The Source

Early in 2018, I was called in to lead the Montgomery, Alabama schools after a state takeover of the system in 2017. The district was in bad shape. A Cognia™ (then AdvancED) Diagnostic Review pinpointed 31 areas where the district failed to meet the standards and needed improvement. The report... Read the full article >

Developing an alternate assessment goes beyond compliance with regulations. Such an assessment must be built on the determination and passion to provide students with significant cognitive disabilities authentic ways to demonstrate what they know and can do related to the academic standards for their state. As a former teacher of... Read the full article >

Accreditors dig deep into data on all aspects of performance. We review key documents and plans, and conduct detailed surveys, interviews, and observations of crucial aspects of schooling that affect student learning. We spend multiple days on site and get a glimpse, up close and personal, of what is working... Read the full article >

Over the past 60 years, we as a nation have sought to improve our education system and focus on equity, excellence, school choice, and standards and accountability.[1] Each wave of reform has been led by different combinations of leaders and stakeholders: government officials, educators, parents, and activists (focused on equity);... Read the full article >

Section 9 of 10. America must be courageous and create a system of accountability that is not punitive but instead is learner centric and focused on continuous improvement. In this system, failure is an opportunity for learning and collaboration. Outside forces do not dictate action. Local improvement measures (about school... Read the full article >

Section 2 of 10. It empowers policymakers to take a critical look at all aspects of the school that influence learning by requiring public reporting on outcomes and opportunities to learn for all students, including per-pupil expenditures, access to rigorous coursework, and measures of school climate. More importantly, the law... Read the full article >

Section 7 of 10. Instead of modifying or improving on existing systems, states should take the opportunity under the Every Student Succeeds Act to acknowledge lessons learned, wipe the slate clean and envision a forward-thinking education system. Defining Purpose and Direction To map out the parameters of a new system,... Read the full article >

Section 8 of 10. Not long ago, California used test scores as a single measure to identify progress, but policymakers sought to eliminate the state’s Academic Performance Index (API) system. When lawmakers adopted a new funding system, the state contracted with a research organization to develop new measures and rubrics.... Read the full article >

Section 6 of 10. Key features include: Learning supports (materials and professional development) for the continuous improvement of curriculum, teaching, assessment and student support strategies; Information systems for keeping track of what schools and districts are doing and to what effect; Ongoing review of school and district efforts and outcomes,... Read the full article >

Section 4 of 10. Though continuous improvement processes are not new in education practice, they are relatively new in the state policy arena. In the past, state-level strategies for improving educational outcomes at the school and system levels were driven by federal and state requirements and centered largely on the... Read the full article >