NEA’s Wilson Talks SIG, Teacher Bashing and More

At a recent meeting hosted by the Aspen Institute, as part of its Innovation in Education series, National Education Association Executive Director John Wilson shared thoughts with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and other dignitaries on 21st century skills, school improvement grants, and a dangerous trend of “teacher bashing.”
To watch video of the event, click [...]

School Reconstitution as an Education Reform Strategy

Issues involving school reconstitution as a reform strategy are at the forefront of American education policy. At the National Education Association, we believe any discussion of school reconstitution rightfully begins by asking:

What do we know from prior research and practice about school reconstitution, especially as it relates to student achievement and narrowing achievement gaps?
What might an ideal school [...]

Issue Primer – School Restructuring, Reconstitution and Turnaround

This document, created by NEA’s Research Department, provides an overview of the following:
What is School Restructuring?
What is School Reconstitution?
How much does it cost to reconstitute a school?
What Lessons Have We Learned from Various Types of Restructuring?
How Effective is School Reconstitution?
Just How Many Schools Are There in Need of Reconstitution?
How Hard is it to Turn Around [...]

Hope into Action – Click to Share A Story of School Improvement

Have a story to share about teachers, support staff, administrators, parents and community members working together to improve schools? We’d love to hear about it.
Just post your story here in the comments section. Remember to include the name of the school and its location — it just may end up featured on the Priority Schools [...]

Eskelsen Joins CA Rep. Judy Chu and AFT’s Weingarten in Plan to Strengthen Schools

By Amy Buffenbarger
Congresswoman Judy Chu, D-CA unveiled her plan to improve the nation’s education system, proposing a new framework for school improvement models to be included in the reauthorization of the Elementary Secondary and Education Act (No Child Left Behind).
“The current models emphasize firing and closing. I want to change the discussion to focus on [...]

The Power to Transform Schools

By Mary Ellen Flannery

What happens when you give educators power? What happens when you let them decide how to spend their school’s budget or schedule their students’ time?
Good things, it turns out.
“My kids love coming to school,” says Las Vegas fifth-grade teacher Nadia DeLeon. And not only that, but they’re reading, writing and performing math [...]

How the Union Helps Build a Better School

In every corner of Putnam City West High School in Oklahoma City, somebody is doing something to close achievement gaps. Whether it’s (shhh!) benchmark testing in a dark computer lab, or (Bravo! Bravo!) on-stage rehearsals for Cinderel la, where students have long known that princesses need not be White, every inch of this campus has been dedicated to squeezing shut those gaps.

Staffing Priority Schools Policy Brief

High needs schools will not transform into high performing schools without effective teachers. This policy brief gives insight into what must be done to identify and develop effective teachers who are committed to working in priority schools. The consensus is that schools must improve the working environment and must be compensated appropriately. The reform process [...]

Checklist for an Association President

This checklist gives a step-by-step action plan for Association President’s who have been informed that a school in their state has been designated as low performing.
Checklist for an Association President

Priority Schools Social Media

NEA’s Priority Schools Campaign is making it easier than ever to collaborate and stay in touch with fellow conference attendees and other education professionals all year. The NEA website contains up-to-date policy news and reports for interested parties. Online communities include: Groupsite.com, Facebook.com, Twitter.com and YouTube.com videos all which provide information and opportunities to engage [...]

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