Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands

June 2008

Ed Evidence
Newsletter of the Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands

CONTENTS L ette r f r o m t h e D i r ecto r

1 Letter from the Director Making Connections, Addressing Challenges

2 Task 1 Projects: “Struggling
Greetings from Newton, Massachusetts! And welcome to the first edition
Reader” Report Released
of EdEvidence, the newsletter for the Regional Educational Laboratory
3 Task 2 Studies: Recruiting Northeast and Islands.
Begins
As our tireless research and project staff can tell you, we have been hard
4 Supporting Research to at work trying to understand some of the critical issues that confront
Help the Legislative Process education practitioners and policymakers in the Northeast and Islands
region. We have connected with state educators, legislators, superinten-
5 Policy Challenges dents, teachers, and staff in varied professional organizations, and continue to dig deeper into
Conference Brings Together the significant education issues of our time.
Researchers, Stakeholders
This work has been an eye-opening experience for everyone involved. The area that we serve,
6 State Liaisons: which includes regions as diverse as New York City, rural Maine, and the Virgin Islands, benefits
Representing Jurisdictions from educators at all levels who are committed to making schools work. Yet we have identified a
7 In Practice: What Works number of high-priority challenges that need to be addressed, such as building and retaining a
at the SEE Forum highly-qualified teaching corps, providing adequate support to low-performing schools and dis-
tricts, and better understanding how assessment can inform instruction. While we do not expect
our research to reveal easy solutions to any of these issues, I believe we have the opportunity to
make a significant contribution to the research base in these key areas, and to provide stakehold-
ers with real evidence they can use to inform their decisions about education policy and practice.

We have accomplished much already. Through the diligent work of our state liaisons and re-
D i r ecto r , R E L N o r t h e a st
a nd Isl a nds
searchers, we are helping to bring evidence-based decision making to our region’s states, districts,
Jill Weber and schools. It has been rewarding to collaborate with practitioners and policymakers on the
specific issues that confront them, and dig deep into the available research on those topics.
Writing Team
Sarah Chace
Burt Granofsky With EdEvidence, we hope to bring the work of REL-NEI to a wider audience, and to report the
Richard Fournier ways that this research is being used by real stakeholders—teachers, administrators, legislators,
professional organizations—in the field of education. EdEvidence is a snapshot of how our work
P r od u ct i on T e a m
David Gerratt impacts the region, and how people are integrating research into their decision making processes.
Beth Petr In upcoming issues of EdEvidence, we will also explore how podcasting, webinars, and other tech-
nology-based tools can be used to inform a wide range of stakeholders about our work. Look for
Read EdEvidence online these, as well as an expanded website, soon. We have spent the past two years examining the
www.edc.org/relnei/newsletters.php critical educational issues in the region—now we want to share what we have found!
Questions? Comments?
Email us at [email protected] Sincerely,

Director, REL Northeast and Islands

 Ed Evidence June 2008 | page 2

“Struggling Reader” Report Looks at Literacy

Interventions in Four Urban Districts

J
udy Zorfass is concerned. “I want students, especially those with disabili-
people to worry about this problem ties, are still mastering foundation read-
after reading this report,” she says, ing skills. Additionally, Zorfass points out
her voice sounding a hint of alarm. that many students either missed out on
Zorfass, an EDC researcher with Reading First programs or continued to
extensive experience in middle-grades struggle with reading into the upper
literacy development, is not prone to elementary grades. These difficulties
hyperbole. She was the lead developer often persist into middle school.
for the Annenberg-funded Literacy The results of the 2005 National
Matters website, and has written a book Assessment of Educational Progress
based on her work with middle schools (NAEP), commonly referred to as “The
and interdisciplinary teams. So it is note- Nation’s Report Card,” confirm Zorfass’
worthy that she is concerned about the point. On the reading portion of the
state of programs designed to help NAEP, fewer than half of fourth graders
struggling middle grade readers. in each of the states involved in this
Along with her REL Northeast and study scored at the “proficient” level or
Islands colleague Carole Urbano, Zorfass above. And reading scores did not im-
recently completed a study of founda- prove over time; the percentage of
tion reading skills in four school districts eighth grade students achieving “profi-
(Worcester, MA, Nashua, NH, Yonkers, cient” or above mirrored the scores of
NY, and Providence, RI). Specifically, the FA L L I N G B E HI N D E AR LY the younger students—indicating that
pair wanted to know how these districts “Foundation reading skills” are reading a large number of students continue
assess “foundation” reading skills— skills that students typically develop in to struggle with reading well into the
essential for academic success—and the primary grades. They include three middle grades.
provide programs to struggling middle- elements: phonemic awareness (the
grade readers. awareness that spoken words are made C O L L A B O RAT I O N N E E D E D
The report, titled “A description of up of individual sounds), knowledge Wondering what types of remediation
foundation skills interventions for strug- of high-frequency sight words, and the programs were in place to help students
gling middle-grade readers in four urban ability to decode words from print to who had not mastered foundation read-
Northeast and Islands Region school speech. Students who lack foundation ing skills, Zorfass and Urbano talked with
districts,” and which is available online, skills struggle with reading, and often administrators involved in special educa-
concluded that all four districts were in do not succeed in academic areas that tion, literacy, Title 1, and English Language
the beginning stages of both testing and rely heavily on reading (such as social Learner (ELL) programs in the four dis-
providing foundation skills programs. studies and science). tricts. They also collected district statis-
The type of diagnostic assessment that Zorfass points to research studies tics, read public documents describing
was used in each district varied, as did which show that not all students in mid- the literacy programs, and consulted
the number of students that were dle school have these necessary reading state literacy plans.
included in each district’s intervention skills, despite a focus in the elementary The administrators identified six
program. If programs existed, progress grades on building literacy and helping factors that could promote the success
monitoring was built in. struggling readers. One example of this of middle grades reading programs in
While the results of this study show focus is the Reading First program, a fed- their districts. They listed policy-level
that these districts are beginning to erally funded grant stream that supports factors, such as extending Reading First
address the needs of struggling readers the development of many reading prog- initiatives into the middle grades, and
in their schools, Zorfass wants to see rams targeting students in grades K-3. making use of Response to Intervention
more attention paid to the issue. Reading First programs, Zorfass says, (RtI) and three-tier reading models. The
“This report should motivate people are supposed to catch struggling readers administrators also identified school-
to think, ‘This is a big problem,’” she says. early, and help build the skills for level factors such as flexible scheduling
“These representative districts—who reading success. She praises the initia- to accommodate interventions, and
have high-need populations—recognize tive, but adds that such interventions staffing schools with enough highly
that they must be doing more.” stop after Grade 3 even though many qualified reading teachers.
 Ed Evidence June 2008 | page 3

Further, administrators viewed col- as an example of a program that only literacy and reading interventions.
laboration among English language arts, benefited a small group of students Zorfass and Urbano recently present-
special education, Title I, and English in one pilot school. ed selected project findings at REL-NEI’s
language learner departments and prog- “What surprised me,” Zorfass says, second Policy Challenges Conference,
rams as important for any change in in- “was that the educators were able to do held in March. They were joined by Cindy
structional planning. The data gathered strong thinking about design of pro- Mata-Aguilar, an expert in adolescent
from these four districts shows that re- gram, and even successfully pilot it, but literacy, of the New York and New England
sponsibility for the intervention cannot faced typical barriers in scaling it up.” Comprehensive Centers. The three led
be housed in any one school department, Administrators noted that lack of ade- regional stakeholders—including edu-
but must be a collaborative effort at all quate funding, a dearth of highly quali- cators, policymakers, and administrators
levels of the district. School administra- fied teachers, and changes in administra- —in a discussion of the current research
tors all indicated that they realized the tion can hurt even effective programs. on reading interventions, and shared
importance of shifting to a collaborative The strength of this report, Zorfass some resources that were available to
decision-making process when design- believes, is that it provides educators at practitioners.
ing intervention programs. all levels with a structure for discussing What did participants take away
A particular challenge that school reading intervention programs for mid- from the presentation? “Adolescence is
leaders say they are facing is how to dle grades students. She spotlights the not too late to intervene,” says Zorfass,
scale up their middle grades reading report’s appendix as especially useful, reflecting on her experience in the field.
interventions to impact more students. with resources for teachers, administra- “In my opinion, carefully designed in-
Zorfass singles out the intervention tors, and other stakeholders that can terventions—with good teaching—
program in Worcester, Massachusetts “anchor the conversation” around can work.”

REL-NEI Begins Large-Scale Studies, Recruiting

S
chools throughout New England and other REL-NEI jurisdictions,” says
are encouraged to apply for inclu- Pam Buffington, REL-NEI’s Maine State
sion in one of two new large-scale Liaison. “The results have policy impli-
randomized controlled trial studies con- cations that relate to equity of access
ducted by REL Northeast and Islands. to critical gateway skills for advanced
These studies address two critical issues mathematics courses, expanded post-
in education: broadening access to secondary options and higher levels of
Algebra I in the eighth grade, and achievement for students including
improving adolescent literacy. those from small, often geographically
“We are hopeful that both of these isolated, schools and communities.”
studies will make significant contribu- Schools participating in this study
tions to the research literature and pro- stand to gain many benefits, including
vide important guidance to inform high- a high quality Algebra I course offered
stakes educational decisions,” observes online for eighth graders at no cost, a
Katie Culp, Director of Outreach for highly qualified teacher to teach the
REL-NEI. course, ongoing technical support,
REL-NEI is currently conducting out- graphing calculators, and compensa-
reach to schools in Maine for the Virtual tion for on-site proctors and teacher
Algebra study, which seeks to examine participation.
the policy implications of offering an REL-NEI is also reaching out to sixth-
online Algebra I course to eighth grade grade teachers in high-need schools in
students. The study seeks to attract eighth grade demonstrate higher math- Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont,
students who are prepared to take an ematics achievement than students who and Rhode Island for another technol-
Algebra I course, but who attend schools take the mathematics offerings as cur- ogy-based study that focuses on reading
that do not offer the course until high rently structured in their high school. comprehension. This study will assess
school. The study will also examine higher-level the effectiveness of Thinking Reader, a
Specifically, the study seeks to mathematics course-taking patterns and software-based intervention designed
determine whether students who take success in ninth and tenth grade. to advance literacy development
the online Virtual Algebra course in “This study is important to Maine, among middle-grades students.
 Ed Evidence June 2008 | page 4

The Thinking Reader software

presents digital versions of nine popular, Supporting Research to Help the
multicultural, award-winning novels, and
uses a software program with embed- Legislative Process
ded supports to help students practice
and master various reading comprehen- research support and technical assistance
sion strategies in an online format. The of REL-NEI. Unlike the U.S. Congress, they
program will supplement students’ regu- have no Research Service devoted to
lar English language arts curriculum, their needs.
and is appropriate for English Language Legislators like O’Leary rely on their
Learner (ELL) students, struggling read- aides to vet legislative proposals, with
ers, and special education students, a particular eye towards looking at the
as well as on-grade-level readers. proposal’s alignment with current re-
“During our regional needs analysis, search data. And this is where academic
it was clear that adolescent literacy was study comes in, said Haberland; if there
and is one of the most urgent issues to is “persuasive research” on a given piece
address,” says Teresa Duncan, the study’s of proposed legislation, “it will trump
Principal Investigator. “We conducted a the lobbyists.”
scan of different adolescent literacy in- During a question and answer
terventions, trying to determine which period, a number of REL-NEI staff were
ones had promising—and rigorous— eager to know how best to offer legisla-

I
prior research to support the developer’s n the state of Massachusetts it takes tors assistance in supplying the research
claims. The Thinking Reader software an average of seven years for a bill that legislators need when considering
program stood out as an intervention to become law, according to William policy. The answer: through the legisla-
that was both grounded in literacy theory Haberland, Chief of Staff to Massachu- tive aides, who also could benefit from
and based on empirically proven literacy setts State Senator Robert O’Leary, who training in how to discern quality
strategies.” spoke with members of the Regional research.
Participating schools will receive free Educational Laboratory Northeast and When asked if webinars would be
Thinking Reader software, headphones Islands (REL-NEI) in early February. useful formats for such training, Haber-
and microphones, paperback books and According to Haberland, one reason land responded that this sort of technol-
teacher support materials for their sixth- for this extended timeframe may be the ogy would “very much” be appreciated
grade reading classrooms. Teachers will fact that every citizen in the state—from and suggested a short series of one-hour
also receive professional development politicians to teachers, from high school trainings—ideally ones that would allow
and ongoing technical assistance. students to lobbyists—has the right of the aides to stay at their desks.
Research and project staff from petition, meaning that anyone who wants In response to Haberland’s com-
Education Development Center, Inc. to propose a law may do so. ments, REL-NEI staff will follow up with
(EDC) and American Institutes for The architecture of such a system Massachusetts legislative staff to create
Research (AIR) will collaborate on may beg questions of efficiency, which a series of webinar trainings for legis-
both research studies. is one reason why legislative aides— lative aides around the theme of be-
Participants interested in learning staffers who funnel information to state coming more effective consumers
about either study can visit their respec- lawmakers—would benefit from the of education research.
tive websites: http://www.virtualalgebra
study.org/ and http://www.literacy
intervention.org/. Both studies will be
conducted during the 2008–2009
academic years, with data collection
for the Virtual Algebra study continu-
ing for an additional two years.
 Ed Evidence June 2008 | page 5

Policy Challenges Conference Brings Together Researchers,

Stakeholders
Best Use of English Language Learning
Data,” was led by Sanchez and three col-
leagues. Besides an overview of the latest
research on assessment of English lang-
uage learners (ELLs), this forum offered a
glimpse of one project that is examining
the relationship between test scores of
ELLs on English language proficiency
assessments and content-based
achievement tests.
“For people who were not aware
of the state of the current research, the
presentation was helpful,” said Sanchez.
“The types of conversations that people
were having were interesting, stimulat-
ing, and important.”

R
esearch about high-risk student legislation on dropout prevention in Conference participant Susan Hayes,
populations was the focus of REL Rhode Island, while Parker explained the National Assessment of Educational
Northeast and Islands’ second how she has been working with assess- Progress (NAEP) Coordinator for Vermont,
Policy Challenges Conference, held at ment directors in several states to ensure found that the ideas presented in this
the Providence Biltmore Hotel on March high-quality assessments are available session connected to her work in the
5 and 6. The conference was attended by for all students. state, especially around the issue of stu-
over 100 educators, researchers, policy- The conference showcased REL-NEI dents in poverty. “The ELL piece was rele-
makers, and stakeholders representing research projects that examine issues vant because that’s a growing section of
all states and jurisdictions in the REL- in high-risk student populations, and our kids,” she said, citing the crossover
NEI region. offered participants the opportunity to nature of poverty and ELLs. More than
Dr. Ron Ferguson, director of the ask project staff about the research dur- urban poverty, rural poverty remains a
Achievement Gap Initiative at Harvard ing roundtable discussions. These ses- high-priority issue in Vermont.
University, offered a keynote speech sions also helped stakeholders exchange Other panels focused on issues
about the role of research in understand- ideas about the potential impact of the such as reducing urban minority student
ing and addressing the specific needs of findings, and discuss how this research drop-out rates and addressing the dis-
at risk students in the United States. may affect their decisions about state proportionate representation of high-
“We’ve got to find ways to deliver education policies. risk students in special education classes.
really high quality instruction to kids at Presentations allowed all participants Jill Weber, Director of REL-NEI, hailed
the bottom of the achievement distribu- to learn about current research and to the conference as an effective way to
tion and put just as much thought and share challenges that they faced in their convene a group of researchers and
energy and enthusiasm into that as we own states and districts, according to decision-makers to examine how
do for the kids...at the top end of the Maria Teresa Sanchez, a member of the research can be applied in different
distribution,” said Ferguson. “We need REL-NEI research staff. “For several of the contexts.
some research on how you actually state groups,” she added, “it provided an “We value these conversations, as
make that happen in real schools.” opportunity to talk about how the REL they help us get closer to our goal of
The event opened with a panel could be of help to them.” making education an evidence-based
discussion featuring Paula Dominguez, State teams, comprising educators, field,” said Weber. “The Policy Challenges
Senior Education Policy Advisor to the policy-makers, and state department of conference was an opportunity for us to
Rhode Island legislature, Elizabeth Burke education staff, had multiple opportuni- learn from practitioners and for them to
Bryant, Executive Director of Rhode Island ties during the two-day conference to learn from us. It allowed REL staff to con-
KIDS COUNT, and Carrie Parker, Research work together to identify policy chal- tinue to define the most useful pieces of
Scientist at EDC. Dominguez and Burke lenges and discuss possible new work we can do in this area, and to focus
Bryant described the role that research initiatives in their jurisdictions. on ways to bring research to regional
played in informing a key piece of One roundtable session, “Making the policymakers.”
 Ed Evidence June 2008 | page 6

State Liaisons: Representing Jurisdictions

W
ithin the Northeast and Islands
region, the state liaisons are the
primary point of contact be-
tween REL-NEI and the individual states
and jurisdictions. State liaisons ensure
that the breadth and depth of the edu-
cational issues in each jurisdiction are
well represented in setting priorities for
the REL’s technical assistance and research
projects. The liaisons also keep stake-
holders in the jurisdictions aware of
the support that the REL can provide.
A liaison’s work begins with “needs
sensing”—the process of identifying issues
of interest and relevance in a jurisdiction.
Liaisons facilitate meetings with a wide
range of stakeholders, including educa-
tion commissioners and staff from state
education departments, statewide sup-
port organizations, local education agen-
cies, universities, and districts, in order
to gather information about educational might help to address those needs. “This is an example of the technical
issues of importance to each group. “This was an important connection assistance process at its best,” continues
Through these needs-sensing events, to make,” says Laura Jeffers, the Connec- Jeffers. “Our colleagues at the Connec-
the liaisons come to understand a juris- ticut state liaison. “The cabinet is made ticut State Department of Education
diction’s education issues from a variety up of Associate Commissioners and posed a question, and we were able
of perspectives, and build relationships Bureau Chiefs, many of whom regularly to respond quickly with research that
between education practitioners and use research in the process of devel- was directly relevant to the issues they
REL-NEI staff. oping, promoting, and implementing were grappling with.”
“Our event provided a great oppor- educational policies and programs in In addition to serving as a bridge
tunity for the REL to connect with educa- the state.” between state stakeholders and the REL,
tional leaders and legislators in Maine,” After an initial meeting and a follow- liaisons manage a variety of other tasks.
says Pam Buffington, the Maine state up conversation, the group decided to Liaisons coordinate the work of REL-NEI
liaison, who organized a needs sensing tackle the issue of early childhood assess- researchers within their jurisdiction,
dinner in January. “It provided a perfect ment. They were specifically interested recruit participants for focus groups and
opportunity to reach out and inform in learning about kindergarten screen- other cross-jurisdiction activities, and
these state leaders about the REL, and ing and progress monitoring assess- help to identify opportunities to lever-
also to engage in conversations about ments that had been deemed effective age the work of other federally funded
issues that they feel are key to educa- and reliable by experts in the field, as centers (such as Comprehensive Centers)
tion policy in the state.” well as different states’ approaches to in response to the needs of the juris-
Liaisons also coordinate research- assessing students in the early grades. dictions.
based responses to a jurisdiction’s needs, Culp took these questions back to Liaisons work as senior staff at REL-
meeting frequently with high-level state the REL. Assisted by researcher Charlie NEI partner organizations, Education
education staff. Such meetings help REL- Rockman and researchers from EDC’s Development Center, Inc. and Learning
NEI support jurisdictions in their work, Center for Children and Families, she Innovations at WestEd. Their extensive
as evidenced by a recent collaboration soon returned to the cabinet with two experience in technical assistance and
between Katie Culp, Director of Research Technical Assistance documents de- educational research is pivotal to devel-
for REL-NEI, and the Connecticut Com- signed to inform the department’s oping working relationships with a
missioner of Education’s extended cabinet. efforts to improve strategies for assess- broad range of stakeholders in each
The two parties met to discuss the State ing young children’s readiness for early of REL-NEI’s nine jurisdictions.
Education Department’s research needs education programs, as well as their
and to explore ways in which the REL progress in those programs.
 Ed Evidence June 2008 | page 7

Learning About What Works at the SEE Forum

S
eeking to foster the use of evi- The one-day forum intro-
dence-based research to shape duced two resources for ed-
state and federal education policy, ucators: the IES Practice
the U.S. Department of Education’s Guides and the Doing What
Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Works website. A panel of
is sponsoring a new series of forums education experts, includ-
designed to connect research, policy, ing Fleischman and Russell
and practice. Gersten, Panel Chair for the
The Scientific Evidence in Educa- IES Practice Guides, intro-
tion (SEE) Forums are organized by duced the new educational
the American Institutes for Research tools.
(AIR), and invite policymakers and The IES Practice Guide
practitioners to learn about new prod- series is a compilation of
ucts, projects, or avenues for integrating recommendations for prac-
rigorous research into education. AIR is titioners to use when de-
a partner in the Regional Educational ciding whether to imple-
Laboratory Northeast and Islands (REL- ment programs on a par-
NEI), one of ten IES-funded regional ticular subject, such as
laboratories across the United States. English Language Learning (ELL) instruct
The first of six SEE Forums was held ion. Each guide gathers available research showcased. “If these districts and schools
in March at the National Press Club in on one subject, typically an educational start using these resources,” he says, “I’m
Washington, DC, and attended by mem- issue lacking strong impact evidence, sure it’ll have a direct impact on the types
bers of the U.S. Department of Education and provides insight into the research of requests that REL-NEI will receive.
and representatives from the National base. Practitioners, including teachers Schools and policymakers will be more
Education Association, Alliance for Excel- and principals, can use the guides—pre- informed.”
lence in Education, local universities, and sented in a digestible format that requires The remaining five SEE Forums will
several public and charter schools. The little knowledge of research methodology take place within the next year and a
Forum promoted the idea that, in the —to understand what research suggests half. More information on SEE Forums
words of SEE Forums Director Steve about various teaching practices and and resources can be found at http://
Fleischman, “science really matters” in programs. www.seeforums.org.
education. A highlight of this first forum The Doing What Works website,
was the introduction of new research- available at http://dww.ed.gov/, is an
based resources that help to bridge online version of the IES Practice Guide
research and practice. series, and tailored speci-fically for
“Research and practice are obvious- teachers. The website provides visual
ly very different,” says forum attendee examples of teaching methods teachers
Richard Fournier, a member of the REL- might implement, including animated
NEI research team. “Combining the two and real-life video clips. Addi-tionally, it
can be a challenge, and the SEE Forum is provides interviews with mem-bers of the
a piece of the puzzle. I’m happy that we IES panel and other researchers.
have events like the SEE Forums helping Fournier noted the relevance of the
us get the word out to practitioners and forums, saying that states in the North-
policy makers.” east and Islands region can benefit from
the guides and the website that were

REL-NEI’s goal is to help preK–16 educators at the state, district and school levels
increase their use of scientifically based evidence to make decisions that lead to improved
student achievement and reduced performance gaps among student groups.