Teen literacy report

Literacy instruction: The key to education reform
A new report pinpoints adolescent literacy as a cornerstone of the current education reform movement, upon which efforts such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act must be built.
Carnegie Corporation of New York. (2009). Time to Act: An Agenda for Advancing Adolescent Literacy for College and Career Readiness. New York: Author.
http://carnegie.org/literacy/tta/

Reading research

Surrealism improves learning skills
Reading Franz Kafka’s The Country Doctor or watching Blue Velvet by director David Lynch could make you smarter, according to research by psychologists at the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of British Columbia. Exposure to surrealism apparently enhances the cognitive mechanisms that oversee implicit learning functions.
Travis Proulx & Steven J. Heine. (2009). Connections From Kafka: Exposure to Meaning Threats Improves Implicit Learning of an Artificial Grammar. Psychological Science (Sept.), p 1125-1131.

California education study

This report about California education assesses the state of the multiple pathways model of combining academics with career education and the field's shared identity, standards of practice, knowledge base, leadership and grassroots support, policy support, and funding. It also makes recommendations.
Howard, Don, & Patrick Wu. (2009). Assessing California's Multiple Pathways Field: Preparing Youth for Success in College and Career. San Francisco: James Irvine Foundation.
http://www.irvine.org/images/stories/pdf/pubs/assessingmultiplepathways.pdf

culturelly-responsive pedagogy research

Reviews the literature on culturally responsive pedagogy — using the students' cultures and ethnic identity in promoting resilience and academic success, with a focus on African Americans. Defines concepts and makes recommendations for grantmaking.
Hanley, Mary Stone; George W. Noblit. (2009). Cultural Responsiveness, Racial Identity and Academic Success: A Review of Literature. Heinz Endowments.
http://www.heinz.org/UserFiles/Library/Culture-Report_FINAL.pdf

Online video study

As the audience for online video continues to grow, a leading edge of internet users are migrating their viewing from their computer screens to their TV screens. At the same time, more cell phone users are opting for the convenience of watching video on smaller screens via their handheld devices.

According to an April 2009 survey by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, the share of online adults who watch videos on video-sharing sites has nearly doubled since 2006. Fully 62% of adult internet users have watched video on these sites, up from just 33% who reported this in December 2006.

Over time, online video has also become a bigger fixture in everyday life, garnering 19% of all internet users who use video-sharing sites to watch on a typical day. In comparison, just 8% of internet users reported use of the sites on a typical day in 2006.
Pew Internet & American Life Project. (2009).
http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/13--The-Audience-for-Online-VideoSharing-Sites-Shoots-Up.aspx

Assessment report

This report compiles analyses and policy recommendations on developing common standards and assessments, supporting timely use of data to inform decisions and to improve teaching and learning, and investing in research to prepare high school students for the global economy.
Pinkus, L. (2009). Meaningful Measurement: The Role of Assessments in Improving High School Education in the Twenty-First Century. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.
http://www.all4ed.org/files/MeaningfulMeasurement.pdf

Education accountability survey

Presents findings from a 2008-09 state-by-state survey of progress in aligning standards, graduation requirements, assessments, data systems, and accountability systems with colleges' and employers' expectations. Charts trends and lists resources.
Achieve, Inc. (February 2009). Closing the Expectations Gap 2009. Washington, DC: Achieve.
http://www.achieve.org/files/50-state-2009.pdf