Case Design Appendix, see ED628140.]

Ensuring students' equitable access to talented educators remains a national priority. Congress established the Teacher and School Leader (TSL) Incentive competitive grant program in 2015 to help address this goal, providing financial support to selected school districts to improve their systems for hiring, supporting, and retaining educators, particularly in high-need schools. Grantees can use TSL funds flexibly, for either or both of the two main components of those systems: basic infrastructure for generating and managing data, and a set of strategies that use these data to improve their educator workforce. However, the TSL program requires applicants to already be using two specific data-driven strategies that research has shown to be promising: performance-based compensation and personalized support and feedback to educators. As part of the 2017 competition, the program also incentivized the use of grant funds to address equity and educator diversity. With those initial 3-year grants having now drawn to a close, this report provides the first comprehensive review of the activities 2017 TSL grantee districts prioritized with their TSL funds, and how well these activities aligned with the key aspects of the program. The report is based on interviews conducted near the end of the grant period for the 24 districts that were part of the 2017 TSL cohort and is part of a broader evaluation of TSL required by Congress. [For the Study Highlights, see ED627049.]

The information presented in this brief comes from exploratory research activities designed to understand the role of career navigators; the competencies they need to be successful; and considerations for hiring, supporting, and training them. This brief can be used by adult education practitioners to: (1) Define job responsibilities and design hiring criteria for career navigators; (2) Make decisions about how to support career navigators; and (3) Identify trainings that support the development of career navigator competencies.

Cignition delivers virtual tutoring in math and ELA, led by experienced educators. Their approach focuses on data-informed instruction and collaborative learning that encourages student-to-student interaction to build students' conceptual understanding. After a 2020 efficacy study of its 1:1 math tutoring offering, Cignition developed a group tutoring offering to reduce the per-student cost of tutoring while maintaining the quality of learning. In this setting, students are encouraged to collaborate with each other while working together on open-ended tasks as the tutor facilitates the session using video conferencing tools and interactive whiteboards. This study aims to provide evidence on the impact of remote, virtual tutoring on student fractions knowledge and perceptions of math using a randomized controlled trial design. Specifically, it examines math achievement, confidence, and enjoyment. This report is one in a series of six reports on math tutoring programs. The goal of this report series is to inform the tutoring field more broadly and support the provision of high-quality tutoring to as many students in the priority communities as possible. [This report was prepared with Cignition.]

Math Corps is an evidence-based tutoring program serving students in grades 4 through 8 that increases opportunities to learn and practice fundamental math skills related to understanding whole and rational numbers. Its intent is that all students, in particular students who are Black, Latino, and/or experiencing poverty, will reach grade-level proficiency in math. AmeriCorps tutors are matched with a school and provide support to approximately 24 students, in pairs or groups of three, for 90 minutes each week in 30- to 45-minute, in-person sessions. The success of the program is built on the collective value of three core features: (1) tutors who share backgrounds or lived experiences with the students they serve; (2) personalized tutoring using evidence-based curriculum; and (3) tutor training and coaching. This study aims to provide evidence of the impact of the Math Corps tutoring program on student math achievement through a regression-adjusted matched comparison design, as well as descriptive evidence about program attendance and participants' math confidence, sense of belonging in Math Corps, and student-tutor relationship quality and focus group data. This report is one in a series of six reports on math tutoring programs. The goal of this report series is to inform the tutoring field more broadly and support the provision of high-quality tutoring to as many students in the priority communities as possible. [This report was prepared with Math Corps.]

Blueprint Schools Network is a nonprofit organization providing educational services to schools and students. The goal of Blueprint's hybrid math tutoring program is to ensure that all students receive the math instruction necessary to rise to their full academic and social potential. Blueprint aims to level the playing field so that every student, regardless of race and family income status, has access to high-quality instruction and academic support. The Blueprint tutoring program does this by drawing on the strengths of in-person and online tutoring and web-based math learning platforms, and by providing incentives to for student participation and family engagement. The goal of this study is to measure the effects of Blueprint's hybrid tutoring program on math knowledge, student-tutor relationships, and student sense of belonging and confidence in math for middle school students in two schools. Analyses highlight differences in outcomes across the two sites. A secondary descriptive analysis compares outcomes across students ending the year in small, medium, or large homebase tutoring groups. This report is one in a series of six reports on math tutoring programs. The goal of this report series is to inform the tutoring field more broadly and support the provision of high-quality tutoring to as many students in the priority communities as possible. [This report was prepared with Blueprint and RISC.]

Breakthrough Collaborative operates as two dozen community-based affiliates supported by a national office. Traditionally, the Breakthrough model has consisted of two components: (1) a summer enrichment program that provides academic and social-emotional learning support to students; and (2) out-of-school-time tutoring and enrichment during the school year to keep students connected between the summer months. The study focuses on a math-focused, school-year version of Breakthrough's summer program for the 2021-2022 school year. The program was designed to offer high-dosage math tutoring and social-emotional learning opportunities--both incorporating culturally responsive education practices--to 8th-grade students. Breakthrough tutors are high school and college students and share students' racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. This report is one in a series of six reports on math tutoring programs. The goal of this report series is to inform the tutoring field more broadly and support the provision of high-quality tutoring to as many students in the priority communities as possible. Breakthrough partnered with its Central Texas and Greater Boston affiliates to pilot the intervention. Both affiliates offered the program after school. The study aims to measure student-tutor relationships and sense of belonging among program participants. Also, the study aims to examine the relationship between participating in the tutoring program and students' math confidence and achievement. Each analysis uses a descriptive approach. [This report was prepared with Breakthrough Collaborative.]

Air Tutors is an online tutoring organization that provides one-on-one and small group tutoring for K-12 students. Air Tutors uses live, online tutoring and an online platform that incorporates video conferencing and interactive whiteboards; recruits high-quality paid tutors with tutoring experience and engaging online personalities; and engages students and their families via text messages, phone calls, and emails. This study aims to provide evidence of the impact of tutoring on student math achievement in a randomized controlled trial, as well as on students' self-reported math confidence, sense of belonging, and relationships with their tutors via student surveys. Specifically, it examines the impact of participating in Air Tutors math tutoring sessions on 4th-, 5th-, and 6th-grade students' math achievement, as well as changes in student math confidence. This report is one in a series of six reports on math tutoring programs. The goal of this report series is to inform the tutoring field more broadly and support the provision of high-quality tutoring to as many students in the priority communities as possible. [This report was prepared with Air Tutors.]

The "Stabilizing Subgroup Proficiency Results to Improve the Identification of Low-Performing Schools" study used Bayesian stabilization to improve the reliability (long-term stability) of subgroup proficiency measures that the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) uses to identify schools for Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) or Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI). The Every Student Succeeds Act requires states to designate schools with low-performing student subgroups for TSI or ATSI. This document presents the following appendixes that accompany the study: (1) Literature review; (2) Data and methods; and (3) Supplemental Results. [For the full report, see ED626539. For the Study Snapshot, see ED626540.]

The Every Student Succeeds Act requires states to identify schools with low-performing student subgroups for Targeted Support and Improvement or Additional Targeted Support and Improvement. Random differences between students' true abilities and their test scores, also called measurement error, reduce the statistical reliability of the performance measures used to identify schools for these categorizations. Measurement error introduces a risk that the identified schools are unlucky rather than truly low performing. Using data provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the study team used Bayesian hierarchical modeling to improve the reliability of subgroup proficiency measures and demonstrate the approach's efficacy. [For the Study Snapshot, see ED626540. For the appendixes, see ED626541.]

In June 2022, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) introduced a new equity standard and associated recommendations to its Standards for Excellence in Education Research (SEER). On November 30 and December 1, 2022, IES convened a technical working group (TWG) of 15 experts on education equity. The goal of the TWG was to gather input for IES's consideration regarding the existing tools and resources that the education community could use as they implement the SEER equity standard in their research, along with identifying any notable gaps where tools and resources are needed.

Students need strong literacy skills to succeed in core academic subjects--English, mathematics, science, and social studies--and to be prepared for college and careers. "Reading Apprenticeship"® is a professional development program that aims to help teachers improve their students' literacy skills. The program also aims to improve student social-emotional learning outcomes such as belonging, social awareness, growth mindset, and self-efficacy. "Reading Apprenticeship"® trains teachers to model reading comprehension strategies and help students practice these strategies in their classrooms. This What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) intervention report summarizes the available evidence on the effects of "Reading Apprenticeship"® on student achievement outcomes in middle and high school. The WWC identified nine studies that investigated the effectiveness of "Reading Apprenticeship"®, with five studies meeting WWC standards. Findings from all five studies meeting WWC standards suggest that "Reading Apprenticeship"® had potentially positive effects on science achievement and grade point average and uncertain effects on achievement in life sciences, social studies, literacy, reading comprehension, vocabulary, and mathematics. [For the Intervention Brief, see ED625921.]

Students need strong literacy skills to succeed in core academic subjects--English, mathematics, science, and social studies--and to be prepared for college and careers. "Reading Apprenticeship"® is a professional development program that aims to help teachers improve their students' literacy skills. The program also aims to improve student social-emotional learning outcomes such as belonging, social awareness, growth mindset, and self-efficacy. "Reading Apprenticeship"® trains teachers to model reading comprehension strategies and help students practice these strategies in their classrooms. This Intervention Brief provides an overview of the full Intervention Report, which summarizes the available evidence on the effects of "Reading Apprenticeship"® on student achievement outcomes in middle and high school. There is moderate evidence that "Reading Apprenticeship"® positively impacted student science achievement and grade point average. [For the Intervention Report, see ED625919.]

UPchieve is a free online and on-demand tutoring platform for students in grades 8 to 12 who attend Title I schools where large shares of students are experiencing poverty. UPchieve matches students with unpaid volunteer tutors one on one and in an online setting. In this setting, students can take advantage of a chat feature and virtual whiteboard to receive assistance with a topic of their choosing, including tutoring in math, science, English, or history; SAT preparation; and college counseling. UPchieve tutors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so that students can receive support at any time during the day or night. This study aims to provide evidence of the impact of on-demand, online tutoring on student math achievement and perceptions about math using a pilot randomized controlled trial. Specifically, it examines the impact of participating in additional UPchieve math tutoring sessions on 9th- and 10th-grade students' math achievement, motivation, confidence, and engagement. This report is one in a series of six reports on math tutoring programs. The goal of this report series is to inform the tutoring field more broadly and support the provision of high-quality tutoring to as many students in the priority communities as possible. [This report was prepared with UPchieve.]