Limited Capacity at the State Level: A Threat to Future School Improvement
This study identifies key functions performed by state education agencies, estimates the relative level of resources devoted to each activity, and explores ways SEAs could free up resources to build school improvement capacity.
Eliminating the Achievement Gap: A White Paper on How Charter Schools Can Help District Leaders
Drawing from the experiences of high-performing charter school networks, this white paper examines why districts struggle to close the achievement gap, what portfolio district leaders can find when they look outside the traditional system for gap-closing solutions, and how new schools are able to do what traditional schools have not.
Growing Number of Districts Seek Bold Change With Portfolio Strategy
A growing number of urban districts across the country are pursuing a “portfolio strategy,” profoundly changing the role of the school district and its relationship to schools in order to bring about dramatically better outcomes for students. This interim assessment summarizes the significant findings from the first three years of CRPEs study of the development of the portfolio strategy in districts nationwide.
On Recovery School Districts and Stronger State Education Agencies: Lessons from Louisiana
This working paper reports on a meeting in which representatives from several states gathered for a candid discussion of the lessons learned from Louisiana’s dramatic school turnaround efforts.
