Site Selection Criteria [pdf]

 

Criteria for Participating Districts, States, and Charter Organizations (CMOs)
Extending the Reach of Excellent Teachers to More Students

November 2011 Version

District/State/CMO and School Leadership Commitment

  • Leaders have already implemented a teacher evaluation system that includes individual teachers’ student growth. Top 20 to 25 percent teachers can be identified in all subjects in which excellent teachers’ reach will be extended.
  • Leaders make a “3X for All” commitment: to reach every child successfully with teaching as good as today’s top quartile in target subjects.  Implementation may begin with prototype sites, but with the intention of implementing system-wide.
  • Superintendent/CEO commits to the initiative principles, starting with those below.
  • Board commits to the initiative principles, starting with those below.
  • Superintendent/CEO assigns a person to be fully accountable for implementation.
  • Principals in involved schools commit to initiative principles in writing. Consultants can help, but school leaders must drive implementation and communicate with staff and parents.
  • Leaders secure funding for:
    • External help with initial communications of the vision and design options.
    • Monitoring/evaluation of the ongoing process.
    • Published documentation of outcomes and lessons learned.

Guidelines for Reach Extension Initiatives

Each effort will explicitly and rigorously aim to:

  1. Reach more children successfully with excellent teachers.  Teachers whose reach is extended are (and stay) in the top 25 percent based on student growth; other measures may supplement but not replace growth.
  2. Pay excellent teachers more for reaching more children successfully, in approximate proportion to increased student reach.
  3. Achieve permanent financial sustainability within budgets from per-pupil funding.
    • Changes are budget-neutral or positive (after planning/start-up costs).
    • Implementation is funded with usual, not temporary, sources. Costs funded with extra funds may include major facility changes, technology purchases, and consulting fees (and/or temporary change organizers on staff).
  4. Include roles for other educators that enable solid performers both to learn from excellent peers and contribute to excellent outcomes for children.
  5. Identify the adult who is accountable for each student’s outcomes, and clarify what people, technology, and other resources (s)he is empowered to choose and manage.

If you are interested in becoming a partner site in this initiative, please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .