Student participation in summer programming can be an effective way to address students' academic and developmental needs. When well implemented and well attended, summer enrichment programs, academic programs, and employment programs have demonstrated positive outcomes for youth in areas related to program content, including academic achievement…

As federal funding for summer learning as a pandemic recovery strategy phases out, state governments face decisions about their future role in supporting students' access to quality summer learning opportunities. This brief is based on the full report, "How States Are Expanding Quality Summer Learning Opportunities," and summarizes…

High-quality state early intervention (IDEA Part C) data systems enable state staff to use data to improve their programs and results for children and families. The 2021 State of the States Survey data indicate that most early intervention (EI) programs had state data systems with essential child-level data elements, including child outcomes. In…

Continuous improvement (CI) methods are growing in popularity around the world as approaches to leadership and educational change. There has been particular interest in using CI methods such as collaborative data inquiry to address racial inequities in schools. But these 'wicked' problems are, in many ways, more complex and uncertain than the…

While the field advocates for a diversified and comprehensive professional role (National Association of School Psychologists, 2020), school psychologists have long spent most of their time in assessment-related activities (Farmer et al., 2021), averaging about eight cognitive evaluations monthly (Benson et al., 2020). Assessment practices have…

In Part 1 of this series, the authors briefly reviewed some challenges inherent in using standardized tools with students who are not well represented in norming data. To help readers clearly conceptualize the framework steps, the authors present two case studies that showcase how a nonstandardized approach to assessment can be individualized to…

The 2015 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act placed a 1.0% cap on the participation of students with disabilities in the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS). U.S. Department of Education regulations clarified that states must develop participation guidelines and a definition of…

Recent insights have underscored the role of context in cultivating intelligence mindsets' influence on students' academic outcomes. Psychological affordances of the social context may encourage an adaptive perspective (i.e., growth mindset). Expanding this novel area of investigation, we examined how students' sense of belonging, as an affordance…

Given the increased diversity of the population in the United States and the importance of early science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning, it is crucial to identify ways to reduce racial, ethnic, and gender disparities in STEM education. This is particularly important for children with disabilities with intersecting…

In this third edition of "Data Wise," Kathryn Parker Boudett and Candice Bocala update the research-based eight-step collaborative inquiry process and demonstrate how it can be used to build more equitable schools. As Boudett and Bocala define it, equity occurs when each student has access to rigorous learning opportunities and is…

Evidence-based and student-centered instructional methods hold the promise of transforming undergraduate STEM education and simultaneously solving the dual challenge of STEM workforce needs and inequities within STEM. The Learning Assistant (LA) Model was created to reform curriculum, recruit teachers, and inform discipline-based education…

Linking and integrating data from different data systems can help U.S. states, territories, and other entities answer critical questions about children and families, their needs, and experiences with IDEA services and supports. The 2021 State of the States Survey provides information about how Part C early intervention (EI) programs and Part B 619…

This report presents a summary of results from a 2024 survey of School Boards, developed by NZCER in collaboration with Te Whakaroputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa--New Zealand School Boards' Association, and with assistance from the Kokirihia Collective. NZCER plans to use the findings to inform the school professional learning and development…

The study addressed leadership knowledge sharing among elementary school principals. School principals' comments regarding difficulty sharing what they have learned on the job about leadership gave impetus to investigating components of leadership that are not readily shared. Their comments implied both limited opportunities and limited language…

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs collects data on how states implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act through the mandated State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR). Some indicators in the SPP/APR require state educational agencies (SEAs) to report data by race and ethnicity.…