The state Department of Education will monitor those plans and can offer help in improving student performance. The agency also can recognize distinguished schools. The details of how to help struggling schools haven't been worked out, state education officials said. It might include such help as sending consultants to train teachers to match their lessons to state academic standards, or show teachers how to implement a new reading program. All they're doing is taking some arbitrary figure and ranking us and putting us in a position that can polarize schools and take away from a strong community.
Education is a community effort.
This year, an administration-appointed task force recommended more state funding for education, which school districts could use partly for summer school, tutors and additional classes. Apart from the usual school funding, the panel also suggested creating a research center that would give technical assistance to low-performing schools. There needs to be some follow-up to the labeling. Some proponents of accountability say money isn't enough. Achieve, a group of state governors and business executives interested in education, recommends states follow ratings with a range of sanctions, including firing principals and teachers, and allowing students to transfer to other schools, said Jennifer Vranek, its director of benchmarking and state services.