In this paper, we describe teachers' learning of an instructional practice related to launching a cognitively demanding task. Using a multi-case study design, we analyze eight teachers' participation in a rehearsal of the instructional practice in professional development and the ways these teachers enacted this practice in their classroom…

Although English language learners (ELLs) are one of the fastest growing groups of students in the United States, many teacher preparation programs have yet to require preservice teachers (PSTs) to receive training in effective practices for teaching ELLs. We examined a four-week field experience pairing an elementary PST with an ELL. We examined…

Changes in accreditation policies and institutional practices have led to the emergence of student learning outcomes assessment as an important, increasingly common expectation in U.S. college foreign language programs. This volume investigates contemporary outcomes assessment activity, with a primary focus on useful assessment, that is,…

Subtitle VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, reauthorized in 2001 by Title X, Part C of the No Child Left Behind Act and referred to in this brief as the McKinney-Vento Act, guarantees rights and services to remove educational barriers for homeless children and youth. The law requires states and school districts to follow a dispute…

Some or all of the pre-release educational and vocational programs that are offered in state and federal prisons are free. Though these inmates are required to participate in these programs before they re-enter society, their attitudes regarding their participation in these programs are mixed. This study reveals literature of what attitudes some…

This article describes the design of a misconception diagnostic test about fire-related phenomena. It proposes a new test format in which a certainty-measuring tier has been integrated into each of the true/false response choices. This format is argued to be easier for teachers to use than the increasingly popular three-tier format. First, we…

The webinar, "Culturally Responsive Education: Diversity in Our Classrooms" focused on the concept of culturally responsive education. Goals of the webinar included: (1) Learning what the research says about effective ways to promote culturally responsive education; (2) Discussion of ways to meet the cultural and linguistic needs of all…

School refusal behavior, affecting between 1% and 5% of school-age children, is a psychosocial problem for students characterized by severe emotional distress and anxiety at the prospect of going to school, leading to difficulties in attending school and, in some cases, significant absences from school (Burke & Silverman, 1987; Elliot, 1999;…

This research explores whether low-income mothers' participation in education influences a constellation of different parenting practices that are related to young children's academic outcomes. Importantly, understanding whether maternal participation in education influences mothers' parenting practices can illuminate a pathway by which increases…

We provide the first experimental estimates of the long-term impacts of a voucher to attend private school by linking data from a privately sponsored voucher initiative in New York City, which awarded the scholarships by lottery to low-income families, to administrative records on college enrollment and degree attainment. We find no significant…

Turnaround Arts is a public-private partnership that aims to test the hypothesis that strategically implementing high-quality and integrated arts education programming in high-poverty, chronically underperforming schools adds significant value to school-wide reform. In 2014, the Turnaround Arts initiative completed an evaluation report covering…

The Innovation Schools Act of 2008, (§ 22-32.5-102, C.R.S. et.seq) was created in response to district and school leaders' interest in finding a way for districts to develop and implement innovative practices in a wide variety of areas for the purpose of improving student outcomes. The Act provides a formal process that allows schools to petition…

Background: In recent years, social work has become increasingly concerned with efforts to produce professionals capable of effectively supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) clients. Research examining LGBT-competence in social work remains limited, however, because it often neglects to address the role social work education…

The need for standards-aligned curricula is the most cited Common Core challenge for states, districts, and schools. Yet five years into that implementation, teachers still report scrambling to find high-quality instructional materials. Despite publishers' claims, there is a dearth of programs that are truly aligned to the demands of the Common…

This report provides data regarding state-funded expenditures for student financial aid and illustrates the extent of efforts made by the states to assist postsecondary students. Information in this report is based on academic year 2014-15 data from the 46th Annual National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs (NASSGAP) survey. Data…