This study compares the experiences and perceptions of new and experienced teachers in 235 schools in six western states (Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming) that have adopted the Reading First school reform initiative. Using previously collected data from surveys and interviews, the study considers four areas of the reform initiative for bringing all K-3 students up to grade level in reading by grade 3: instructional coaches, teacher collaboration, use of student assessment data, and support for reform. The study found three differences in new teachers' experiences with their reading coach (in amount of feedback, requested help, and belief that interactions with coaches changed their instruction practices), but not in overall perceptions of support from reading coaches. It also found that new teachers' confidence in their ability to use data for tasks such as grouping students and understanding schoolwide trends was significantly lower than that of experienced teachers. The study found no differences between the two groups in their perceptions of collaborative grade-level meetings--both agreed that the meetings were a good use of their time--or in their overall support for Reading First.
REL Northwest releases report on "Indian Education Policies in Five Northwest Region States"
In this comprehensive effort to study Indian education policies, the report categorizes the policies of five Northwest Region states based on 13 key policies identified in the literature and describes the legal methods used to adopt them, such as statutes, regulations, and executive orders. The study found that six of the key policies had been adopted by all five states: adopting academic standards for teaching students about the history and culture of America’s indigenous peoples, involving Native Americans on advisory boards, promoting Native American languages through teacher certification, allowing students to learn their native language as part of their education program, and providing tuition assistance for college-bound Native American students.
85% of fourth-graders received five or more hours of mathematics instruction per week.
[The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2009]
(Read more)
Between 1985 and 2008, public school enrollment rose 26 percent, from 39.4 million to 49.8 million. (Read more)
Data Snapshot
In fall 2007, degree-granting institutions employed 1.4 million faculty members, including 0.7 million full-time and 0.7 million part-time faculty. In addition, degree-granting institutions employed 0.3 million graduate assistants.
The number of children enrolled in prekindergarten increased from 0.2 million in 1985 to 1.1 million in 2006, and the number enrolled in kindergarten through grade 8 increased from 26.9 million to 33.1 million.
