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10 Things Next-Gen Districts Will Do Well

By Tom Vander Ark — December 11, 2012 1 min read
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What will next-generation districts do well? In the last week I’ve had the opportunity to discuss that question with hundreds of school board members and
superintendents. Following are 10 attributes that emerged from those discussions:



  1. High Expectations:
    Expect students to demonstrate college and career ready knowledge, skills, and dispositions (we like EPIC definition; see

    Q&A with David Conley on College & Career Readiness

    ).

  2. Talent:
    Build differentiated and distributed staffing models that extend the reach of great teachers, support new teachers, provide compelling career
    opportunities, and meet the needs of individual students.

  3. Know students:
    Maintain a comprehensive learner profile, standards based gradebook, and early warning system.

  4. 24/7/365 learning experiences:
    Provide access to a variety of engaging, standards-aligned, open, and proprietary learning experiences (i.e. instructional materials) and full and part
    time online learning opportunities.

  5. Show what you know:
    Require students -- in multiple ways -- to demonstrate competency to progress toward graduation.

  6. Device:
    Ensure every student has an Internet access device and is equipped as a multimedia producer and publisher.

  7. Broadband:
    Provide great broadband access at school and work with governments and providers to expand home and community access.

  8. Coaching:
    Provide regular coaching on college/career ready skills and dispositions, plans and connections to youth and family services (i.e. advisory &
    counseling services).

  9. Community
    : Be a community development partner; leverage assets with flex schools (i.e. museum school); and build pathways to work and college.

  10. Fulfill the good school promise:
    Close failing schools, support struggling schools, reward high performing schools, and open schools to meet needs.

The opinions expressed in Vander Ark on Innovation are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.