Publications Issue All Student-Centered Learning DesignsEducator Talent PathwaysOutcomes That MatterAutonomy and Shared Power School Boards and Teachers Have Choices, Too Memo • January 2001 In K-12 policy discussions, “choice” usually implies family choice. But school boards and teachers have options, too. Boards can choose to authorize chartered schools, which may be easier than trying to change their existing schools. And, teachers can choose to form teacher professional partnerships in their schools. Sponsoring Chartered Schools: A Planning Tool for Sponsors Report • January 2001 Most organizations considering authorizing charter schools do not know what it involves. This tool identifies authorizing duties, and asks whether an organization has the capacity to perform each responsibility, who would perform the responsibility, whether time is available for them to do so, and the estimated cost. Sample Contract Between Charter School and Authorizer Report • January 2001 A sample contract between a chartered school and its authorizer. A contract includes mission and goals of the school, definitions of student and school performance, and details on governance, finances, and operations. For each area there are performance measures, with special measures for the start-up year. A Viable High School in a Small Rural District Memo • January 2001 Nontraditional forms of school do exist that are economically and educationally viable at the scale of 120 students. This has huge implications for rural America’s sparsely-settled areas. The trick is to think differently about teaching and learning. An article in the magazine of the superintendents’ association in Minnesota. Can the National Government Be Effective? Lessons From Urban Development Memo • January 2001 K-12 education exists in state law. It cannot be reached directly by Congressional or the President. Typically, in such policy areas, the national government tries to ‘do things’ by tying requirements to its grants-in-aid. This approach has failed in the past, as in the 1960s when the national government tried to take control of urban development. Professional Control of Practice: Physicians and Teachers Meeting Notes • March 2000 The medical director of a big multi-specialty hospital/medical group—in which the doctors are employees—describes how the professional and ‘business’ decisions are divided between physicians and managers. Ted Kolderie’s notes from a conversation with Dr. George Isham. Is the biggest challenge perhaps right in the classroom? Meeting Notes • November 1999 Jack Frymier suggests, in a conversation in St. Paul in 1999, perhaps where education is failing is in the relationship between teachers and students. This is where ‘improvement’ has to focus. Milwaukee As a Site for Education-Policy Change Meeting Notes • September 1999 Milwaukee has been the most interesting site for education policy in America, though not for the reason (vouchers) usually cited by the media. Howard Fuller and others-involved tell the story of the struggle since the 1970s. The Valley Crossing School as a Precedent for Contracting Memo • April 1999 Three local districts in Minnesota’s metropolitan suburbs share an elementary school didn’t build, don’t own and don’t themselves staff. The Valley Crossing school is a kind of virtual organization; a fascinating case in the use of contracts. Restructuring Our High Schools for the 21st Century: Creating ‘Grade 11-13’ Schools Memo • September 1998 Currently, students are held until 12th grade even if they can move faster. The Minnesota Post-secondary Enrollment Options Program (PSEO) showed that bright high school students can do well with college-level work. The Grade 11-13 model goes even further, restructuring both high school and the first year of college, un-duplicating the curriculum. Post navigation ← Previous 1 … 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Next → Stay In Touch Get updates, new publications, fresh analysis, and event invitations in your inbox. First Name Last Name Email Address State What do you want to receive? Monthly newsletter (once per month) Blog posts by email (about two per month) See past newsletters in the archive.