In previous blogs, we’ve talked about those pockets of schools that are known as “dropout factories” and the geographic areas that tend to produce the highest rate of high school dropouts on a consistent basis. As part of the President’s education revamp, the funding has been approved for the first sets of schools on the list that meet the criteria of a Tier III school.
According to a recent press release from the Department of Education:
“ Tier III (low achieving) schools can only receive funds once all of the state's persistently lowest achieving schools have received funds.
School districts will apply to the state for the funds this spring. When school districts apply, they must indicate that they will implement one of the following four models in their persistently lowest achieving schools:
• Turnaround Model: Replace the principal, screen existing school staff, and rehire no more than half the teachers; adopt a new governance structure; and improve the school through curriculum reform, professional development, extending learning time, and other strategies.
• Restart Model: Convert a school or close it and re-open it as a charter school or under an education management organization.
• School Closure: Close the school and send the students to higher-achieving schools in the district.
• Transformation Model: Replace the principal and improve the school through comprehensive curriculum reform, professional development, extending learning time, and other strategies.”
The most recent list of schools that have been approved for federal funding are South Dakota, South Carolina, Nevada, Connecticut, Utah, and Virginia. Once these state and local education systems receive their funds, they will be able to make use of them immediately to revamp their education systems by the coming Fall 2010 school year.
Posted By: Paul Adams
Monday, May 3rd 2010 at 6:35PM
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