Many researchers and policymakers consider teachers the number one factor affecting student achievement. Yet teacher professional development programs that prove effective are rare. Efforts are needed to develop, refine, test, and scale-up professional development programs. AIR has been researching teacher professional development programs to help teachers with general and content-area ...
Quality standards are a foundational aspect of an afterschool system, where the goal is to ensure that all youth have access to high-quality programs. The resources on this page are intended to support networks that are developing, implementing, and refining statewide quality standards.
We share a wide variety of tools and resources to help you build, sustain, and expand quality afterschool systems in your state. The tools and resources include formalized systems for assessment against a quality framework, research-to-practice briefs on quality programming, tools for program staff to apply best practices in their ...
The Guide for Reflecting on Instructional Depth, or GRID, helps teachers reflect on their instruction, identify areas where they can be more student-centered. The four-part video GRID series provides step-by-step guidance for determining students’ depth of mathematical justifications and who is driving those justifications. ...
At this stage in the quality standards development process, you have brought together a collaborative group of stakeholders to research and design a set of afterschool quality standards, and you have successfully navigated the approval process in your state. You are now ready to share the standards with the field ...
The Plan, Do, Study, Act Process is central to the improvement of instructional routines. Watch one of the Better Math Teaching Network members in real time and in a real classroom setting introduce the Plan, Do, Study, Act, or PDSA, process.
Credentials certify performance based on a set of defined skills and knowledge and allow established or emerging staff to be recognized for their competence and commitment to professional growth. To date, though research suggests that well-trained staff, such as those with credentials, are more likely to deliver high quality programs, ...
Afterschool staff working with youth are essential partners in any program’s efforts to implement quality programming. Ultimately, strong relationships are key to whether youth feel safe and can authentically engage with peers and adults. Building staff members’ capacity to strengthen relationships and align program offerings to quality standards will help ...
AIR's team of researchers and practitioners works with clients to achieve solutions to complex policy and practice problems and to identify and support effective approaches that help teachers thrive. Our team supports clients in developing impactful policies and practices across teachers’ entire career, beginning with recruitment and preparation, and continuing ...
Ensuring strong alignment between quality standards and afterschool programs requires creative thinking, planning, and collaboration. Afterschool programs that align professional development with quality standards can support staff learning and sustain continuous improvement by reinforcing professional standards and practices. ...