Publications – Educator Effectiveness

Supports Associated with Teacher Retention in Michigan

September 2021

Statewide teacher shortages are hindering Michigan’s efforts to ensure that all students have equitable access to qualified teachers. To help the state alleviate shortages, REL Midwest conducted a study to identify teacher supports (policies, programs, and practices) associated with teacher retention at the local level in Michigan. Findings from this study can help education leaders in Michigan understand which types of supports, such as supports for new teachers, show promise in improving teacher retention and merit more rigorous investigation.

Participation in a Professional Development Program on Culturally Responsive Practices in Wisconsin

November 2020

This REL Midwest study examined the percentages of schools that participated in the program and their practices and characteristics, and the relationship between program participation and school outcomes. A related infographic highlights an approach to measure the use of culturally responsive practices.

Evidence-Supported Interventions Associated with Black Students’ Education Outcomes: Findings from a Systematic Review of Research

February 2018

REL Midwest conducted a systematic review of research on interventions that may improve academic outcomes for Black students. A related infographic [347 KB ] highlights the study’s key findings.

Measuring the implementation fidelity of the Response to Intervention framework in Milwaukee Public Schools

November 2016

The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of a newly-developed hybrid system to measure the implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI), to determine schools’ progress toward implementing RTI; and to determine whether implementation ratings were related to contextual factors.

How to Use the School Survey of Practices Associated with High Performance

September 2016

REL Midwest, in partnership with its School Turnaround Research Alliance, developed a survey that state education departments and school districts can use to measure the degree to which schools are engaging in practices associated with high performance. This guide includes information regarding ways that principals and educators can use the survey, as well as the development of the survey and its psychometric validation.

State Policies on Teacher Evaluation Practices in the Midwest Region

July 2008

This technical brief describes state-level policies and procedural requirements for guiding teacher evaluation practices at the district level in the seven states served by REL Midwest. Building on the report Examining district guidance to schools on teacher evaluation policies in the Midwest Region (Brandt et al. 2007), this brief reveals how teacher evaluation practices are addressed by state policies and other state-level initiatives that include teacher evaluation features.

Examining District Guidance to Schools on Teacher Evaluation Policies in the Midwest Region

November 2007

This descriptive study provides a snapshot of teacher evaluation policies across a demographically diverse sample of districts in the Midwest Region. It aims to lay the groundwork for further research and inform conversations about current policies at the local, district, and state levels.