This report uses evidence-based standards developed by the What Works Clearinghouse to review the research literature on programs that help students with disabilities make transitions after high school. Community-based work programs had mixed effects on employment and potentially positive...

This report describes the value-added models (VAMs) created for the Pittsburgh Public Schools and the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers. Pittsburgh's VAMs use not only state assessments but also course-specific assessments, student attendance, and course completion rates, aiming to produce...

This policy brief aims to help policymakers, educators, and researchers better understand census funding, a special education finance model used by several states and the federal government. Under this model, aid levels are based primarily on total district enrollment and a fixed amount per...

This report presents findings from Phase 2 of a three-year teacher evaluation pilot conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Principals evaluated the teaching practices of teachers using The Framework for Teaching, a rubric that includes 22 components grouped into four broad...

This report describes the development of value-added models for estimating the contributions of Pennsylvania teachers and principals toward the achievement growth of their students. Estimates were obtained during the first phase of a multiyear pilot to develop new evaluation systems for teachers...

Using data on elementary and middle school math and reading outcomes for Pennsylvania students, this working paper found that school value-added provides little useful information for comparing the general leadership skills of different principals when these comparisons include some principals...

This report summarizes research findings and implementation practices for teacher and principal value-added models (VAM) as a first step in the Team Pennsylvania Foundation’s pilot project to inform the development of a full, statewide model evaluation system. The report selected 21 empirical...