Using experience gained by facilitating the determination of root causes in schools and in industrial settings, as well as lessons from research and literature both within and outside of education, this paper provides a recommend process, and detailed protocols and tools for defining problems to be investigated and determining their root causes.

In the visualizations in this exhibit, you can compare the performance and growth of various groups of high achievers to that of their peers over multiple years.

Some of our assumptions about the growth and performance of students from high-poverty schools relative to their peers from wealthier schools may be challenged in this data gallery, where you can explore how school poverty level interacts with student growth, college readiness, and college access.

The problems faced within education resemble the problems in many social settings in that they lack clear definitions, have many potential causes, lack simple solutions, and defy straightforward measurement. In this article, Andrew Hegedus shares a view on the types of problems faced in education and outlines key characteristics of a process that begins with collecting data and ends with evaluating progress.

This article offers insight and guidance on issues to think about before tests are used as an evaluation tool and to help ensure better choices are made about the role test scores play in a teacher’s evaluation.

Most previous research involving the study of response times has been conducted using locally developed instruments. The purpose of the current study was to examine the amount of rapid-guessing behavior within a commercially available, low-stakes instrument.

Complementing traditional quantitative measures with more qualitative tools can help determine college and career readiness.