Innovation in Education
The Innovation Schools Act of 2008 “strongly encourages” local boards of education to consider innovations in the following areas:
- Curriculum and academic standards and assessments.
- Accountability measures, including but not limited to expanding the use of a variety of accountability measures to more accurately present a complete measure of student learning and accomplishment. The accountability measures adopted by an innovation school or an innovation school zone may include, but need not be limited to:
- use of graduation or exit examinations;
- use of end-of-course examinations;
- use of student portfolio reviews;
- use of national and international accountability measures such as the national assessment of educational progress and the program for international student assessment;
- measuring the percentage of students continuing into higher education; and
- measuring the percentage of students simultaneously obtaining a high school diploma and an associate’s degree or a career and technical education certificate.
- Provision of services, including but not limited to special education services; services for gifted and talented students; services for students with limited English proficiency; educational services for students at risk of academic failure, expulsion, or dropping out; and support services provided by the department of human services or county social services agencies.
- Teacher recruitment, training, preparation and professional development.
- Teacher employment.
- Performance expectations and evaluation procedures for teachers and principals.
- Compensation for teachers, principals and other school building personnel, including but not limited to performance pay plans, total compensation plans, and other innovations with regard to retirement and other benefits.
- School governance and the roles, responsibilities and expectations of principals in innovation schools or schools within an innovation school zone.
- Preparation and counseling of students for transition into higher education or the work force.
Revised: September 23, 2013
Huerfano School District Re-1, Walsenburg, Colorado