Improving Low-Performing Schools: Lessons from Five Years of Studying School Restructuring Under No Child Left Behind

Author: Center on Education Policy
Publisher: Center on Education Policy
Publication Date: 2009, December
Publication City: Washington
Publication State: DC

Resources

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• Improving Low-Performing Schools: Lessons from Five Years of Studying School Restructuring Under No Child Left Behind(.pdf 0.7MB)
  

Description (written by WestEd)

This report on school restructuring in six states proffers recommendations at the school, district, state, and federal levels:

1. Use multiple, coordinated strategies that are well matched to the needs of the school and students.


2. Evaluate and revise reform efforts over time in response to school and student needs.


3. Analyze data frequently and regroup students for instruction.


4. Replace staff, but only if all of these criteria are present:
• An adequate pool of applicants


• A plan or vision that allows the school to overcome its past reputation.


• Help from the union to resolve stumbling blocks in the contract.


• Effective hiring systems

Another key finding is that most case study schools that did not exit restructuring said they experienced setbacks or needed more time or information. The report also discusses the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act and related state policies on school improvement.