Every year millions of Americans gain valuable college credit-worthy learning through workplace training, the military, apprenticeships, & professional certifications. Nearly all of this learning goes unrecognized by colleges & universities. Without a consistent way to recognize, reward, and transfer this learning, many people are left…

This brief is part of a four-part series examining the past, present, and future of modern school accountability systems. With the dual forces of the COVID-19 pandemic and the national call to action on racial inequity, the question of how we should measure and hold schools accountable for the impact they have on students is more urgent than ever.…

Discussion of alternative education is growing across the country as states and districts look for ways to better serve students whose needs are not met in traditional high school settings. Alternative settings, however, vary greatly in how they operate, whom they aim to enroll, and the methods they use to educate students. The variation of…

California's alternative education options for youth vulnerable to dropping out of school have been established at different historical points and for different student age and target populations. For purposes of this brief, "alternative school" is defined as belonging to one of six legislatively authorized types of public (non-charter)…

In response to growing concerns about college readiness, the Kentucky legislature revised the state's assessment and accountability system in an effort to increase the number of students who are ready for college when they graduate. The Kentucky Department of Education and the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education responded by redefining…

Through the "Strengthening Statewide College/Career Readiness Initiative" (SSCRI), Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) has collaborated with states on state policy goals and actions needed to improve high school students' academic readiness for postsecondary study and reduce the need for remedial work. SREB created and implemented…

The authors write about evaluation, testing, and research and their relation to policy, planning, and program in the Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) in Louisville, Kentucky. The authors focus on evaluation and testing for accountability and on managing the unit for this purpose. In detail they show the many evaluation demands from both…

The University of Kentucky has an evaluation system to determine the president's bonus that would make many chief executives uncomfortable: Everyone on campus can participate--the faculty, the staff, even the students. Lee T. Todd Jr., president of the University of Kentucky, and James F. Hardymon, former chairman of the university's board,…

Charged with overhauling the state's educational system, the Kentucky General Assembly last spring devised a landmark reform scheme that mandates site-based management, abolishes the existing state board of education, and institutes an ambitious system of rewards and sanctions aimed at holding schools accountable for student performance. A sidebar…

A charter school is a public school that is operated under a detailed contract with a public agency and that may be exempt from many state and local regulations. This policy brief provides a brief overview of charter school characteristics and legislation, and discusses the concerns of policymakers in four states: Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia,…

Although state takeover of low-performing schools is not a new phenomenon in American education, it has seldom been exercised. Takeover actions exist in 11 states--Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia--but only New Jersey and Kentucky have exercised steps leading to…

"The 2009 Legislative Briefing" is a topical summary of actions during the 2009 legislative sessions that affect education in the 16 SREB states. Topics include: state budgets and the economy; tax and revenue; teacher and faculty pay raises; retirement systems; issues affecting teachers and education leaders; health and safety;…

The Kentucky Education Reform Act overhauled the K-12 system of public education in the state. Finances, curriculum, and governance were radically changed. This article looks at the leaders putting the reforms in place, providing an inside look at what reform entails. (MLF)

In response to a state supreme court decision that the state's system of schooling was unconstitutional, the Kentucky legislature passed the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990. In December, 2000, a Louisville conference brought together educators, policymakers, and researchers to discuss research findings and lessons learned during 10 years of…

This 1992 annual report provides evidence of changes being implemented in Kentucky school districts and individual schools. Information is provided on the following: educational finance, assessment, the Education Professional Standards Board, exceptional children, extended school services, family resource/youth services centers, multicultural…