Reforming Public Schools
The federal Department of Education has awarded $191 million in grants to implement reforms designed to raise student achievement for students below grade level where there has been insufficient progress over the past five years.
Eligible schools had to commit to one of four intervention models.
Turnaround schools implement nine broad strategies including replacement of principals, high quality professional development, adoption of new governance and replacement of at least 50% of the staff.
Transformation focuses on rigorous, transparent and equitable evaluation systems for teachers and principals, high quality professional development of curriculum with teacher and principal involvement.
The Restart model enables a district to re-open a school as a charter school or elect to have an education management organization run the school. School closure enables districts to transfer students to higher achieving schools within reasonable proximity within the district.
According to School Leader News, the publication of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, in Philadelphia like New York, Turnaround and Transformation models are being used most frequently.
Reported By: Dr. Marciene Mattleman, KYW Newsradio
