Data-Informed Leadership in Education

Explores ideas, frameworks, and beliefs concerning the use of data in educational decision making and in the work of leaders at state and local levels as it relates to the improvement of teaching and learning

An Unfinished Canvas: A Review of Large-Scale Assessment in K-12 Arts Education

Reviews the status of and current practices in statewide standards-based arts assessment for K-12 education accountability. Examines the approaches and criteria of several models of large-scale arts assessment and five states' assessment programs

Laboratories of Reform: Virtual High Schools and Innovation in Public Education

Virtual schools are growing rapidly, serving over 700,000 students in the 2005-06 school year. But these schools are proving to be more than just another delivery system for students; they are bringing about reforms that have long eluded traditional public schools

Reinventing Alternative Education: An Assessment of Current State Policy and How to Improve It

This report identifies seven model policy elements that states should incorporate in order to develop and improve alternative pathways for struggling students and former dropouts. Jobs for the Future performed this comprehensive 50-state policy scan to assess the extent to which state policy aligns with these model elements

A Proposal for Achieving High Returns on Early Childhood Development

Recommends establishing large-scale ECD programs for at-risk children as public investment in economic development. Discusses existing programs' benefits, and proposes a market-oriented approach to funding and managing endowed scholarship funds

Implementing Observation Protocols: Lessons for K-12 Education From the Field of Early Childhood

Examines issues for implementing standardized observation protocols for teacher evaluations. Makes recommendations based on lessons from preschool, such as the need to show empirical links between teacher performance and student learning and development

Balancing Local Assessment and Statewide Testing: Building a Program that Meets Student Needs

This document discusses the components of assessment for those who are considering adding local assessments to required statewide testing of K-12 students. These components include technical adequacy, local-level opportunity, and how to link to state and local standards. Attributes of a model local assessment program are discussed and examples are given. There are also four key questions evaluators and teachers should ask themselves if they are considering a local-level assessment, including the cost feasibility. Educational levels: Graduate or professional

The Way Forward: From Sanctions to Supports

The New York City Working Group on School Transformation brought together education practitioners, school reformers, policy-makers, advocates, and parent and student leaders to propose alternatives to the school closings policy of the New York City Department of Education (DOE). (See the list of Working Group members in Appendix 1.) The group was initiated by the New York City Coalition for Educational Justice and coordinated by the Annenberg Institute for School Reform following the fall 2011 conference Effective Alternatives to School Closings: Transforming Struggling Schools in New York City. This report presents the Working Group's conclusions about the limitations of school closings and a set of recommendations for systemic responses to the needs of struggling schools

Governing Change? Considerations for Education Policymakers

In the policy brief, Governing Change? Considerations for Education Policymakers, the Rennie Center examines models of education governance in other states and draws out lessons to help inform policy discussions in Massachusetts.In 2007, the commonwealth had three divisions within the public education sector: the Department of Early Education and Care, the Department of Education, and the Board of Higher Education. The rationale for better integrating these divisions is that if public education is to be a seamless process that starts in pre-school and terminates at the post-secondary level, then the system might be more efficiently and effectively governed by a single, unified structure. While there is growing interest in creating an integrated governance structure, there is also concern. However appealing the benefits seem, the challenges, substantive and political, of dismantling the current bureaucracy and assembling a new system are significant.The report presents case studies of four states that have engaged in the process of designing education governance systems that stretch from pre-school through graduate school and draws implications for consideration by Massachusetts policymakers.Considerations for PolicymakersAs policymakers contemplate changing the way education is governed in Massachusetts, this policy brief presents the following questions:What does the commonwealth hope to accomplish by changing to a P-20 governance structure?Who will be responsible for what? What will collaboration look like? How will the governance structure support collaboration and coordination between sectors?How will the commonwealth determine whether its new governance system has led to improvements in the quality of education in the early childhood, K-12 and postsecondary sectors?When addressing these questions, this brief focuses on four areas of education policy that would require reform: (1) alignment of standards, curriculum and assessment; (2) data systems; (3) finance; and (4) accountability. Using these four policy areas as illustrations, we examine the potential of an integrated system and what ideal practices might look like in each area.The policy brief was the subject of discussion at a public event on Friday, April 27, 2007 at the Omni Parker House Hotel

Cracking the Code: Synchronizing Policy and Practice for Performance-Based Learning

Proposes a policy framework for integrating performance-based learning into the education system, synchronizing policy and practice, and ensuring collaborative state leadership and flexible federal leadership. Lists state policy issues and exemplars