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The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has announced a new pilot program under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) aimed at helping states differentiate between underperforming schools in need of dramatic interventions and those that are closer to meeting the goals of NCLB.
Differentiated accountability is intended to allow states to vary the intensity and type of interventions to match the academic reasons that lead to a school's identification for improvement. In addition, some states and districts have a large percentage of their schools identified, impacting capacity to provide meaningful, intensive reforms. According to ED, differentiated accountability will assist those states by targeting resources and interventions to those schools most in need of intensive interventions and significant reform.
The pilot program will invite up to ten states to create more "nuanced ways of evaluating underperforming schools in need of dramatic intervention, and those that are closer to meeting goals." A state's proposal must address the core principles of NCLB, which are organized around four key areas: accountability, differentiation, interventions for schools, and schools in restructuring. As part of the new pilot program, states that meet the four eligibility criteria may propose a differentiated accountability model. These eligibility criteria are based on the "bright line" principles of NCLB.
Outside peer reviewers will evaluate state proposals against the core principles and priorities. The deadline for submission of proposals to ED is May 2, 2008. Up to 10 states will be approved for differentiated accountability in the first year of the pilot. For more information visit ED's Web site or contact Catherine D. Clarke, ASHA's Director of Education and Regulatory Advocacy, via e-mail at cclarke@asha.org or by phone at 800-498-2071, ext.5611.
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