Beginning in 2011, the Department of Education (Education) used its statutory authority to invite states to apply for waivers from certain provisions in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) through its Flexibility initiative. To receive Flexibility waivers, states had to agree to meet other requirements related to college- and…

In 2013, Governor Jerry Brown and the California legislature radically restructured the state's school funding system and accountability systems with a weighted student formula and a mandated local planning process in each district. The new law substitutes local politics and grassroots agency for state-driven mandates and compliance reviews. While…

Background/Context: Market models of school reform are having a major impact on school districts across the country. While scholars have examined many aspects of this process, we know far less about the general effects of marketization on public participation in education and local education politics. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of…

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provided $9 billion in education benefits to service-members and veterans in fiscal year 2010, mostly through the new Post-9/11 GI Bill. In providing education benefits, VA relies on State Approving Agencies (SAA) to approve schools; and on schools to report students' enrollment status. US Government…

Background/Context: This study examines the extent of reform in preparation programs in school leadership in six states employing a comprehensive, whole-state intervention design. Although no studies of these or other comprehensive reform designs are available, there is a rich context surrounding preparation reform work that informed our…

This case study on the impact of a state takeover in one of South Carolina's most rural school districts ("referred to as the County School District") was completed using a quasi-experimental mixed methods design to examine the impact on academic achievement, school performance, and school leadership as a result of the South Carolina…

The federal government has had a long-standing commitment to ensuring access of English Learner (EL) students to a meaningful education. As early as 1968, the "Elementary and Secondary Education Act" ("ESEA") contained provisions for supporting the education of EL students and in its 1974 landmark decision, "Lau v.…

This brief is part of a series intended to advance effective financing and governance of early learning supports and services in order to promote children's readiness for school. The series presents conceptual frameworks, an array of effective strategies, and the experiences of states and communities in advancing the early childhood agenda,…

Studies of Texas' testing program, initiated in 1992, identify several factors contributing to improved achievement: alignment with state standards; results that inform instruction; understandable, attainable rating systems that encourage improvements for all populations; balance between school/student accountability; stable, yet improvable…

Under North Carolina's ABC's accountability program, public schools are labeled "exemplary,""meets expectations,""adequate performance," or "low performance." Teachers are given $1,500 bonuses if their schools exceed expectations. A survey found that mandated tests increased student anxiety and negatively…

This annual report describes some of the major activities currently under way across California to implement educational reforms. The achievements described focus on raising standards in California schools, providing technical support to school districts, and charting progress at the local level through a statewide accountability program. The…