2.27.13 Student Effort and Test Score Accuracy The one question I get asked most frequently from partners has to do with the accuracy of test scores, specifically in the context of whether a student has given appropriate effort on the test. This... Read more
2.20.13 Early Math in the Common Core State Standards: Balance at New Heights As kindergartens across the country begin to transition to the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics, the aim for achievement gains is high. However, standards don’t take children places... Read more
2.6.13 The Benefits of Leveraging Technology to Implement RTI In earlier blogs we discussed RTI and its importance to early learning and the value of universal screening and progress monitoring. In fact, as Telzrow, McNamara, and Hollinger (2000) observed,... Read more
1.30.13 Parental Involvement and Early Learning Success Nikkie Zanevsky recently posted a blog over at the SPARK Community entitled 3 Practical Strategies for Improving Parent Involvement in Education. If you haven’t read it yet you should check it... Read more
1.29.13 What is “good” academic growth? We often get questions about whether a student’s growth is “good” or not. Unfortunately, it’s a question we at NWEA just can’t answer. Only you can. I don’t want you to think we are... Read more
1.16.13 Classroom techniques: Formative assessment idea number 7 We’ve blogged thus far on six formative assessment ideas that can be used at virtually no cost in your classroom to engage your entire class while providing you valuable information on student... Read more
1.14.13 Early Learning: Teacher and Administrator Benefits of Teaching in the Zone In a previous blog post – The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), and Why it Matters for Early Childhood Learning – we defined ZPD and showed how identifying where a child’s zone is can... Read more
1.9.13 Unnecessary Roughness: Innovative Approaches to School Discipline Education Week recently ran a four-part series on alternatives to suspension and expulsion, Rethinking Discipline. The series highlights administrators and educators from schools across the country... Read more
1.4.13 16 Questions to Ask When Choosing Early Childhood Assessment Tools In previous posts, we discussed what RTI (Response to Intervention) is and why it’s important to early learning as well as the role that universal screening and progress monitoring assessments... Read more
1.3.13 A Dream Deferred: College Access vs. College Readiness We know that in the US, educational attainment is the largest predictor of earning power. And now more than ever, a college education is necessary to secure a good job. This trend, coupled with... Read more
12.19.12 The Value of Universal Screening and Progress Monitoring for Early Childhood Learning A key component of successful response to intervention (RTI) is assessment geared toward preventing, identifying, and qualifying academic difficulties. Tools used for this purpose in the context of... Read more
12.14.12 What is RTI and Why is it so Important to Early Learning? Educators know all children can learn; however, we are also faced with the harsh reality that some at‐risk students progress through school without access to learning opportunities that are finely... Read more