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Full-Text Articles in Education
Policy And Practice Brief 5: English Learners And High School Graduation: Beyond The Four Year Pathway, Virginia Massaro, Merc English Learner Research & Evaluation Team, Virginia Commonwealth University
Policy And Practice Brief 5: English Learners And High School Graduation: Beyond The Four Year Pathway, Virginia Massaro, Merc English Learner Research & Evaluation Team, Virginia Commonwealth University
MERC Publications
An ever-present concern among high schools is student graduation. The pressure is on to graduate students within the typical four-year time frame it takes to complete requirements. While most students graduate in four years, they are not required to do so. This policy and practice brief provides research and resources related to this topic.
Policy And Practice Brief 4: The Obligation Of Schools To Provide Information To Multilingual Families In A Language They Can Understand, Carolyn N. Waters
Policy And Practice Brief 4: The Obligation Of Schools To Provide Information To Multilingual Families In A Language They Can Understand, Carolyn N. Waters
MERC Publications
Research shows that strong relationships between families and schools are key to student success. By providing information and communication in languages and formats that multilingual parents and guardians can access and understand, schools can strengthen relationships with these families. This policy and practice brief provides research and resources on this topic.
Policy And Practice Brief 3: Dual Language Programs Are Growing Across Virginia, Virginia Massaro
Policy And Practice Brief 3: Dual Language Programs Are Growing Across Virginia, Virginia Massaro
MERC Publications
The number of dual language (DL) programs has increased in response to a growing number of English learners (ELs) in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Virginia Dual Language Educators Network (VADLEN) is committed to supporting the growth of DL programs in the state. This policy and practice brief provides research and resources on this topic.
Policy And Practice Brief 2: English Learners Are A Priority During Covid-19, Melissa J. Cuba
Policy And Practice Brief 2: English Learners Are A Priority During Covid-19, Melissa J. Cuba
MERC Publications
English learners (ELs) are disproportionately impacted by the health and economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. These students often traverse virtual learning with fewer resources, limited access, additional responsibilities, and increased needs. In addition to this, they represent a significant percentage of the student population in school divisions across the Commonwealth. This policy and practice brief provides additional research and resources on this topic.
Dual Language Programming: A Model To Enhance School Climate And Academic Achievement In Diverse Schools, Melissa J. Cuba, Kate Daly Rolander
Dual Language Programming: A Model To Enhance School Climate And Academic Achievement In Diverse Schools, Melissa J. Cuba, Kate Daly Rolander
MERC Publications
This policy brief summarizes research and data on English learners (ELs) in Virginia and current dual language (DL) education policies and practices. It includes discussions of (1) the growth of ELs in Virginia and across the Richmond area; (2) both federal and state education policies on language use and DL programming; (3) critical factors related to outcomes and the instruction of ELs and native English speakers in an integrated setting; (4) case studies of school divisions in Virginia that have spearheaded DL programs in their region; and (5) responses to frequently asked questions around the implementation and new 2018 Virginia …
Policy And Practice Brief 1: Virginia Is Not An English-Only Instruction State, Melissa J. Cuba
Policy And Practice Brief 1: Virginia Is Not An English-Only Instruction State, Melissa J. Cuba
MERC Publications
Virginia is not an English-only state for PreK-12 instruction. Although English is the official language of Virginia (as stated in the Code of Virginia), no state or federal policies require English as the only language for PreK-12 public education. Having English designated as the official language of Virginia does not prohibit the use of other languages in instruction. This policy brief provides further details and resources related to this topic.
Rethinking School Improvement: The Case For Networked Improvement Communities, Jesse Senechal
Rethinking School Improvement: The Case For Networked Improvement Communities, Jesse Senechal
MERC Publications
The question of why school improvement efforts have not been as effective as we would hope is a complicated one that could be addressed from a number of perspectives. The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the underlying problems that prevent current school reform effort from achieving sustained impact, and to describe a promising model of school improvement, called the Networked Improvement Community (NIC). The NIC model – which has just started gaining traction in the world of K-12 school reform – establishes small inquiry groups within organizations to engage in cycles of improvement that involve implementing …
Differentiated Instruction: A Review Of Literature, Whitney Sherman
Differentiated Instruction: A Review Of Literature, Whitney Sherman
MERC Publications
Differentiated instruction is recognized to be a compilation of many theories and practices related to effective teaching and its link to student achievement. It requires a departure from traditional methods of teaching and the belief that learners vary according to readiness, ability, motivation, and interest. While numerous testimonials, examples of differentiation in practice, and for profit tools abound in the literature, little empirical research exists warranting future research on the effectiveness of differentiated instruction as measured by student achievement on assessment. This manuscript provides a review of the literature.
Alignment Of District Assessments With The Virginia Standards Of Learning (Sol), Joan A. Rhodes
Alignment Of District Assessments With The Virginia Standards Of Learning (Sol), Joan A. Rhodes
MERC Publications
Parents, teachers, and school administrators all have one common goal — student success. Teachers have been trusted to impart knowledge to students, while hopefully fostering a love of learning, then assessing how much the students know. Assessment in the classroom, whether informal, formative, or summative, has been the major source of identifying students strengths and weaknesses. Today, there is increased pressure on teachers to ensure they are accountable for what they do in the classroom. Within the educational system, students’ success has been measured inconsistently from state-to-state, district-to-district, and even classroom-to-classroom. In this age of accountability, national and state standards …
Instructional Strategies To Increase Motivation, Close The Achievement Gap, And Help Students Reach Their Potential: A Review Of Literature, Nora Alder, Susan P. Mckelvey
Instructional Strategies To Increase Motivation, Close The Achievement Gap, And Help Students Reach Their Potential: A Review Of Literature, Nora Alder, Susan P. Mckelvey
MERC Publications
Closing the achievement gap between African, Native, and Hispanic American and their European and Asian American counterparts has been a concern for decades. Recently, the persistence of this issue has become more pressing due to several factors. First, high stakes accountability testing places demands on students to demonstrate mastery of material across disciplines in order to successfully complete high school. Second, some states have already reported an increase dropout rate when students feel that they cannot pass the tests or will be retained in their grade level (Clark, et al., 2000). Third, the society’s economic structure in the new millennium …