Common Core State Standards, Accountability & Assessment


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Wishes and Worries for 2023: What Ed Tech Leaders Are Thinking About

During the final weeks of 2022, THE Journal asked scores of ed tech leaders about their wishes and worries for 2023. Cybersecurity and teacher resources were the most common topics addressed in the responses — many of which include specific ideas for new policies and practices for K–12 education in the United States.

THE Journal logo, podcast logo, title reads A High School Class on the History of Poison and Murder As a Mini-Case Study for Competency-Based Education

A High School Class on the History of Poison and Murder As a Mini-Case Study for Competency-Based Education

Todd Ryckman of Cypher Learning joins THEJournal.com editor Kristal Kuykendall for a discussion about the competency-based education movement, what it looks like in school districts that have been implementing CBE over the past five years, and how Cypher Learning’s NEO LMS empowers educators and students, regardless of whether their school uses the traditional or “modern” instructional model or more of a CBE approach.

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The Teacher Support Program That Kept Growing Even Through the Pandemic

When COVID-19 prevented in-person coaching, observing, and co-teaching, the North Carolina New Teacher Support Program started using video and continued in full force, with over 1,000 teachers participating in the 2020–21 school year and the program has continued growing, with nearly 1,400 teachers participating this school year — data shows it is indeed helping the state retain teachers.

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7 Questions About Branching Minds MTSS Platform with CEO Maya Gat

For the 7 Questions Ed Tech Explainer series, Branching Minds CEO Maya Gat explains how its Multi-Tiered System of Supports solution works, how it impacts teachers, administrators, students, and learning outcomes, and how it incorporates a school district's existing data to help teachers equitably and efficiently differentiate instruction and ensure it's helping students catch up.

Why Providing Proof of Skills Is Essential for Students' Future Success

A longtime educator and expert in Competency-Based Education teaching models argues that there is a significant misalignment between the vehicles through which students communicate what they know and can do and the opportunities available in the workforce, and he says K-12 education should be implementing skills tracking, which would fix the issue for both students and employers.

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7 Questions About PowerSchool's New Data-as-a-Service Platform, Connected Intelligence

THE Journal's 7 Questions: Ed Tech Explainer series features PowerSchool Group VP Shivani Stumpf, who explains the new Data-as-a-Service solution for education called Connected Intelligence, how it works, what it will offer public schools and state education agencies that is not commonly available now, and how she envisions it helping improve K–12 education.

NAEP: Remote Learning Not Solely to Blame for Decline in Reading and Math Achievement

Most of the United States saw declines in reading and math achievement on standardized tests between 2019 and 2022. Those declines happened in both fourth- and eighth-grade in a large majority of states and jurisdictions.

YouScience has acquired NC3T

YouScience Acquires NC3T, Expanding Its College and Career Readiness Solutions

Aptitude assessment and CTE solutions provider YouScience has acquired the National Center for College and Career Transitions, or NC3T, expanding YouScience’s ability to help K–12 students find and prepare for the career and college options that best fit their interests and abilities, according to a news release.

Video: How YouScience's Aptitude Assessments Help Educators and Students Match Their Strengths with Course Selections and Career Paths

Aptitude assessments are helpful both at the upper levels of curriculum decision-making and at the granular level with students. Educators and guidance counselors can see the gaps in so-called “career exposure” — for example where students have innate talents or aptitudes but no career interest indicates they may need more information about career possibilities — and the assessments help schools better tailor courses and programs in high school to the career paths that students show talents in and wish to explore as a possible future job.

THE Journal Insider podcast focuses on how schools are using YouScience

How Aptitude Assessments Provide Data-Driven Direction to Educators and Help Students See Brighter Futures

Aptitude assessments are helpful both at the upper levels of curriculum decision-making and at the granular level with students. Educators and guidance counselors can see the gaps in so-called “career exposure” — for example where students have innate talents or aptitudes but no career interest indicates they may need more information about career possibilities — and the assessments help schools better tailor courses and programs in high school to the career paths that students show talents in and wish to explore as a possible future job.