Northwest Regional Comprehensive Center

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Current E-Newsletter

We hope our monthly e-newsletter is a useful resource and we welcome your feedback and ideas. Our purpose is to keep you informed and provide access to source materials about critical issues relating to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (currently known as NCLB). Each issue will include items related to timely, important topics.

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  1. The Mid-Atlantic Equity Center has released a report examining the reasons districts close schools and the assumptions behind this strategy. It reviews the research on whether closing schools is likely to cause educational harm, exploring the potential benefits and harms of school closures on students, teachers, and the learning environment. It concludes with recommendations on the factors a district should consider when closing schools and suggestions on the measures school administrators can implement to mitigate the negative effects of changing schools.

  2. The Center on Education Policy has published a document containing their recommendations for reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act. These recommendations are based on a two-year review of current and past federal policies and a wide range of research, including CEP's own comprehensive studies of NCLB and student achievement in all 50 states. In developing the recommendations, they also consulted with numerous experts of varying backgrounds, including commissioning 11 papers on key issues.

  3. The Data Quality Campaign (DQC) released its first report on the 10 state actions to ensure the effective use of longitudinal data, including details on how states are changing policies and practices to promote linkages across systems, ensuring appropriate access to new data and analysis, and strengthening stakeholder capacity to use this information.

  4. MetLife recently released Part 1 of their annual survey examining the views of teachers, principals, and students about respective roles and responsibilities, current practice, and priorities for the future. Part 1: Effective Teaching and Leadership examines views about responsibility and accountability, what collaboration looks like in schools, and if and to what degree it is currently practiced.

  5. The U.S. Department of Education recently published the results of a study examining the characteristics of data systems and their use at the classroom level. More specifically, it looked at what types of student data systems were available to school staff, how school staff were using the systems and other forms of student data, teachers' understanding of data displays and data interpretation issues, and the supports and challenges for school-level use of student data in planning and implementing instruction.

  6. The Pew Center on the States has made available a guide providing basic information that superintendents, school board members, and other district officials can use to make informed choices about using Title I resources to support quality pre-K programs.

  7. The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) released its annual 52-volume report on state policies that impact the teaching profession. This year's edition is a comprehensive analysis of all aspects of states' teacher policies, including key policy areas such as teacher preparation, evaluation, tenure and dismissal, alternative certification, and compensation.