Reforms of the size and scale to which Race to the Top States have committed, require unprecedented planning, oversight and problem solving to implement. Although many factors influence the outcomes of these reform efforts, performance management is a key structural element in realizing "sustainable reforms" that are durable and…

In accordance with the Reports Consolidation Act of 2000, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports annually on the most serious management and performance challenges the Department faces. OIG's reports include a brief assessment of the Department's progress in addressing the challenges. They also identify further actions that, if properly…

This report was commissioned by the Global Partnership for Education's Secretariat to take stock of how disability and inclusive education are in included in education sector plans (ESPs) in 51 countries, including GPE-funded programs, such as education sector program implementation grants (ESPIGs), program documents (PADs), implementation…

The concept of data based decision making has been in the forefront of educational reform for decades. Despite the fact that data could better inform the educational decisions teachers make, some educators lack understanding of data and assessment. This could lead to misinterpretation and poor use of the scores. The purpose of this literature…

High quality school leadership has always mattered. It matters even more as States begin to implement new evaluation systems, standards and assessments. To ensure that every school leader comes prepared to improve schools and lead these reforms, States must cultivate strong principal preparation programs. This report outlines steps States can take…

The Community College Academic and Student Support Ecosystems (CCASSE) project examines how academic and student support services at not-for-profit associate-degree granting colleges are organized, funded, and staffed, and how these services can most effectively advance student success. In spring 2019, Ithaka S+R surveyed 249 chief academic and…

Reform in educational policy and federal legislation has placed an emphasis on data collection pertaining to student outcomes in the academic setting. In response, school systems have shifted to multi-tiered frameworks that utilize varying levels of support through the implementation of evidence-based interventions. Data-based decision making…

Employers are demanding higher skilled and better educated workers. Yet employer sentiment and the high default rate on student loans suggests a mismatch between the programs students are completing and the work they are able to find. To report on trends in postsecondary education, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) mostly relies on surveys of…

Still lacking in the mainstream data-driven approaches to studying educational settings is the very basic, most popular educational setting -- that is, the classroom. Capturing data that describes learning in the classroom is the focus of the current issue. The articles in this issue present a large variety of data sources, data collection tools…

As state and local education agencies increasingly focus on serving educators with their data systems, a common challenge has arisen: identifying the critical knowledge, skills, and behaviors needed by teachers and administrators to use data effectively. Many states are creating data literacy and data use training programs for pre- and in-service…

The Division of Adult and Technical Education, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE), sponsors individualized technical assistance to support states in improving the quality of their "Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006" ("Perkins IV") accountability systems. In response to OCTAE's…

The Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching initiative, which was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was a multiyear effort to improve student outcomes--particularly high school graduation and college attendance among low-income minority students--by increasing student access to effective teaching. The RAND Corporation worked…

This country note presents the results of an analysis of undertake Portugal undertaken within the Labour Market Relevance and Outcomes of Higher Education Partnership Initiative project. The project was implemented by the OECD with the support of the European Commission with the aim of helping policy makers and higher education institutions…

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) works to promote efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity in the programs and operations of the U.S. Department of Education (Department). Through OIG's audits, inspections, investigations, and other reviews, they continue to identify areas of concern within the Department's programs and operations and…

Ever-growing expectations exist for educators to use assessments to collect, analyze, and interpret data, but how, if at all, are these processes affecting instruction? This descriptive case study of one team of second grade teachers offers an analysis of the links between teachers' use of data within their collaborative team meetings and…