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Standards-Based Education Reform

The goal of standards-based reform is to establish objective metrics to assess student performance and teacher effectiveness, using standardized instructional materials and testing: Individual performance is measured against a set of common criteria rather than in relation to other students. RAND research considers the role of standards-based education reform, including the United States' No Child Left Behind law, in shaping global education policy.

Report
Teachers' Perceptions of Coherence in K–12 English Language Arts and Mathematics Instructional Systems
RAND researchers interviewed a sample of members of the American Teacher Panel who responded to the spring 2022 Coherent Instructional Systems Survey to examine how teachers perceive and navigate coherence within their instructional systems.
Apr 25, 2023
Report
Coherence in English Language Arts and Mathematics Instructional Systems Across the United States
Using survey responses from a nationally representative sample of public school kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) English language arts and math teachers, RAND researchers examine teachers' perceptions of instructional system coherence.
Mar 30, 2023
Tool
The Improving Instructional System Coherence Toolkit: A Resource for K–12 Districts and Schools
This toolkit, along with an accompanying workbook and slide deck, is intended to help district and school leaders investigate and reflect on the extent to which coherence is present in their instructional systems.
Mar 30, 2023
Report
Creating Conditions for Teachers' Use of High-Quality Instructional Materials: A Research, Policy, and Practice Conversation
In this webinar, RAND researchers and state department of education officials in Delaware and Mississippi discuss the work that states and districts are doing to encourage and support the use of high-quality materials.
Aug 4, 2022
Report
How States Are Creating Conditions for Use of High-Quality Instructional Materials in K–12 Classrooms: Findings from the 2021 American Instructional Resources Survey
In this report, the authors examine adoption and use of instructional materials using survey self-reports from teachers across the United States and from a network of states that is focused on improving use of standards-aligned materials.
Jun 7, 2022
Tool
School Turnaround Cost Analysis Tool
Some popular approaches to supporting low-performing schools include helping schools collect and use data to guide their planning. This tool helps education leaders assess potential costs of some of the more popular and research-supported approaches.
Sep 9, 2021
Research Brief
Supporting Principals to Lead on the Selection and Use of Instructional Materials in Classrooms
This brief discusses findings from several RAND reports on principals' roles with respect to instructional materials. Recommendations describe how stakeholders can prepare and support principals to lead in selecting and using instructional materials.
Jul 19, 2021
Commentary
The Overlooked Support Teachers Are Missing: A Coherent Curriculum
America is still too far off from the classrooms envisioned by standards advocates, and it will take sustained effort from educational leaders to reach these ambitious goals. States and districts could prioritize efforts to support teachers to understand and implement standards both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mar 3, 2021
Report
How Instructional Materials Are Used and Supported in U.S. K–12 Classrooms: Findings from the 2019 American Instructional Resources Survey
New results from the RAND American Instructional Resources Survey, which was fielded to a national sample of public teachers and school leaders in spring 2019, shed light on how teachers use instructional materials in their classroom.
Aug 31, 2020
Journal Article
Day by Day: Investigating Variation in Elementary Mathematics Instruction That Supports the Common Core
This article investigates the extent to which students were being engaged in complex practices exemplified by Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and the Standards for Mathematical Practice on a daily basis, according to teachers' reports.
May 15, 2020
Report
Raising the Bar for Teacher Preparation: Early Signals on How Louisiana's Education Policy Strategies Are Working Across the State
This report, part of a four-part series on the implementation and outcomes of Louisiana's education initiatives, focuses on the state's strategies for K-12 teacher preparation.
Jun 11, 2019
Report
Raising the Bar for K–12 Academics: Early Signals on How Louisiana's Education Policy Strategies Are Working for Schools, Teachers, and Students
This report, part of a four-part series on the implementation and outcomes of Louisiana's education initiatives, focuses on Louisiana's strategies to support and improve K-12 academics.
Jun 11, 2019
Report
Preparing School Leaders for Success
The New Leaders program offers rigorous, research-based training for aspiring principals. Students in K-8 schools led by New Leaders principals outperformed students in K-8 schools led by other new principals in test scores and attendance rates. Both participants and district partners expressed favorable views of the program.
Feb 25, 2019
Research Brief
What Teachers Know and Do in the Common Core Era: Findings from the 2015–2017 American Teacher Panel
This brief describes work derived from five reports in RAND Education, which summarize some changes in what teachers know about Common Core standards and what they do in the classroom, based on RAND American Teacher Panel surveys.
Oct 2, 2018
Report
What Teachers Know and Do in the Common Core Era
Have Common Core State Standards changed what teachers think and do? Survey findings suggest that states must do more to support teachers' knowledge about standards and standards-aligned practices. Online venues may be a good way to provide such support.
Sep 27, 2018
Commentary
Louisiana's Education System Is Evolving: Here's What Parents Need to Know
Louisiana has taken big steps to improve its education policies and the education of the state's children, from birth to grade 12. Parents can help their children benefit from the reforms by being informed about the changes and knowing how to take advantage of new resources.
Sep 12, 2018
Report
How Well Do Math Teachers Follow Common Core State Standards?
Teachers are eager to engage their students in Common Core State Standards for mathematics if they have the knowledge and tools they need to do so. They need access to high-quality instructional materials and help in distinguishing whether these materials are aligned with the standards.
Aug 9, 2018
Report
How Schools Could Support Teachers' Implementation of State Standards
Most states have adopted more rigorous college and career readiness standards in the past decade. How do schools support teachers' implementation of these standards? School leaders need more training and support to better understand content and approaches aligned with their state standards.
May 3, 2018
Report
The Majority of Teachers Aren't Clear on the Reading Instruction Approaches Most Aligned with State Standards
English language arts teachers could increase their use of more complex, text-based practices if they received clearer guidance from states and districts about what is expected. They also need better supports and curriculum resources to engage in those approaches.
Feb 21, 2018
Tool
RAND School Leadership Intervention Evaluation Toolkit
This toolkit is a companion to School Leadership Interventions Under the Every Student Succeeds Act: An Evidence Review. The authors provide guidance and tools for designing and conducting evaluations of school leadership interventions.
Feb 7, 2018

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RAND Topic:
Standards-Based Education Reform

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Stephani L. Wrabel

Policy Researcher

Stephani L. Wrabel (she/her) is a policy researcher at the RAND Corporation with expertise in education and military-connected youth. She conducts research to improve practices, programs, and policies that shape the lives of students and military-connected people. Her portfolio includes studies…
Ashley Woo

Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND, and Ph.D. Candidate, Pardee RAND Graduate School

Ashley Woo (she/her) is an assistant policy researcher at RAND and a Ph.D. student at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. Her research interests include educational equity, supporting the learnings experiences of students from historically minoritized groups, educator recruitment and retention, the…

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