THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT
The mystery of why women consistently score lower than men on common assessments of conceptual understanding of physics remains poorly understood In a new synthesis of past work, "The gender gap on concept inventories in physics: what is consistent, what is inconsistent, and what factors influence the gap?" A. Madsen, S. B. McKagan and E. C. Sayre, Physical Review Special Topics – Physic
Segregation in American schools still problematic, despite best efforts
As American schools struggle with issues of race, diversity and achievement, a new study in the American Sociological Review has split the difference in the ongoing discussion of resegregation. Yes, black, white and Hispanic students were less likely to share classrooms in 2010 than in 1993, but no, that increase in segregation is usually not the result of waning efforts to reduce it."People
The Impact of Race and Ethnicity on the Identification Process for Giftedness
Many gifted education experts have found that Black, Hispanic, and Native American students are less likely to be identified for gifted programs than Asian American and White students. A study was conducted to ascertain the degree of underrepresentation of these groups in gifted programs in Utah. Using state-collected data from 14,781 students in six representative school districts in Utah, it was
OCT 31
Study Gives Catholic Schools Poor Marks
A national study led by a Michigan State University economist suggests Catholic schools are not superior to public schools after all.Math scores for Catholic students dropped between kindergarten and eighth grade, while math scores for public school students increased slightly. In addition, Catholic students saw no significant increase in reading scores or better behavioral outcomes between kinder
K-12 Online Learning: policies, practices, and trends
Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning: An Annual Review of Policy and Practice (2013) is the 10th in a series of annual reports that began in 2004 that examine the status of K-12 online education across the country. The report provides an overview of the latest policies, practices, and trends affecting online learning programs across all 50 states.
35 Require Student Achievement To Be A Significant Criterion For Rating Teacher Effectiveness
The National Council on Teacher Quality has released Connecting the Dots: Using Evaluations of Teacher Effectiveness to Inform Policy and Practice, which provides a lay of the land on state teacher evaluation policy in 2013. The report finds that there has been an unprecedented adoption of more rigorous teacher evaluation policies across the states, with 35 states and the District of Columbia Publ
Success for All Evaluation
First implemented in 1987, the Success for All (SFA) school reform model combines three basic elements:• Reading instruction that is characterized by an emphasis on phonics for beginning readers and comprehension for students at all levels, a highly structured curriculum, an emphasis on cooperative learning, across-grade ability grouping and periodic regrouping, frequent assessments, and tutoring
OCT 30
Wide Range of Assessments to Gauge Students’ Career and Technical Skills
While most states give one or more assessments of career readiness, technical, or employability skills to high school students, the types of tests used vary considerably across states and are sometimes decided at the school district level, according a new report by the Center on Education Policy (CEP). These career and technical assessments are distinct from the academic tests that states currentl
More Graduates with High Academic Scores Now Enter Teaching
A new study released today finds the academic caliber of new teachers, entering the profession with a bachelor’s degree, has risen substantially since the early 2000s.The study’s authors use a variety of data sets to look at demographic and academic changes in the teaching profession and find that the average SAT scores of first-year teachers in 2008 was 8 percentile rank points higher than the av
Two high schools and the road to full inclusion: A comparison study
This article documents a roadmap for developing fully inclusive school sites at the secondary level. Full inclusion is defined as placement in the general education classroom for all students with disabilities. Specifically, two large high schools located in suburban areas attempted to fully include over 300 students identified as needing special services. Students had varying disabilities, but ea
Parental reactions: child referred for special education services
This study used the grief and loss model as conceptualized by Kubler-Ross (1969), Lamb (1988), and Kubler-Ross and Kessler (2005) as a foundation in examining parental reactions when a child has been referred for special education services. The model was expanded to include definitions of the concepts as applied to a special education setting and incorporated additional stages. Findings suggested
Time in General Education and Achievement for Students With Disabilities
This study examined the relationship between hours in general education and achievement in reading and mathematics for students with disabilities. The study population included more than 1,300 students between the ages of 6 and 9 years old within 180 school districts. The relationship between hours in general education and achievement in reading and mathematics was explored while accounting for st
OCT 29
Challenging Common Core the Research: A Reanalysis of Text Complexity
This study offers an independent analysis of third- and sixth-grade reading textbooks used throughout the past century. Contrary to the authors of the English Language Arts component of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) – which builds a case for higher complexity in textbooks and reading materials for students by pointing to research showing a steady decline in the difficulty of student textb
The Effect of Postsecondary Coenrollment on College Success
This study finds that co-enrollment – defined as simultaneous enrollment at multiple postsecondary institutions during the same academic term – has a significant positive effect on educational attainment and postsecondary persistence for students beginning at community colleges and four-year institutions. Over the past two decades, postsecondary enrollment patterns have become more diversified, wi
Gender Gaps in College Enrollment: The Role of Gender Sorting Across Public High Schools
This study finds gender sorting across Florida public high schools contributes to 12 percent and 16 percent of females’ higher rate of college enrollment among black and Hispanic students, respectively. Girls and boys sort into different public schools at a level well beyond what would be expected if the sorting were random, and that the level of gender sorting is higher among black and Hispanic s
After a concussion, students may need gradual transition back to academics
A concussion should not only take a student athlete off the playing field – it may also require a break from the classroom, according to a new clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).In the clinical report, "Returning to Learning Following a Concussion," released Sunday, Oct. 27 at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition in Orlando, the AAP offers guidance to p
Hearing number words in natural speech -- not just in counting routines -- is an important part of learning the meaning of numbers.
Talk to your toddler. And use numbers when you talk. Doing so may give a child a better head start in math than teaching her to memorize 1-2-3 counting routines.That's the takeaway of an international study published this week in the online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.Led by David Barner, associate professor of psychology and linguistics in the Division of
OCT 28
Social science graduates more likely to be in work than science or arts graduates, report says
Social science graduates are more likely to be in employment after their first degree than graduates in other areas such as science and the arts, and a higher proportion are in managerial and senior official roles, a new report says.The report, by the Campaign for Social Science, analyses data from higher education surveys on graduates 3.5 years after they finished their first degree.The data show
Poor motor performance linked to poor academic skills in the first school years
Children with poor motor performance at the school entry were found to have poorer reading and arithmetic skills than their better performing peers during the first three years of school. However, no relationship was found between cardiovascular fitness and academic skills, according to a new study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.The study investigated the relationship
Researching College- and Career-Ready Standards to Improve Student Outcomes
In August, IES worked with the National Science Foundation and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to convene a technical working group to discuss research objectives related to college- and career-ready standards in English language arts and mathematics. Forty people were invited to attend (including researchers, practitioners, and federal and found
The Medium-Term Impacts of High-Achieving Charter Schools on Non-Test Score Outcomes
High-performing charter schools can significantly increase the test scores of poor urban students. It is unclear whether these test score gains translate into improved outcomes later in life. This study estimates the effects of high-performing charter schools on human capital, risky behaviors, and health outcomes using survey data from the Promise Academy in the Harlem Children's Zone. Six years a
Small High Schools and Student Achievement: Lottery-Based Evidence from New York City
One of the most wide-ranging reforms in public education in the last decade has been the reorganization of large comprehensive high schools into small schools with roughly 100 students per grade. This study uses assignment lotteries embedded in New York City's high school match to estimate the effects of attendance at a new small high school on student achievement. More than 150 unselective small
Evaluation of the College Possible Program
This paper reports the results of a randomized trial of the CollegePossible program, which provides two years of college preparatorywork for high school juniors and seniors in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The trial involved 238 students, including 134 who wererandomly selected for admission to the program. The results indicatethat the College Possible program significantly increased bothapplications
OCT 26
Effective Instructional Time Use for Principals: Walkthroughs negatively predict student growth
Scholars have long argued that principals should be instructional leaders, but few studies have empirically linked specific instructional leadership behaviors to school performance. This study examines the associations between leadership behaviors and student achievement gains using a unique data source: in-person, full-day observations of approximately 100 urban principals collected over 3 school
OCT 25
Preschoolers’ emotion knowledge indirectly contributes to early school success
Differences in emotion knowledge by children’s age, gender, and socioeconomic risk status, as well as associations of emotion knowledge with executive control, social competence, and early classroom adjustment, were investigated in this study. On emotion knowledge, 4- and 5-year-olds scored higher than 3-year-olds, with girls showing this effect more strongly. Socioeconomic risk status and emotion
The Effect of Grade Placement on English Language Learners’ Academic Achievement
Many English Language Learners (ELLs) migrate to the United States at older ages and administrators must choose a grade in which to place these new entrants as soon as they register for school. This study estimates the effect of grade placement on the short-term academic performance of ELLs who enroll in the Miami-Dade County Public School system between the ages of 7 and 12 using a district polic
OCT 24
Participation in mindfulness-based program improves teacher well-being
Teacher well-being, efficacy, burnout-related stress, time-related stress and mindfulness significantly improve when teachers participate in the CARE (Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education) for Teachers program, according to Penn State researchers.CARE is a mindfulness-based professional development program designed to reduce stress and improve teachers' performance and classroom learn
U.S. States in a Global Context: Results from the NAEP-TIMSS Linking Study
With this new study, conducted in 2011, U.S. states can compare performance of their own students’ with those of various international educational entities. The linking study, an effort of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), projects scores for the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) for each state, using data from the National Assessment of Educational P
OCT 23
Childhood participation in arts and crafts activities = more patents generated and businesses launched as adults
Good news for parents: Those pricey piano lessons or random toy parts littering your floors may one day lead to the next scientific breakthrough.That’s according to new Michigan State University research linking childhood participation in arts and crafts activities to patents generated and businesses launched as adults.In the study, which is published in the most recent edition of the journal Econ
College students are digitally distracted in class
The typical college student plays with his or her digital device an average of 11 times a day while in class, according to a new study by a University of Nebraska-Lincoln associate professor. More than 80 percent admit that their use of smart phones, tablets and laptops can interfere with their learning. More than a fourth say their grades suffer as a result. Barney McCoy, an associate p
Common Core in the Schools: A First Look at Reading Assignments
As forty-six states and the District of Columbia implement the Common Core State Standards, questions abound regarding implementation, including the implications for curriculum and pedagogy. In Common Core in the Schools: A First Look at Reading Assignments, researchers analyze what texts English teachers assign their students and the instructional techniques they used in the classroom. This study
OCT 22
Theatre Offers Promise for Youth with Autism
A novel autism intervention program using theatre to teach reciprocal communication skills is improving social deficits in adolescents with the disorder that now affects an estimated one in 88 children, Vanderbilt University researchers released today in the journal Autism Research.The newly released study assessed the effectiveness of a two-week theatre camp on children with autism spectrum disor
Effective Arts Integration Improves Test Scores
Effective classroom arts integration can reduce or eliminate educational achievement gaps for economically disadvantaged students, according to a Mississippi State University research report.In other words, when teachers reinforce academic concepts with the arts, students learn more and score higher on standardized tests.MSU’s John C. Stennis Institute of Government and Community Development gener
Spatial, written language skills predict math competence
Early math skills are emerging as important to later academic achievement. As many countries seek to strengthen their workforces in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, understanding the early contributions to math skills becomes increasingly vital. New longitudinal research from Finland has found that children's early spatial skills and knowledge of written letters
Report: ‘Excellence Gap’ Growing Among American Students
The circle of high-achieving American students is becoming a preserve for the white and well-off, with potentially severe consequences for the country’s promise of equal opportunity, according to a new report by UConn professor Jonathan Plucker and colleagues at two other universities.“Talent on the Sidelines: Excellence Gaps and the Persistence of America’s Permanent Talent Underclass” examines t
Poor housing quality = poor school performance
A new report from researchers at Boston College and Tufts University shows the distinct emotional and educational price children pay when their families live in run down apartments and homes.Data culled from a six-year study of 2,400 children, teens and young adults found emotional and behavioral symptoms such as anxiety, depression, lying and aggressive behavior are closely connected to poor hous
Baby's innate number sense predicts future math skill
Babies who are good at telling the difference between large and small groups of items even before learning how to count are more likely to do better with numbers in the future, according to new research from the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences.The use of Arabic numerals to represent different values is a characteristic unique to humans, not seen outside our species. But we aren't born with this
First-graders with attention problems lag for years afterward; second-graders, less so
When it comes to children's attention problems, the difference between first and second grade is profound, says a new study from Duke University.The study, which appears online in the November issue of the Journal of Attention Disorders, says the age at which attention problems emerge makes a critical difference in a child's later academic performance.When the problems emerged in first grade, chil
Poor uses of student data and punitive approaches to accountability
In a new report by two professors at Boston College, Data-Driven Improvement and Accountability, authors Andy Hargreaves, the Thomas More Brennan Professor of Education in the Lynch school of Education, and Henry Braun, the Boisi Professor of Education and Public Policy in the Lynch School of Education, find that the use of data in the U.S. is too often limited to simply measuring short-term gains
OCT 21
New Testing for Common Core State Standards Impacts Classroom Practices for Middle School Math Teachers
States across the country have started to implement the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM). But, according to a National Science Foundation-funded study, a large majority of middle school math teachers point to the new high-stakes tests and teacher evaluations associated with the CCSSM as challenges for implementing the new standards. In fact, most teachers reported that the conte
Student Financial Aid Data
This First Look is a product of the National Center for Education Statistics at the Institute of Education Sciences, part of the U.S. Department of Education. For the 2011-12 academic year, the average cost of attendance and the net price of attendance varied by institutional sector. Among full-time, first time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students receiving any grant aid, the average
Birth Order and School Performance
This study provides robust empirical evidence thatschool performance of children declines with birthorder as does the stringency of their parents' disciplinaryrestrictions. And, when asked how they will respond if a childbrought home bad grades, parents state that they would be less likelyto punish their later-born children.
The IMPACT of Incentives and Evaluations on Teacher Performance
Teachers in the United States are compensated largely on the basis of fixed schedules that reward experience and credentials. However, there is a growing interest in whether performance-based incentives based on rigorous teacher evaluations can improve teacher retention and performance. The evidence available to date has been mixed at best. This study presents novel evidence on this topic based on