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Metropolitan Omaha Educational Consortium
Teaming for Quality Education

Research Briefs

In a retreat in October 2009, the MOEC Executive Steering Committee determined that one of their priorities was for MOEC to become a more proactive educational leader, speaking with one voice for students. As a means of working toward achieving this priority, a strategy was developed whereby graduate students in the Symposium on School Leadership course, which is offered by the UNO Department of Educational Administration and Supervision, produced research briefs on topics that were selected by the MOEC superintendents.

During the 2012 spring semester, students in Symposium developed research briefs on the following topics.

  1. Culturally Proficient Teachers Influence on Student Achievement
  2. Current Use and Misuse of Educational Assessments
  3. Distinguishing Factors of Highly Effective Teachers
  4. How Teacher Retention Has Been Impacted by Increased Mandates and Demands
  5. Standards-Based Assessments and Reporting
  6. The Impact of State Testing on Instructional Practices

During the 2011 summer session, students in Symposium developed research briefs on the following topics:

  1. Standardized Testing and the Impact on Classroom Instruction
  2. Single Gender Schools
  3. High Stakes Testing and Student Achievement
  4. Student-Teacher Relationships and Student Achievement

During the 2011 spring semester, students in Symposium developed research briefs on the following topics:

  1. International Comparisons
  2. Effective Assessment and Reteaching Strategies
  3. Preventing Fading Academic Standardized Testing and the Impact on Student Achievement
  4. Growth Models

During the Summer 2010 summer session, students in the Symposium developed research briefs on the following topics:

  1. Linking Student Achievement to Pay for Performance Incentives
  2. National Standards and Student Achievement
  3. Race to the Top and Effective Models for School Improvement: Evidence and Alternative Models
  4. Charter Schools as an Effective Choice for Increasing Student Achievement
  5. The Impact of State Performance Standards for Principals and Teachers on Teacher Quality
  6. National Standards and the Implications for Student Achievement

Students in future Symposium on School Leadership classes will further develop these topics and research new topics that continue to be selected by the MOEC superintendents.

Op-Ed Articles

Published Op-Ed articles on research brief topics:

  1. Deterrence measures needed for schools, authored by Stuart Stofferhan, an EDAD 9550 Symposium on School Leadership student during the 2012 Spring Term. This Op-Ed article appeared in the Lincoln Journal Star on Thursday, December 20, 2012.

  2. Schools should collaborate not compete, authored by Cindy Copich, an EDAD 9550 Symposium on School Leadership student during the 2013 Spring Term.  This Op-ED article appeared in the Bellevue Leader on Wednesday, November 21, 2012.

  3. Charter Schools Are Not Needed, authored by Dr. Richard Christie, MOEC Executive Director and assistant professor in the Educational Leadership and Supervision Department. This Op-Ed article appeared in the Omaha World Herald on Saturday, November 20, 2010.
  4. Education cuts, reforms may worsen schools' woes, authored by Dr. Richard Christie, MOEC Executive Director and assistant professor in the Educational Leadership and Supervision Department. This Op-Ed article appeared in the Omaha World Herald on Saturday, March 7, 2011.