This document contains remarks delivered by the Secretary of Education who spoke at the 2009 Governors Education Symposium. Secretary Duncan spoke about uses of Recovery Act funding to drive reform in four core areas of education: (1) Robust data systems that track student achievement and teacher effectiveness; (2) Teacher and principal quality;…

Compared the progress of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district, North Carolina, in improving student outcomes with progress in two other North Carolina school districts and the entire state. There was no evidence that the sweeping program of school reform in Charlotte-Mecklenburg improved academic outcomes except in a few advanced placement…

Used national survey data to examine the impact of high school algebra on students who differed in mathematics skills before entering high school. Regression analysis with over 12,500 students indicates that all students benefit from taking algebra, although benefits are smaller for those with very low prior achievement. (SLD)

Investigated mathematics practices of 25 elementary and middle school teachers in the context of national and state efforts to reform mathematics education. Identified distinctly different patterns of practice in response to the reforms and dimensions of practice that appear more responsive to reforms than others. Considers issues for policy…

Examines the reliability and validity of using a survey to gauge the percentage of time that algebra teachers use practices that are consistent with professional standards for teaching mathematics. Survey results from 28 teachers suggest that a composite of practices is quite reliable and somewhat valid but that it does not capture instructional…

Analyzes data on minority teachers in Texas between 1979 and 1996. Descriptive results show that, although Texas has been successful in attracting minority teachers, it has a long way to go before the teacher workforce reflects the racial/ethnic composition of the state. (SLD)

Describes Tennessee's Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) Project, a study of class size, and summarizes its findings with regard to academic achievement and behavior. Positive findings from STAR are providing impetus for class-size-reduction policies. Discusses some criticisms of STAR research and findings. (SLD)

The relationship between students' opportunity to learn (OTL) and their science achievement was studied with 623 eighth graders from five schools. Hierarchical linear analysis shows that OTL variables are not unitary constructs, so that different dimensions of OTL should be measured simultaneously to document it properly. Implications for teachers…

Gender differences on the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 science tests were explored through statistical analyses and interviews with 25 high school students. Results show the importance of studying the validity of the outcome measure and suggest that conclusions about group differences and correlates of achievement depend on the…

How the organization of U.S. high school mathematics curriculum affects how much students learn was studied with data from 123 schools in the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Results indicate that students learn more in schools that offer a narrow curriculum of mostly academic courses. (SLD)

Data from 882 high school students in 48 mathematics classes demonstrate that student achievement is significantly lower in general-track classes than in college-preparatory classes, with achievement in transition classes (classes in California and New York bridging the gap between elementary and college-preparatory mathematics) falling between…

Methodological features are suggested for a possible new national longitudinal study of teachers' careers. Six key principles of research design are presented and used to assert that the new study must be truly longitudinal with measurements on at least six occasions over at least 12 years. (SLD)

The boundaries between educational research, policy, and practice are becoming blurred in the postmodern age. Ways to transform knowledge utilization and teacher self-knowledge to greater educational productivity are explored, and principles for reinventing the relationships between knowledge creation and knowledge use are discussed. (SLD)

Data from the High School and Beyond survey for 1,076 students who took algebra before high school and 5,818 who took algebra in high school demonstrated that early access to algebra had an effect beyond increased knowledge, and that it might socialize a student into taking more mathematics. (SLD)

A multimethod evaluation of a major Canadian strategic grant program with surveys of 74 funded projects, 4 case studies, and interviews with researchers and grant application staff reveals the favorable effects of partnerships between research and practice on research and dissemination strategies in spite of ideological and pragmatic constraints.…