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.
Reforming Districts Through Choice, Autonomy, Equity, and Accountability: An Overview of the Voluntary Public School Choice Directors Meeting
In February 2011, the Center on Reinventing Public Education convened a conference to help districts implementing school choice under the U.S. Department of Education’s Voluntary Public School Choice program. This paper summarizes the two-day conversation and lessons from the discussion.
Contracted Providers: Overcoming Challenges in a Portfolio School District
Over the past two decades, some district leaders have asked urban universities to develop emergency strategies to rescue low-performing schools. How do universities and districts develop effective relationships that align with their missions?
Will Seniority-Based Layoffs Undermine School Improvement Efforts in Washington State?
This brief examines why policies known as “last in, first out” may disproportionately affect schools receiving federal School Improvement Grants.
How Do Charter Schools Get the Teachers They Want?
This paper examines charter school leaders’ deliberate strategies to hire teachers who will boost student achievement and contribute to a thriving school culture.
What Does Washington State Get for Its Investment in Bonuses for Board Certified Teachers?
Washington State is set to spend nearly $100 million in the next two years on pay bonuses for teachers who receive national board certification. This brief explores whether this investment makes a difference in improving the state’s teaching force and encouraging the most capable teachers to work in high-poverty schools.
Special Needs and Choice Districts
This report focuses on the evidence to date on how students with special needs fare under choice, and promising new ideas that have yet to be tried.