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Strategic Goal I  |  Strategic Goal II  |  Strategic Goal III

 

STRATEGIC GOAL I: To create examples of versatile community learning centers that prioritize individual learning needs above other concerns, blend secondary and postsecondary experiences, provide engaging educational opportunities both inside and outside the classroom, and offer a variety of student-designed pathways to graduation.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY #1: Engage schools to participate in the League of Innovative Schools during the 2011–2012 school year.
MILESTONES STATUS

League participation opportunities and requirements for each state will be finalized by July 31, 2011.
Indicator of Completion: Requirements for the five states posted on NESSC public website and state department of education websites as allowable. (leads, liaisons)

 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE

Each state will identify schools for participation in the League by September 30, 2011. These schools will participate as the 2011 cohort, the first “cohort” of League schools. The final school agreement regarding League membership will be realized as part of the Cohort process.
Indicator of Completion: List of schools from each state published on the NESSC public website. (leads, liaisons)

 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE

School teams consisting of the principal and at least three other educators (including at least one teacher and a district administrator) from each school in the 2011 Cohort will meet three times: 1.5 days in November and February, and one day in April prior to the NESSC High School Redesign in Action conference.
Indicator of Completion: Attendance records and agenda; update on school actions taken; commitments for future actions posted on the internal NESSC website. (GSP, liaisons)

 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE

Principal peer accountability groups will be identified and launched by November 2011.
Indicator of Completion: List of peer accountability groups posted in internal NESSC website. (GSP)

 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE

All participating League schools will complete a Global Best Practices review by December 31, 2011.
Indicator of Completion: Each school will identify three to five areas of strength, as identified by their Global Best Practices review, and provide examples for their ranking that can be posted on the internal or public NESSC website. (liaisons)

 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE

The NESSC will launch a League of Innovative Schools website that will allow schools to share contact information, data, action plans, local and state policies being targeted, and the results of GBP evaluation, among other information both publicly and securely by February 1, 2012.
Indicator of Completion: Indicator of progress: NESSC League of Innovative Schools website is online and populated with content. (GSP)

 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE

NESSC will host three webinars that address interests and support needs identified by participating League schools (webinar content will be aligned with Global Best Practices and the NESSC regional policy agenda). Webinars will be hosted in December 2011, January 2012, and March 2012.
Indicator of Completion: Webinar slides will be posted on NESSC website; participation lists. (GSP)

 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE

Each state will review their current waiver process, revise or update as appropriate, and communicate this process to all schools by September 30, 2011.
Indicator of Completion: Waiver process for each state posted on NESSC website. (leads)

 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE

 

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY #2: Each SEA will work with League members in their state to identify potential opportunities to leverage for a state innovation waiver to advance school transformation. The innovation waiver will identify an area of practice currently required by state policy, but which, if designed and implemented differently, is likely to have a significant beneficial impact on student learning (i.e. have high-leverage impact). Each state commissioner will communicate the option to apply for innovation waivers to all schools in the state and provide a process by which schools could propose different practices and receive a waiver from current requirements. Granting the waiver will still require the school to address the purpose of existing state policy and set expectations for resulting student outcomes in a reasonable period, but will also openly encourage an alternative implementation process. The innovation waiver will address school-improvement strategies aligned with the NESSC regional policy agenda.
MILESTONES STATUS

The Policy Strategic Action Team will convene in August 2011 to review the NESSC regional policy agenda, assess progress to date, and reaffirm each state’s commitment to the common agenda. Reaffirmation will likely entail modifications in policy specificity or strategies based on progress to date, shifting political factors, and/or SEA priorities and plans. This process will review the current regional policy agenda including the three main policy areas and the five supporting areas, in addition to new ideas proposed by the strategic action team.
Indicator of Completion: Revised NESSC regional policy agenda drafted, distributed to all partners (such as Council members, SEA leadership, Strategic Action Team members, and others), and posted on the internal NESSC website. (GSP)

 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE
The NESSC regional policy agenda will be confirmed and endorsed by the five commissioners of education and Council teams by September 2011.
Indicator of Completion: NESSC regional policy agenda finalized and posted on public NESSC website, joint document signed by the five commissioners and chairs of the state board of education on behalf of their state and NESSC Council members. (leads, GSP)		 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE

Each state will create a policy implementation plan focused on supporting the NESSC regional policy agenda, based on the HLP Framework, for the upcoming legislative session by early January 2012.
Indicator of Completion: Written copies of state policy implementation plans; SEA commitments to execute the plans; and NESSC Liaison action plans for each state that identify strategic actions, including stakeholder engagement, that will be undertaken to support policy implementation. (leads, liaisons)

 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE
By November 2011, the Policy Strategic Action Team will identify key higher education partners in each state and host a regional meeting with SEA staff and selected practitioners from the field to explore the idea of a “New England secondary learning credential.” This group will initially be tasked with determining the feasibility of such a credential and whether and how the implementation of this concept would impact the NESSC goals for graduation, college-readiness, college-enrollment, and drop-out rates. (Note: the New England secondary learning credential may become part of the NESSC’s regional policy agenda in August and September; if so, this meeting will focus more on how to move this forward.)
Indicator of Completion:  Meeting summaries will be posted on the internal NESSC website; next steps will be determined and distributed to relevant NESSC partners. (GSP)
 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE
The NESSC will host a cross-state meeting of the chairs from each state legislative education committee and state board of education to educate participants on the NESSC regional policy agenda, and discuss avenues for joint legislative activities concerning secondary-improvement work within and across states by early January 2012.
Indicator of Completion: Agenda, participation list, and any commitments made in the meeting. (GSP)		 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE
The NESSC will host a cross-state meeting of the leads and SEA accountability staff to 1) review national accountability efforts underway with CCSSO; 2) share state accountability strategies; and 3) explore application for joint federal waivers concerning state accountability structures. Depending upon the decision regarding federal waivers, the group will create a plan to move forward.
Indicator of Completion: Agenda, participation list, and commitments made regarding federal waiver applications. (GSP)		 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE

 

STRATEGIC GOAL II: To create a multifaceted support network for secondary schools committed to the mission, goals, and policies of the NESSC that can leverage and enhance reforms at scale across the five member states.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY #1: Each state will develop statewide support structures for schools involved in the League of Innovative Schools.
MILESTONES STATUS
Train practicing educators from LIS schools in each state by December 1, 2011 to conduct a comprehensive Global Best Practices review. These trainings will take place at a League schools using the Global Best Practices tool resulting in both a cadre of trained leaders and feedback for the school faculty engaged in the tool. Trainings will be lead by GSP staff, NESSC liaisons, and, once ready, SEA staff members.
Indicator of Completion:  List of secondary educators who have been trained in each state. (liaisons)
 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE
Each state will identify up to eight school-support organizations—that operate independently from the state Department of Education—by August 31, 2011. The leadership of these organizations will be brought together three times to explore resource sharing, align work, and coordinate support for secondary schools in each state by June 30, 2012. The purpose of this strategy is to foster greater alignment and coherence of secondary-improvement work within NESSC member states.
Indicator of Completion: Agendas for three meetings posted on NESSC internal website; list of participants on internal site; notes of actions taken and commitments made on internal site. (GSP, liaisons)		 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE

NESSC will host its third annual High School Redesign in Action conference to promote the transformation of secondary learning across the region.
Indicator of Completion: Conference program; participation numbers from each state; survey results. (GSP)

 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE

 

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY #2: The League Strategic Action Team—consisting of members of the current Strategic Action Team and new appointees—will lead and coordinate the League of Innovative Schools.
MILESTONES STATUS
The League Strategic Action Team will meet in July 2011 to review League benefits, state participation requirements, school-selection criteria, obligations, and other features of the League. Indicator of Completion: Five sets of state requirements posted on the NESSC public website. (GSP) UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE
The League Strategic Action Team will create or adopt a “cycle of action” to guide the school-improvement work of League members by December 1, 2011.
Indicator of Completion: The League’s cycle of action posted on NESSC public website. (GSP)		 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE

The League Strategic Action Team will review the progress of League schools to determine patterns for successful school transformation by May 1, 2012. The findings will be used to create a series of case studies, a list of strategies undertaken by League schools, and a “living list” of lessons learned by League Schools. In the summer and fall of 2012, the League Strategic Action Team will review the performance of League schools to confirm or refute patterns for successful school transformation. Over three years, using action research in collaboration with participating League schools, the League Strategic Action Team will create a series of case studies and assorted documentation that (1) outlines a process for school transformation (i.e., a cycle of action); (2) identifies potential high-impact strategies and focus areas; and (3) describes patterns of implementation for at least five common intervention strategies that are having positive impacts on student achievement and attainment.
Indicator of Completion: Draft guide is posted on NESSC website and distributed to League members. (GSP)

  UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE

 

STRATEGIC GOAL III: To identify diverse sources of financial support for the League of Innovative Schools and align independently funded school-improvement initiatives through participation in the League.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY #1: Identify funding to support implementation of the League of Innovative Schools, including funding for both member and project schools. Support will come through both state and foundation sources.
MILESTONES STATUS
Each SEA will identify state and federal resources that can be used by secondary schools to support participation in the League by August 30, 2011. Indicator of Completion: List of financial resources, contacts, and mechanisms from each state. (leads, liaisons) UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE
NESSC will identify and contact potential private funders in each state (ongoing).
Indicator of Completion: List of foundations identified and contacted (GSP, leads)
 UNDERWAY +
ON SCHEDULE
RESOURCES

New Vermont Members Inducted into the League of Innovative Schools

On March 28th, the Vermont Department of Education announced the newest members of the League of Innovative Schools: Brattleboro Union High School, U-32 Junior and Senior High School, Burlington High School and Rochester High School.

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High School Redesign Conference Draws Crowd

Every year, our High School Redesign in Action conference is an opportunity for educators from across the Northeast to share success stories, exchange innovative solutions, and connect with colleagues. This year, more than 425 participants will be in attendance.

read more
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