Turnarounds: New Providers Organizations Appear
I'm told that a handful of new turnaround provider organizations are coming online, including ones in Massachusetts, New York City, and New Orleans.
In Massachusetts, the former principal of Excel, the top performing middle school in the state, is forming a new turnaround organization. In New York City, a charter school provider called Explore is planning to expand its work to include turnarounds. In New Orleans, an organization called Renew Schools set to go for this fall. (No confirmation yet.)
Lack of turnaround providers has been a big problem for turnaround advocates. The obvious choices -- charter networks -- turn out not to be so obvious. Districts and state agencies don't want or can't do the job. But all the public attention and new dollars out there seem to be attracting some attention. Crossed fingers this turns out OK.
The Center for Education Policy's series of outstanding reports confirm that "we still know painfully little about some key questions in education reform" such as "what makes an effective teacher," and it concludes "the current drive to improve elementary and secondary education cannot be fulfilled solely within the present structure of public schools." "With greater consequences attached to test results, the testing aspect of standards-based reform has become the main driver of accountability, overshadowing the standards themselves." ... "It would be foolish to abandon it (standards) now. Research has not revealed any better framework ..." So, the CEP recommends that we eliminate federal sanctions for not meeting NCLB targets. (emphasis mine)
The CEP, which has been scrupulous in documenting the weaknessness of the Obama administration's four preferred plans for school turnarounds, politely notes that they "are not supported by research," and "it is unwise to prescribe them." The CEP recommends that the federal government safeguards against states being too lenient in identifying and intervening in failing schools by requiring the Education Department to approve state plans, documenting whether they are ambitious but achievable, whether they are based on student performance growth and disagregation of data for subgroups, and transparent.
The CEP recommends the extension of Stimulus funding beyond 2011 for states that adopt stronger requirements for funding adequacy and equity. It appears more critical of the logic of the Race to the Top, however, noting the inconclusive evidence of a correlation between test score growth and teacher effectiveness. This leads to the recommendation for "complementary learning," or "a coherent partnership among k-12 education, early childhood education, and out-of-school learning."
Lack of turnaround providers has been a big problem for turnaround advocates. The obvious choices -- charter networks -- turn out not to be so obvious. Districts and state agencies don't want or can't do the job. But all the public attention and new dollars out there seem to be attracting some attention. Crossed fingers this turns out OK.
Thompson: The CEP's Wisdom
The CEP, which has been scrupulous in documenting the weaknessness of the Obama administration's four preferred plans for school turnarounds, politely notes that they "are not supported by research," and "it is unwise to prescribe them." The CEP recommends that the federal government safeguards against states being too lenient in identifying and intervening in failing schools by requiring the Education Department to approve state plans, documenting whether they are ambitious but achievable, whether they are based on student performance growth and disagregation of data for subgroups, and transparent.
The CEP recommends the extension of Stimulus funding beyond 2011 for states that adopt stronger requirements for funding adequacy and equity. It appears more critical of the logic of the Race to the Top, however, noting the inconclusive evidence of a correlation between test score growth and teacher effectiveness. This leads to the recommendation for "complementary learning," or "a coherent partnership among k-12 education, early childhood education, and out-of-school learning."
