Stakeholder Involvement Needed When Developing Evaluation Systems

Douglas Hodum, a 2013 Hope Street Group National Teacher Fellow from Maine, talks about involving stakeholders when developing teacher evaluation systems.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/09/stakeholder_involvement_in_developing_evaluation_systems.html

Engaging Common Core: Producing and Distributing Writing

Following is a post (sixth in a series by Susan Weston) on breaking down the Common Core 

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/09/engaging_common_core_producing_and_distributing_writing.html

Lessons From Space (Camp)

Lessons From Space (Camp)

Allison Hunt is a 2013 Hope Street Group National Teacher Fellow from Kentucky and the 2013 Kentucky High School Teacher of the Year. Hunt teaches Advanced Placement Human Geography at DuPont Manual High School in Jefferson County.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/09/lessons_from_space_camp.html

Writing to Argue, Explain, or Tell a Story

Susan Weston continues the series on engaging the common core with writing to argue, explain, or tell a story.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/09/engaging_common_core_writing_to_argue_explain_or_tell_a_story_ccss_1-3.html

A Student's Perspective on Next Generation Learning

Opening a New World: A Student's Perspective on Next Generation Learning

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/09/opening_a_new_world_a_studentnext_generation_learning_in_kenton_county_schools.html

In Teachers We Trust - But How Much?

Following is a post from Guest Blogger Ellen Behrstock-Sherratt, a senior researcher at the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders at the American Institute for Research and coauthor of “Everyone at the Table: Engaging Teachers in Evaluation Reform.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/09/in_teachers_we_trust_but_how_much.html

Reading for Literature AND Information (CCSS 10)

Reading for Literature AND Information (CCSS 10) - This is the 4th in a series on breaking down the standards.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/09/reading_for_literature_and_information_ccss_10.html

Education is Key to Realizing 50-Year-Old Dream

Guest blogger Debbie Wesslund, school board member from Jefferson County, writes about education being key to realizing 50-year-old dream.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/09/education_key_to_realizing_a_50-year-old_dream.html

Engaging Common Core: Reading To Think Through Information and Ideas (CCSS 7-9)

Susan Weston continues the series on breaking down the common core.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/09/engaging_common_core_reading_to_think_through_information_and_ideas_ccss_7-9.html

The Magnitude of the Job of Superintendent

School districts are complex entities and the superintendent is responsible for everything.  

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/09/the_magnitude_of_the_job_of_superintendents.html

Best Practices: College and Career Ready

Check out what Kenton County Schools are doing to engage students

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/08/best_practices_college_and_career_ready_in_kenton_county_schools.html

The Perfect Funding Storm - When is it Enough?

Enough is Enough - The funding storm is setting schools up to fail.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/08/enough_is_enough.html

Reform 2.0 - but without funding

Reform 2.0 - but without funding

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/08/reform_20--but_without_funding.html

Kentucky has been a leader in education reform since the 1990s, when leaders across the nation took note of the passage of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA). At the time Kentucky had nowhere to go but up with its 48^th place national ranking on education indicators. The state’s position has improved to 33^rd, based on a collection of indicators measuring achievement, and  Education Week ranked Kentucky 10^th in its latest Quality Counts report. 

In fact, Kentucky and North Carolina are the two states that have made the most progress during the years since KERA’s passage. What caused the progress? The most important thing, as always, was the improvement in the quality of classroom instruction. Funding for professional development for teachers, part of Kentucky’s reforms, helped transform the educator workforce. Other supports that helped significantly included extended school services for students needing extra help, financial support for public preschool, funding for safe schools and money for textbooks. Clearly, the importance of adequate funding to the positive outcome of reform efforts cannot be overstated.

Now Kentucky is engaged in what some would call Reform 2.0 with new college and career level standards and new accountability systems. Without question, higher expectations for students are essential if we hope to be internationally competitive. In a recent article, the White House responded to the last PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) results with President Barack Obama's observation that the nation that "out-educates us today will out-compete us tomorrow." I contend there also must be supports in place – especially financial supports – if we are to move forward in education. Teachers need meaningful professional development, and students need extra help when they struggle. We must offer high-quality public preschool to get our kids off to a good start, and schools must have the instructional materials needed to get the job of education done the right way. We must acknowledge that teaching is truly a profession and, as a result, pay teachers a professional wage. My August 9, 2012, post elaborates on this point in the story of Driving Ms. Daisy – Away.   

Funding cuts at the federal, state and local levels over the last several years combined with the additional pressures and demands of high-level reform are creating an environment for failure. Action to change this must come soon. Would Kentucky have made the progress it has since 1990 without the supports for teachers and students? The answer, clearly, is no. And unless we find a way to support our teachers and kids this time around, we will see movement again – but this time it will be in reverse.

As an advocate in your community I urge you to talk with your state and local leaders about the need to provide the right kind of support for our schools!

Follow Stu Silberman on Twitter at https://twitter.com/stusilbermanfc.

From the Eyes of a School Board Member: The Promising Story in Public Education

From the Eyes of a School Board Member: The Promising Story in Public Education 

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/08/from_the_eyes_of_a_school_board_member_the_promising_story_in_public_education.html

Now Scoring for Global Competition: Education Catches up with Basketball

Education  Catches up with Basketball!

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/08/now_scoring_for_global_competition_education_catches_up_with_basketball.html

Standards are not Curricluum

Three Analogies Showing Standards are not Curriculim

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/08/standardsnot_curriculum_three_analogies.html

Creating Evaluation Systems - Lessons Learned

Creating Evaluation Systems - Lessons Learned

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/07/developing_an_evaluation_system_for_teachers_lessons_learned.html

Helen Carroll Talks About the Need to Invest in Our Kids Early!

Helen Carroll from Toyota talks about the need to invest in our kids early!

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/06/job-ready_team-capable_and_well-prepared.html

Supporting Ms. Daisy

It is critical that we have strong support systems in place for new teachers if we expect them to be successful.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/06/supporting_ms_daisy.html

Building Common Ground for the Common Core 

Jefferson County Board member Debbie Wesslund writes about the Common Core and choosing "progress."  

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagement_and_reform/2013/05/building_common_ground_for_the_common_core.html