Needs identified and addressed through Race to the Top: Improve graduation rates and student proficiency in math and reading; reduce achievement gaps and discipline referrals; improve educator retention and ensure educators’ have high expectations for all students; provide interventions in earlier years to prevent learning problems from developing
Major initiatives and investments:
- Curriculum specialists to help align curriculum to standards and develop common assessments
- Improved transitions from elementary to middle, middle to high and high school to college or career with Summer Bridges programs and College and Career Centers
- Student-centered instruction through differentiated opportunities for all students, whether an English Language Learner, a Student With Disabilities, gifted and talented or college or career bound, including intervention, enrichment or acceleration
- Expanded advanced course options and expansion of gifted and talented programs in elementary and middle schools
- Revision of career and technical education programs to align with current workforce needs
- Creation of a teacher career pathway
- Educator stipends for working in high-need schools, including Partnership Zone schools
- Use of alternate teacher and leader pipelines for new talent
Other innovations within the plan:
- Graduation guides
- Vision Network
- Diversity Training
- “Parent University”