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Open educational resources (OER) are teaching, learning, or research resources that are offered freely to users in at least one form and that either reside in the public domain or have been released under an open copyright license that allows for its free use, reuse, modification, and sharing with attribution. Course marking (also called attributes, designations, tags, flags, labels) are specific, searchable attributes or designations that are applied to courses, allowing students to quickly identify important information to aid in their decision making and allow them to efficiently plan their academic careers. In 2022, the report, "Toward Convergence: Creating Clarity to Drive More Consistency in Understanding the Benefits and Costs of OER," introduced a set of principles and frameworks that provide guidance for states, systems, and institutions wanting to better understand the benefits of open educational resources (OER). MHEC led the national effort to produce the report, which details recommendations for consistently estimating the cost savings realized by students when a course uses OER compared to traditional course material. Realizing such analyses are not possible without accurate data on course materials, MHEC then led a national effort to create this report to highlight five steps critical for the development of an effective course marking process, providing committed stakeholders with a roadmap and set of recommendations to improve consistency and reliability for marking courses in college registration materials, so students know the costs and nature of such materials at the time they choose their classes. Consistency of course marking efforts across the United States contributes to the ability to aggregate data from many institutions and conduct studies of how OER saves students money and contributes to enhanced student outcomes.

To meet the demands of jobs, now and in the future, jobseekers should possess a variety of skills frequently requested by employers. Skills can be both academic and technical in nature but also include personal qualities and advanced cognitive skills, such as decision-making and interpersonal skills--referred to in this report as success skills. Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) conducted a review of relevant research over the past 10 years (2013-2023) on non-technical skills to identify the success skills employers most often seek. This report summarizes relevant studies, skills gaps and credentialing to help policymakers, educators and businesses align efforts to prepare students for the workplace.

In this case study, learn how the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) partnered with 12 schools in Jefferson County, Alabama, to form networked improvement communities focused on promoting meaningful, sustainable change. Their goal was simple yet bold: Harness improvement science and continuous improvement strategies to accelerate eighth- and ninth-grade math achievement for Black, Latinx and low-income students. Three years and one pandemic later, SREB and Jefferson County educators reflected on the successes, challenges and lessons learned from their efforts.

Since its founding, SREB has focused on postsecondary attainment as a means for improving the social and economic vitality of the South. Today, SREB remains committed to increasing college access and completion rates, with an emphasis on groups that have been historically underserved by higher education. This report outlines SREB strategies to increase student success for Black, Hispanic and Native American students, rural students, and those who come from low-income families or would be the first in their families to attend college. [For Policy Brief 1, "Why Focus on Underserved Students? How SREB Defines Postsecondary Student Success," see ED615800.]

The number of high schools offering dual enrollment or concurrent enrollment courses has grown significantly over the past decade. However, gaps in student access and participation persist. This report from the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and the Midwestern Higher Education Compact examines how the use of open educational resources, or OER, can make dual enrollment courses more cost-effective and increase college access for more students. The report provides an overview of policies across 50 states and recommendations on OER adoption and usage. It includes case studies from Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas.

SREB's vision for the South is that every student has access to high-quality education. At the postsecondary level that entails increasing access to college and raising completion rates for valuable postsecondary credentials. This report shows why it is critical for states to focus on increasing student success for Black, Latino and American Indian students, as well as those from low-income families or rural areas and those who would be the first in their families to attend college. [For Policy Brief 2, "SREB's Strategy to Increase Success for Underserved Student Populations: Defining Postsecondary Student Success," see ED615801.]

Making college more affordable for families has been a critical issue for states in the SREB region for many years. Now the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have created additional barriers to college affordability. This brief provides an overview of college affordability in the SREB region based on data from the 2017-2018 academic year. The report explores the impact of the pandemic on enrollment and access, state budgets, higher education budgets and other factors that contribute to college affordability.

The recent reckoning with racial injustice that has occurred across the United States offers an ideal opportunity for state leaders and universities to address the lack of diversity among college faculty and increase their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion. This report offers four recommendations for increasing faculty diversity based on SREB's 30 years of research and work with this issue. [This report was published as part of SREB's State Doctoral Scholars Program.]

As the United States grapples with COVID-19 and the dangerous dislocations it has brought to the American economy, it may be hard to turn our attention to an ongoing issue like workforce development. But we would argue there is no better time. While jobs have been returning, an unprecedented 26.5 million Americans filed for unemployment over a five-week period ending in April, 2020. This crisis provides an opportunity to consider how Americans are prepared for jobs; what jobs they are prepared for; and how resilient and adaptable American workers, and the workforce system as a whole. This commission report offers a vision of education connected to local careers and shows how to make it a reality through partnerships and policy. With 11 recommendations to help states build strategic industry sector partnerships, the report covers policies, funding and building the capacity of educators. It also spotlights innovative solutions from around the nation.

To help states retain teachers and recruit the next generation into the profession, this brief examines teacher compensation policies in states and how adjustments could help reverse teacher shortage trends. The report looks at teacher compensation packages as a whole, including data on salary, health insurance, retirement and other benefits. It also outlines moderate-, low- and no-cost strategies for states and districts to improve teacher working environments.

This brochure describes how the Making Schools Work process employs a distributed leadership approach to involve the whole school in identifying problems that impact achievement and developing plans to solve them. SREB's Making Schools Work school improvement process is grounded in the belief that increased achievement starts with motivating students to make the effort to succeed. With designs for elementary grades, middle grades, high schools and technology centers, Making Schools Work shows school teams how to create improvement plans that address five focus areas: (1) engaging students through quality instruction; (2) aligning curricula with state readiness standards; (3) ensuring that students can explore careers and complete career pathways that align with their interests and aptitudes; (4) providing student supports that promote readiness; and (5) promoting leadership for creating and supporting cultures of continuous improvement.

Science tends to be viewed as a completely separate subject area from reading and math. This is the case even in elementary school, where academic content may be more intertwined than in later years. But scientific thinking and processes are valuable across all areas of learning and for career success. Waiting until the middle grades to give science an equal place among the academic subjects not only handicaps students' performance in reading -- background knowledge is necessary for comprehension -- it means they have less time to develop important thinking skills that will benefit them in "all" subjects.

This research report presents the results of a study designed by SREB's Research and Accountability team to identify and unpack sources of inequity in K-12 public education. The study examined results from student surveys administered in 2018 to over 7,800 students in 15 states across the United States. Grounded in SREB's research-based Key Practices for quality education, student surveys probe whether schools may be setting a low bar for achievement or allowing biased thinking about students' academic ability to affect their school climate. The authors sought to determine: (1) whether students' school and classroom experiences differed more between schools or within a single school; (2) whether students who met readiness benchmarks on assessments like the ACT or SAT reported different experiences than students who did not meet benchmarks; and (3) which variables might explain these differences. Results showed greater inequities between students' reported experiences within the same school than between students at different schools. For example, students who met readiness benchmarks were more likely to report having positive school and classroom experiences -- such as opportunities to complete project-based assignments, challenging literacy and math instruction, and a belief that their school has a culture of high expectations -- than peers who did not meet benchmarks. Prior academic performance was not the sole factor in whether students were more likely to report having positive school and classroom experiences. Students who were on track to graduate and reported that their parents were good sources of information and support related to their academic and career goals were more likely to report having positive experiences at school. These variables were bigger determinants of students' likelihood to report having positive experiences than demographic variables like race or socioeconomic status. The report provides recommendations for how schools and career and technology centers can combat inequity by providing engaging instruction and creating encouraging communities that positively impact students' school and classroom experiences. [The authors received quantitative analysis support from Resonant Education.]

Students need learning experiences connected with the world of work to equip them to enter the workforce and secure good jobs. This report provides an overview of funding for career and technical education and a detailed look at Career and Technical Education (CTE) funding models in Arkansas, Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and West Virginia. Produced by SREB for the Kentucky Career and Technical Education Task Force, it also offers considerations for actions to improve CTE.

The rapidly evolving workplace has created a shortage of skilled and educated workers in many fields, leaving essential jobs unfilled and millions of adults unqualified for them. This policy brief summarizes statewide strategies to support financial assistance for students in programs designed to address workforce needs. It includes suggestions for states that are evaluating, or considering creating, workforce-driven financial aid policies.

For more than 30 years, Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) has partnered with states, districts and schools to identify and implement strategies that empower young people to connect what they learn in the classroom with the world of work. Their efforts began in 1987 with High Schools That Work, SREB's premier school improvement process. This process now spans grades 3-12 and includes designs for elementary grades, middle grades, high schools and technology centers. It's called "Making Schools Work," a problem-solving process grounded in the belief that increased achievement starts with motivating students to make the effort to succeed. Making Schools Work employs a distributed leadership approach to engage leaders and teachers in identifying problems of practice and developing school improvement plans to solve them. It also helps schools and districts in any setting make the changes needed to provide equitable access to high-quality learning experiences and ensure that all students -- regardless of their gender, race, socioeconomic background, ability level or location -- have the support they need to be successful. SREB has continuously refined this process and their related services. Individually, these services help schools address specific needs and areas. When adopted as part of Making Schools Work, they represent a comprehensive, multifaceted approach to continuous school improvement. This brief report discusses what SREB offers schools; what makes SREB different; school improvement designs; professional development and instructional coaching; curricula and professional development; school improvement services; and national convenings.

The SREB Fact Book on Higher Education includes data on the population and economy, enrollment, degrees, student tuition and financial aid, faculty and administrators, revenue and expenditures. With more than 100 tables of detailed information, the Fact Book is one of the nation's most respected and most comprehensive collections of comparative data on higher education. [For the 2011 edition, "Fact Book on Higher Education: U.S. Regions and 50 States in Perspective," see ED528731.]

Math achievement is critically important to the changing global economy. In order to be successful, students must develop a strong foundation in mathematics early in their school careers. But the training elementary teachers receive doesn't always prepare them to teach math well, and math anxiety can keep both students and teachers from reaching their full potential. This report explains why early math learning is so important, the current state of math instruction, issues with elementary teacher preparation and professional development, and how math anxiety impacts achievement. It also presents recommendations state leaders can use to help raise the math achievement of their students.

This report examines how technology and automation are changing the job market -- and what states can do to prepare adults for the new workplace. It analyzes shifts from low- to middle-skills jobs, details current education levels, and offers recommendations for retooling adult education programs.

This informational brochure outlines Southern Regional Education Board's Learning-Centered Leadership Program which builds the capacity of aspiring school leaders and empowers current school leaders to lead changes in school and classroom practices that increase student achievement and transform school cultures.

To improve the effectiveness of new teachers, the SREB Teacher Preparation Commission called on states to: (1) Hold all new teachers in a state to the same high standards, and require practice-based licensure tests; (2) Require high-quality clinical teaching experiences; (3) Develop statewide data systems for continuous improvement; and (4) Encourage partnerships between teacher preparation programs and K-12 districts. The report includes a review of the evidence on promising practices and details current licensure requirements in SREB states.

This report presents the appendices to the report of the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education's (NRCCTE's) five-year collaboration with the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) to develop an induction model for new career and technical education (CTE) teachers pursuing an alternative route to certification that increases their competence, self-efficacy, and retention. CTE teachers who enter the profession through alternative routes are more likely to feel confident about their knowledge of their career field but less confident about their ability to convey that knowledge to students. Many alternatively certified CTE teachers express concern regarding classroom management, student motivation, and planning instruction for special needs students. As this report outlines, research indicates that alternatively certified teachers need professional development in planning, instructional methods, assessment, and how to support struggling students. Alternatively certified CTE teachers also need feedback about their work, strategies for managing added demands on their time and energy, and resources for planning and teaching. In response to these needs, this field-tested induction model builds the capacity of beginning CTE teachers to offer instruction that is both intellectually demanding and standards-focused and thus more likely to improve CTE students' academic achievement. The model also builds CTE teachers' capacity to design instruction that is actively engaging using strategies like project-based learning and cooperative learning. Students who are actively engaged intellectually and emotionally in their high school courses are more likely to stay in school, acquire their high school diplomas in four years, and enter postsecondary institutions without the need for remediation. [For the full report, see ED574498. For the executive summary, see ED574499.]

With colleges and schools moving online to curb the spread of COVID-19, state leaders will need to act quickly to ensure that policies do not prevent student-teachers from graduating and becoming licensed to teach in the fall. This brief includes immediate and longer-term recommendations to prevent pandemic closures from escalating the teacher shortage crisis.

At the request of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) conducted a review of Oklahoma's Promise program between August 2017 and February 2018. This report summarizes findings and observations from the review and provides recommendations. The review is organized around five areas of interest identified by the Regents: (1) Contribution to program and State Regents' goals; (2) Efficiency and effectiveness of program structure; (3) Program outcomes; (4) Efficiency and effectiveness of program administration; and (5) Coordination with other financial aid. Seven recommendations are offered.

Literacy is the foundation for success in school and society. An essential goal of every school is to help every student read, write and think critically. Dedicated teachers are the catalyst for reaching this goal. The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) developed a literacy professional learning model to better support these dedicated teachers. SREB's powerful literacy practices stem from and expand upon the Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) instructional framework. LDC is a vehicle for developing reading, writing and thinking skills within a variety of academic disciplines, not just in English language arts courses. When teachers help students become literate in their discipline, they ultimately strengthen students' learning of the content and the subject matter. SREB provides professional development to educators in how to use these powerful literacy practices to change how teachers teach and students learn. These practices empower teachers from various disciplines -- including English language arts, science, social studies and career and technical education -- to collaborate, plan lessons together and create more relevant assignments that engage and excite students. The teacher success stories in this publication illustrate how SREB partnered with states, districts, schools and teachers to immerse students in grade-level assignments that raise achievement. These stories also show how implementing this literacy model can be both challenging and rewarding. These stories highlight only a few of the teachers who rose to the challenge and persevered.

"Looking Closer" is the eighth biennial report to SREB states on their progress in meeting SREB's Challenge to Lead goals for education. Each customized state report documents progress on both measurable outcomes and state policies. Through effective policy implementation, the goals can help states drive improvements in student achievement, high school graduation, college completion and workforce readiness. [This report was developed by an SREB team led by Jeff Gagne and Joan Lord. Key team members included Meagan Crowe and Samantha Durrance.]

"Looking Closer" is the eighth biennial report to SREB states on their progress in meeting SREB's Challenge to Lead goals for education. Each customized state report documents progress on both measurable outcomes and state policies. Through effective policy implementation, the goals can help states drive improvements in student achievement, high school graduation, college completion and workforce readiness. [This report was developed by an SREB team led by Jeff Gagne and Joan Lord. Key team members included Meagan Crowe and Samantha Durrance.]

"Looking Closer" is the eighth biennial report to SREB states on their progress in meeting SREB's Challenge to Lead goals for education. Each customized state report documents progress on both measurable outcomes and state policies. Through effective policy implementation, the goals can help states drive improvements in student achievement, high school graduation, college completion and workforce readiness. [This report was developed by an SREB team led by Jeff Gagne and Joan Lord. Key team members included Meagan Crowe and Samantha Durrance.]

"Looking Closer" is the eighth biennial report to SREB states on their progress in meeting SREB's Challenge to Lead goals for education. Each customized state report documents progress on both measurable outcomes and state policies. Through effective policy implementation, the goals can help states drive improvements in student achievement, high school graduation, college completion and workforce readiness. [This report was developed by an SREB team led by Jeff Gagne and Joan Lord. Key team members included Meagan Crowe and Samantha Durrance.]

"Looking Closer" is the eighth biennial report to SREB states on their progress in meeting SREB's Challenge to Lead goals for education. Each customized state report documents progress on both measurable outcomes and state policies. Through effective policy implementation, the goals can help states drive improvements in student achievement, high school graduation, college completion and workforce readiness. [This report was developed by an SREB team led by Jeff Gagne and Joan Lord. Key team members included Meagan Crowe and Samantha Durrance.]

"Looking Closer" is the eighth biennial report to SREB states on their progress in meeting SREB's Challenge to Lead goals for education. Each customized state report documents progress on both measurable outcomes and state policies. Through effective policy implementation, the goals can help states drive improvements in student achievement, high school graduation, college completion and workforce readiness. [This report was developed by an SREB team led by Jeff Gagne and Joan Lord. Key team members included Meagan Crowe and Samantha Durrance.]

"Looking Closer" is the eighth biennial report to SREB states on their progress in meeting SREB's Challenge to Lead goals for education. Each customized state report documents progress on both measurable outcomes and state policies. Through effective policy implementation, the goals can help states drive improvements in student achievement, high school graduation, college completion and workforce readiness. [This report was developed by an SREB team led by Jeff Gagne and Joan Lord. Key team members included Meagan Crowe and Samantha Durrance.]

"Looking Closer" is the eighth biennial report to SREB states on their progress in meeting SREB's Challenge to Lead goals for education. Each customized state report documents progress on both measurable outcomes and state policies. Through effective policy implementation, the goals can help states drive improvements in student achievement, high school graduation, college completion and workforce readiness. [This report was developed by an SREB team led by Jeff Gagne and Joan Lord. Key team members included Meagan Crowe and Samantha Durrance.]

"Looking Closer" is the eighth biennial report to SREB states on their progress in meeting SREB's Challenge to Lead goals for education. Each customized state report documents progress on both measurable outcomes and state policies. Through effective policy implementation, the goals can help states drive improvements in student achievement, high school graduation, college completion and workforce readiness. [This report was developed by an SREB team led by Jeff Gagne and Joan Lord. Key team members included Meagan Crowe and Samantha Durrance.]

"Looking Closer" is the eighth biennial report to SREB states on their progress in meeting SREB's Challenge to Lead goals for education. Each customized state report documents progress on both measurable outcomes and state policies. Through effective policy implementation, the goals can help states drive improvements in student achievement, high school graduation, college completion and workforce readiness. [This report was developed by an SREB team led by Jeff Gagne and Joan Lord. Key team members included Meagan Crowe and Samantha Durrance.]

"Looking Closer" is the eighth biennial report to SREB states on their progress in meeting SREB's Challenge to Lead goals for education. Each customized state report documents progress on both measurable outcomes and state policies. Through effective policy implementation, the goals can help states drive improvements in student achievement, high school graduation, college completion and workforce readiness. [This report was developed by an SREB team led by Jeff Gagne and Joan Lord. Key team members included Meagan Crowe and Samantha Durrance.]

"Looking Closer" is the eighth biennial report to SREB states on their progress in meeting SREB's Challenge to Lead goals for education. Each customized state report documents progress on both measurable outcomes and state policies. Through effective policy implementation, the goals can help states drive improvements in student achievement, high school graduation, college completion and workforce readiness. [This report was developed by an SREB team led by Jeff Gagne and Joan Lord. Key team members included Meagan Crowe and Samantha Durrance.]

"Looking Closer" is the eighth biennial report to SREB states on their progress in meeting SREB's Challenge to Lead goals for education. Each customized state report documents progress on both measurable outcomes and state policies. Through effective policy implementation, the goals can help states drive improvements in student achievement, high school graduation, college completion and workforce readiness. [This report was developed by an SREB team led by Jeff Gagne and Joan Lord. Key team members included Meagan Crowe and Samantha Durrance.]

Third grade is a critical checkpoint in a child's educational journey. By the end of third grade, children need literacy skills that prepare them for increasing curriculum demands in fourth grade and beyond. Students who are not reading on grade level by this point are significantly more likely to drop out of high school or fail to graduate on time. They are also less likely to be successful in postsecondary education. For these reasons, states should do everything possible to ensure that students can read proficiently before moving on from third grade. What can states do to ensure that students read proficiently by fourth grade? This report presents states' current progress on this milestone, which is crucial to a child's long-term success, and offers recommendations for states. The report examines alignment of standards, curriculum, instruction and assessment; early childhood and kindergarten; identification, intervention and retention; and teacher preparation and training for reading instruction. [This report, originally published in November 2017, has been updated with 2017 NAEP data and information about state dyslexia policies that passed during states' 2018 legislative sessions. Tables 1 and 2 have also been revised.]

The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) provides professional development to teachers in the instructional strategies of the Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) and the Mathematics Design Collaborative (MDC). This professional development provides time for teachers to receive out-of-class guided instruction in planning assignments that engage students in challenging learning experiences followed by embedded classroom coaching and feedback. In 2017, SREB partnered with My Student Survey to develop and administer surveys to middle grades and high school students in schools where LDC and MDC instructional practices were implemented. The focus of the study was to compare the instructional experiences students encountered in the classrooms of teachers who experienced intensive LDC and MDC professional development from SREB (LDC and MDC trained teachers) to students who were in classrooms of teachers who had not participated in this professional development (non-LDC and non-MDC trained teachers). The data show SREB strategies produce good results in helping teachers and students grow and achieve their best.

This report presents results of teacher and student surveys on how powerful Mathematics Design Collaborative practices are shifting how teachers teach. It also summarizes student achievement data from schools using the strategies in four states. In vignettes and testimonials, teachers who completed Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) professional development on Mathematics Design Collaborative (MDC) share how they have grown as teachers and how their students' understanding of math concepts has improved.

Dyslexia is a neurologically-based, lifelong condition that affects a person's ability to process language, which in turn can make reading and writing more difficult. Between 10 and 20 percent of all people are dyslexic. Providing appropriate reading instruction and intervention for young children by second grade could reduce the percentage of students at risk for continuing reading difficulties to less than 5 percent. This brief lays out what researchers know about the learning differences associated with dyslexia, which reading interventions are effective for individuals with dyslexia, and what good state policies can mean for children and their families. State policymakers can impact the lives of thousands of children who struggle to read by supporting them with strong policies on dyslexia, including systematic identification, training for educators, and the use of proven interventions. Such policies can help states reduce the proportion of fourth graders who are not reading proficiently and ensure that more students are prepared to be academically successful. [This brief is a companion to the Southern Regional Education Board's "Ready to Read, Ready to Succeed: State Policies that Support Fourth-Grade Reading Success" (ED591313).]

The number of black students entering medical schools in the member states of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) climbed steadily in the later 1980s and early 1990s and peaked with the entering class in 1996-1997. The numbers slipped after 1996-1997 as the use of minority preferences in admissions to educational programs came under increasing criticism. By 2002-2003, however, the numbers had rebounded. Black students accounted for only a slightly lower percentage of new students at medical schools in 2002-2003 (8.4%) than in 1996-1997 (8.9%). This fact sheet provides additional details on the enrollment of black students in medical schools in SREB states. (SLD)