Failure, The Next Generation: Why Rigorous Standards are not Sufficient to Improve Science Learning

Although many states in the United States are adopting policies that require all students to complete college-preparatory science classes to graduate from high school, the outcomes of such policies have not always led to improved student outcomes. While there is much speculation about the cause of the dismal results, there is scant research on the process by which the policies are being implemented at the school level, especially in schools that enroll large numbers of historically non-college-bound students. To address this gap in the literature, we conducted a four-year ethnographic case study of policy implementation at one racially and socioeconomically diverse high school in Michigan. Guided by the structuration theory of Anthony Giddens, we gathered and analyzed information from administrator and science teacher interviews, observations of science classes, and relevant curriculum and policy documents. Our findings reveal the processes and rationales by which a state policy mandating three years of college-preparatory science for all students was implemented at the school. Four years after the policy was implemented there was little improvement in science outcomes. The main reason for this, we found, was the lack of correspondence between the state policy and local policies developed in response to that state policy

Demystifying Research: What’s Necessary and Why Administrators Need to Understand It

Despite the need to adopt evidence-based school reform practices, administrators are often stymied by the proliferation of instructional strategies not supported by research data. In this article, misconceptions about research terms are clarified, and sources for reliable studies are suggested. We offer practical guidelines for determining whether findings are credible and relevant for a particular context. By demystifying research, it is hoped school administrators will be encouraged to be critical consumers of research studies when making administrative decisions