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POPSEducation Competencies The Education Competencies define many of the attributes, behaviors, areas of knowledge, skills, and abilities that will lead to superior job performance and professional growth in the education field. These profiles define the critical competencies school leaders and teachers in the 21st century should possess.
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POPSReforms That Could Help Narrow the Achievement Gap Without complementary investments in early childhood education, health care, housing, after-school and summer programs, and other social and economic supports, the academic achievement gap between lower- and middle-class children will never be closed. In this new Policy Perspectives paper, Richard Rothstein, Research Associate of the Economic Policy Institute, outlines a series of reforms, in addition to school improvement, that could help narrow the achievement gap.
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POPSProject Inkwell drafts specs for school tech Hoping to accelerate the adoption and deployment of age-appropriate, one-to-one computing devices in K-12 schools, the members of Project Inkwell say a longstanding disconnect between the education community and technology manufacturers has put schools in the difficult position of taking solutions designed for the business world and adapting them to meet the unique needs of students.
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POPSProfessional Development Analysis LINK BETWEEN HIGH-QUALITY TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & IMPROVED STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AFFIRMED A new study from Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) has found that professional development for teachers can have a positive impact on student achievement if it: (1) is sustained over time; (2) focuses on specific content areas or instructional strategies; (3) supports the collective learning of most, if not all, teachers in a school; (4) aligns with school and teacher goals; and (5) provides opportunities for teachers to practice and apply new knowledge. McREL researchers also found, however, that in general, teacher professional development does not reflect these characteristics. As a result, it has had mixed results in improving student achievement. McREL recommends that those responsible for planning professional development ensure that teacher training focuses on particular areas of teacher and student needs.