School improvement strategies should focus on use of data and instruction, not on altering the governance of a school, according to a new report from the Center on Education Policy. As the number of schools entering or in restructuring under NCLB doubled from last year, the strategies used by states and school districts to turn around struggling schools are under increased scrutiny. The CEP report, based on studies in California, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan and Ohio, found that no one single restructuring strategy required under NCLB is effective in helping schools make AYP. Instead, it recommended that policymakers expand the current available options and encourage states to implement state-specific strategies that meet the needs of their students.
The report findings echo NSBA‘s recommendations that states and school districts be allowed to create and implement improvement strategies that meet their specific needs. Mandating certain changes and specific sequences of changes–such as those proposed in the Title I regulations by the U.S. Department of Education–would not serve students well, see NSBA‘s recommendations here.
Besides, drastic changes in governance and staff as currently required under the law could have “unintended negative consequences,” the CEP report said. These include principals not being able to find qualified teachers and staff for replacement and obstacles from negotiation with teachers unions.
