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May 2021Volume 21, No. 2
Reimagining School


If there is a seed of opportunity buried in every crisis, then there is a chance something good can emerge from the pandemic year of building closures, shifting schedules, and disruptions to school. With the aid of American Rescue Plan funds and enriched by lessons learned from teachers, leaders, students, and parents, state boards with a vision have a chance to remake their  education systems. Or—if your vision already seemed powerful to you—to propel it more swiftly forward.

The authors in this issue should inspire state boards of education to take a fresh, post-pandemic look at their systems. The ideas themselves may not be new, but the stress test that schools faced over the last year casts new light on them.


Reimagining School



Reshaping Assessment and Accountability in 2021 and Beyond

By Andrew Rotherham, Bonnie O'Keefe and Jennifer O'Neal Schiess

Data about system performance will continue to lie at the heart of school improvement.





The Role of Technology in Reimagining School

By Andrew Ko and Kristen Amundson

Pandemic or no, states ought to press for better technology for personalized learning and making staff and students safer.





The Greenfield Path to School Improvement

By Frederick Hess

State Policymakers can help clear away the rubble that impedes vibrant reform.





Transforming Learning through Competency-Based Education

By Susan Patrick

States are adopting a range of policies to personalize student learning and move away from seat-time rules.






Seize the Moment: Double Down on Authentic Learning

By Dennis McGrath and Monica Martinez

Project-based learning tied to students' communities and interests readily makes the leap across modes of instruction.





Moving toward Competency-Based Professional Learning

By Joseph Hood and Melissa Tooley

Microcredentials embedded in effective learning systems can promote teacher growth, advancement, and retention.





Kansas Schools Build Resilience amid Redesign

By Valerie Norville

Schools opt to change their approaches to learning and see gains in adaptability.






Opinion



Woman talking on panel at meeting. Image credit: iStock

The NASBE Interview: Russlynn Ali

By Russlynn Ali

Transforming high schools isn't just an education issue.





State Board Voice: School Is No Longer Just a Place

By Byron Ernest

We need to create space and flexibility for educators' creativity, curiosity, and innovation.





Student Voice: Having an Equal Seat at the Table

By Jasper Coughlin

Student advocacy ought not be equated with ingratitude.





Business meeting handshake. Image credit: iStock

NCOSEA Voice: Student Free Speech and Social Media Posts

By Tiffany Lucas

There are many challenges policymakers face that were heightened by the turn toward virtual learning environments.





Student hands on computer keyboard. Image credit: iStock

We the Media: Laying Down a Baseline on School Health Policies

By Renée Rybak Lang

States have been making important strides toward ensuring that schools are safe, more supportive learning environments.





From the President’s Pen: The Starfish and the Ocean

By Robert Hull

All policies are thus rightly viewed as part of a greater ecosystem.







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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