This topical brief compares selected state policies related to educator effectiveness that have been enacted in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The brief also includes examples of projects R5CC and state leaders in Tennessee and West Virginia are implementing to increase educator effectiveness.

This report presents findings from two studies examining accommodations policies and research on alternate assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS). This policy analysis and literature review revealed several key insights about accommodations for AA-AAAS, with far-reaching implications for policy, practice, and…

Like many policymakers across the globe, Tennessee policymakers have adopted theoretically substantial teacher evaluation reforms since the early 2010s. Although research suggests that the introduction of redesigned systems has not affected teacher or student outcomes, on average, specific accountability- and developmental-oriented policy levers…

Dual enrollment has proved to be a powerful strategy for expanding college opportunity for all students, especially those who facing barriers that limit their access to postsecondary education. Extensive evidence shows that dual enrollment has wide-ranging benefits for students, high schools, colleges, and states. The model helps save time and…

This study complements literature on state policymaking by exploring one state's achievement trends and policymaking during a period of remarkable achievement gains. I use mixed methods, drawing on hierarchical linear modeling and semi-structured interviews with policy actors, to explore the case of Tennessee in the post-recession period. Results…

The potential of artificial intelligence (AI) is not yet known, but is expected to impact most aspects of our lives and work in the next 20 years. AI will be able to help solve complex problems, help with investment and business development, support medical and health care, and substantially impact the field of education. State education agencies…

The potential of artificial intelligence (AI) is not yet known, but the technology is expected to impact most aspects of our lives and work in the next 20 years. AI will be able to help solve complex problems, help with investment and business development, support medical and health care, and substantially impact the field of education. State…

Students pursuing postsecondary education opportunities are increasingly considering the return on investment that these opportunities provide, seeking higher wages and additional career opportunities that are associated with the accumulation of human capital. With limited human and financial resources, states need to be selective in which student…

Federal incentives and requirements under the Obama administration spurred states to adopt major reforms to their teacher evaluation systems. We examine the effects of these reforms on student achievement and attainment at a national scale by exploiting the staggered timing of implementation across states. We find precisely estimated null effects,…

In 2022, Tennessee overhauled its education funding formula to improve outcomes for the 1 million students in the state. The Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement Act (TISA) was designed to simplify the existing funding formula and more equitably allocate resources to schools. Bellwether's case study, "After the Policy Win: First-Year…

In this study, I utilized participant photography to understand what types of student success were recognized by educators in two rural school districts. Participants placed an intense emphasis on relationships within the community and moral aims of schooling in both the types of success and the ways in which success were recognized. These…

Florida's developmental education reform has benefitted most students directly impacted by the reform and has helped to reduce existing achievement gaps by race/ethnicity, English Language Learner status, and academic preparation in short-term outcomes like college course-taking and credit accumulation. Even though the reform was not specifically…

Goals and policy related to artificial intelligence (AI) will focus on improving learning for each learner. State Education Agencies (SEAs) must determine how to begin the journey to this outcome. The steps in this report outline in depth the first steps SEAs can take to begin development of an AI-related vision and strategic objectives that will…

The purpose of this study was to understand the varying state educational infrastructure for English Learners (ELs) and to examine the relationship between the educational infrastructure for ELs and student achievement in the U.S. public schools. Based on Hopkins et al. (2016)'s state educational system for ELs framework, a date set was…

Over the past decade, many states enacted substantial reforms to teacher-related laws and policies. In Michigan, the state legislature implemented requirements for teacher evaluation based partly on student achievement, reduced tenure protections, and restricted the scope of teacher collective bargaining. Some teacher advocates view such reform as…