State

Turning Around Chronically Low-Performing Schools
The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), a central and trusted source of scientific evidence for what works in education, has released the latest practice guide from the Institute of Education Sciences, Turning Around Chronically Low-Performing Schools. This guide identifies practices that can improve the performance of such schools-a process commonly referred to as creating "turnaround schools." The four recommendations in this guide work together to help failing schools make adequate yearly progress. Visit our site and read the practice guide now:
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/practiceguides/

12 Tough Questions: A Self-Audit for States Engaged in School Turnaround
Use this self-audit to measure the probable impact of your state’s approach to school turnaround, based on findings through research.
http://www.massinsight.org/micontent/audit.aspx

State-Level High School Improvement Systems Checklist (a publication presented by the High School Content Center-after going to the link, click on the title to download pdf version of publication)
This checklist is designed to help states at various stages develop their system of support to reach struggling high schools. The checklist can be used to assess where your state is in terms of the elements of using existing support and guidance mechanisms, and reconfiguring and/or creating new structures to leverage system change for high school improvement. The elements listed in the checklist may be helpful in establishing or refining your state’s education planning and implementation process.
http://www.betterhighschools.org/pubs/

Making the Connection: A Guide to Involving Policymakers in a Community Dialogue on Education
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
http://www.sedl.org/pubs/policy93/policy93.pdf
Engaging policymakers in dialogue on education is a practical action step that communities can take to influence school reform. This resource provides step by step instructions on engaging policymakers in dialogue on education issues. The authors provide a description of different roles for participants, advice on how to make the most of participation both during and after the dialogue, and a recruiting planner to assist in inviting policymakers to the discussion.

Calling the Role: Study Circles for Better Schools
Pan, D.T. and Mutchler, S.E. (2000).
The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL)
http://www.sedl.org/pubs/policy96/callingrole.pdf
Engaging policymakers in conversations with community members related to school issues is critical for communities interested in school reform. Many have advocated for the implementation of community study circles as a strategy for engagement. This policy research report discusses the potential of the study circles method to enhance communication between policymakers and the community. The authors describe SEDL's implementation of the study circles model in their "Calling the Role" program, review literature pertaining to deliberative dialogues, and discuss policymakers' perceptions of the process.

IMPROVING LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS - A new ECS Progress of Education Reform highlights recent research that explores what works in improving low-performing schools and districts, examines what is being learned from research and looks at the subsequent implications for state policy.
http://www.ecs.org/00CN3729 (PDF)

Mass Insight Education website – This groups mission is to assist with the transformation of public schools into high-performance organizations that bring all students to college readiness with emphasis on math and science and urban education. The site is currently featuring information on “turnaround” strategies.
http://www.massinsight.org/default.aspx

State Intervention
Intervention in a school or district designated as low-performing is not to punish. It is to help figure out how to improve student learning. This ECS Issue Brief examines what has been learned from research and looks at the subsequent implications for state policy.
http://www.ecs.org/00CN3598

How Have States Implemented AYP?
This page has information about consolidated acoountability plans, how states report progress, and how they provide technical assistance to districts and schools.
http://meetayp.com/states/index.html

Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) - The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials and they provide leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance on major education issues
http://www.ccsso.org/

Enhancing Your Instruction Through Differentiation is a professional development module created by Access Center staff for technical assistance providers or district or State personnel. This module provides background information about differentiated instruction, demonstrates differentiation strategies, and addresses issues of implementation at the school and district level.
http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/differentiationmodule.asp