Download or read book School Accountability written by Williamson M. Evers and published by Hoover Inst Press Publication. This book was released on 2002 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Scholars from history, economics, political science, and psychology describe the present state of school accountability, how it evolved, how it succeeded and failed, and how it can be improved. They review the history behind the ongoing conflict between educators and policymakers over accountability and testing, describe various accountability schemes, and analyze the costs of accountability. Case studies of three states with strong school systems compare how accountability works in practice. Evers is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

Download or read book The Mismeasure of Education written by Jim Horn and published by IAP. This book was released on 2013-07-01 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With new student assessments and teacher evaluation schemes in the planning or early implementation phases, this book takes a step back to examine the ideological and historical grounding, potential benefits, scholarly evidence, and ethical basis for the new generation of test based accountability measures. After providing the political and cultural contexts for the rise of the testing accountability movement in the 1960s that culminated almost forty years later in No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, this book then moves on to provide a policy history and social policy analysis of value-added testing in Tennessee that is framed around questions of power relations, winners, and losers. In examining the issues and exercise of power that are sustained in the long-standing policy of standardized testing in schools, this work provides a big picture perspective on assessment practices over time in the U. S.; by examining the rise of value-added assessment in Tennessee, a fine-grained and contemporary case is provided within that larger context. The last half of the book provides a detailed survey of the research based critiques of value-added methodology, while detailing an aggressive marketing campaign to make value-added modeling (VAM) a central component of reform strategies following NCLB. The last chapter and epilogue place the continuation of test-based accountability practices within the context of an emerging pushback against privatization, high stakes testing, and other education reforms. This book will be useful to a wide audience, including teachers, parents, school leaders, policymakers, researchers, and students of educational history, policy, and politics.

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Education Economics and Finance written by Dominic J. Brewer and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2014-08-25 with total page 979 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Economics can be a lens for understanding the behavior of schools, districts, states, and nations in meeting education needs of their populaces, as well as for understanding the individual decisions made by administrators, teachers, and students. Insights from economics help decision makers at the state level understand how to raise and distribute funds for public schools in an equitable manner for both schools and taxpayers. Economics also can assist researchers in analyzing effects of school spending and teacher compensation on student outcomes. And economics can provide important insights into public debates on issues such as whether to offer vouchers for subsidizing student attendance at private schools. This two-volume encyclopedia contains over 300 entries by experts in the field that cover these issues and more. Features: This work of 2 volumes (in both print and electronic formats) contains 300-350 signed entries by significant figures in the field. Entries conclude with cross-references and suggestions for further readings to guide students to in-depth resources. Although organized in A-to-Z fashion, a thematic “Reader’s Guide” in the front matter groups related entries by topic. Also in the front matter, a chronology provides students with historical perspective on the development of education economics and finance as a field of study The entire work concludes with a Resources appendix and a comprehensive Index. In the electronic version, the index, Reader's Guide, and cross references combine to provide effective search-and-browse capabilities.

Download or read book Science and the Production of Ignorance written by Janet Kourany and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2020-02-18 with total page 327 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An introduction to the new area of ignorance studies that examines how science produces ignorance—both actively and passively, intentionally and unintentionally. We may think of science as our foremost producer of knowledge, but for the past decade, science has also been studied as an important source of ignorance. The historian of science Robert Proctor has coined the term agnotology to refer to the study of ignorance, and much of the ignorance studied in this new area is produced by science. Whether an active or passive construct, intended or unintended, this ignorance is, in Proctor's words, “made, maintained, and manipulated” by science. This volume examines forms of scientific ignorance and their consequences. A dialogue between Proctor and Peter Galison offers historical context, presenting the concerns and motivations of pioneers in the field. Essays by leading historians and philosophers of science examine the active construction of ignorance by biased design and interpretation of experiments and empirical studies, as seen in the “false advertising” by climate change deniers; the “virtuous” construction of ignorance—for example, by curtailing research on race- and gender-related cognitive differences; and ignorance as the unintended by-product of choices made in the research process, when rules, incentives, and methods encourage an emphasis on the beneficial and commercial effects of industrial chemicals, and when certain concepts and even certain groups' interests are inaccessible in a given conceptual framework. Contributors Martin Carrier, Carl F. Cranor, Peter Galison, Paul Hoyningen-Huene, Philip Kitcher, Janet Kourany, Hugh Lacey, Robert Proctor, Londa Schiebinger, Miriam Solomon, Torsten Wilholt

Download or read book Common Core Meets Education Reform written by Frederick M. Hess and published by Teachers College Press. This book was released on 2014 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can the Common Core complement and not conflict with school improvement efforts already at work across the United States? How can it be seamlessly integrated into accountability systems, teacher preparation and development, charter schools, and educational technology? This timely volume brings together prominent scholars and policy analysts to examine the pressing issues that will mark Common Core implementation. Whether or not you agree with the standards, the Common Core is coming, and this book will help policymakers, practitioners, and other stakeholders anticipate the challenges and take steps to address them. “Common Core Meets Education Reform raises the hard questions about implementing and sustaining the Common Core State Standards so they don’t end up in the dustbin of abandoned public education reforms. These new standards can help students enormously in becoming problem solvers and critical thinkers—which is essential in the 21st century—but only if teachers become engaged in the rollout, get the support they need, and the fixation on high-stakes testing gives way to a fixation on learning.” —Randi Weingarten, president, American Federation of Teachers “Adopting the Common Core in a mad dash for federal gold, policymakers across the country blew right past critical questions about how they’d implement the thing. This volume, in stark contrast, meticulously studies the road ahead, seeking out tripwires, pitfalls, and boulders, making it a must-read for anyone who hopes to avoid total Common Core disaster.” —Neal McCluskey, associate director, Center for Educational Freedom, Cato Institute, Washington, DC “This balanced, wide-ranging, and deeply informed book is certain to guide educators and reformers through a complex time of transition for U.S. education. But it also turns out to be timely and clarifying as politicians battle over ambitious new academic standards with plenty of heat and smoke but appallingly little illumination. Thanks to the authors for turning on some lights!” —Chester E. Finn, Jr., senior fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University and president, Thomas B. Fordham Institute Frederick M. Hess is director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and serves as executive editor of Education Next. Michael Q. McShane is a research fellow in education policy studies at AEI.

Download or read book Beginning the Principalship written by John C. Daresh and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2015-10-06 with total page 213 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Ultimate Resource to cultivate self-awareness and excellence in Today’s Principals A commitment to continuous improvement paves the road to true leadership. New and veteran principals who understand this will translate thoughts into sound decisions and inspire a vision that can nurture others. They will drive progress and invite innovation. These are today’s newest superheroes, leading by example and cultivating greatness in others. But every superhero needs a mentor. In this updated bestseller, Beginning the Principalship, Daresh and Alexander offer intensive encouragement and help in a practical hands-on guide to help principals navigate the challenges of school leadership. The strategies and cases included here will inspire all school leaders and nurture their passion for the immense responsibility they have undertaken. Practical Questions, Points to Ponder, and numerous examples in every chapter help foster reflection and collaboration to build a shared vision for campus improvement. Plus, discover how to: Drive student learning as the primary mission of the school Deal with others’ expectations of you as principal Master the technical skills needed to run an efficient school Create and clarify a personal professional growth plan Work effectively with the greater community and parents Celebrate instructional and non-instructional staff in a positive school culture Don’t just survive your years as principal. Read this guide and thrive! "Novice and seasoned principals, and new and seasoned administrators would really benefit from reading this book for skill building and improvement. Each chapter provides a wealth of information and has a space to record one’s own plan for self-improvement." Delsia Easley, Principal Gadsden City Schools, Gadsden, AL "I am disappointed that I didn’t own this book when I started as a principal. This book would have answered some of my pressing questions and guided the work I did my first few years. I will recommend this to any friend or colleague starting a new principalship." Kelly VanLaeken, Principal Ruben A. Cirillo High School, Walworth, NY

Download or read book Legal Foundations of Education written by J.C. Blokhuis and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2023-03-23 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this volume, leading leading scholars and practitioners introduce law as foundational discipline in education. The legal foundations of education include the laws and policies through which particular states establish and maintain public school systems; require parents and guardians to enroll the children in their care in approved educational programs; mandate that particular subjects be taught in particular ways by persons with particular credentials; regulate teacher certification standards and teacher employment; and ensure school safety, effectiveness, and efficiency. Education law is a field of practice and scholarly inquiry within the legal foundations of education which is concerned primarily with the constitutional rights of students, teachers and other personnel in schools. About the Educational Foundations series: Education, as an academic field taught at universities around the world, emerged from a range of older foundational disciplines. The Educational Foundations series comprises six volumes, each covering one of the foundational disciplines of philosophy, history, sociology, policy studies, economics and law. This is the first reference work to provide an authoritative and up-to-date account of all six disciplines, showing how each field's ideas, methods, theories and approaches can contribute to research and practice in education today. The six volumes cover the same set of key topics within education, which also form the chapter titles: - Mapping the Field - Purposes of Education - Curriculum - Schools and Education Systems - Learning and Human Development - Teaching and Teacher Education - Assessment and Evaluation This structure allows readers to study the volumes in isolation, by discipline, or laterally, by topic, and facilitates a comparative, thematic reading of chapters across the volumes. Throughout the series, attention is paid to how the disciplines comprising the educational foundations speak to social justice concerns such as gender and racial equality.

Download or read book The Routledge Handbook of the Economics of Education written by Brian P. McCall and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2021-12-30 with total page 617 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The economics of education is a burgeoning area of study, employing increasingly sophisticated analytical tools to answer questions with high societal impact. Thus, the aim of this handbook is to provide readers with an up-to-date overview of the current state of the field of the economics of education and its main areas of research. This comprehensive handbook provides an authoritative overview of key theoretical and policy areas, covering topics like econometric methods for education economics, returns to education, competition in education provision, education and economic growth, and education and inequality. It reviews the current state of research from early childhood through postgraduate education as well as adult education and life-long learning. Offering a truly international perspective, the handbook benefits from a global group of contributors and attention to both developed and developing country contexts. The Routledge Handbook of the Economics of Education will be a valuable resource for advanced students, researchers, and policymakers across economics, education, and public policy.

Download or read book Education Law written by J.C. Blokhuis and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-07-26 with total page 808 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Education Law, Sixth Edition provides a comprehensive survey of the legal problems and issues confronting school leaders, teachers, and policymakers today. Court cases accompanied by explanation and analysis can help aspiring educators understand the subtlety and richness of the law. Accordingly, each of the 12 thematic chapters begins with an overview, concludes with a summary, and balances an explanation of the important principles of education law with actual court decisions to illuminate those issues most relevant for educational policy and practice. This updated and expanded Sixth Edition includes: Revision of case law, education policy, and citations to reflect the most recent decisions and developments in the field. Cases and commentary on key topics such as constitutional rights of students in public schools, school discipline, safety, and zero tolerance policies, school choice and parental rights claims, the regulation of charter schools and home-based education, cyberbullying and the regulation of online speech, racial and sexual harassment policies, and collective bargaining, unions, and working conditions. eResources accessible at www.routledge.com/9780367195250 include a Glossary for students, Chapter Outlines and Abstracts for instructors, as well as Tables of Cases.

Download or read book The State Role in School Turnaround written by Lauren Morando Rhim and published by IAP. This book was released on 2014-03-01 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With chapters written by leading researchers and practitioners actively engaged in the work, this Edited Volume examines the role of the state education agency in school turnaround efforts. An emphasis is placed on practical application of research and best practice related to the State Education Agency’s (SEA’s) critical leadership role in driving and supporting successful school turnaround efforts. The Edited Volume is organized around the Center on School Turnaround’s four objectives, with sections devoted to each: 1. Create a Pro-Turnaround Statutory and Regulatory Environment 2. Administer and Manage Turnaround Efforts Effectively 3. Provide Targeted and Timely Technical Assistance to Local Educational Agencies and Schools 4. Advocate and Lead to Build Support for Local Turnaround Efforts

Download or read book Holding Schools Accountable written by Kris Sloan and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2006-12-30 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sloan explores the varied contours of the educational accountability movement that has swept the United States. He describes the historical origins and underlying assumptions of present day accountability measures, current issues surrounding accountability, relationships between the accountability and the standards movements, and the role of standardized testing in each of these movements, and provides a critical reading of the seemingly divided literature concerning the effects of accountability on public education. This volume also focuses on the implications of accountability measures on parents, families, and communities, including details of the varied efforts by grassroots organizations that have raised concerns over current accountability measures. While there has been a substantial amount of parent and community opposition to both state and national accountability policies, increasingly these organizations are offering suggestions for ways to make accountability measures better and more responsive to both community and student needs. The work concludes by offering valuable suggestions about improving, even strengthening accountability measures in ways that are more responsive and respectful of students, their families, and local communities.

Download or read book The Courts and Standards Based Reform written by Benjamin Michael Superfine and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2008-07-29 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the desegregation of public schools in the 1950s, the concept of standards-based reform has become a central topic within educational policy. Every American state is now required to enact standards-based reform policies while shifting responsibility away from the government and holding schools more accountable for their students performance. The Courts and Standards-Based Education Reform positions itself at the center of the long standing dispute between law, education, and public policy and analyzes the court's growing role in educational policy. Benjamin Superfine contends that the courts are a strong force in determining education policy, and have been placed in the position to decide some of the most contentious and important issues facing education law as the standards-based reform movement has grown. Such major cases addressed by the courts, in light of standards-based reforms, include the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and school finance reform litigation. As the courts continue to rule in cases that challenge fundamental aspects of U.S. educational policy, Superfine provides a new approach that can be used in the application and rulings of standards-based reforms.

Download or read book Challenging Standards written by Jonathan A. Supovitz and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2015-06-03 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Common Core State Standards are at the center of the latest firestorm in American education reform. But this is not the nation’s first torrid experience with standards implementation. In Challenging Standards, Jonathan Supovitz and James Spillane bring together the collective knowledge of top education researchers who have both experienced and investigated education reform challenges in the past. Combining both evidence-based research and applied knowledge, the contributors share with educational leaders their accrued wisdom about implementing standards in classrooms and systems, building capacity through relationships, and navigating the fractious political terrain. Each section of the book contains a set of facilitative questions that will help leadership teams, book clubs, and professional learning communities connect the chapters to their work.

Download or read book Accountability is the Key written by John Hunt and published by R&L Education. This book was released on 2013-11-14 with total page 137 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: School administration is more difficult today than at any time in our history. Whether addressing the needs of students, parents or staff at the building level, or facing the questions posed by the board of education, the media or the general public at the district level, administrators face constant calls for accountability. Demands for administrative accountability have steadily increased since the publication of A Nation at Risk in 1983. The most recent trend has been to tie administrative evaluations to student performance, increasing stress among administrators at all levels. The cumulative effect of three decades of challenges to administrative authority has undermined the publics view of educational administrators as experts. The author examines the current state of public education, including the influence of private individuals and foundations, and alternative approaches to the educational delivery model and then highlights successful examples of public education. He concludes by considering input of current administrators and school board members and presents a strategy which educational administrators can employ to win back public confidence and support.

Download or read book Testing and Inclusive Schooling written by Bjorn Hamre and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-05-11 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Testing and Inclusive Schooling provides a comparative perspective on seemingly incompatible global agendas and efforts to include all children in the general school system, thus reducing exclusion. With an examination of the international testing culture and the politics of inclusion currently permeating national school reforms, this book raises a critical and constructive discussion of these movements, which appear to support one another, yet simultaneously offer profound contradictions. With contributions from around the world, the book analyses the dilemma arising between reforms that urge schools to move towards a constantly higher academic level, and those who practice a politics of inclusion leading to a greater degree of student diversity. The book considers the types of problems that arise when reforms implemented at the international level are transformed into policies and practices, firmly placing global educational efforts into perspective by highlighting a range of different cases at both national and local levels. Testing and Inclusive Schooling sheds light on new possibilities for educational improvements in global and local contexts and is essential reading for academics, researchers and postgraduate students interested in international and comparative education, assessment technologies and practices, inclusion, educational psychology and educational policy.

Download or read book Meeting the Challenges to Measurement in an Era of Accountability written by Henry Braun and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-01-29 with total page 437 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Under pressure and support from the federal government, states have increasingly turned to indicators based on student test scores to evaluate teachers and schools, as well as students themselves. The focus thus far has been on test scores in those subject areas where there is a sequence of consecutive tests, such as in mathematics or English/language arts with a focus on grades 4-8. Teachers in these subject areas, however, constitute less than thirty percent of the teacher workforce in a district. Comparatively little has been written about the measurement of achievement in the other grades and subjects. This volume seeks to remedy this imbalance by focusing on the assessment of student achievement in a broad range of grade levels and subject areas, with particular attention to their use in the evaluation of teachers and schools in all. It addresses traditional end-of-course tests, as well as alternative measures such as portfolios, exhibitions, and student learning objectives. In each case, issues related to design and development, psychometric considerations, and validity challenges are covered from both a generic and a content-specific perspective. The NCME Applications of Educational Measurement and Assessment series includes edited volumes designed to inform research-based applications of educational measurement and assessment. Edited by leading experts, these books are comprehensive and practical resources on the latest developments in the field. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license

Download or read book The Bloomsbury Handbook of Rural Education in the United States written by Amy Price Azano and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2021-09-09 with total page 415 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This handbook begins with a foundational overview of rural education, examining the ways in which definitions, histories, policies, and demographic changes influence rural schools. This foundational approach includes how corporatization, population changes, poverty, and the role of data affect everyday learning in rural schools. In following sections, the contributors consider how school closures, charter schools, and district governance influence decision making in rural schooling, while also examining the influence of these structures on higher education attainment, rural school partnerships, and school leadership. They explore curriculum studies in rural education, including place-based and trauma-informed pedagogies, rural literacies, rural stereotype threat, and achievement. Finally, they engage with issues of identity and equity in rural schools by providing an overview of the literature related to diverse populations in rural places, including Indigenous, Black, and Latinx communities, and exceptional learners. Importantly, this handbook applies theoretical tools to rural classroom experiences, demonstrating the potential of work centered at the intersection of theory, rurality, and classroom practice. Each section concludes with a response by an international scholar, situating the topics covered within the broader global context.