The only organization dedicated solely to helping state boards advance equity and excellence in public education.

May 2018Volume 18, No. 2
Fresh Start on School Improvement


The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) offers state policymakers an opportunity to reset how they address low-performing schools. States can capitalize on the added flexibility under ESSA and approaches already adopted in many states and districts to help struggling schools. The new issue of NASBE’s award-winning journal, The State Education Standard, showcases a variety of these approaches for state boards of education and state education agencies to consider.

 

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Editor’s Note

From the President’s Pen

News & Notes

NCOSEA Voice

On the Agenda

The NASBE Interview

 

A Systems Approach to Rapid School Improvement
Turnaround requires a framework, not a quick fix.
By Carlas McCauley 

Putting ESSA’s Evidence Standards to Work for Your State
No more mandates on programs to use, but states should pick what’s proven.
By Robert E. Slavin 

What Are the Options?
Three road-tested models for state boards’ consideration.
By Nelson Smith and Brandon L. Wright

School Improvement: New Mexico’s Recipe
Sticking to a turnaround path requires strong commitment from state leadership.
By Hanna Skandera

Leveraging Research to Improve Massachusetts’s Schools
State sifts data to identify common threads among schools making rapid gains.
By Erica Champagne and Susan Bowles Therriault

Washington District Keeps Culture of Learning at Center
District success story emerges out of a framework of academic press, social support, and trust.
By Suzann Girtz, Chuck Salina, and Joanie Eppinga

Ten Principles for Changing a High School’s Trajectory
State boards can help districts turn struggling high schools into high-achieving ones.
By Stephanie Wood-Garnett and Betty Greene-Bryant

Freeing Up School Turnaround Leaders
Three districts divvy up principals’ duties so they can devote time to instructional leadership.
By Roxanne Garza and Melissa Tooley

 




Featured Items

Multiracial group of teachers walking in school hallway. Image credit: iStock i

Strengthening the Principal Pipeline through State Leadership Academies

Missouri, Delaware, and North Carolina have developed evidence-based professional learning for current and prospective school leaders to increase their effectiveness and reduce turnover.
Credit: istock i

State Advances in Early Childhood Education Seed Plans for 2024

In 2023, several states made significant strides toward universal pre-K, increased funding and support for early educators, and improved literacy and math instruction.
Business people sitting on books. Image credit: iStock i

Curriculum That Counts

Authors in this issue of the Standard draw lessons from a spectrum of state policies that are being used to increase the adoption of high-quality curriculum.

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From the States