Education reformers have increasingly invested in the development of communities wihtin schools as a central strategy to improve teaching and student learning. Two assumptions underlie the push for more intimate learning environments: teachers will get to know their students better and therefore be able to better respond to students’ learning needs, and teachers will be encouraged to collaborate more in order to improve their instructional practices. This issue examines the merit of these assumptions and the conditions under which teachers can improve their instructional practices and bring about enhanced student learning.
Developing Communities of Instructional Practice: Lessons from Cincinnati and Philadelphia
Date: November 2003
Related Publications
Publication
State of Inequity: Disparities in Pennsylvania School Districts by Degree of Funding Adequacy
This study provides the first descriptive comparison of the characteristics of Pennsylvania school districts by degree of school funding adequacy gaps, as calculated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education in 2024 using the state’s legislatively…
Publication
Patterns of Student Mobility Among English Learner Students in Public High Schools in Philadelphia
This study examines the mobility rates of English Learner (EL) students in the School District of Philadelphia (SDP). Student mobility refers to the process of students changing schools, either during the school year or over…
Publication
Interim Report 2 on the Implementation, Impact, and Cost Effectiveness of Developmental Education Reform in California’s Community Colleges
For years, developmental education (DE) courses in community colleges, intended to prepare students for college-level work, often became a barrier, disproportionately impacting Black, Latino, and Indigenous students. In 2017, California aimed to address this with…
Publication
Students Experiencing Homelessness in Pennsylvania: A 2024 Update
This PACER brief provides RFA’s updated analysis of data on students experiencing homelessness in Pennsylvania, highlighting prevalence, challenges with identification, disparities in educational opportunities, and impact on academic outcomes. Our main findings include that: Roughly…
Publication
The When and How of Keystone Exams in the School District of Philadelphia
To earn a diploma, Pennsylvania high school students must now demonstrate college or career readiness through one of several pathways. Two of these pathways require passing state exams in Algebra I, Biology, and Literature, known…
Publication
Understanding Increases in Head Start Teacher Turnover During COVID-19
This report explores the dramatic increase in Head Start teacher turnover during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from the Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) from 2010 to 2022, the study investigates trends in teacher…
Publication
Examining the Effectiveness of Race-Specific Funding Strategies in Higher Education
As states reckon with racial enrollment and attainment gaps in higher education, some have made efforts to address them through their higher education funding. Two common approaches are outcomes-based funding (OBF) and Promise programs, as…
Publication
“For the Good of the City” An Early Evaluation of the Catto Scholarship
The Octavius V. Catto Scholarship launched in spring 2021 at Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) to help Philadelphians achieve college success. Inspired by 19th-century civil rights leader Octavius Catto’s belief in education for all, the…
Publication
Revisiting Research on School Closings: Key Learnings for District and Community Leaders
While school closures are often framed as necessary adjustments due to population shifts, building issues, or declining enrollment, the reality is these decisions spark fierce debate and can disproportionately impact students and communities of color.…
Publication
Responding, Reimagining, Realizing: Out-of-School Coordination in a New Era
The Wallace Foundation commissioned Research for Action and McClanahan Associates to study how out-of-school time intermediaries (OSTIs) responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and the role they could play in supporting communities moving forward. Citywide out-of-school…
Publication
Personalized, Competency-Based Learning in Arizona: A Case Study of Implementation in Yuma Union High School District
The case study explores the adoption and implementation of personalized, competency-based learning at Yuma Union High School District (YUHSD) within the broader context of the Arizona Personalized Learning Network (AZPLN). The study reveals that YUHSD…
Publication
Personalized, Competency-Based Learning in Arizona: A Case Study of Implementation in an Elementary School in Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District 35
This case study explores the implementation of personalized learning at an elementary school in Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District 35. The study, conducted by Research for Action and funded by KnowledgeWorks, sheds light on…