Interactive Resources 

 

 

 

 

 

 

College Results Online
www.collegeresults.org
Using data from the US Department of Education's Graduation Rate Survey, the Education Trust's new web tool allows users to examine and compare graduation rates at any postsecondary institution in the United States.  Users are able to control the parameters of the analysis, such as comparing institutions with similar student populations in terms of race/ethnicity and gender composition.

 

 

Building the Foundation for Bright Futures: A Governor's Guide to School Readiness
www.nga.org/cda/files/0501taskforcereadiness.pdf *
The National Governors Association (NGA) Task Force on School Readiness presents findings from two years of analysis and more than 10 years of research.  The Task Force recommends state-level policies that will support adults, institutions, and systems as they prepare children to enter school.  The recommendations focus on 1. collaboration between governing bodies, 2. administering and delivering services, 3. accountability,  and 4. funding.

 

 

Charter Schools: To Enhance Education's Monitoring and Research, More Charter School-Level Data Are Needed
www.gao.gov/new.items/d055.pdf *
This report from the federal General Accounting Office (GAO) examines the implications of 1. state-level policies on charter school flexibility and accountability; 2. the No Child Left Behind Act on charter schools; and 3. the Department of Education on charter school accountability.  The GAO suggests that the Department 1. help states track funding to charter schools and 2. collect data on charter schools funded through the Department of Education's Public Charter Schools and Credit Enhancement for Public Charter School Facilities programs.

 

 

Choosing to Improve: Voices from Colleges and Universities with Better Graduation Rates
www2.edtrust.org/NR/rdonlyres/40EEF8D0-1257-48C2-8622-10AEB8988727/0/Choosing_to_improve.pdf *
The Education Trust uses data from their new College Results Online web-based tool to identify postsecondary institutions whose graduation rates exceed those of colleges and universities with similar resources and students.  The author recommends four best practices from these high-performing colleges and universities: 1. engaging and connecting with students; 2. improving the quality of instruction; 3. using data systems to evaluate student progress and guide intervention; and 4. making student success an organizational priority.

 

 

Keeping Our Promise to the District's Children: Proposed FY 2006 Operating Budget, District of Columbia Public Schools
www.k12.dc.us./dcps/budget/FY06docs/DCPS_FY2006_Propsed-budget.pdf *
The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) presents its proposed operating budget for fiscal year (FY) 2006, a spending increase of 1.97 percent over the approved operating budget for FY 2005.  This is the first performance-based budget for the DCPS that ties budget items to performance benchmarks. 

 

 

One Step from the Finish Line: Higher College Graduation Rates Are within Our Reach
www2.edtrust.org/NR/rdonlyres/10D6E141-08E4-42D7-B7E5-773A281BCDB7/0/onestep_.pdf *
This Education Trust report walks readers through their new web-based tool, College Results Online (see above).  The author suggests that in addition to implementing the university-level practices identified in Choosing to Improve, all segments of the education policy community have a role in improving college student attrition, including better high school preparation, better high school advising, and more state and federal financial assistance. 

 

 

Quality Counts 2005: Focus on School Finance
www.edweek.org/qc05
Education Week's ninth annual report on public education focuses on the nationwide shift from equitable funding to funding that is adequate to bring diverse students to state standards.  The report includes nationwide trends, comparisons between states, and snapshot information on each state and the District of Columbia.  Visit State Report Cards and click on DC for the Education Week's assessment of local 1. student achievement, 2. standards and accountability, 3. teacher quality, and 4. school climate.

 

 

Stalled in Secondary: Student Achievement Lags in Middle Grades and High School
www2.edtrust.org/edtrust/press+room/stalled+in+secondary
Analyzing state assessment results, the Education Trust finds that elementary schools are closing achievement gaps between students from low-income and high-income families and between white students and students of color.  However, the gaps are not decreasing at the middle and high school levels.  The author recommends that federal and state policymakers overhaul curriculum, teacher assignment, and student goals at the secondary level.

 

 

The State of State English Standards 2005 and The State of State Math Standards 2005
www.edexcellence.net/foundation/global/page.cfm?id=304
The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation has updated its 2000 reports with a new rating on the clarity, specificity, and content of each state's academic standards in mathematics and English.  Overall, the author noted that states improved in addressing skills, strategies, and processes, suggesting that states pay more attention to how content is addressed in the standards.  The District's poorly rated standards were recently replaced with the Massachusetts standards, which earned high marks from the Foundation for both mathematics and English.

 

 

The Evaluation Exchange: A Periodical on Emerging Strategies in Evaluating Child and Family Services
www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/eval/issue28
The current issue of the Harvard Family Research Project's journal includes lessons learned from collaborations between schools and families.  While one article identifies the positive effects of parent involvement on secondary school students, other articles focus on the process of evaluating school-family partnerships.

 

 

Focusing on Improving Mathematics and Science Education
www.wested.org/cs/we/view/rs/759
WestEd shares lessons learned from its research on math and science education in this issue of the R&D Alert.  Articles focus on developing teacher leaders, postsecondary preparation, diversity in environmental studies, and improving math teaching and learning.

 

 

Out of School Time Programs for At Risk Students
www.mcrel.org/topics/productDetail.asp?productID=195
This issue of Noteworthy Perspectives brings findings from the Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) to practitioners regarding standards-based programs offered before and after school or during the summer.  Chapters introduce the topic and provide guidance on choosing strategies and sustaining gains.

 

 

The Expectations Gap: A 50-State Review of High School Graduation Requirements
www.achieve.org
The American Diploma Project found that few students enter higher education ready for success.  Achieve follows up on this finding by explaining that no states have required their high school coursework to reflect the expectations of college and the workplace.  In order to close the gap between high school and later life expectations, Achieve recommends that states: 1. require all students to complete math and English curricula that are aligned with work and college expectations; 2. pay attention to the rigor of these courses; 3. align high school standards with work and college expectations; 4. guide course selection, while allowing flexibility in instructional approaches; 5. encourage accelerated studies for all students; 6. and track student achievement from kindergarten through higher education.

 

 

No Child Left Behind Act: Education Needs to Provide Additional Technical Assistance and Conduct Implementation Studies for School Choice Provision
www.gao.gov/new.items/d057.pdf *
The federal General Accounting Office (GAO) analyzes the No Child Left Behind Act school choice provision, finding that less than one percent of eligible students utilized the transfer option in the 2003-2004 school year.  Through case studies in eight districts, the GAO finds that tight timeframes and insufficient classroom capacity constrain parent's use of the transfer option, among other challenges.  The GAO recommends that the Department of Education provide more oversight and technical assistance.

 

 

The Role of Schools in Preventing Childhood Obesity
www.nasbe.org/Standard/index.html
The National Association of School Boards of Education (NASBE) explains that obesity is increasing among children and adolescents, along with the incidence of diabetes and heart disease among youth.  The author suggests that schools employ 10 strategies for improving student nutrition and student activity levels, through school governance, programming and role modeling by staff members.  Also included is an acknowledgement of the conflict between addressing obesity and the increased focus on standardized testing and limited state budgets.

 

 

Supermath: An Alternative Approach to Improving Math Performance in Grades 4 through 9
www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k_v86/k0412pog.htm
In this Phi Delta Kappan article, Stanley Pogrow discusses Supermath, the fourth to ninth grade math education technique that he developed to improve: basic skills, problem solving, test scores, and student interest in math.  Pogrow explains that Supermath bridges the gaps between progressive and traditional teaching and can be aligned to states' existing standards.

 

 

Trends in Educational Equity of Girls and Women: 2004
nces.ed.gov/pubs2005/equity
The National Center on Education Statistics updates its 2000 report with this analysis of female academic achievement from preprimary through postsecondary education, in comparison to their male peers.  Overall findings indicate that previous gaps between the achievement and attainment of males and females have closed or decreased.  In fact, girls are outperforming boys on such indicators as dropping out of school and repeating grades.  Though there has been progress, women continue to be underrepresented in some fields and some graduate degree programs.

 

 

Creating Conditions for Leadership Effectiveness: The District’s Role
www.mcrel.org/topics/productDetail.asp?productID=188
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) uses its research findings on the link between leadership effectiveness and student success to guide this policy brief.  In order to support principals and other school leaders, McREL suggests 1. improving principal preparation programs; 2. supporting new principals; 3. re-focusing principals on academic achievement; and 4. using research to guide district priorities.