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Final Title I School Improvement Grants Requirements ReleasedDec. 11, 2009—The Department of Education has released the final regulations and the application for the Title I School Improvement Grants. These grants will focus on turning around the lowest performing schools. States must identify three tiers of schools:
Districts must then choose from one of four models to improve the school: Turnaround, Model, School Closure, and Transformational. AEP submitted comments asking the Dept. of Ed. to define "comprehensive instructional reform" to mean "improved instructional programs of one or more locally determined and coordinated interventions and resources as needed to provide enrichment for students." Although AEP's comment was not addressed directly, the final requirements note, "The Secretary agrees that there are any number of important activities that would be appropriate to address in a transformation model. As described in this notice, the transformation model, by necessity, focuses on several broad strategies. However, nothing precludes local school leaders from expanding the model as necessary to address other factors needed to respond to the specific needs of students in the school." In other words, it appears that the Dept. of Education is giving schools latitude in selecting what reforms are necessary. Moreover, several times in the revised guidelines, the Dept. refused to list all permissible activities, noting that those lists could not be exhaustive. For example, one commenter asked the Dept. to name technology-based solutions to the list of permissible activities. While the Dept. was willing to add the phrase "technology-based solutions," it declined to mention every permutation of those solutions. The revised requirements state, "Although online instructional programs might be part of a school's system of technology-based supports, we decline to mention it specifically…We cannot mention in this notice, however, each and every type of instructional program." Finally, as with Race to the Top, one commenter asked the Dept. to use the term "evidence-based" instead of "research-based." The Dept. declined to make that change, again stating, "We do not believe a change is necessary, however, because we do not use the term 'scientifically based research' and, therefore, do not invoke the stringent requirements in section 9101(37) of the ESEA." | |||||
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