School districts are working simultaneously on implementing new education policy initiatives and aligning instructional practice to the Common Core State Standards. School districts are also developing new systems for teacher evaluation, partially based on student outcomes measures. CESP research staff works and collaborates with school districts on the systematic, comprehensive, and practical implementation of these policies and initiatives.

Teacher Effectiveness Evaluation

CESP research staff translates research evidence into practical applications for educators and administrators. CESP partners with school districts to support implementation efforts of mandated educational policies. CESP research staff works with school districts to provide much-needed support in areas such as:

• Implementation of the new generation of educators’ effectiveness evaluations since the state pilot program in 2011-2013 (CESP conducted the External Assessment of the New Jersey Pilot Teacher Evaluation)
• Identification of appropriate measures for teacher performance evaluation
• Guidance in using a balance of teacher performance and student outcomes measures
• Development of standards-based student growth objectives (SGOs)
• Development of appropriate assessments to monitor student academic gains

Common Core State Standards

CESP has developed lasting partnerships with a number of public and private school districts through its Common Core Academy 2013 (CCA2013) initiative. Through these partnerships we have identified practical issues of CCSS adoption and developed various pathways to supporting schools and districts in critical areas of implementation:

• Unpacking CCSS into meaningful learning targets for K-12 learners
• Formulation of appropriate standards-based student growth objectives (SGOs), based on learning targets
• Selection of standards-aligned high-quality assessments to monitor progress along selected learning targets
• Instructional and assessment strategies, reflecting the major educational shifts resulting from CCSS implementation
• Instructional and assessment strategies for educators in schools with large English Learner (EL) population

Related Projects

• New Jersey Early Learning Training Academy, 2014-2015
• External Assessment of the New Jersey Pilot Teacher Evaluation, 2011-2013
• Common Core Academy 2013 (CCA2013)
• Advancing Teacher Expertise in the Development of Standards-Based Student Growth Objectives (SGOs)

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