California policymakers have established the expectation that all public school students should have access to a broad course of study, in classes where instruction is consistent with the state's content standards. Further, the state holds schools and school districts accountable for their ability to ensure that all students achieve at a specified…

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) updates its Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Elementary and Secondary Education each year, as required by Public Act 93-1036 (the Education Reform and Accountability Act of 2004). This annual "Strategic Plan Progress Report" details actions the agency is taking to fulfill the Board's mission,…

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) develops and maintains a continuing five-year comprehensive strategic plan for elementary and secondary education in accordance with Public Act 93-1036. Agency staff members revisit the plan each year to review the agency's accomplishments and to refine the agency's strategies. The State Board amended…

Amid the growth of charter schools, autonomous schools, and private management organizations, an increasing number of urban districts are moving toward a portfolio management model (PMM). In a PMM, the district central office oversees schools that operate under a variety of governance models. The expansion of PMMs raises questions about local…

Each year, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) updates its continuing, five-year comprehensive strategic plan for elementary and secondary education, per the Education Reform and Accountability Act of 2004. ISBE's Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Elementary and Secondary Education provides a comprehensive review of how the agency…

Public Act 93-1036 requires the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to develop and maintain a continuing, five-year strategic plan for elementary and secondary education. The 2016 Comprehensive Strategic Plan is the agency's 12th such report. The first plan focused on ISBE's three primary goal areas: (1) enhancing literacy; (2) improving…

The Education Commission of the States reviewed all 36 Race to the Top (RttT) round II applications. Each of the 36 states that applied for round II funding referenced pay for performance under the heading of "Improving teacher and principal effectiveness based on performance." The majority of states outlined pay for performance…

Based on a review of state documents and interviews with state and local officials in six Midwest Region states, this qualitative study describes state education agency policy development and planning for response to intervention approaches to instruction. It also looks at the support provided to districts and schools implementing response to…

Based on a review of state documents and interviews with state and local officials in six Midwest Region states, this qualitative study describes state education agency policy development and planning for response to intervention approaches to instruction. It also looks at the support provided to districts and schools implementing response to …

Two small school districts (one K-12, the other 9-12) reorganized their high school programs so they operate as a single entity and without closing either site. One site serves as an English and humanities center, the other as a mathematics and science center. Collaboration has improved the academic program and cut expenses. (MLF)

In theory, Illinois community colleges are governed and controlled by local boards; in reality, much of this control has shifted to state agencies such as the Illinois Community College Board and the Illinois Board of Higher Education. Specific areas affected by this shift are budget, courses and curriculum, leases, and renovations. (LS)

Surveys of Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin school board members indicate significant impact of state collective bargaining legislation on perceived ability of board members to perform legislatively prescribed duties. (Author/JBM)

The Illinois General Assembly adopted a bill designed to increase school district autonomy. Provides an overview of the waiver act and its regulations. Analyzes the school districts' waiver requests, specifically addressing physical education, corporal punishment, and the five-clock-hour school day. Discusses the act's implications for educational…

Reports results of a parent survey in a rural K-12 district and an urban K-12 district regarding 2 school choice plans. Data analysis indicated that school choice, whether in-district or in-region, was not perceived as beneficial to local districts' educational systems. Most parents preferred children to attend local schools. (SM)

Accountability in Chicago in the 1990s derived from progressive reform legislation adopted in 1988 and 1995. The Illinois General Assembly in 1988 passed the Chicago School Reform Act (P.A. 85-1418), which included a set of goals, a redistribution of the school district's resources, and a decentralization of decisionmaking to the school level. The…