This library highlights examples of state laws, policies, initiatives, and programs aligned with whole child design. It is intended to help policymakers, educators, and other key stakeholders learn how states across the country are pursuing whole child policy and systems change. The library is not an exhaustive compilation of all the whole child work states have taken on and will be periodically updated with new examples as states continue to innovate and redesign to support every child’s learning and developmental needs. If you have a state policy example you would like to share, please submit it using this form.
Displaying 51 - 100 of 179 examples
Transforming Learning Environments
Establish Integrated Support Systems
Updated in 2018, the Tennessee Multi-Tiered System of Support provides guidance and resources around academic, integrated, and family and community supports. Student engagement, instruction, school climate, and appropriate supports are foundational throughout the tiers. The guidance also provides explicit expectations for school coordination teams.
TN
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Texas House Bill 18, enacted in 2019, increases
mental health training for educators and other school professionals, requires
schools to provide mental health and suicide prevention curricula alongside
physical health curricula, and improves student access to mental and
behavioral health services through school-based mental health centers and the
hiring of mental health professionals.
TX
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Utah House Bill 264 provides grants to schools for
the purpose of hiring mental health personnel, prioritizing districts that
have high percentages of students with risk factors for experiencing trauma.
The bill also requires the Utah State Board of Education to develop training
for educators on the effects of trauma on student learning.
UT
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Virginia Senate Bill 619, enacted in 2020, requires school employees to complete mental health awareness training when they receive or renew their licenses. School boards are required to provide the training via certified providers in the state, such as the state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services or a qualified nonprofit.
VA
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The Virginia Comprehensive Services Act (CSA) provides for high-quality, child-centered, family-focused, cost-effective, community-based services by pooling together eight specific funding streams to support services for high-risk youth. Administered by the Office of Children’s Services, the CSA provides for the coordination of supports for children and youth delivered by local social services, local community service boards, private providers, and through the CSA program. In the 2020 fiscal year, CSA served over 15,000 children and families in the 133 cities and counties in the state, with a combined state and local budget of over $435 million.
VA
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Created in 2016, the Washington Integrated Student Supports Protocol (WISSP) is a set of strategies passed by the Washington legislature, through Fourth Substitute House Bill 1541, that provides materials to build a wraparound approach to student learning, with a particular focus on community-based learning. The components of the WISSP framework include needs assessments, community partnerships, coordination of supports, integration within the school, and a data-driven approach. (For more information about this state example, see Transforming Learning Environments.)
WA
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In 2014, West Virginia passed Policy 2425, which provides guidelines for supporting schools in developing and operating community schools. Building on this policy, West Virginia’s Office of Special Programs published a resource guide on how to build community and school partnerships in 2015. This guide, titled Building Community and School Partnerships for Student Success, includes a description of the evidence behind community schools and the levels of community school development. Plus, the resources help schools implement different aspects of community schools, such as expanded learning opportunities and family engagement. Finally, the Office of Special Programs is listed as being able to provide additional technical assistance to schools.
WV
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West Virginia created ReClaimWV as a statewide support infrastructure to address the physical, social-emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs of students in response to the opioid epidemic. Through ReClaimWV, the WV Department of Education collaborates and supports local education agencies, schools, communities, and families and provides trauma-informed, mental health, and substance misuse resources to support student well-being.
WV
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Transforming Learning Environments
Provide High-Quality Expanded Learning Time
In 2008, the DC Council voted to expand its early child care and preschool program through the Pre-K Enhancement and Expansion Amendment Act. The act allows all 3- and 4-year-old children to be enrolled in preschool throughout the school day. DC funds the preschool options at no cost to residents. (For more information about this state example, see Transforming Learning Environments.)
DC
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In 2012, the Florida legislature funded an additional hour per day of literacy instruction and reading time in 100 elementary schools with the state’s lowest reading scores. Two years later, the initiative was expanded to include 300 elementary schools. The Florida extended-day program requires that instructional approaches during additional time are evidence-based, are adapted for student ability, and are cross-curricular (incorporating reading material from other core subjects). (For more information about this state example, see Transforming Learning Environments.)
FL
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The Georgia Department of Education, Division of
Family and Children Services, Department of Public Health, and Governor's
Office for Children and Families partnered to create standards and guidelines
to support effective after school programs. The guidance includes linking to
academic curriculum and students' school day, supporting student health and
wellness, and developing students' social-emotional skills.
GA
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In 2005, the Massachusetts legislature established the Expanded Learning Time (ELT) initiative. Stemming from this initiative, the state created an ELT grant program targeted toward schools serving high-need students to provide an additional 300 hours of instruction to their school years. Schools that receive the grants are able to use funding to lengthen their school days or add days to their school years, or both. The program received approximately $14 million in annual funding from 2017 to 2020. The state legislature’s most recent appropriation in fiscal year 2021 for $9.3 million includes a priority to scale and sustain best practices, address learning gaps from COVID-19, plan enrichment programming, and provide opportunities for adult ELT professional development and collaboration. (For more information about this state example, see Transforming Learning Environments.)
MA
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The New Mexico Extended Learning Time Program (ELTP) is a grant program that increases funding to schools for operational purposes if they meet the following criteria: (1) schools offer adequate instructional time; (2) schools provide a minimum of 80 hours of professional development for staff; and (3) schools provide after-school programs for academic learning or extracurricular enrichment that do not replace federal programs.
NM
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New York’s Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) administers the Advantage After School Programs (AASP), which uses funds to support expanded learning time and opportunities. Specifically, AASP provides after-school opportunities for school-age children and youth 5 days a week during the regular school year. Each program must be aligned with statewide goals, including “to improve the social, emotional, academic, and vocational competencies of school-aged children.” (For more information about this state example, see Transforming Learning Environments.)
NY
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Passed in June 2020, West Virginia Senate Bill (S.B.) 750 requires the West Virginia State Board of Education to develop a policy to increase access to extended learning opportunities. The bill allows for students to earn elective credits outside of the regular school day. The credits can be earned via alternative courses, which are intended to help students “discover, develop, and apply their talents” and may be administered by nonprofits, after-school programs, businesses, and trade associations. S.B. 750 also gives flexibility to county boards of education, allowing them to approve or deny applications for alternative classes.
WV
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Redesigning Curriculum, Instruction, Assessments, and Accountability Systems
Promote Rich Learning Experiences
Alabama has consistently been one of the top-ranking states in terms of preschool quality, meeting all 10 of the National Institute for Early Education Research’s quality standard benchmarks since 2006. Alabama is also one of only a few states with universal eligibility for its state preschool for 4-year-olds. Alabama supports the development of rich learning experiences through its clearly articulated First Class Pre-K Program and Classroom Guidelines. Programs and teachers are supported in meeting these guidelines through the job-embedded, practices-based coaching provided to all lead and assistant First Class Pre-K teachers.
AL
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In 2021, the Arizona legislature passed Senate Bill 1376, requiring the State Board of Education to mandate that health instruction incorporate multiple dimensions of health, including the relationship between physical and mental health, social and emotional learning (SEL), and attitudes and behaviors that promote student well-being. The legislation is aligned with the mental health and wellness priorities established by the Arizona Department of Education, which include supporting the implementation of mental health instruction, SEL competencies and resources for both students and educators, and trauma-sensitive practices.
AZ
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Colorado’s Multiple
Pathways to Graduation policy defines multiple ways to graduate to ensure
that all students can succeed. It decouples high school graduation from
traditional academic pathways and lets students graduate via Career and
Technical Education, credit recovery, acceleration, concurrent enrollment,
flexible scheduling, online schools, and alternative education campuses.
Colorado districts can build out different pathways in response to local
needs assessments, such as increasing credit recovery programs to reduce
dropouts or offering flexible scheduling to targeted populations such as
homeless students or students who have been incarcerated. The state provides
a menu of college- and career-ready demonstrations, from which districts must
create a list of options for their students. To graduate from high school,
students must use these options to show what they know or can do. The menu
provides flexibility for districts to adopt performance assessments, including
a district capstone project or other collaboratively developed,
standards-aligned performance assessments.
CO
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In 2015, the Idaho legislature enacted key
legislation to support the implementation of mastery education
across the state, following recommendations made by a state task force
focused on how to improve education in Idaho. The state defines mastery
education as “a student-centered learning system that promotes relevant
learning while allowing flexibility in both time and teaching methods, where
student success is the only option.” The Mastery-Based Education Framework
uses this definition and sets the foundation for learning experiences that
empower students, personalize learning, demonstrate competencies, and
recognize mastery. Additionally, the Idaho Mastery Education Network, which
consists of schools and districts across the state, helps educators implement
mastery education in their classrooms by hosting regular meetings to share
experiences and best practices.
ID
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In the 2017–18 legislative session, the Indiana General Assembly directed the State Board of Education to establish Graduation Pathways that ensure every Indiana student graduates high school with (1) a broad awareness of and engagement with individual career interests and associated career options, (2) a strong foundation of academic and technical skills, and (3) demonstrable employability skills that lead to meaningful opportunities for postsecondary education, training, and gainful employment. Indiana also requires students to complete a graduation plan, with input from a school counselor and a family member, aligned with one of four high school diplomas the Indiana Department of Education offers. To graduate, students must (1) complete course requirements aligned with their chosen diploma, (2) demonstrate employability skills through a project-based, service-based, or work-based learning experience, and (3) display postsecondary-ready competencies through completion of a college entrance exam; an industry-recognized certification; a federally-recognized apprenticeship; career and technical education course concentration; advanced placement, international baccalaureate, or dual-credit coursework and exams; or a locally-approved pathway.
IN
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The Louisiana Department of Education established
the instructional materials review process to help local education agencies
select high-quality materials that are aligned with the state’s standards.
The state uses a tiered system to examine quality and alignment of
instructional materials: Tier 1 exemplifies quality, Tier 2 approaches
quality, and Tier 3 does not represent quality. Each year, a group of
educators are selected to evaluate materials. In addition, the Louisiana
legislature and State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education have
provided and updated regulations to further ensure student access to
high-quality instructional materials.
LA
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In November 2019, Massachusetts started the Kaleidoscope Collective for Learning pilot program to provide educators and schools leaders with professional learning opportunities to strengthen their understanding of deeper learning and advance deeper learning in schools across the state. The program provides educators with opportunities to deepen their understanding of deeper learning and share best practices with each other. Such opportunities include coaching, ongoing convenings, development of exemplar curriculum and innovative test items, and an online learning platform. Massachusetts established the first cohort of participating schools in January 2020, choosing 21 schools to participate. The second cohort of 15 schools began a 3-year project with Kaleidoscope in the spring of 2021. Both cohorts include a diversity of school grade spans and geographic locations.
MA
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The Massachusetts Educator Evaluation Framework
provides teachers with feedback to improve student learning, opportunities
for professional growth, and structures for accountability. The framework
includes standards of practice, rubrics, and three categories of evidence to
assess educators’ performance on the standards: (1) multiple measures of
student learning, growth, and achievement; (2) judgments based on
observations and artifacts of professional practice; and (3) additional
evidence, including student feedback when evaluating teachers and staff
feedback when evaluating administrators.
MA
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Massachusetts named “supporting social and emotional learning, health, and safety” as one of its core strategies in its Every Student Succeeds Act state plan to promote social and emotional learning (SEL) by connecting statewide pre-k to 12 SEL programs. To support this strategy, the state has provided training, technical assistance, guidance, and resources to schools and districts to create positive school climates and safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students, using Title IV, Part A funds. To help make this happen, the state is also providing guidance on implementing pre-k SEL standards and k–12 SEL curricula. (For more information about this state example, see Investing Resources Equitably and Efficiently.)
MA
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Missouri supports the social and emotional development of its students from early education to high school through its Show Me Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) initiatives. The state has created Early Learning Standards (ELS) with examples and activities to support the social and emotional development of infants and toddlers. Developed between 2001 and 2005, the ELS were updated most recently in 2021. Missouri also offers school counseling curriculum for grades k–5 and 9–12. Each set of grade-level lessons utilizes aspects of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning’s SEL competencies—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Additional Show Me SEL initiatives include SEL curriculum for gifted education, professional development for teachers to support students' social and emotional learning, and Missouri Healthy Schools to promote healthy school environments.
MO
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The New York State Department of Education established three social and emotional learning benchmark goals to guide age-appropriate instruction for New York schools: (1) develop self-awareness and self-management skills essential to success in school and life; (2) use social awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships; and (3) demonstrate ethical decision-making skills and responsible behaviors in personal, school, and community contexts. New York explains these goals with additional detail and benchmarks for educators to voluntarily use at different grade levels. The benchmarks are broken down into five strands: (1) early elementary (k–3), (2) late elementary (grades 4–5), (3) middle school (grades 6–8), (4) early high school (grades 9–10), and (5) late high school (grades 11–12).
NY
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North Dakota’s Innovative Education Program was established by the North Dakota legislature in 2017 (Senate Bill 2186) and allows schools and districts flexibility to implement personalized learning and competency-based education. Schools and districts can seek waivers from the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction from state laws and regulations so they can implement innovative learning environments. North Dakota’s Personalized/Competency-Based Learning initiative, which is supported by KnowledgeWorks, seeks to build the capacity of four participating school districts over 5 years and informs a national research-based framework intended to help other states and districts pursuing similar innovative programs. (For more information about this state example, see Redesigning Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and Accountability Systems.)
ND
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Several states are investing resources in high-quality, open-source instructional materials as an avenue to support teaching and learning. For example, 10 states—California, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Washington—have partnered with foundations and research-based instructional materials developers to support OpenSciEd, a complete open-educational resources (OER) curriculum in science. By partnering with the instructional materials development effort, states directly inform the scope and sequence, design specifications, and instructional model for the materials. OpenSciEd partner states have also committed substantial resources toward field tests, data collection, and professional learning that support implementation of instructional materials across their states. By doing so, states can ensure that the materials that become available to their districts and teachers are congruent with state policies and priorities—such as adopted standards, curriculum frameworks, state assessment systems, and equitable supports for student subgroups—while also investing in the infrastructure and capacity needed for meaningful adoption and use of those materials in districts and classrooms. As a result, states can honor local control over curricular decisions while creating an enabling environment that encourages the use of high-quality materials. (For more information about this state example, see Redesigning Curriculum, Instruction, Assessments, and Accountability Systems.)
CA, LA, MI, MA, NM, RI, IA, NJ, OK, WA
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In 2017, the Oregon legislature directed the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to create a Native American Curriculum for k–12 schools through Senate Bill (S.B.) 13. The legislation asks ODE to provide targeted funding to the nine federally recognized tribes in the state so they can create their own unique curriculums. Through S.B. 13, ODE is also instructed to provide professional development on the curriculum to educators so they can share well-developed lessons with their students. As a result of S.B. 13, the state created a “Tribal History/Shared History” curriculum and developed resources to help educators incorporate it into their instruction. For example, ODE has posted several resources, including an educator toolkit, lesson plans, maps with tribal locations, and videos.
OR
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Rhode Island launched the RI Personalized Learning Initiative in 2016 with the goal of “supporting, accelerating, and expanding student-centered, relevant, and rigorous K–12 learning in the state.” As part of the Personalized Learning Initiative, high schools and middle schools are required to provide students with individualized learning plans; multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate proficiency, curriculum and career pathways for students; and personalized learning opportunities, such as project-based and problem-based learning, blended learning, applied or experiential learning, and social-emotional skill development, built into each school. (For more information about this state example, see Redesigning Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and Accountability Systems.)
RI
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Developed as a part of the TransformSC initiative to transform South Carolina’s education system, the state’s profile of a graduate was approved in 2015 by the South Carolina State Board of Education as well as numerous stakeholder organizations. The graduate profile includes the knowledge, skills, and characteristics needed for students to be successful upon graduating high school. The South Carolina Department of Education has also developed a prototype of 12 aligned competencies to make the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate actionable in all classrooms and learning environments across the state.
SC
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Utah’s efforts to move toward personalized, competency-based learning is built upon its graduate profile, the Utah Talent MAP (mastery, autonomy, purpose). Using the Talent MAP as its foundation, the Utah State Board of Education developed a Personalized, Competency-Based Learning (PCBL) Framework to provide indicators and promising practices for educators, students, and families to foster learning aligned with the graduate profile. Support for schools to plan for and implement PCBL is provided through Utah’s Competency-Based Education Grant Program.
UT
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Vermont’s Flexible Pathways Initiative was designed with three purposes in mind: (1) to encourage and support school districts in providing high-quality educational experiences; (2) to promote postsecondary readiness; and (3) to increase school completion and pursuit of postsecondary learning. Specifically, it creates progressive opportunities for students to demonstrate learning through flexible and multiple pathways, including career and technical education, virtual learning, work-based learning, service learning, dual enrollment, and early college. The pathways must be aligned with standards and supervised by appropriately licensed educators. (For more information about this state example, see Redesigning Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and Accountability Systems.)
VT
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In Virginia, an initiative from the Virginia State Board of Education in 2014 to examine future directions for the state’s accreditation systems and graduation requirements led to the creation of the Profile of a Virginia Graduate. At the same time, the General Assembly created the Standards of Learning (SOL) Innovation Committee to provide support and recommendations to inform the graduate profile. The General Assembly codified the SOL Committee’s recommendations in 2016 and directed the state board to develop and implement the Profile of a Virginia Graduate, which established a new set of expectations—known as Virginia’s 5 Cs: critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, collaboration, and citizenship skills. (For more information about this state example, see Setting a Whole Child Vision.)
VA
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In 2019, the Washington legislature passed House Bill 1599 to allow for automatic enrollment in advanced subjects, such as math, English, and sciences, for all high school students meeting certain academic standards, rather than requiring students to “opt in.” The law also requires schools to place students in advanced coursework who have passed 8th-grade reading or math assessments with a “meets” or “exceeds.” This law extends to advanced coursework in humanities, math, and science and requires that students be placed in advanced coursework that aligns with relevance to their plans for high school and beyond. (For more information about this state example, see Redesigning Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and Accountability Systems.)
WA
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In 2016, the Washington state legislature passed Senate Bill 6620, requiring the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to develop and maintain an online social and emotional learning (SEL) training module for educators, administrators, and other school staff. The SEL Online Module created by the OSPI provides seven learning segments to build awareness and knowledge of SEL and of how to implement and integrate it into different contexts in a culturally responsive way. (For more information about this state example, see Building Adult Capacity and Expertise.)
WA
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In Washington, school districts may set local policy
for students to earn high school credit by demonstrating mastery of
subject-area competencies in alignment with state learning standards. In
August 2019, the Washington state legislature tasked the State Board of Education
to convene a Mastery-Based Learning Work Group to provide recommendations on
expanding mastery-based credits and developing mastery-based pathways toward
earning a high school diploma. The work group issued its initial report in
2020 and was extended by the legislature in 2021 to continue supporting the
growth of mastery-based learning and crediting through the development of a
Washington State Profile of a Graduate. The state board has supported this
work through additional guidance and resources.
WA
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The Washington social and emotional learning (SEL) standards began in 2015 after the Washington state legislature directed a working group to develop benchmarks and indicators for soft skills, including interpersonal and decision-making for grades k–12. To develop the SEL benchmarks, standards, and indicators, the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction contracted with the American Institutes for Research to conduct a literature review. Building off the literature review, the SEL working group developed six SEL standards: (1) self-awareness, (2) self-management, (3) self-efficacy, (4) social awareness, (5) social management, and (6) social engagement. In addition, the working group published a scaffolded framework to identify benchmarks and indicators that educators, administrators, families, community members, and students could use to better understand SEL as it relates to individual learning.
WA
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Passed in June 2020, West Virginia Senate Bill (S.B.) 750 requires the West Virginia State Board of Education to develop a policy to increase access to extended learning opportunities. The bill allows for students to earn elective credits outside of the regular school day. The credits can be earned via alternative courses, which are intended to help students “discover, develop, and apply their talents” and may be administered by nonprofits, after-school programs, businesses, and trade associations. S.B. 750 also gives flexibility to county boards of education, allowing them to approve or deny applications for alternative classes.
WV
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Redesigning Curriculum, Instruction, Assessments, and Accountability Systems
Support Authentic Systems of Assessment
The Colorado Department of Education worked with
stakeholders in grades k–12 and higher education to create performance
assessments that demonstrate student readiness to graduate from high school.
They collaboratively developed standard-based assessments focused on
knowledge of academic content in English and math, as well as Colorado’s
defined essential skills for high school graduation. In 2018–19, educators
created tools to help teachers, schools, and districts implement performance
assessments, including key design elements and performance outcomes. The
department also formed a professional learning community (PLC) to support
implementation. The PLC has focused on identifying strong performance
assessment practices and supporting the design of collaboratively developed,
standards-based performance assessments.
CO
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In 2019, Georgia received a waiver through the
federal Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority to pilot an innovative
assessment program originally established by Georgia Senate Bill 362, which
passed in 2018. The pilot program includes two innovative assessment
consortia. The first is the Georgia MAP Assessment Partnership, and the
second is the Putnam County Consortium, which are both geared to provide
diagnostic information to educators throughout the school year. After
piloting alternative assessments via these two entities and gathering
stakeholder input, the state plans to select an assessment for statewide
implementation.
GA
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Georgia has been assessing children’s kindergarten entry skills statewide since 2017 using the Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills 2.0 (GKIDS 2.0) Readiness Check. GKIDS 2.0 balances teachers’ need for detailed information to inform instruction with the time constraints they face in the beginning of the year by providing a scaffolded set of resources that can be expanded from main skill idea to a more detailed set of descriptions. (For more information about this state example, see Redesigning Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and Accountability Systems.)
GA
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The Hawaii Department of Education has developed a culturally responsive framework based in HĀ, the unique values and qualities of the Indigenous Hawaiian culture and language. HĀ outcomes include strengthened senses of belonging, responsibility, excellence, aloha (empathy and appreciation), and total well-being, as well as an understanding of Hawaii's history, culture, and language. In 2016, the Department of Education was awarded an Assessment for Learning grant to develop key indicators of success and related assessment practices as part of a new, culturally responsive assessment framework that measures both student outcomes and their learning environments. Developed through inclusive processes at pilot school sites, the new framework requires students and communities to assess their learning environments and better understand the conditions that will lead to strengthened HĀ outcomes.
HI
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Illinois uses the Kindergarten Individual
Development Survey (KIDS), a well-rounded, observational assessment, to
assess all kindergarteners within the first 40 days of school. Illinois is
the largest state in the United States to require a comprehensive kindergarten
entry assessment (KEA). Illinois has thoughtfully communicated the purpose
and results of the KEA and has supported implementation at the local level.
For example, the Illinois State Board of Education has posted yearly KIDS
data and reports, resources for kindergarten teachers and administrators with
an extensive set of classroom implementation materials, and a video series
for families and caregivers and offers early childhood educators
individualized professional development opportunities.
IL
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With the backing of the U.S. Department of
Education’s Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority (IADA), Louisiana
began developing a new format for its standardized assessment, the Louisiana
Assessment of Education Progress, in 2018. Louisiana is using the IADA waiver
to establish and pilot an assessment system that will be administered three
times throughout the year for grades 6–8 to allow students to demonstrate
competency on what they most recently learned in their classrooms, with a
plan to implement the system statewide. In addition, the state received a
4-year Competitive Grant for State Assessments in 2020 for almost $3 million,
which it is planning to use to scale the assessment to grades 3–5.
LA
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Maryland, partnering with Ohio, WestEd,
and Johns Hopkins University, created a kindergarten entry assessment that is
now used by several other states. The state has worked with Johns Hopkins
University to create professional development modules and instructional
resources to help teachers use the assessment reliably.
MD
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Massachusetts used its U.S. Department of Education
Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority waiver during the 2020–21
school year to develop a new and more engaging science exam for 5th- and
8th-grade students. Specifically, Massachusetts received the waiver to incorporate
technology-enhanced tasks into its assessments.
MA
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The Nevada Department of Education (NDE) partnered with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) in 2015 to develop and administer the Nevada School Climate/Social Emotional Learning Survey to students annually across the state. In 2019, the NDE and AIR launched an online searchable tool to provide data from the surveys to teachers, parents, and state officials. (For more information about this state example, see Redesigning Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and Accountability Systems.)
NV
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With the backing of the U.S. Department of Education’s Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority, New Hampshire’s Performance Assessment of Competency Education pilot program replaces most standardized tests with a combination of locally developed performance assessments and common performance tasks that are used across districts. The assessments are designed to track students’ progress and ensure a full understanding of each subject. Periodic standardized tests are used to validate the results. Students in grades 3, 4, and 8 take state-developed assessments in English language arts and mathematics, and students in grade 11 take the SAT. In their senior years, students prepare a portfolio of their work for exhibition and defense. (For more information about this state example, see Redesigning Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and Accountability Systems.)
NH
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Created in 1998, the New York Performance Standards Consortium (NYPSC), a group of 38 public, non-charter high schools, has been successfully using performance assessments and graduation portfolios for more than 2 decades. The NYPSC’s performance-based assessment system is grounded in the in-depth, inquiry-based curricula taught by all consortium teachers. Following consortium guidelines, teachers developed and continuously refine a series of performance-based assessment tasks to determine a student’s readiness to graduate. (For more information about this state example, see Redesigning Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and Accountability Systems.)
NY
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