
Industry News
Teachstone Unveils CLASS 2nd Edition, Creating a More Equitable Path to Meaningful Interactions
By eLearning Inside
March 21, 2022
Teachstone, developer of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS®) included in 23 states’ Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) and used by Head Start programs nationwide, released a preview of CLASS 2nd Edition Measurement Suite. Designed specifically for Pre-K–3rd grade learning environments, CLASS helps educators focus, measure and improve classroom interactions—key factors in supporting children’s academic and lifelong success.
CLASS 2nd Edition incorporates innovative and responsive enhancements with a focus on improving equity, access and impact. Key innovations, developed in partnership with the field, include more inclusive and diverse definitions and representation, considerations for scoring across diverse settings and guidance for reducing bias. In addition, the updates provide educators with actionable insights on the experiences and interactions that play an important role in child development.
Highlights of CLASS 2nd Edition include:
Reimagined CLASS Observation Training: Redesigned to offer a more comprehensive training experience that leaves observers feeling more confident in their ability to effectively observe interactions, specifically across diverse settings.
Enhanced CLASS Manual Set: Carefully reviewed and supplemented to make meaningful interactions more equitable, inclusive and accessible.
A new measure of quality, CLASS Environment: Added so educators can take a holistic approach to support child outcomes by measuring and improving the elements of an environment that lead to high-quality interactions.
“As an organization that helps define quality, we have an obligation to make sure that our definitions reflect, are inclusive of and celebrate the assets of the diverse communities we serve,” said Teachstone Co-Founder and CEO Bridget Hamre during a presentation this week at the InterAct Now: CLASS Summit. “We define interactions through our written materials and in the training and tools we provide the field. And although the interactions described in CLASS resonate with many educators across cultures and communities—across the country and around the world—we need to do more to ensure we are supporting a vision for what those interactions look like that is more inclusive, more representative and that does more to show how educators can individualize their interactions to best support every child they with whom they work.”
Together, the enhancements ensure CLASS 2nd Edition reflects the diverse communities Teachstone serves—creating a more equitable, efficient and effective path to meaningful interactions among educators and learners.
“CLASS 2nd Edition is easier to use and more applicable for the classrooms we serve across diverse settings,” said Teachstone Co-Founder Bob Pianta. “We worked hand-in-hand with educators to help ensure the CLASS measurement suite provides authentic and inclusive examples of interactions from many cultures and communities. I’m proud of this step forward for CLASS and our partners.”
Teachstone® was founded in 2008 to deliver the Classroom Assessment Scoring System® nationwide and around the globe. Developed through years of research, the CLASS® observation tool measures interactions between teachers and children, which have been shown to drive learning and lifelong achievement. CLASS, adopted as part of the federal Head Start monitoring protocol in 2010, is used to assess the effectiveness of teacher-student interactions. Teachstone’s CLASS tool is making a difference in classrooms in 50 countries worldwide.
Featured image: Element5 Digital, Unsplash.
[…] the period beginning April 1 and ending June 30, the outbreak of covid-19 forced online learning to take the place of classroom instruction around the world. The same period saw massive spikes in unemployment and turmoil for vast swaths of communities. As […]
[…] the onset of the coronavirus, the need for reliable, affordable internet access across the nation has been brought to the forefront. With more than 119,000 Western Governors University higher ed students enrolled in the online […]
[…] the outbreak of COVID-19, some edtech and online education providers were simply better-positioned to serve a remote student […]
[…] McKinsey & Company research published this summer explores the effect that students of color and from low-income households have faced. […]
[…] United States can struggle to change their parent-teacher communication methods. This pandemic has completely disrupted students’ learning while showing the lack of a consistent and effective communication strategy between schools and […]
[…] we are met with mounting challenges which include the devastating effects brought on by COVID-19. Implementing active learning is a significant step and proven strategy towards reaching the goal […]
[…] “We’re going to see a rise in the digital divide, because the individuals who are operating without technology are going to fall further behind than they were before” Dr. Rogers said. “The individuals who have had the opportunity to adjust for the last two semesters are going to continue to progress. So for education in 2021 and beyond, we’re really going to see a divide along socio-economic lines and a divide along racialized lines. […]
[…] what many other career development providers cannot: gain usage among first-generation learners and students of color. The company also attracted attention last year with recognition as one of LinkedIn’s top […]
[…] any other on record. Students are not only experiencing different learning models with COVID-19, they are also themselves coping with social isolation and other potential strains at home. Many students are experiencing online […]
[…] any other on record. Students are not only experiencing different learning models with COVID-19, they are also themselves coping with social isolation and other potential strains at home. Many students are experiencing online […]