A focus of the Common Core State Standards/English Language Arts (CCSS/ELA) is that students become increasingly more capable with complex text over their school careers. This focus has redirected attention to the measurement of text complexity. Although CCSS/ELA suggests multiple criteria for this task, the standards offer a single measure of…

In the knowledge economy, many companies are well aware of the vital need to maintain the professional expertise of their workers at a high level. Though there have been a lot of research studies in the areas of professional expertise and workplace learning, few examined the learning pathways novice workers went through to become experts in their…

Over the last several decades, Continuous Improvement (CI) type initiatives have been implemented in companies across the United States to improve quality, reduce process variation, eliminate waste and ultimately reduce costs. Approximately five years ago, one particular Fortune 500 company implemented CI in its manufacturing facilities. A key…

There has been an emphasis on educators to improve student achievement, particularly in low socioeconomic schools. The latest research encourages educators to use student data to drive instruction. The purpose of this study was to determine if using data to arrange students by academic performance improves academic achievement. A middle school in…

This article reports that in 1996, Alabama officials approved the "4 x 4" plan, which made their state the first in the country to require students to complete four years, or four credits each, of math and science for high school graduation. Other states have since followed suit, with policymakers arguing that higher standards are necessary to…

The nature of special education has changed appreciably over the past several decades. As a result, the role of special educators needs to be examined and further developed to provide the most effective education for all learners at-risk and those with high- and low-incidence disabilities. In this article, the authors discuss five important roles…

It has been called many names: Continuous Progress Format, Advancement Based on Competency (ABC), Continuous Progress Schools, and Continuous Progress Education. The idea of "Continuous Progress" refers to academic and developmental growth of students in a multi-age program. Students learn new materials as they are ready, regardless of their age,…

In this article, the author profiles Charles Dickens Elementary School in Vancouver, British Columbia, a school that dares to be different from the rest. This elementary school operates on a child-centered, multi-aged framework that is based on belief in an orientation towards continuous progress, appropriate evaluation of progress, schoolwide…

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of aging on the storage of visual and spatial working memory according to Logie's model of working memory (1995). In a first experiment young, elderly, and very old subjects carried out two tasks usually used to measure visual span (Visual Patterns Test) and spatial span (Corsi Block Tapping test).…

"Re-forming Gifted Education" (Rogers, 2002) offers "best practices" for gifted students. The book also includes a procedure for developing a child's education plan with a variety of choices. Nevertheless, in recent years, the author has often been asked "how" one can ensure that the "best" matches are made for a child. A parent or teacher may…

We examined the extent to which use of a technology-enhanced continuous progress monitoring system would enhance the results of math instruction, examined variability in teacher implementation of the program, and compared math results in classrooms in which teachers did and did not use the system. Classrooms were randomly assigned to within-school…

In this article, the authors explore the notion of difficulty and the vital role it can play in the learning journey of student teachers, both with respect to their own and their students' educational maturation. Confronting today's popular but flawed American reductionist learning models, the authors explicate the opportunity for deeper learning…

Billions of dollars are spent searching for programs and strategic plans that will prove to be the panacea for improving literacy achievement. With all of the experimental and researched programs implemented in school districts, the overall results are still at a minimum and many improvement gains have been short term. This book focuses on…

These 11 newsletter issues provide a forum for discussion and exchange of ideas regarding mixed-age grouping in preschool and elementary schools. The October 1992 issue focuses on the mixed-age approach as an educational innovation, defines relevant terms, and presents advice from Oregon teachers on teaching mixed-age groups. The March 1993 issue…

Since 1996, 125 Ohio principals have attended the Summit (Ohio) Principal Academy. Participants agree on the urgent need for change, work on personal beliefs and missions, focus on student work tasks, learn inter- and intra-district collaboration, and empower teachers to make decisions. Leadership academies supplement this process. (MLH)