Breakfast and Discussion
Saturday - 8:00 - 9:30 am

Policy Research 101:  Becoming a Savvy Consumer of Education Research

Legislative staff often receive mounds of reading materials that propose policy options based on recent research.  But how can they most effectively sift through those materials to discover relevant, meaningful research for education policy work in their state?  During this session, legislative staff will hone their skills to become savvy consumers of education research and establish a framework to consider the research presented during the rest of the meeting. 

Moderator:

• Frances Ramirez Maestas, Deputy Director, Legislative Education Study Committee, New Mexico

Speakers:

• Mark Dynarski, Associate Director of Research, Mathematica, New Jersey [ Presentation]
• Russell Gersten, Executive Director, Instructional Research Group, California 
  [ Presentation ]
• Kathleen Forrer, Senior Fiscal Analyst II, Legislative Education Study Committee, New Mexico
• Audio: [ Podcast ]

Preparing Teachers for Success: Research and Policy Options
Saturday - 9:45 - 11:45 am

Both state and federal policy establish minimum requirements for teacher knowledge and skills for preparation, certification and compensation.  But aside from definitions derived from these requirements, what does it really mean to be an effective teacher?  How do we define it and what does it look like?  And how should states prepare and certify to ensure that high-quality teachers are in every classroom? This session will reveal what researchers have discovered on this issue and state policy options.

Moderator:

• Doug Berg, Fiscal Analyst, Minnesota

Speakers:

• Douglas Harris, Assistant Professor of Educational Policy Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison Affiliate, Institute for Research on Poverty, Wisconsin Center for Education Research [ Presentation]
  
• Hamilton Lankford, Professor of Economics, Public Administration and Policy, University at Albany, State University of New York [ Presentation]
• Audio: [ Podcast ]

Lunch and Discussion: IES Data and Research Resources
Saturday - 12:00 - 2:00 pm

The Institute of Education Sciences has rich data and research resources available to legislative staff.  The What Works Clearinghouse synthesizes the best evidence of the effectiveness of education programs, policies and practices, the IES Practice Guides brings the best evidence and expertise to bear on systemic challenges that cannot be addressed by single interventions or programs, and the National Center for Education Statistics collects statistical data and addresses policy issues.  Experts from these agencies will guide legislative staff through these resources and answer their questions about how to put these resources to use.

Moderator:

• Jan Yamane, Deputy Auditor, Office of the Auditor, Hawaii

Speakers:

• Mark Dynarski, Associate Director of Research, Mathematica, New Jersey [ Presentation]
• Russell Gersten, Executive Director, Instructional Research Group, California
  [ Presentation ]
• Jeffrey Owings, Associate Commissioner, Elementary/Secondary & Libraries Studies Division, National Center for Education Statistics, Washington, D.C.  [ Presentation]
• Audio: [ Podcast ]

Using Research to Inform Policy: Strategies for Legislative Education Staff
Saturday - 2:00 - 4:00 pm

Legislative staff will participate in a discussion about how best to increase their use of research, how to assist legislators in using research, and how to stay current on research.  They will share their own experiences and develop new strategies to meet these challenges.

Facilitator:

• Julie Pelegrin, Senior Attorney, Legislative Legal Services, Colorado
• Session Notes
• Session Notes - Worksheet
• Audio: [ Podcast ]

Breakfast and Discussion:  Your Legislative Education Staff Network
Sunday - 8:00 - 9:00 am

For more than 20 years, NCSL and ECS have co-sponsored LESN to provide legislative education staff professional development and networking opportunities.  During breakfast, LESN officers will lead a discussion about this valuable resource.

Speakers:

• Frances Ramirez-Maestas, LESN Co-Chair
  Deputy Director, Legislative Education Study Committee, New Mexico
  
• Chris Kotterman, LESN Co-Chair
  Policy Advisor, House of Representatives, Arizona
• Audio: [ Podcast ]

Using Compensation to Recruit and Retain Effective Teachers
Sunday - 9:00 -10:45 am

This discussion will focus on what we know from research and from state experience about the use of compensation as a policy tool to recruit, retain and reward effective teachers.  We will examine state experiences and research findings to learn more about which monetary incentives make a difference and how teachers respond to these incentives. 

Moderator: 

• Jenny Wilhelm, Senior Legislative Analyst, Florida Legislature

Speakers:

• Michael Podgursky, Professor of Economics, University of Missouri-Columbia
  [ Presentation ]
  
• Chas Anderson, Deputy Commissioner of Education, Minnesota [ Presentation]
• Audio: [ Podcast ]

Putting Your Skills into Practice
Sunday - 11:00 - 12:00 pm

During this final session, legislative staff will reflect on the information they learned during this meeting and share how they plan to use the information and skills they have gained during the upcoming legislative session.

Facilitators:

• Julie Davis Bell, Education Group Director, National Conference of State Legislatures, Colorado
  
• Sara Vitaska, Policy Specialist, National Conference of State Legislatures, Colorado
• Audio: [ Podcast ]