REL Tool: Steps to Develop a Model to Estimate School- and District-Level Postsecondary Success
REL Central has released a new tool intended to support state and local education agencies in developing a statistical model for estimating student postsecondary success at the school or district level.
Postsecondary success models estimate the influence that schools or districts have on their students’ success after high school, after contextual factors are accounted for that are partially or wholly outside schools’ or districts’ control. These models use data such as postsecondary enrollment or workforce employment that can reveal how successful students are after high school, as well as contextual data collected while students are still in high school. The models generate postsecondary success indicators that are estimates of the extent to which a school or district is doing better or worse than expected on student postsecondary success, given the influence of the contextual factors.
The tool guides education agency researchers, analysts, and decisionmakers through options to consider when developing their own model. It describes five steps in developing a model as well as key considerations associated with each step
- Determine what data are available to measure postsecondary success
- Select covariates for the model
- Develop the model
- Use postsecondary success indicators
- Compare different models
Access the tool here.
Introducing ArtsEd Amplified
The Arts Education Partnership, which is administered by Education Commission of the States, is excited to announce the launch of ArtsEd Amplified, a new blog that showcases the best practices, innovation and collective knowledge of the arts education field. Featuring voices from AEP’s wide-ranging network of more than 100 organizations, regular posts will explore the intersection of research, policy and practice. Be sure to subscribe to receive updates in your inbox!
Education in a Pandemic: Learning from Illinois Students & Caregivers to Plan for the Road Ahead
Education in a Pandemic: Learning from Illinois Students & Caregivers to Plan for the Road Ahead highlights the testimonies of more than 120 students, parents and caregivers from across Illinois as they share their experiences of remote, hybrid, and in-person learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings, coupled with specific suggestions from focus group participants, lend themselves to recommendations for state leaders planning for the learning recovery road ahead. Read the report to learn about our participants’ experiences and our policy recommendations.
A Restorative Approach for Equitable Education
The compounding effects of systemic racism and the coronavirus pandemic have posed significant challenges to students, practitioners, and schools, particularly for Black and Latinx students who have borne the brunt of structural inequities. But these events have also created an opportunity for educational leaders to rethink school structures to better address the needs and nurture the assets of young people in the short and long term. This brief describes how schools can ameliorate—rather than exacerbate—racial inequities with research-based practices that advance a restorative approach to schooling and make learning environments more supportive, equitable, and anti-racist.
Ensuring Every Child Has the Opportunity to Learn to Read
There has been a lot of discussion around the science of reading. As a result, organizations have published reports and commentary on the issue one example being the Council of Chief State School Officers’® (CCSSO®) recently released A Nation of Readers report calling for states to take concrete steps to help every child learn to read. The focus on reading is based on the simple observation that literacy is “the foundational skill for success at every school level and in postsecondary education, work, and citizenship.” While literacy is critical for success in both school and life, far too many children lack access to high quality opportunities to learn foundational literacy skills. Reading performance is unacceptably low on key literacy indicators, with large and persistent gaps in achievement between Black and White students. As educators, we must do better.
Voices from the Field on School Reopenings: Teacher Stressors and Needed Supports
At a recent meeting of the REL Mid-Atlantic Governing Board, we heard directly from the teachers and principals on the board about the challenges they face and the supports that can help them continue the good work being done. We value the high-level strategic guidance these colleagues provide to help the REL address important issues in education–they are the bridge to help us travel what IES director Mark Schneider has dubbed the “last mile,” connecting education research with those who can use it to make a difference in teaching and learning. At the same time, we recognize that their day-to-day routines changed suddenly into a disruptive, emotionally taxing, and anxiety producing situation—placing them often in survival mode. (Regional Educational Laboratory Program)
CBE Shop Talk Series: Bi-weekly talk series on competency-based education
Join us for a short 45-minute conversation in which we’ll explore topics related to competency-based education. When we meet we will discuss core design components of a competency-based system and develop actionable strategies to take back to your school or district that will put you on the pathway to more responsive, equity-driven, student-centered approach to teaching and learning.
When: Every other Thursday @ 11am PST / 2pm EST
Dates:
- March 18th, 2021 (kick off!)
- April 1, 2021
- April 15, 2021
- April 29, 2021
- Ongoing dates TBD
A New Staffing Tool to Help Schools Stay Open in the Pandemic
Recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stressed the importance of reopening schools for in-person instruction while minimizing the risk of COVID-19 exposure among teachers and students. School closures have caused significant learning loss, according to several experts, especially for non-white students. Spurred by these concerns, an increasing number of districts are aiming to reopen their schools this spring. But what if there are not enough teachers to staff the classrooms when schools do reopen?
Legislative panel approves ‘culturally responsive’ teaching standards
A legislative panel allowed the Illinois State Board of Education to move forward with new rules that call on colleges and universities in the state to change the way prospective teachers and administrators are trained in order to make them more accommodating to diverse students. On a party-line vote, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, or JCAR, declined to block the new “Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards” from going into effect, despite objections by Republicans who argued the rules would ultimately require licensed teachers and administrators to adhere to a particular political ideology.
With No End To Remote Learning In Sight, Teachers Offer Up Ideas On Making It Work
After nearly a year of remote learning, Morris and other teachers say focusing on the well-being of students is one of several practical solutions to get the most out of remote learning work. Other recommendations include making online learning interactive, getting creative with experiential learning and focusing more on providing quality instruction, according to WBEZ interviews with teachers, parents and advocates. These recommendations come as Chicago Public Schools and other school districts are moving to a hybrid mix of in-person and remote learning, with CPS reopening its elementary school classrooms.
