Whole Child Education

A report from The Campaign for Educational Equity argues for broader measures of assessment in NAEP.

Standing in the way of incorporating 21st-century skills into teaching and learning are widespread concerns about measurement. New assessments illustrate that the skills that really matter for the 21st century—the ability to think creatively and to evaluate and analyze information—can be measured accurately and in a common and comparable way.

This issue of The Progress of Education Reform summarizes the findings of five recent studies that address early predictors for dropping out of school, 9th-grade predictors of risk in an urban environment, school characteristics linked to higher graduation rates, economic benefits of several programs that positively influence high school completion rates, and a synthesis of the research on dropping out and the importance of state data systems to support dropout prevention efforts.

A policy brief presenting the consequences commonly raised by critics of increased high school graduation requirements and the relevant research or experience, as well as guiding principles for best policy in establishing more challenging curricular expectations for all students.

With all 50 states and the District of Columbia having adopted college- and career-ready standards in English and mathematics, Achieve's seventh annual "Closing the Expectations Gap" report shows how all states are aligning those standards with policies to send clear signals to students about what it means to be academically prepared for college and careers after high school graduation.