{"id":60323,"date":"2012-05-18T12:11:11","date_gmt":"2012-05-18T16:11:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=60323"},"modified":"2023-08-29T16:41:52","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T20:41:52","slug":"neag-school-sees-new-role-in-conversation-about-education-reform","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2012\/05\/neag-school-sees-new-role-in-conversation-about-education-reform\/","title":{"rendered":"Neag School Sees New Role in Conversation About Education Reform"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed into law this week a landmark piece of education reform legislation, it marked, among other things, the growing role of the University of Connecticut\u2019s Neag School of Education<\/a> in helping shape the conversation about one of the most closely-watched public policy issues of the day.<\/p>\n

The Northeast\u2019s top-ranked public graduate school of education has been examining its mission in light of the regional and national discussions about school reform, and will now have a formal role in evaluating part of the program created by Malloy\u2019s legislation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Governor\u2019s Education Bill provides a blueprint for educational change for administrators, teachers, and students across this state,\u201d says Thomas DeFranco, dean of the Neag School. \u201cI am excited that the Neag School will be part of the change process and have a role in improving the academic performance of all children in this state.\u201d<\/p>\n

One mark of lawmakers\u2019 confidence in the Neag School\u2019s expertise is the legislative provision tasking the Neag School with studying the implementation of the teacher evaluation and support pilot program.<\/p>\n

Under the law, the state will provide support and resources for low-performing schools through what\u2019s going to be called the Commissioner\u2019s Network. The state Performance Evaluation Advisory Council (PEAC) is currently developing ways to measure categories such as the effectiveness of teachers and principals that will be piloted in 8-10 districts throughout the state.<\/p>\n

The Neag School will study perhaps the most high-profile measurement \u2013 teacher effectiveness \u2013 and report back to the General Assembly.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur role is to evaluate whether the model of teacher effectiveness developed by PEAC is being implemented with fidelity, as well as the validity of the model \u2013 that is, how well the model measures what it intends to measure,\u201d DeFranco says.<\/p>\n

But the Neag School has a broader role in the overall conversation, one that starts with providing administrators and teachers the skills they need to succeed in contemporary classrooms, he adds: \u201cOur goal is to produce highly effective administrators and teachers who in turn will be part of the turnaround process in low-performing schools.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among other ways the Neag School is looking at participating in the school reform conversation are:<\/p>\n