Value-added data informing and improving TN Schools of Education

Nadja Young
Nadja Young|May 8, 2012

With the rapid changes in our education systems regarding new standards, assessments, accountability and evaluation, teachers are rightfully feeling the pressure of being underprepared. The majority of teachers were not trained or certified with these rigorous systems in place. Recognizing that higher education institutions need to play an active role [...]

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Poor does not equal lazy

Nadja Young
Nadja Young|December 15, 2011

After my November blog post about achievement gaps between affluent and poor students, Newt Gingrich cast some renewed energy on the topic with his inflammatory comments about poor children at a Dec 1st GOP debate. In case you missed his remarks, here is the quote that sent the media into [...]

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Giving thanks for good teachers, closing the achievement gap

Nadja Young
Nadja Young|November 17, 2011

I recently attended The Education Trust’s 2011 National Conference on closing gaps and raising achievement for ALL students. This was my first Ed Trust event and I walked away baffled by the data about the inequities in our education system, and the persistent gaps between the affluent and impoverished. First, [...]

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Student achievement's trick masks student growth's treat

Nadja Young
Nadja Young|October 20, 2011

Halloween is around the corner and children everywhere will wear masks throughout their neighborhoods for a night of trick-or-treating fun and, likely, too much candy. A masking has also occurred in education policy with the No Child Left Behind Act, sans the candy at the end of the night. That [...]

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Part 3 of the 3 R’s of Education: Relationships that Raise Learning

Nadja Young
Nadja Young|October 6, 2011

With an increasing volume of curriculum to cover and no time to spare, teachers often hit the ground running with the full throttle rigor and relevance critical to teaching and learning. However, I argue that the first two R’s are futile if teachers don’t have meaningful relationships with their students. [...]

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Part 2 of the 3 R’s of Education: Real World Relevance

Nadja Young
Nadja Young|September 15, 2011

As schools across the country delve into a new year, I want to bring my readers back to teaching basics with Part 2 of my Three R’s series on Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships. Here’s Part 1. As students flood our halls and classrooms, are they eager and excited for the challenging year ahead? Do [...]

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Part 1 of the 3 R's: Relentless Rigor

Nadja Young
Nadja Young|July 14, 2011

Most of us grew up playing some type of sport and dreaming of becoming a collegiate or professional athlete. For me, it was a focus on dance and striving to be a professional ballerina. At some point we realized that in order to make this dream a reality, we’d have [...]

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The Three R’s Series: Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships

Nadja Young
Nadja Young|July 5, 2011

Last week, I attended the International Center for Leadership in Education’s Model Schools Conference in Nashville, TN, where I learned about many forward-thinking education initiatives taking place across the country. My colleagues and I also had the privilege of facilitating a SAS(r) EVAAS for K-12 presentation from two principals at [...]

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Artistry and Creativity in STEM

Nadja Young
Nadja Young|May 20, 2011

As I write my first blog entry for SAS State and Local Government, I thought it would be prudent to provide a little personal background. I grew up in a family of artists- with 5 musicians, 2 painters, 1 sculptor, 1 dancer, and 1 composer. I studied business, became a [...]

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Common Core Standards key to consistent student assessment

Lindia Harbaugh
Lindia Harbaugh|November 4, 2010

I recently had the opportunity to attend the VA Governor’s Education Summit “Innovate to Educate” was the theme throughout the summit. Speakers and panelists discussed both the challenges we face in today’s schools across America as well as innovative ideas and best practices being implemented in an effort to raise [...]

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