School Improvement = State Improvement
December 10, 2018
Dale Chu writes in Governing that ESSA gives state education leaders—particularly governors and chiefs—a unique opportunity to provide all students with an excellent education. At the “heart of this opportunity” are state plans, which “outline how each state will ensure educational excellence and equity.” Chu recently served as a peer reviewer for the Collaborative’s Promise to Practice effort, and notes that “too many states are missing the mark on equity when it comes to doing what’s needed to improve low-performing schools.” In fact, “many states are choosing a hands-off approach that creates a greater risk in schools and districts that have historically struggled.” Strong plans (like Tennessee’s and New Mexico’s) are “more assertive in supporting school improvement and reflect a greater understanding of the mission-critical nature of a state’s education system.”