Elementary school teachers from the Elk Grove Unified School District, in partnership with the Sacramento Area Science Project, gathered last summer for four days of intensive and interactive professional development around the California Next Generation Science Standards. The participants, joined on different days by administrators […]
Category: Research
Research
Study finds schools increasingly rely on and benefit from anonymous school safety tip lines
More than half of U.S. public middle and high schools operate a tip line aimed at increasing student safety, and more than three in four principals reported that tip lines made them more aware of overall safety issues at their schools, according to recent survey […]
Declining enrollment in California schools a new reality, report finds
Demographic projections from the California Department of Finance show the state’s K-12 school districts entering a long period of declining enrollment and predict a decrease of almost 7 percent in the next decade (compared to a 1.5-percent decrease over the past decade). Furthermore, this decline […]
Brief outlines severe impacts of immigration enforcement on students and schools
Current U.S. immigration enforcement policies have thrust many students “into the center of an excruciatingly difficult situation” and severely impacted schools’ efforts to offer an equitable education to all students, according to a new brief from Harvard University’s Immigration Initiative. “Under Siege: The Disturbing Impact […]
Teachers need support as expectations on educators grow, study finds
Policymakers aiming to address an array of stubborn challenges in K-12 education can begin with improving teacher training and preparation; ensuring the equitable distribution of highly qualified, experienced teachers; and taking steps to diversify the educator workforce, according to new research. A new report from […]
Career technical education a growing priority for states, study shows
State policymakers across the country continue to make career technical education a priority, according to new research from Advance CTE, the Association for Career and Technical Education and the Education Commission of the States. The research found that roughly 60 more policies related to CTE […]
Analysis: Schools with high proportions of students of color face teacher quality inequities
A new analysis finds that, both across the nation and in California, teachers in schools with high proportions of students of color are much more likely to be uncertified or inexperienced than teachers in schools with a low number of students of color. The Learning […]
Governance brief focuses on the need for boards to support equity-based decisions
The new year presents a good opportunity for governing boards to reflect on recent achievements as well as unfinished work that districts and county offices of education have ahead of them to ensure that all students have access to an education that prepares them for […]
Lessons learned from rural counties working to improve STEM instruction
Rural school districts in California have struggled more to effectively support the implementation of math and science standards than their urban and suburban counterparts, but a recent report from WestEd finds rural counties are overcoming many of the unique obstacles they face. The report, “Rural […]
Students of color remain underrepresented in college prep classes
Despite legislative efforts in recent years to increase access to and participation in advanced placement courses in high schools throughout California, black and Latino students continue to be underrepresented in college credit-bearing classes — even when they attend schools that offer an array of AP […]