High-stakes testing has been a part of American education since its inception. The laws that govern the use of high-stakes tests include language that mandates the inclusion of students in special education. These laws play an influential role in the new large-scale assessments aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The assessments…

High-quality prekindergarten programs not only are important for decreasing the school-readiness gaps between low-income and middle-income children, they also benefit wealthier children and decrease dropout and retention rates. Thus, in the last decade, many states have committed resources to providing high-quality preK programs for all children,…

This report describes disadvantaged students' access to effective teaching in grades 4 through 8 in 29 diverse school districts, using value-added analysis to measure effective teaching. Recent federal initiatives emphasize measuring teacher effectiveness and ensuring that disadvantaged students have equal access to effective teachers. These…