A Focus on Continuous Improvement

We understand the need for on-going learning and improvement within the organization. As our programs evolve, we develop new ways to measure their effectiveness. For example, we are refining our strategies for ensuring that our teacher education programs result in measurable effects on student achievement in the classroom.

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Since our founding in 2002, our programs have reached over 1000 teachers and their students across the country. But this work has value only if it produces results. We utilize multiple, on-going assessment strategies to evaluate our programs' impact on two key areas: Teaching quality and student achievement.

For teaching quality, we aim to strengthen teachers' interdisciplinary content knowledge and increase the use of effective instructional practices. To assess this, we evaluate the quality of teacher-created units; make observations of classroom practice; conduct surveys on instructional practice; and evaluate changes in content knowledge, attitudes, and awareness.

For student achievement, we focus on improving academic achievement; increasing civic engagement; and increasing skills in collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving. To assess this, we survey students' knowledge and attitudes; conduct on-site observations; and evaluate student work samples for evidence of targeted skills

Outcomes

Program evaluations show consistent and positive results on both students and teachers, with increases in

Students’ and teachers interdisciplinary content knowledge.
Students’ understanding of how coursework is linked to their lives and communities.
Students’ abilities to connect learning to real-world problems and issues.
Teachers’ use of effective practices and integration of community issues.

Learn more: View evaluation reports and success stories.