Community Unit School District 200’s Post

Mississippi’s journey to exceptional early literacy growth is well known. As states grapple with student achievement, engagement, and wellbeing an interview with Carey Wright reminded me that the impact wasn’t just about specific strategies, but in how well the strategies were implemented together. They had statewide coherence, sustained focus, continuous improvement, and a strong belief in every student. This is all highlighted in American Enterprise Institute's The Report Card with Nat Malkus podcast featuring Carey Wright, the State Superintendent of Maryland and former State Superintendent of Mississippi, discussing the "Mississippi Miracle" (or as state leaders would call it, hard work).  Key elements that stood out: 🔹Seeing every student and believing in every student! 🔹A relentless commitment to data-driven accountability: Focused on growth, especially for the bottom 25% of students at every school, with celebrations of progress and a clear return on legislative funding. Ensured the accountability system aligned with the results they wanted to see. (If scores are declining and no one is paying attention, the accountability model is out of alignment.) 🔹A deep focus on action-oriented and high-quality teacher professional development. ***Engaged over 400 teachers in an advisory committee whose feedback directly shaped ongoing teacher PD and support.*** 🔹Unified state leadership: Success was fueled by leadership in the Department of Education with strong backing from the Governor, the Legislature, and State Board of Education.  Local leaders were also pivotal. 🔹Family Engagement: Engaged families and provided family-focused instructional resources in both English and Spanish. 🔹Research Partnerships: Collaborations with research institutions helped refine and improve instructional practices being implemented. 🔹3rd grade retention policy with guardrails: Guardrails emphasized guidance, prevention, and intervention. A recent Boston University study found that students retained in 3rd grade saw significantly higher ELA scores by 6th grade, with notable benefits for Black and Hispanic/Latinx students. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gAwrCNcU. Mississippi also achieved impressive gains in NAEP math scores, demonstrating the transferability of their literacy-focused strategies and a parallel investment in math education. The second half of the podcast dives into Carey Wright’s vision and focus for Maryland, and I’m excited to see where their journey takes them next!

📢 Attention all gifted education educators and friends, Here's a job for a person with experience in gifted education, project management, and working with a state education department who would like a challenge and the potential to make a positive difference in the lives of over 150,000 students. I won't kid you, this isn't an ideal position but it is a step in the right direction for a positive change. In case you didn't know, MA is in the bottom 3 states for Gifted Education. There hasn't been any representation at the state dept. of ed level since the 1980s and there aren't any policies, laws, requirements, standards, or funding for anything that has to do with gifted education. The Department of Education doesn't understand gifted but the Commissioner of Education does. The Department has been working with people from Northwestern University for a couple of years. They and other advocates have managed to convince the people at the department to do something. What they have proposed is what is similar to a Schoolwide Enrichment Model that would get into schools through a couple of programs they already have. One is called MTSS and the other is called Acceleration Academies. Currently, the Acceleration Academies are there to help kiddos pull up quickly to the middle. However, I can see how they could evolve into something that could support populations of underserved gifted students. Something they don't say in the job description that I know to be true is that they would prefer a person of color. If you or anyone you can think of might be interested, they can contact me directly to find out the inside scoop on what it is, what the Dept. of Ed wants, what some of the challenges might be, and what I think it could become with the right person. Thank you for your help spreading the word. Sincerely, Dr. MaryGrace Stewart Founder and CAO of IDEAL4Gifted

During the last year, representatives of 17 organizations that support K12 districts and schools to advance effective college and career advising came together to distill what we’ve learned about how school districts make the transition from education offramp to higher education pathway. Our efforts yielded a District Framework for Enabling Postsecondary Success, a manageable document highlighting five principles. * The district’s leadership is publicly committed to students’ postsecondary success. * The district sets strategy and allocates resources to reach postsecondary goals.  * The district ensures that schools have capacity to support students. * The district collaborates with postsecondary institutions and community partners. * The district uses real-time data to continuously improve postsecondary advising and outcomes and to empower students and families. Read more on the framework: https://lnkd.in/eJFSscHK https://lnkd.in/enbzJUyT

As program leaders, you may have experienced firsthand the effects of the ongoing teacher staffing crisis in early childhood education. In this blog post, learn more about how focusing on teacher retention allows you to spend less time on the hiring process and more time focusing on the children and families in your program. https://bit.ly/4e3lxll

ISBE has just released a "Getting Started Toolkit" to guide everyone--educators, policymakers, and community members--through the ways in which the new Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan can be implemented. Here's a link to that toolkit here: https://lnkd.in/ghenWWgF There's so much helpful guidance in this toolkit! Information on: Legislation Implementation processes Screening information Tools and resources And so much more! I'm really excited to see how comprehensive the Literacy Plan is and also excited to see it moving forward with all stakeholders in mind. One common question I keep getting from principals is regarding curriculum options. ISBE does NOT endorse specific programs or resources (lessons we learned from Reading First) but does provide a Curriculum Evaluation Tool you can find here: https://lnkd.in/geYn8i73 😃 "The Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan's Getting Started Toolkit is more than just a collection of documents; it is a roadmap for transforming literacy education across the state. The toolkit offers detailed guidance tailored to each stakeholder, thus ensuring that policymakers, educators, and families are equipped to play an active role in achieving literacy for all. As this initiative unfolds, it promises to make a significant impact on literacy outcomes, setting a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success." I can't wait to help Literacy Leaders successfully move forward with this plan! 😃

Title: charter schools #task #talentserve Education Post: They often feature opinion pieces and news related to charter schools and education reform. The 74: This blog covers a wide range of education topics, including charter schools, with a focus on news and analysis. National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) Blog: Run by the NAPCS, this blog provides insights, updates, and perspectives on charter school policy and advocacy. Charter School Capital Blog: Offers articles and resources on charter school funding, operations, and management. EdChoice Blog: They cover various education choice topics, including charter schools, with analysis and research-driven articles. These blogs should provide you with a good starting point for exploring topics related to charter schools. Fordham Institute’s Flypaper: The blog covers a range of education topics, including charter schools, with a mix of opinion pieces, analysis, and news updates. The Charter Blog: This blog is run by the Center for Education Reform (CER) and offers insights, news, and commentary on charter schools and education reform efforts. The Thomas B. Fordham Institute's Education Gadfly: While not solely focused on charter schools, this blog often features articles and analysis related to charter school policy and innovation. The Center for Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) Blog: CRPE's blog covers various aspects of education reform, including charter schools, with a focus on research and policy analysis. Public Impact’s Opportunity Culture Blog: Public Impact explores innovative staffing models, including those used in charter schools, and shares insights and resources for educators and policymakers. These additional blogs should provide you with even more perspectives and resources on charter schools and related education topics.

There is a huge shortage of special education teachers in public schools across the country. Teacher shortages continue to have a lasting impact on all students as there aren't enough teachers to adequately meet the needs of different learning styles and backgrounds in our classrooms. This challenges our ability to ensure all students have the chance to succeed. According to Education Next, we can begin to find solutions by making sense of the rise in demand for special education teachers. At AUSL (Academy for Urban School Leadership), I am proud our Chicago Teacher Residency program recognizes Special Education as a priority for high-needs positions to fulfill. We educate our Residents about the Diverse Learning space and reinforce that their teaching changes the trajectory of students' lives. More than half of our current cohort of Residents are Diverse Learning educators in training and are leading students in the classroom across Chicago. Read more about the complexities and realities of the special education labor market and how we can better address this issue: https://ow.ly/NRe950Th0AE  

In our divisive world there seems to be agreement on this, that K-12 education is an important topic. Improving student outcomes and addressing talent supply challenges, including educator supply, education is a priority to grow MI. As a result, it’s a key political issue. We at MAPSA hear from the MI charter sector that charter public schools can be the catalyst to drive broader education forward in personalized learning, in multiple pathways, in reimagining the role of the educator, and in what accountability means and looks like. Michigan charter schools are bucking trends, academic performance is up, enrollment is up, and the public and educators continue to support charter opportunities. But what about the politics of education? This article asks an interesting question: how can charter schools have a political future? 

CHARTER SCHOOLS: A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autonomy for accountability, that it is freed from the rules but accountable for results. Who attends charter schools? The percentage of public school students who attended public charter schools increased by an overall 1.7 million students between 2009 and 2018. They serve a higher percentage of students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and there are more of them in urban areas than rural ones. Many families can choose to send their child to a charter school instead of their district’s public schools. However, some charter schools are so popular that they have caps on enrollment. In these cases, schools usually hold a lottery to select students to fill open seats, and some have application processes. Charter School Pros and Cons: It’s very hard to generalize pros and cons, since each school is so different. Pros: -Smaller class sizes (usually). -Greater flexibility in curriculum and teaching style. -Stronger ability and willingness to accommodate various learning styles. -Focus on subjects that matter to students enrolled. -Less concern about state standards and requirements. -Some studies indicate minority students have more success at charter schools than public schools. Cons: -Since not always required to follow state standards, some charters have lower academic achievement in certain subjects. -May offer fewer sports, clubs, and other extra-curriculars. -Depending on the location, may not offer free transportation to and from school. -If the school is under-performing or the organization running it struggles, it may be shut down, even in the middle of the year. -The requirements for opening a charter school vary from state to state, leading to inconsistencies in quality. #talentserve

Virginia Board of Education Reviews Summary from Fifteen Accountability Listening Sessions   The Virginia Board of Education recently concluded a series of fifteen in-person and virtual Listening Sessions providing over 800 parents, educators, and community members an opportunity to comment on the development of Virginia’s school performance and support framework. The new framework is designed to provide greater transparency and awareness of school performance and student outcomes. The eight in-person sessions brought together over 200 attendees including parents, teachers, principals, school board members, division superintendents, division directors of testing, and members of the Virginia General Assembly. The virtual sessions held by the Board had over 600 participants from organizations including the Virginia Middle School Association, the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals, the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals, the Virginia Association of School Superintendents, and the Virginia PTA. Additionally, over 170 comments were submitted outside of the Listening Sessions for the Board’s consideration on the proposed regulatory decisions and next steps. “The response and feedback we have received from the public throughout the Commonwealth clearly demonstrates the importance of this work,” said Board of Education Member Dr. Amber Northern. “I am encouraged by the level of participation and grateful for the insightful comments and meaningful discussions we’ve received as we continue to shape Virginia’s school performance and support framework. These sessions have been extremely valuable as we move forward in identifying our schools that need help and ensuring they receive the support their students need.” Read full article to know the comments and feedback received during the in-person and virtual sessions indicated a number of key takeaways: https://lnkd.in/dWhtaH66 #Accreditation #americanaccreditation #education #standards #quality #virginiaeducationboard