This survey study examined the extent to which science teachers report implementing science literacy practices aligned to Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards. The instrument was emailed to all secondary science teachers (N=2519) in one northeastern state and 14% (n=343) responded. Practices that reflected disciplinary…

This report stems from the Data Innovation in US Education initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The work was led by the Preva Group, in partnership with IMPAQ and Periscopic. The initiative had three overarching goals: to support the Foundation's efforts to better understand the impact of their education investments; to…

Political resistance to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) has grown in recent years, yet little empirical research has examined this subject. Drawing on Fukuyama's theory of political order and decay, we provide a case study of the politics surrounding the CCSS in Oklahoma, one of three states to have fully repealed the CCSS after initially…

This study explores the assessment of the alignment of mathematics instructional materials with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM). First, focus, rigor, and coherence, identified in TIMSS studies and also established for CCSSM, were chosen as criteria of alignment. Then, the CCSSM Graph (Zimba, 2012) was used as a yardstick to…

Using the method of educational criticism and connoisseurship, this study examined third grade teachers' pedagogical choices made to prepare their students for high stakes testing under the Common Core Standards. Three teachers in three different suburban school settings within a large district in one of the states of the Rocky Mountain West…

Successful implementation of academic standards depends on teachers' understanding of the intended policy and their interpretation of what the policy means for their instruction (Spillane et al., 2002). This study examines the writing tasks fourth- and fifth- grade teachers understand as being aligned with the CCSS [Common Core State Standards],…

Teacher leadership is a critical factor in realizing instructional improvements aimed at providing equitable opportunities for all learners. In this paper, we report on data from a one-year study of early career mathematics teachers engaging in professional development (PD) around Common Core mathematical practices and leadership. We drew on…

With adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in a majority of U.S. states came the rapid development of new high-stakes exams. Though researchers have investigated CCSS and related policy initiatives, less attention has been directed toward understanding how the standards have been translated into testing programs. Due to the strong…

Project RAISE is an Arts Integration model that integrates the arts into Common Core curricula of the treatment group: 11 K-6 elementary schools. The RAISE Model fits most closely to an "elaborated residency" (Ingram, 2003) that "builds capacity" of teachers and students to use arts integration strategies in English and Math.…

Purposes: This study uses think-alouds and cognitive interviews to provide validity evidence for an online formative assessment--i-Ready Standards Mastery (iSM) mini-assessments--which involves a heavy use of innovative items. iSM mini-assessments are intended to help teachers determine student understanding of each of the on-grade-level Common…

This paper discusses the implementation and evaluation of an innovative professional development program that supported 8th grade mathematics teachers in designing learning activities that assisted students in developing a conceptual understanding of mathematics. Funded by an Investing in Innovation (i3) grant from the U.S. Department of…

This study uses an organizational perspective to examine whether school closings and the accompanying redistribution of resources (students and programs) has implications for surviving schools in the surrounding school boundary. I use school-level data from the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data and School Attendance…

This study focused on the use of a standardized reading assessment to examine reading comprehension among English language learners (ELLs) and English fluent middle school students, focusing on two text genres: informational and narrative. The Common Core State Standards require students to develop skills in both genres. However, ELLs may not…

High school graduation is "not yet a reliable indicator of college readiness", (Gaertner & McClarty, 2015, p2). As such, researchers are investigating the use of non-cognitive factors as predictors of College and Career Readiness (CCR). The College and Career Readiness Mathematical Practice Scale (CCRMS) was designed to measure…

This study investigates linguistically diverse elementary mathematics classrooms, focusing on potential for dialogic discourse (constructing meaning through dialogue) and alignment with Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMPs). Constant comparative methods and discourse analysis of field notes, video recordings, and transcriptions…