Building World Class Schools for Iowa a Legislative Brief

0.39 MB·English

by  Iowa Governor's Office

January 14, 2013
Building
World-Class
Schools for Iowa:
A Legislative Brief
Dear Iowans,
As the first gavel of the 2013 legislative session falls, I’m pleased to provide this
legislative brief on the components of the education reform package introduced by
Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds. At full implementation, this package
invests $187 million into our schools.
Jason E. Glass, Ed.D. The Iowa Department of Education has joined the Office of the Governor to
prepare a set of legislative proposals that will bring Iowa closer to its goal of
providing a world-class education to all children, no matter where they live. This
legislative brief serves as an overview of that legislation, which I encourage you to
read and discuss in greater detail.
The goals behind these policies are straightforward: Comprehensively and
systematically raise and support the teaching profession while expanding efforts to
customize instruction to every student’s passion and talents. Iowa’s children deserve
the best education we can provide so they leave our schools with the knowledge
and skills necessary for successful and rewarding lives.
Iowa has many good schools with hard-working, talented educators who deserve
our respect and appreciation. While we honor the past work of generations of
Iowans who built a strong foundation in education, it is our responsibility – and
our turn – to make a focused, dedicated effort to improve Iowa’s schools. We
stand at a pivotal moment in Iowa’s storied education history, in which we have the
opportunity and will as a community to make the transition from being “good” to
being “great.”
Sincerely,
Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.
State Director and Chief Learner
Iowa Department of Education
Building World-Class Schools for Iowa – page 1
Component 1: Teacher Leadership and
Compensation System
What it’s about: Teachers are the most among all teachers. Many talented
important influence on learning inside people become teachers to make a
schools, and they are being asked to do difference, but there are few ways to
increasingly complex work to prepare advance professionally without leaving
all children for this knowledge- and the classroom. This new system keeps
innovation-based global economy. This our best teachers in front of children, but
requires better preparation of new they are paid more to take on leadership
Background:
teachers and better support for teachers responsibility for the purposes of
This proposal is based on the already in the classroom to more strengthening the teaching around them.
recommendations of the Task effectively meet the needs of each student. This plan spreads out great teaching and
Force on Teacher Leadership makes an impact on more students. It also
and Compensation, which That’s why the centerpiece of the ensures our most effective teachers earn
represented diverse Branstad-Reynolds administration’s entry into the leadership pathways through
perspectives from across education package is establishing a the establishment of a rigorous and fair
Iowa. new teacher selection process.
leadership and
Key Elements: compensation In addition, this
system. This compensation
• Raise starting salaries:
system will structure makes
Make teaching more
put many of teaching more
attractive with a minimum
Iowa’s top attractive to top
starting salary of $35,000
teachers in new students. The
• Improve entry into
instructional proposal raises the
the profession: Create a
leadership roles $28,000 minimum
residency year for all new
alongside school annual starting
teachers that includes a
administrators. salary to $35,000
reduced teaching load
It’s no longer and improves entry
and increased learning
realistic to into the profession
opportunities
expect one by providing new
• Enhance career principal to teachers additional
opportunities: provide all the opportunities for
Design a system of instructional mentoring and
career pathways with leadership collaboration. This
differentiated pay and needed in includes a reduced
responsibilities each school. teaching load during
Improving their first year so
• Address labor market
the academic they have time to
issues: Provide incentives
outcomes observe outstanding
for teachers to teach in
of students teachers.
high-need schools
requires
improving the instruction they receive Such an approach raises the status of the
each day. There is no better way to do profession by paying teachers more at the
this than to empower our best teachers to beginning of their careers and providing
lead the effort. additional opportunities for growth and
leadership throughout their careers.
We must give the most effective teachers
the opportunity to both teach and lead, Finally, the proposal helps Iowa’s highest-
and we must foster greater collaboration need schools become more competitive
Building World-Class Schools for Iowa – page 2
Component 1: Teacher Leadership and
Compensation System cont.
in recruiting and retaining outstanding school districts will have the opportunity
teachers. It provides state assistance to to apply for a planning grant to determine
increase the compensation for teachers in how to adapt the system to the local
schools where high teacher turnover may context. The system will take effect for
affect student achievement growth. all schools in the 2016-17 school year,
and districts will be able to apply for early
Ultimately, this system is about implementation beginning in the 2014-15
strengthening the teaching profession for school year.
the benefit of both students and teachers.
Effective implementation of this system
will be critical to its success. Accordingly,
Career Pathways
Career
Model
s
r u
al e t
i e Mentor ri
it r e
n a m
I C
E
Lead
Admin
The teacher leadership pathways include initial, career, model, mentor and lead teachers.
The plan also establishes emeritus teachers to better utilize the talent of retired
teachers.
State Budget Impact:
First year (FY 2014): $5 million
Second year (FY 2015): $60 million
Fully implemented (Annual cost): $160 million
Building World-Class Schools for Iowa – page 3
Component 2: Teach Iowa Initiative
What it’s about: A common theme rather than the typical one semester.
among the world’s highest-performing This is modeled after a successful
Key Elements:
school systems is that they attract top program at Arizona State University that
• Tuition talent into the teaching pipeline. The aims to turn out brand-new teachers
reimbursement: $4,000 Teach Iowa Initiative is a committed who tend to be as effective as second-
a year – $20,000 total effort to do the same in Iowa. This year teachers. Student teachers receive
– for top students who initiative builds on an existing program to intensive support and training, similar to
commit to teach in Iowa provide both relief and incentive through that of the medical profession. Because
schools for five years tuition reimbursement to top students many new teachers leave the profession
who commit to teach in Iowa schools for within a few years, it’s clear that more
• Hard-to-hire subject
five years. support and training are necessary.
areas: Many of these
awards will go to students
Tuition reimbursement will be available Finally, the Teach Iowa Initiative includes
majoring in hard-to-
only to those students whose academic a simplified approach to connecting
hire subject areas, such
credentials are better than, or equal to, teachers with job openings in schools.
as science, technology,
the top 25 percent of candidates in the It establishes a statewide web-based
engineering, and
state’s approved teacher preparation education job posting system that will
mathematics
programs and who demonstrate make the processes for hiring and
• Student teaching
important traits for teaching, such as applying for jobs more efficient. This
pilot: Strengthen clinical
dedication and relationship-building. system will reduce paperwork for
experience with a full
Many of these awards will go to students applicants, provide cost savings to school
year of student teaching
majoring in hard-to-hire subject areas, districts and taxpayers, keep hiring
in the senior year of
such as science, technology, engineering, decisions within school districts, and
college, rather than the
and mathematics. Upon college will provide better data about educator
typical one semester
graduation and placement in a classroom, supply and demand.
• Jobs board: A statewide Teach Iowa scholars will be awarded
education job posting $4,000 a year for up to
system five years of teaching. This
approach not only reduces
the financial burdens of
those scholars, it also
gives Iowa students access
to highly trained, highly
competent instructors in
challenging subject areas.
The Teach Iowa Initiative
also includes a pilot
program to strengthen
clinical experience with a
full year of student teaching
in the senior year of college,
State Budget Impact*:
First year (FY 2014): $3 million
Second year (FY 2015): $3 million
Fully implemented (Annual cost): $13.5 million
*Includes student teaching pilot program
Building World-Class Schools for Iowa – page 4
Component 3: Iowa Promise Diploma Seals
What it’s about: This program uses choose to pursue and earn them. The
diploma seals to identify and recognize purpose is to help students better prepare
graduating high school seniors who for the future and to align education with
have demonstrated through certain workforce development in a thoughtful way.
competencies that they are college- and A blue-ribbon commission of business and
career-ready. These competencies include education leaders will set high standards for
a college readiness exam or a career the seals to better define what it means to
readiness assessment made available at be college- or career-ready, with the goal
no cost to students who are completing of providing automatic college entrance or
a core and specialized course of study at a hiring preference for students who earn
a high level, as well as a senior portfolio the diploma seal. The first Iowa Promise
assessment requiring the demonstration Diploma Seals will be available to the
of concepts such as collaboration, critical graduating class of 2015. The program will
thinking, and creativity. The seals are an be fully implemented by July 1, 2017, when
optional addition to diplomas awarded students entering high school during the
by Iowa high schools for students who 2013-14 school year will be graduating.
State Budget Impact:
First year (FY 2014): $4 million
Second year (FY 2015): $4 million
Fully implemented (Annual cost): $10 million
Component 4: Educator Development System
What it’s about: Iowa needs to update authority to develop and implement an
Why a NCLB waiver?
teacher and administrator standards and evaluation framework that differentiates
• Not a retreat from
evaluations to provide more valuable performance using three levels and also
accountability. While
feedback and to enable the state to win factors in student outcomes. This proposal
the No Child Left Behind
a waiver from components of the federal develops such a system through inclusive
law has advanced some
No Child Left Behind law. In 2012, Iowa input from a commission of education
important reforms by
became the first state in the nation to be leaders to guide the Iowa Department of
shifting attention to
rejected for a waiver application because Education in this policy area.
the country’s neediest
the state does not meet requirements
students, it’s also widely
in the areas of educator evaluations. In addition, the eight teaching standards
acknowledged that the
This has resulted in a stalled effort to that have been in place in Iowa for the
law has created some
replace a one-size-fits-all accountability past 11 years will be updated by July 1,
unrealistic measures in
framework that unfairly blames schools 2015. These updates will be made by
its attempt to hold the
serving more at-risk and disadvantaged the Iowa Department of Education with
nation’s public schools
students with a state accountability system recommendations from the commission.
accountable.
that emphasizes growth and fits Iowa’s This new system of educator standards
• In Iowa: We still expect context. However, the U.S. Department will create consistency in the professional
our schools to meet of Education has left the door open for a pipeline for teachers, from preparation to
high standards. But we waiver, contingent upon legislative action practice.
need a fair approach that to give the Iowa Department of Education
recognizes that students
State Budget Impact:
come to school with
different starting points First year (FY 2014): $500,000
and emphasizes growth Second year (FY 2015): $3.5 million
and progress.
Fully implemented (Annual cost): $3.5 million
Building World-Class Schools for Iowa – page 5
Component 5: Expanding the Iowa Learning
Online Program
What is ILO? What it’s about: Statewide demand far Senate File 2284, adopted in the 2012
outpaces the supply of services provided legislative session, took major steps to
Iowa Learning Online
through Iowa Learning Online, a state- define online education in Iowa. One of
provides online instruction
run system that has provided high-quality those steps was to codify Iowa Learning
with Iowa licensed instructors
courses online and through the Iowa Online to provide support and long-term
in various academic subjects,
Communications Network since 2004. stability for the work of the program. This
including those that are hard
This federally funded Iowa Department proposal provides $1.5 million in seed
to fill or in situations where
of Education program reaches fewer than money for three consecutive years to help
a school district has lost the
1,000 students a year. Classes have waiting Iowa Learning Online transition to a self-
services of an instructor. This
lists, and many students who want to take financing model and to expand services to
popular program has filled an
challenging courses that are not available about 2,500 students a year. In the long
academic gap in this state and
in their schools are turned away from term, Iowa Learning Online will be funded
has helped school districts
Iowa Learning Online because of limited only through users on a fee-based system.
meet their educational needs.
resources. Federal funding
is capped, which stymies State Budget Impact*:
expansion. An infusion
First year (FY 2014): $1.5 million
of state resources would
Second year (FY 2015): $1.5 million
expand the Iowa Learning
Third year (FY 2016): $1.5 million
Online program’s ability to
serve students and school
*Transitions to a fee-based system after third year
districts in Iowa.
Education Reform Package – Total Program Costs
Program FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018
Teacher Leadership and
Compensation System $5,000,000 $60,000,000 $110,000,000 $160,000,000 $160,000,000
Teach Iowa Initiative $3,000,000 $3,000,000 $4,500,000 $5,500,000 $13,500,000
Iowa Promise Diploma
Seals $4,000,000 $4,000,000 $10,000,000 $10,000,000 $10,000,000
Educator Development
System $500,000 $3,500,000 $3,500,000 $3,500,000 $3,500,000
Expanding the Iowa
Learning Online Program $1,500,000 $1,500,000 $1,500,000 $0 $0
TOTAL COSTS $14,000,000 $72,000,000 $129,500,000 $179,000,000 $187,000,000
Building World-Class Schools for Iowa – page 6