Center for Standards, Assessment, and Accountability

Keyword: Curriculum and Instruction

Ethnic Studies Legislation: State Scan

Reviewing state efforts to develop and implement curricula that reflects and affirms students’ racial and ethnic identities, Sylvia Kwon from the Region 15 Comprehensive Center developed this summary of recent and ongoing states’ ethnic studies legislation. For the purposes of this scan, “ethnic studies” encompasses coursework that purposefully reflects and supports students’ identities. Kwon examines state legislative initiatives (enacted between February 2019 and January 2021) that require ethnic studies to be incorporated into K–12 standards or curricula.

Kwon’s scan details legislative efforts in 19 states, along with summarizing the legislation’s implementation timeline.

WestEd’s Standards‐to‐Standards Alignment and Evaluation Studies

WestEd’s content and assessment experts are available to conduct standards-to-standards alignment studies, which provide: findings to meet rigorous evidence requirements, such as federal peer review guidelines; and key feedback that contributes to quality content standards. This service is available for a range of grade levels and content areas.

WestEd’s Curriculum‐to‐Standards Alignment Studies

WestEd’s content and assessment experts are available to conduct curriculum-to-standards alignment studies, which provide: findings on the alignment between local curricula and state content standards, and key feedback that contributes to quality standards-based curricula. This service is available for a range of grade levels and content areas.

Digital Professional Learning for K–12 Teachers: Literature Review and Analysis

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers’ work has had to shift to online spaces, requiring learning to be adapted to different mediums. Changes in learning also extends to teachers’ own learning, as professional learning has been moved into online environments. Given the abruptness of the shift to online-based professional learning, developers and facilitators may have questions about how best to develop accessible online learning spaces for educators.

To provide support in developing online professional learning environments, Chelsea Talakoub developed this brief that examines facets of effective virtual learning communities. Developing virtual learning communities requires consideration of the different ways that educators can participate and expand their knowledge within online environments. Talakoub’s brief explores different ways that virtual learning communities can be structured to engage educators and ensure continued access to professional learning opportunities and supports.

Case Reviews: Implementing the Spirit of Formative Assessment

The following resource provides vignettes about teachers who are attempting to implement formative assessment in their schools. The two vignettes are from a study by Earl and Timperley (2014) that showcase examples from a secondary school mathematics department. The first case shows an example of a teacher implementing the “letter” of formative assessment. In the second case, the teacher is working to apply the “spirit” of formative assessment, as she challenges her mental models about teaching and learning.

California Analysis for Learning and Engagement (CALE)

CALE is a critical needs sensing and research-to-policy initiative that is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that conducts on research on California policy priorities, particularly curriculum and instructional systems, teacher preparation, and post-secondary pathways.

CALE researchers will post reports and briefs to share timely and relevant insights from ongoing research work.