1. Background CPRE brings together education experts from renowned research institutions to contribute new knowledge that informs K- 16 education policy & practice. Our work is peer-reviewed & open-access for education policymakers, practitioners, and researchers at cpre.org. Projects CPRE researchers study myriad topics pertaining to education policy &practice, including: Common Core State Standards Instruction & Learning School & District Leadership Professional Development Teacher Quality School Finance And more! Methods CPRE employees quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches to research. Our researchers conduct experimental studies, program evaluations, and instrument development. Research to Practice Strategies Not only does CPRE engage in quality research, but we also work to make our research available to policymakers and practitioners. Access CPRE’s work in the following mediums: Visit cpre.org to access our researcher, educator, or policymaker pages. Policy Briefs present research reports in more concise and digestible language. Insights monthly e-newsletter provides monthly updates of CPRE’s latest findings, projects, and more. Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook using the QRC’s below: The Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) Contact Information Jackie Kerstetter Communications Manager, CPRE University of Pennsylvania (215) 573-0700x231 jji@gse.upenn.edu Sign-up for CPRE’s Insights e-newsletter. Follow us on Twitter @CPREresearch. Like us on Facebook.

2. Background A Teacher Analysis of Student Knowledge, or TASK, is a grade-specific, online assessment for mathematics teachers which measures important components of the instructional knowledge necessary to teach to the high expectations of the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics. TASK can be used for program evaluation, professional development, and more. Project Overview In Spring 2012, the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) conducted a large field trial of the TASK instrument in partnership with five public school districts in five northeastern and southern states. The districts varied in size, student demographics, and programs of mathematics instruction. Teachers completing the TASK instrument were evaluated in Content Knowledge, as well as six domains: Concept Knowledge, Mathematical Validity, Analysis of Student Thinking, Learning Trajectory Orientation in both Ranking and Rationale, and Instructional Decision-Making. Methods 1,261 teachers of mathematics in grades K-10 were given a TASK, which provides a grade- appropriate problem and a set of student responses, and then asks teachers to complete seven steps, each of which measures formative assessment practices pertaining to the domains described above. Results/Conclusions Findings from the TASK nation field trial paint a picture of the current state of teachers’ learning trajectory-oriented formative assessment capabilities in grades K-10 in five urban and urban fringe districts. They indicate: Across all grades, teachers focused more on what students do (procedural) than what they understand (conceptual). The majority of teachers suggested teaching the student particular strategies rather than developing mathematical understanding. Overall, researchers see significant room for growth in teacher capacity to identify, interpret, and respond to students’ conceptual understanding. Research to Practice Strategies Given the emphasis in the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics on rigor as a balance between procedural and conceptual understanding, policymakers and practitioners must prioritize capacity building in both district policy and practice. Access the TASK field test results in the interactive electronic report at cpre.org/task-report. Teacher Analysis of Student Knowledge (TASK) Contact Information Caroline Ebby Senior Researcher Consortium for Policy Research in Education (215) 573-0700x222 cbe@gse.upenn.edu

3. Background School districts across the country are designing strategies to support and guide teachers in understanding and implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). District policies shape how new initiatives such as the CCSS are interpreted by practitioners and have implications for how policies are implemented at the school- and classroom- levels. Project Overview Over the course of two school years, researchers from the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) spent time in NYC schools learning about the city’s expectations for teachers regarding the CCSS and how teachers and school administrators interpreted and engaged with those expectations. Methods Researchers collected data through interviews with stakeholders at all levels of the NYC school system, including teachers, principals, network leaders, and city-level administrators. Additionally, a survey was administered to a sample of schools regarding the sources that school staff used to help understand and implement the CCSS. Results/Conclusions There was wide variation in how schools responded to the district’s expectations for implementing the CCSS, ranging from schools who transformed their approach to teaching and learning, to schools that made only minor changes to what they were already doing. Those schools who transformed their instructional approaches developed a deeper understanding of the CCSS. Furthermore, researchers found that teachers relied mostly on coaches and school administrators to gain knowledge about the CCSS, and that knowledge was transferred mostly during formal, within-school learning opportunities such as team meetings and school-wide professional development. Research to Practice Strategies District policy was carefully crafted to encourage schools to engage with the new CCSS. Results from this research suggest that the more thoughtfully schools engage with CCSS implementation, the better their understanding of the CCSS will be. Also, coaches and administrators play a key role in disseminating knowledge within schools and they access external resources more often than other school staff. District and school leaders should prioritize providing teachers with opportunities to collaborate and access knowledge which resides within schools. The Common Core in New York City Schools Contact Information Jonathan Supovitz Director Consortium for Policy Research in Education (215) 573-0700x230 jons@gse.upenn.edu Visit cpre.org/CommonCoreNYC for more information.