Using Common Assignments to Strengthen Teaching and Learning: Research on the Second Year of Implementation

In this second report on implementation of the Common Assignment Study (CAS), RFA’s research focuses on providing formative feedback on unit implementation; teacher collaboration; the status of context and conditions for CAS success, including school and district leadership and CAS alignment with curricula, assessments and teacher effectiveness systems; and prospects for sustaining CAS. RFA is also investigating participant perceptions of enhanced teacher practice and improved student learning. An extensive amount of data for this study was collected through teacher, administrator, and partner interviews, student focus groups, teacher surveys, administrator surveys, observations of teacher collaboration on unit revision and review of student work.