Danielson Framework for Teaching: A research-based set of components of instruction, aligned to the InTASC standards, and grounded in a constructivist view of learning and teaching. The complex activity of teaching is divided into 22 components (and 76 smaller elements) clustered into four domains of teaching responsibility.
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Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA): The principal federal law affecting K-12 education, first passed by the U.S. Congress in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society Program. The law, which Congress is supposed to reauthorize every five years, was intended to improve the education of the country’s poorest children, and that remains its overarching purpose.
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): A U.S. law passed in December 2015 that governs the United States K-12 public education policy. The law replaced its predecessor, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), and modified but did not eliminate provisions relating to the periodic standardized tests given to students. ESSA is a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, which established the federal government’s expanded role in public education.
Instructional Practice: Applications that fuel effective and efficient classroom interaction to drive students on their journey of discovery in a learning experience.
InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards: Teaching standards that outline what teachers should know and be able to do to ensure that every K-12 student reaches the goal of being ready to enter college or the workforce in today’s world. This common core outlines the principles and foundations of teaching practice that cut across all subject areas and grade levels and that all teachers share.
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National Board for Professional Teaching Standards: A nonpartisan, nonprofit organization in the United States, dedicated to promoting excellence in education. It develops and maintains advanced standards for educators and offers a national, voluntary assessment, National Board Certification, based on the NBPTS standards.
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School Accountability: The concept that schools should be held responsible for improving student achievement and should be either rewarded for their success or sanctioned for their lack of success in doing so.
Superintendent: The top administrator in a school district who implements the school board’s vision by making day-to-day decisions about educational programs, spending, staff, and facilities.
Teacher Evaluation: The formal process a school uses to review and rate teachers’ performance and effectiveness in the classroom. Ideally, the findings from these evaluations are used to provide feedback to teachers and guide their professional development.
Walkthrough: A short, organized visit to a classroom to observe teachers and students. Ideally, the visits should occur frequently and are intended to support teachers in the delivery of instruction and curriculum. The aim of the walkthrough is to provide direct and specific feedback to teachers based on the snapshot observed. The feedback can then be given to an individual, or the observer may provide a report of patterns noted during the walkthroughs.
