This post is one in a series highlighting MDRC's methodological work. Contributors discuss the refinement and practical use of research methods being employed across MDRC. Part I of this two-part post discussed MDRC's work with practitioners from the Boston Public Schools (BPS) Department of Early Childhood to construct valid and reliable measures…

If you are like most educators, you agree with the idea of providing intensive intervention for students with the most intractable academic and behavior problems. The question you may be asking is, how do I find the time? Intensive intervention requires time for planning and delivering individualized instruction, as well as time for collecting and…

County offices of education (COEs) are expected to provide ongoing support to districts and other local education agencies to drive continuous improvement within California's education system. Fulfilling this role has required COEs to carry out their historical role as compliance monitors while simultaneously developing the necessary mindsets,…

The purpose of this dissertation is to understand the impacts of social service data collection and use on the lives of young people and those that serve them, and to offer ways for youth, nonprofits, and funders to positively evolve these systems. It grew from three simple questions without clear answers: what's happening, how's it working, and…

Self-directed learning is generally considered a key competence in higher education. To enable self-directed learning, assessment practices increasingly embrace assessment for learning rather than the assessment of learning, shifting the focus from grades and scores to provision of rich, narrative, and personalized feedback. Students are expected…

This article provides two activities, exploring genetic drift of small breeding populations, highlighting the black-footed ferret ("Mustela nigripes"). According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service, all black-footed ferrets are descended from 18 individuals, making them extremely vulnerable to genetic drift. They were thought to be…

Big data is an important part of innovation that has recently attracted a lot of interest from academics and practitioners alike. Given the importance of the education industry, there is a growing trend to investigate the role of big data in this field. Much research has been undertaken to date in order to better understand the use of big data in…

The goal of this toolkit is to give educators and school leaders the tools that they need to prevent bullying and harassment by fostering a positive school climate. This package is meant to be used as a guide for teachers and administrators in their work to develop a safe and healthy school climate and, in the process, prevent bullying and…

Principal leadership is crucial to the success of rural schools (Canales et al., 2008; Horst & Martin, 2007; Texas Education Agency [TEA], 2017). Research has shown that principals have a great impact on student learning through multiple pathways (Sebastian & Allensworth, 2012). Principals today must be instructional leaders, share a…

This study explores the effectiveness of Data-Driven Learning (DDL) approach to second-language (L2) English vocabulary learning in on-demand online distance learning at a private university in Tokyo, Japan. The participants were 49 Japanese undergraduates, intermediate L2 English learners at the B1 level in the Common European Framework of…

Among the great challenges posed to democracy today is the use of technology, data, and automated systems in ways that threaten the rights of the American public. Too often, these tools are used to limit our opportunities and prevent our access to critical resources or services. These problems are well documented. In America and around the world,…

The overwhelming majority of families rely on public education for a foothold in the American Dream, making it perhaps the most consequential expression of America's core value of opportunity for all. State policymakers are the constitutional stewards and primary funders of America's public schools. They have the awesome responsibility of guiding…

Community colleges play a critical role in helping people connect to careers in the United States. After the Great Recession, community colleges emerged as the workforce and economic development institution that could fill the gaps left by traditional higher education for shorter, non-degree career education while also meeting the needs of local…

This action research takes place at a small, New England public school system in Hopkinton, MA, and was designed to build the capacity of educators by utilizing a cycle of inquiry to improve Data-Driven Decision Making. The action steps of this study established a building-based Student Learning Team at Hopkinton Middle School which, in…

This qualitative, phenomenological case study was to determine the impact the state accountability system has on school improvement practices for schools that have been designated under the statewide system of support. Nine district and school level leaders were interviewed from one suburban school district designated as…