ABSTRACT This report examines Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Annenberg Challenge, Children ... more ABSTRACT This report examines Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Annenberg Challenge, Children Achieving, a districtwide systemic reform initiative designed and led by a small core group of district officials and external partners. It was organized around eight core strategies (fair funding, standards, accountability, decentralization, leadership and support for teachers and principals, better coordination of resources, civic and parent engagement, and the all at once philosophy). A combination of factors contributed to Children Achieving's failure to produce sustained improvements and deep changes in practice and included flaws in the theory of action itself, flaws in implementation, lack of capacity, and behavior inconsistent with underlying beliefs and values. Reformers encouraged stakeholders to believe that standards, accountability, and decentralization would result in improved student performance, but this did not occur. Lessons learned include: content standards and accountability measures offer a foundation for instructional change, but produce results only if teachers are given the time and support needed to develop high-quality curricula and alter their classroom methods; curriculum-based, sustained professional development is essential to instructional change; and too much reform can overload schools and teachers. Two appendices present additional reading on Children Achieving and research methodology. (Contains 28 endnotes(SM)
To what extent has the program resulted in changes in teachers' and administrators' values, dispo... more To what extent has the program resulted in changes in teachers' and administrators' values, dispositions, and practices? (The focus is particularly on the third cohort for this question.) Transfer of capacity: To what extent has QRTA developed the capacity to lead, support, and develop instructional improvement efforts? Sustainability: How and to what extent have the schools been able and willing to sustain their instructional improvement efforts? What obstacles have they encountered in their efforts to implement and sustain the new practices? Multiple sources of data were used to explore theses questions with much of the findings in the report coming from the analysis of participant surveys and video observations of a sample of Cohort 3 teachers.
Introduction Those who seek to reform our public schools often argue that school performance woul... more Introduction Those who seek to reform our public schools often argue that school performance would improve if only policy and practice were based on evidence. If decision-makers and practitioners paid more attention to research findings, the argument goes, they would make better decisions about improvement strategies and resource allocation, and we would see better results. The belief in this axiom is demonstrated by the increasing frequency with which reformers, educators, and policymakers find it necessary to legitimate their actions with claims that they are “research-based.” However, moving beyond rhetoric to actually put this principle into operation turns out to be difficult.
Numerous countries suffer from a shortage of technicians and skilled workers, particularly in the... more Numerous countries suffer from a shortage of technicians and skilled workers, particularly in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), due to a mismatch between the skills and interests of the students graduating from or leaving the current education system and the needs of the labor market. Often, parents and students place a high priority on entering and completing university, and as a consequence, many students pursue academic education in secondary schools in order to gain entrance to university, only to find themselves entering the job market lacking the skills they need for employment and advancement. Further, in some countries, the vocational school system is not well-respected by the public and focuses heavily on preparation of youth for specific jobs in one firm rather than preparing them for careers within an industry as a whole. This literature review aims to synthesize the research evidence about the effectiveness of various strategies used by national governments, non-governmental organizations, technical schools, and industries to strengthen both the quality of the technical workforce, as well as the avenues through which individuals can access career and technical programming.
This report explores issues related to accountability in the context of Children Achieving, the s... more This report explores issues related to accountability in the context of Children Achieving, the school reform effort of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania). The accountability system begins with content standards in English/language arts, mathematics, science, and the arts. The Stanford-9 Achievement Test has been designated to assess how students are progressing under the new reforms. A Professional Responsibility Index has been developed to provide each school with a performance target that reflects expected improvements. Another aspect of the accountability system is the Keystone Schools Program, which allows the Superintendent to reconstitute any school deemed academically distressed and then reopen it under strict supervision. Performance goals have also been set for the Superintendent and his Cabinet. Teacher observation forms, and promotion and graduation requirements are other aspects of the accountability system. Data from the Children Achieving evaluation suggest that teachers have felt that they had little time to prepare or respond to the new approach, although almost all were aware of the standards by the spring of 1997, and almost all saw them as potentially beneficial to students. District support for standards-based instruction was thin and slow, and the Performance Responsibility Index was not well understood. Teachers often felt that they were being held responsible for results that are beyond their control. However, the implementation of the Stanford-9 did impact teaching practice, even though teachers did not believe it really reflected the new standards or their curricula. Although it is too early to tell how the new system will affect student achievement, recommendations are made to improve the understanding of the accountability *
School district leaders want to make evidencebased decisions and they are making efforts to build... more School district leaders want to make evidencebased decisions and they are making efforts to build evidence-based cultures in their central offices and schools. But, significant progress is being hampered by the inadequacy and confusion of the existing research, its availability to school and district-level staff, and a reliance by staff on decision-making patterns that focus on philosophy rather than effects.
His research interests include the use of research to inform policy and practice in public educat... more His research interests include the use of research to inform policy and practice in public education, the efficacy of different approaches to professional development, the effectiveness of whole-school reform, the impact of changes in work environments on the productivity of teachers and students, and the factors affecting the effectiveness of scaling-up strategies.
This paper examines the Merck Institute for Science Education (MISE). Begun in 1993, MISE had two... more This paper examines the Merck Institute for Science Education (MISE). Begun in 1993, MISE had two stated goals: raise the interest, participation, and performance of public-school students in science; and demonstrate to other businesses that direct, focused involvement would hasten improvements in science teaching and learning in public schools. MISE formed partnerships with four school districts in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and evolved through four phases, each of which reflects the program's approach to reform. The first phase centered on the development of a shared vision. This entailed'the cultivation of relationships with each district by engaging education leaders in open discussions about science standards, the quality of the existing science curriculum, and expectations for their students. Phase 2 was dedicated to building cultures of. instructional improvement at the district schools. The next phase featured the broadening of access to professional development and involved intense efforts to convince teachers to participate in peer-teacher workshops. Phase 4 consisted of sustaining the work and solidifying the peer-teacher network. The report outlines MISE's overall approach to professional development, the impact of MISE's work, and the measurement of student performance under this program. It concludes that this systemic approach works and that sustained support for reform changes the norms of practice. (Contains 13 references.) (RJM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
A growing body of evidence confirms what common sense has suggested all along: The quality of tea... more A growing body of evidence confirms what common sense has suggested all along: The quality of teaching in the public schools matters for how well students learn. An important corollary is that poor children, minority children, and children from non-English-speaking homes are even more dependent on the quality of their teachers than are more affluent, English-speaking, White children. Pressures to improve teacher quality stem mainly from state efforts to hold local schools accountable for student achievement and from the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. Policymakers want to know how to train, license, recruit, select, deploy, assign, develop, evaluate, retain, and compensate teachers to produce a well-qualified teacher in every classroom and especially in the classrooms that need them the most-those in urban, high-poverty, high-minority, low-performing schools (
This report examines Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Annenberg Challenge, Children Achieving, a dist... more This report examines Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Annenberg Challenge, Children Achieving, a districtwide systemic reform initiative designed and led by a small core group of district officials and external partners. It was organized around eight core strategies (fair funding, standards, accountability, decentralization, leadership and support for teachers and principals, better coordination of resources, civic and parent engagement, and the all at once philosophy). A combination of factors contributed to Children Achieving's failure to produce sustained improvements and deep changes in practice and included flaws in the theory of action itself, flaws in implementation, lack of capacity, and behavior inconsistent with underlying beliefs and values. Reformers encouraged stakeholders to believe that standards, accountability, and decentralization would result in improved student performance,' but this did not occur. Lessons learned include: content standards and accountability measures offer a foundation for instructional change, but produce results only if teachers are given the time and support needed to develop high-quality curricula and alter their classroom methods; curriculum-based, sustained professional development is essential to instructional change; and too much reform can overload schools and teachers. Two appendices present additional reading on Children Achieving and research methodology. (Contains 28 endnotes(SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
and, most importantly, the science teachers and principals working in the lower secondary schools... more and, most importantly, the science teachers and principals working in the lower secondary schools in Phang-nga. These organizations have worked together to develop a shared vision of good science teaching and to develop the INSTEP design. INSTEP was launched in 2007 as a pilot project and is now in its third year. Over 50 schools and 120 science teachers are involved in the project. The intent is to improve science teaching and learning in Phang-nga, but also to learn about the supports needed to implement instructional reforms in Thailand. Based on the results of the pilot, the INSTEP team will revise the project design and materials, and hopefully extend the project to other provinces in 2010 or 2011. This report has three aims: first, to provide those interested in science education in Thailand with information on the progress of the pilot project; second, to share some of the lessons learned about improving science teaching and learning in Thailand; and, third, to provide the INSTEP team with feedback from the second year of implementation. These multiple purposes result in a rather lengthy report. We hope that readers will be forgiving and seek out the parts of the report that most interest them. 1. Collaborative design of the professional development. 2. Use of well-designed and tested instructional materials. 3. Engagement of provincial and school administrators. 4. Utilization of accomplished teachers as trainers 5. Curriculum-based professional development. 6. On-site implementation support. 7. Development of science leaders. 8. Ensuring sustained use of the materials. 9. Formative and summative evaluation. 10. Clear indicators of success. 11. Community engagement and support. 12. Development of capacity to sustain and scale the reforms.
Merck Institute for Science Education Partnership-Created in 1993 by Merck & Co., Inc., MISE bega... more Merck Institute for Science Education Partnership-Created in 1993 by Merck & Co., Inc., MISE began a 10-year commitment to the goal of raising student interest, participation, and performance in science. MISE formed partnerships with school districts in Linden, Rahway, and Readington Township in New Jersey, and North Penn in Pennsylvania. Leader Teacher Institute (LTI)-Launched in 1995 to provide intensive professional development to a select group of teachers from each partner school over a three-year period. These teachers would then become the Leader Teachers within their schools. Leader Teacher-Selected teachers who attended LTIs and worked with new teachers by orienting them to the new module-based science curriculum and provided instructional guidance and support. Peer Teacher Workshops (PTWs)-Launched by MISE in 1996, PTWs provided professional development opportunities open to all K-8 teachers in an effort to engage more teachers in science reform. PTWs were open for voluntary enrollment and each was led by a team consisting of a combination of Leader Teachers, content specialists, instructional specialists, and classroom teachers. Principals' Institutes-MISE offers Principals' Institutes to make sure that principals are remaining informed about, and support, inquiry-based instruction and other aspects of the reform process.
ABSTRACT This report examines Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Annenberg Challenge, Children ... more ABSTRACT This report examines Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Annenberg Challenge, Children Achieving, a districtwide systemic reform initiative designed and led by a small core group of district officials and external partners. It was organized around eight core strategies (fair funding, standards, accountability, decentralization, leadership and support for teachers and principals, better coordination of resources, civic and parent engagement, and the all at once philosophy). A combination of factors contributed to Children Achieving's failure to produce sustained improvements and deep changes in practice and included flaws in the theory of action itself, flaws in implementation, lack of capacity, and behavior inconsistent with underlying beliefs and values. Reformers encouraged stakeholders to believe that standards, accountability, and decentralization would result in improved student performance, but this did not occur. Lessons learned include: content standards and accountability measures offer a foundation for instructional change, but produce results only if teachers are given the time and support needed to develop high-quality curricula and alter their classroom methods; curriculum-based, sustained professional development is essential to instructional change; and too much reform can overload schools and teachers. Two appendices present additional reading on Children Achieving and research methodology. (Contains 28 endnotes(SM)
To what extent has the program resulted in changes in teachers' and administrators' values, dispo... more To what extent has the program resulted in changes in teachers' and administrators' values, dispositions, and practices? (The focus is particularly on the third cohort for this question.) Transfer of capacity: To what extent has QRTA developed the capacity to lead, support, and develop instructional improvement efforts? Sustainability: How and to what extent have the schools been able and willing to sustain their instructional improvement efforts? What obstacles have they encountered in their efforts to implement and sustain the new practices? Multiple sources of data were used to explore theses questions with much of the findings in the report coming from the analysis of participant surveys and video observations of a sample of Cohort 3 teachers.
Introduction Those who seek to reform our public schools often argue that school performance woul... more Introduction Those who seek to reform our public schools often argue that school performance would improve if only policy and practice were based on evidence. If decision-makers and practitioners paid more attention to research findings, the argument goes, they would make better decisions about improvement strategies and resource allocation, and we would see better results. The belief in this axiom is demonstrated by the increasing frequency with which reformers, educators, and policymakers find it necessary to legitimate their actions with claims that they are “research-based.” However, moving beyond rhetoric to actually put this principle into operation turns out to be difficult.
Numerous countries suffer from a shortage of technicians and skilled workers, particularly in the... more Numerous countries suffer from a shortage of technicians and skilled workers, particularly in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), due to a mismatch between the skills and interests of the students graduating from or leaving the current education system and the needs of the labor market. Often, parents and students place a high priority on entering and completing university, and as a consequence, many students pursue academic education in secondary schools in order to gain entrance to university, only to find themselves entering the job market lacking the skills they need for employment and advancement. Further, in some countries, the vocational school system is not well-respected by the public and focuses heavily on preparation of youth for specific jobs in one firm rather than preparing them for careers within an industry as a whole. This literature review aims to synthesize the research evidence about the effectiveness of various strategies used by national governments, non-governmental organizations, technical schools, and industries to strengthen both the quality of the technical workforce, as well as the avenues through which individuals can access career and technical programming.
This report explores issues related to accountability in the context of Children Achieving, the s... more This report explores issues related to accountability in the context of Children Achieving, the school reform effort of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania). The accountability system begins with content standards in English/language arts, mathematics, science, and the arts. The Stanford-9 Achievement Test has been designated to assess how students are progressing under the new reforms. A Professional Responsibility Index has been developed to provide each school with a performance target that reflects expected improvements. Another aspect of the accountability system is the Keystone Schools Program, which allows the Superintendent to reconstitute any school deemed academically distressed and then reopen it under strict supervision. Performance goals have also been set for the Superintendent and his Cabinet. Teacher observation forms, and promotion and graduation requirements are other aspects of the accountability system. Data from the Children Achieving evaluation suggest that teachers have felt that they had little time to prepare or respond to the new approach, although almost all were aware of the standards by the spring of 1997, and almost all saw them as potentially beneficial to students. District support for standards-based instruction was thin and slow, and the Performance Responsibility Index was not well understood. Teachers often felt that they were being held responsible for results that are beyond their control. However, the implementation of the Stanford-9 did impact teaching practice, even though teachers did not believe it really reflected the new standards or their curricula. Although it is too early to tell how the new system will affect student achievement, recommendations are made to improve the understanding of the accountability *
School district leaders want to make evidencebased decisions and they are making efforts to build... more School district leaders want to make evidencebased decisions and they are making efforts to build evidence-based cultures in their central offices and schools. But, significant progress is being hampered by the inadequacy and confusion of the existing research, its availability to school and district-level staff, and a reliance by staff on decision-making patterns that focus on philosophy rather than effects.
His research interests include the use of research to inform policy and practice in public educat... more His research interests include the use of research to inform policy and practice in public education, the efficacy of different approaches to professional development, the effectiveness of whole-school reform, the impact of changes in work environments on the productivity of teachers and students, and the factors affecting the effectiveness of scaling-up strategies.
This paper examines the Merck Institute for Science Education (MISE). Begun in 1993, MISE had two... more This paper examines the Merck Institute for Science Education (MISE). Begun in 1993, MISE had two stated goals: raise the interest, participation, and performance of public-school students in science; and demonstrate to other businesses that direct, focused involvement would hasten improvements in science teaching and learning in public schools. MISE formed partnerships with four school districts in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and evolved through four phases, each of which reflects the program's approach to reform. The first phase centered on the development of a shared vision. This entailed'the cultivation of relationships with each district by engaging education leaders in open discussions about science standards, the quality of the existing science curriculum, and expectations for their students. Phase 2 was dedicated to building cultures of. instructional improvement at the district schools. The next phase featured the broadening of access to professional development and involved intense efforts to convince teachers to participate in peer-teacher workshops. Phase 4 consisted of sustaining the work and solidifying the peer-teacher network. The report outlines MISE's overall approach to professional development, the impact of MISE's work, and the measurement of student performance under this program. It concludes that this systemic approach works and that sustained support for reform changes the norms of practice. (Contains 13 references.) (RJM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
A growing body of evidence confirms what common sense has suggested all along: The quality of tea... more A growing body of evidence confirms what common sense has suggested all along: The quality of teaching in the public schools matters for how well students learn. An important corollary is that poor children, minority children, and children from non-English-speaking homes are even more dependent on the quality of their teachers than are more affluent, English-speaking, White children. Pressures to improve teacher quality stem mainly from state efforts to hold local schools accountable for student achievement and from the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. Policymakers want to know how to train, license, recruit, select, deploy, assign, develop, evaluate, retain, and compensate teachers to produce a well-qualified teacher in every classroom and especially in the classrooms that need them the most-those in urban, high-poverty, high-minority, low-performing schools (
This report examines Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Annenberg Challenge, Children Achieving, a dist... more This report examines Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Annenberg Challenge, Children Achieving, a districtwide systemic reform initiative designed and led by a small core group of district officials and external partners. It was organized around eight core strategies (fair funding, standards, accountability, decentralization, leadership and support for teachers and principals, better coordination of resources, civic and parent engagement, and the all at once philosophy). A combination of factors contributed to Children Achieving's failure to produce sustained improvements and deep changes in practice and included flaws in the theory of action itself, flaws in implementation, lack of capacity, and behavior inconsistent with underlying beliefs and values. Reformers encouraged stakeholders to believe that standards, accountability, and decentralization would result in improved student performance,' but this did not occur. Lessons learned include: content standards and accountability measures offer a foundation for instructional change, but produce results only if teachers are given the time and support needed to develop high-quality curricula and alter their classroom methods; curriculum-based, sustained professional development is essential to instructional change; and too much reform can overload schools and teachers. Two appendices present additional reading on Children Achieving and research methodology. (Contains 28 endnotes(SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
and, most importantly, the science teachers and principals working in the lower secondary schools... more and, most importantly, the science teachers and principals working in the lower secondary schools in Phang-nga. These organizations have worked together to develop a shared vision of good science teaching and to develop the INSTEP design. INSTEP was launched in 2007 as a pilot project and is now in its third year. Over 50 schools and 120 science teachers are involved in the project. The intent is to improve science teaching and learning in Phang-nga, but also to learn about the supports needed to implement instructional reforms in Thailand. Based on the results of the pilot, the INSTEP team will revise the project design and materials, and hopefully extend the project to other provinces in 2010 or 2011. This report has three aims: first, to provide those interested in science education in Thailand with information on the progress of the pilot project; second, to share some of the lessons learned about improving science teaching and learning in Thailand; and, third, to provide the INSTEP team with feedback from the second year of implementation. These multiple purposes result in a rather lengthy report. We hope that readers will be forgiving and seek out the parts of the report that most interest them. 1. Collaborative design of the professional development. 2. Use of well-designed and tested instructional materials. 3. Engagement of provincial and school administrators. 4. Utilization of accomplished teachers as trainers 5. Curriculum-based professional development. 6. On-site implementation support. 7. Development of science leaders. 8. Ensuring sustained use of the materials. 9. Formative and summative evaluation. 10. Clear indicators of success. 11. Community engagement and support. 12. Development of capacity to sustain and scale the reforms.
Merck Institute for Science Education Partnership-Created in 1993 by Merck & Co., Inc., MISE bega... more Merck Institute for Science Education Partnership-Created in 1993 by Merck & Co., Inc., MISE began a 10-year commitment to the goal of raising student interest, participation, and performance in science. MISE formed partnerships with school districts in Linden, Rahway, and Readington Township in New Jersey, and North Penn in Pennsylvania. Leader Teacher Institute (LTI)-Launched in 1995 to provide intensive professional development to a select group of teachers from each partner school over a three-year period. These teachers would then become the Leader Teachers within their schools. Leader Teacher-Selected teachers who attended LTIs and worked with new teachers by orienting them to the new module-based science curriculum and provided instructional guidance and support. Peer Teacher Workshops (PTWs)-Launched by MISE in 1996, PTWs provided professional development opportunities open to all K-8 teachers in an effort to engage more teachers in science reform. PTWs were open for voluntary enrollment and each was led by a team consisting of a combination of Leader Teachers, content specialists, instructional specialists, and classroom teachers. Principals' Institutes-MISE offers Principals' Institutes to make sure that principals are remaining informed about, and support, inquiry-based instruction and other aspects of the reform process.
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