Chapter 1. The Mandate to Change
School Finance System Challenged in Court
The Political Environment
The School System is Abolished
Criteria of a Constitutional System
An Efficient System is Defined
The Task Force on Education Reform
The Task Force Structure and Process
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The Task Force on Education Reform adopted the following twelve
principles to guide the development of the new system of public schools:
1. All students can learn and nearly all at
high levels.
2. We know how to successfully teach all
students.
3. Curriculum content must reflect high
expectations and instructional strategies must be successful ones.
3. Ours must be a performance-based system.
5. Ours must be a system in which school
performance results in appropriate consequences.
6. School based staff should have a major role
in shaping instructional strategies.
7. School staff must be equipped with the
capacity to make good instructional decisions.
8. Non-Essential regulations must be reduced
significantly.
9. Schools have responsibility for outreach to
home and community.
10. What is tested will heavily influence what
is taught.
11. Learning begins early and does not end with
high school graduation.
12. There is a need to provide for a measure of
independent assessment and enforcement authority.
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Curriculum Made a Local Decision
Performance Goals for the New System
The Council on School Performance Standards
The Council’s Curriculum Proposals Are Adopted
The Council Resumes its Work
The Conceptual Design of the New Curriculum
Learning Must be Demonstrated
The Role of Subject Content
Objections to the Term "Outcomes"
The Role of Textbooks in the New Curriculum
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The Implementation Timetable in KERA
Unstructured Implementation at the School Level
Inadequate Curriculum Development Skills
The Impact of the Accountability Program
Some Final Thoughts
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What are Performance Standards?
The Standard Setting Process
The Evolution of Performance Standards
Problems with Standards
High School Graduation Requirements
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Problems with Classroom Assessments
Implementation of Continuous Assessment
The Impact of Continuous Assessment
Problems with Continuous Assessment
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Failure of Students and Dropouts
The Primary School Program
The Primary Program is Conceptualized
Implementation of the Primary School Program
Support for Implementation of the Primary Program
Levels of Implementation
Assessment of Continuous Progress
Exit from the Primary Program
Obstacles Encountered in Implementation
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Preschool and Early Childhood
The Extended School Services Program
Family and Youth Service Centers
Implementation of the Resource Centers Program
Some Policy Confusion Emerged
Impact of the Service Centers Program9
Health Screening
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The Plan for the Technology System
The Technology Plan Encounters Problems
Major Policy Issues to be Resolved
A Plan is Finally Approved
Major Policies for the System
The Deployment of Technology in Schools
The Role of Technical Assistance
Kentucky Educational Television
Impact of Technology on Teaching and Learning
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The Policy Origins of School-Based Decision
Making
Instructional Authority Granted to the School
Site
The Structure of School Councils
Issues of Local School Leadership and Autonomy
The Role of School Principals
Deployment of School Councils
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Perspectives on School Councils
Slow Adoption of School Councils
Are School Councils Necessary?
The Dissolution and Re-Creation of School
Councils
The Future of School-Based Decision Making
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School Accountability Prior to KERA
Consequences for Poor Performance
A Different Approach to Accountability is
Proposed
The Task Force Considers Accountability
The Task Force Responds
A Dual System of Accountability is Adopted
The Accountability Grades
Accountability for the Non-Cognitive Goals of
KERA
The Cash Rewards Program
The Consequences of Failure to Improve
Rewards and Sanctions for Central Office Staff
The Distinguished Educators
The Evolution of the Distinguished Educator
Program
Dealing with Cheaters
The Impact of the Accountability Program
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A "Successful School" is Defined
The Accountability Index Concept
The Initial Accountability Index
Implementation of the Accountability Index
Estimating Real Improvement
The Amount of Improvement Required
Setting Improvement Goals
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An Interim Assessment Program is to be Created
A Desire for National Comparisons
The Use of Assessment Consultants
The System Design is Completed
Commission Boysen’s Views of Assessment
Critical Elements of the Assessment Design
The Use of Matrix Sampling
Classifications of Student Performance
Scoring is a Major Issue
Implementation Problems Emerge
The Assessment System Gets into Serious
Difficulty
An Attempt to Salvage the Assessment System
The effect on teaching and learning
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The Assessment Program is Revamped
Continuous Assessment is Strengthened
The Accountability Index is Revamped
Financial Rewards are Retained
Consequences for Failure are Modified
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The New Curriculum Approach
Changes in Teaching
Classroom Performance Assessments
The Primary School Program
School-Based Decision Making
Is the Accountability System Fair?
Student Responsibility
Measuring Learning
Whose Improvement Should be Measured?
Rewards and Sanctions
Consequences for Failure to Improve
Has KERA Worked?
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