Provided by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), the AACTE Education Policy Clearinghouse serves as an education research guide, helping researchers locate information about educational policy issues in the US at the federal, regional, and state level. In addition, the site posts educational news items and links to relevant online publications, policy agencies, and...

In a speech at the first annual Teacher Quality Evaluation Conference (recently held in Washington, DC), US Secretary of Education Rod Paige urged all states to radically alter their teacher certification programs by increasing the standards and decreasing the barriers that currently keep many qualified candidates from pursing teaching careers. Paige's speech was based on results of the 78-page...

The Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy at the University of Washington draws on the scholarly work of four different universities, including Stanford, the University of Michigan, and the University of Pennsylvania. The purpose of their research is "to identify ways that leaders, policymakers, teacher developers, and the reform community can support teachers' work and careers." Researchers...

The Brookings Institution has had a long-standing interest in the American system of education, and this thoughtful 73-page report takes a close look at how the federal government might best intervene in this particular area of American society. The report was released in October 2008, and it was authored by Sara Mead and Andrew J. Rotherham. In their report, the authors suggest that the federal...

Building on President Bush's earlier "No Child Left Behind" educational prospectus for the United States, this 148-page report explicates the Department of Education's 6-point plan for the upcoming years. The six points discussed in detail throughout the body of the report include improving student achievement, creating a culture of achievement, and enhancing the quality of access to postsecondary...

Many policy analysts and commentators have been bemoaning the fact that the United States’ substantial lead in the worlds of technology and scientific discovery seems to be fading rather quickly. A number of policy think-tanks have preoccupied themselves with exploring this question, and The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education has been exploring the very complex link between...

This report from the RAND organization analyzes results from the NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) state test scores of 1990, 1992, 1994, and 1996. The report is unique in offering comparative data on similar student demographics across states, allowing the authors to examine the impact of state educational reforms on comparable populations. The results show that some states are...

Created by the National Literacy Act of 1991 by a bipartisan Congressional coalition, the National Institute for Literacy is the response to requests for a federal office whose prime directive would be to engage in work on the issue of literacy in the United States. The primary work of the Institute is "to ensure that all Americans with literacy needs have access to services that can help them...

Operated as a division of the Department of Education, the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) is currently under the direction of Sally L. Stroup, who serves as the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. The OPE is responsible for formulating federal policy for postsecondary education, and also serves as a clearinghouse of information on their own programs and the overall state of...

Published by the Brown Center on American Education at the Brookings Institution, this report asks the question: "How well are American students learning?" Released in December 2007, this most recent edition of the report examines the latest test score data on math and reaching achievement. The report also offers analyses of enrollment patterns in private and public schools as well as an...