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Some districts in California are beating the odds when it comes to supporting student success across all demographics. Developing and retaining high-quality teachers is one strategy these districts use. This brief looks at lessons learned from the strategies these districts use.
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The entire country is grappling with educational access during the COVID-19 pandemic. Persistent shortages of well-prepared teachers remain a dire concern, and are distinctly worse in districts serving the highest numbers of students from low income families. California has taken steps to address shortages in recent years—this report highlights the primary factors driving shortages and shares research on eight key strategies that can attract and retain well-prepared teachers.
Anna MaierJulie AdamsDion BurnsMaya KaulMarisa SaundersCharlie Thompson
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Performance assessments are a strategy to improve educational outcomes, but relatively little research examines the key conditions needed to support the implementation of high-quality performance assessments at the district, school, and classroom levels. Initiatives in three California school districts—Los Angeles, Oakland, and Pasadena—provide lessons learned and showcase the role districts can play in facilitating the effective use of performance assessments.
Anna MaierJulie AdamsDion BurnsMaya KaulMarisa SaundersCharlie Thompson
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When used effectively, performance assessments support the development of students’ higher-order thinking skills, help improve teachers’ instructional practices, and ultimately allow students to demonstrate college and career readiness through a culminating assessment. This study examines the role districts can play in fostering their effective use and looks at lessons learned in three California districts.
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More than 5 million children in the United States live in deep poverty, including nearly 1 in 5 Black children under the age of 5. These numbers will no doubt grow, given the explosion of the health and economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, more than ever, school systems need a more robust, reliable, and valid measure of students experiencing deep poverty in order to align services and supports with student need.
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National estimates show that during the 2015–16 school year, nearly 11.4 million days of instruction were lost due to out-of-school suspensions. Disciplinary actions that remove students from the classroom, coupled with lost instruction caused by COVID-19, have resulted in high rates of learning loss, particularly for students of color and students with disabilities. As students’ opportunities to learn continue to diminish, educational inequities persist.
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Pandemic-related school closures have underscored the essential role that home-school partnerships play in supporting the needs and ongoing development of students. This is particularly true for students with disabilities, whose educational plans can include the provision and coordination of multiple services. Teachers and school district staff share how they are strengthening communication with families and tapping new tools and resources to support students with disabilities.
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Cuts to school budgets as a result of the added costs and reduced revenue since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic have not yet been as severe as originally predicted, but the evidence indicates that much more severe challenges lie ahead. This blog explains how COVID-19 has affected state education budgets—and explores the implications for public education funding this year and into the future.
Linda Darling-HammondAbby SchachnerAdam K. Edgerton
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The pandemic has forced policymakers and educators to rethink and retool in order to ensure continued student learning, despite school closures. The crisis of COVID-19 also creates an opportunity to build long-term capacity and enact new policies and practices to advance more equitable and student-centered school systems. This blog provides an overview of a comprehensive framework for restarting and reinventing school.
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As U.S. schools closed their doors this past spring in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a little-considered effect was the impact of school closures on the preparation of the next generation of educators. Leaders of educator preparation programs affiliated with EdPrepLab share how they have adapted to the changing landscape. The crisis has created opportunities for programs to innovate, while maintaining high standards and a commitment to equity.
