The SSoS Spotlight Series cosponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Comprehensive Center (MACC) and the Appalachia Regional Comprehensive Center (ARCC) continued on April 15, 2009 with a webconference focused on Effective Teacher Quality Policy and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funds. Minnesota Deputy Commissioner, Chas Anderson discussed how they have created a policy that provides opportunity and incentive for district change in the area of teacher quality and effectiveness, and the possibility of developing a Q Comp (Quality Compensation) policy in your state with ARRA funding.
Q Comp was proposed by Governor Tim Pawlenty and was enacted by the Minnesota State Legislature in July 2005. It is a voluntary program that allows local districts and exclusive representatives of the teachers to design and collectively bargain a plan that meets the five components of the law. The five components under Q Comp include: Career ladder/Advancement Options, Job-embedded Professional Development, Teacher Evaluation, Performance Pay, and an Alternative Salary Schedule.
At the first webconference in the Spotlight Series, May 2008, Amelia Hodges, Director at the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE), and Lori Duerr, Education Associate, DDOE, presented Delaware’s State System of Support: What we learned from a Self-Assessment.
10 Steps to Strengthen the Statewide System of Support
Functions of the State Education Agency
Policy to Reinforce Changing State Role
Center on Innovation and Improvement Self-Assessment Documents
Findings from the Delaware State System of Support Self-Assessment
The second webconference in the Spotlight Series, Affecting Change with School Improvement Funds, August 2008, Carlas McCauley (US Department of Education) and Jim Kohlmoos (Knowledge Alliance) provided examples of how some state education agencies are creatively using school improvement funds to support technical assistance statewide.
This webconference was designed to provide assistance to states that have raised questions about how these significantly increased 2008 funds can be used to enhance their statewide systems of support.
Carlas McCauley and Jim Kohlmoos's Presentation
The third webconference, October 2008 focused on how the New Jersey Department of Education used school needs assessment data to drive technical assistance to schools and districts in need of improvement.
Comparison of Performance in CAPA Indicators 2004-05 to 2006-07
The fourth web conference, January 28, 2009 featured the state of Virginia. It provided an opportunity for participants to learn about how the Virginia Department of Education provides support to school divisions, in danger of, or already in
restructuring. Participants also learned how a research-based approach to school improvement can be customized to address their needs.
For more information about the conference series contact Tracy Runfola at trunfola@ceee.gwu.edu or Anne Marie Holdefer at aholdefer@ceee.gwu.edu.