This survey outlines recent innovations in education at the state level across the U.S. It is organized by state. Below we have provided a list of the survey's contents by topic.
Improving Early Childhood Education
- Early childhood & elementary school literacy initiatives: AL, CO, DE, FL, KY, NV, OH, SD, TN, WA, WI
- Integrating existing early childhood programs: GA, MI, TX
- Expanding voluntary pre-K programs: FL, HI, KY, LA, NM TN, WI
- Expanding all-day kindergarten programs: AZ, CO, HI, KS, NM, OK, AZ, KS
- Assistance for parents on preparing children for school: KS, MO, VA
- Certification, rating, and curriculum for early childhood educators: IA, PN, TX, VA, WI
- Governor's commissions/ summits on early childhood education: IA, MD, MS, WA, WI
Recruiting and Retaining Quality Teachers in the Classroom
- Mentoring for new teachers: AK, AZ, DE, GA, KS, MA, MS, VA
- Teacher pay, bonuses based on student achievement: ID, KY, MN, MS, NV
- Modifying teacher tenure requirements: CA
- Less red tape for teacher certification: IL, NC
- Recognizing out-of-state teacher certification: MS
- Teacher certification changes to focus on teaching: AK
- Recruiting, mentoring teachers for high need schools: DE, MN, NY, VA
- More career advancement opportunities for teachers: AZ, GA, MN, TX
- Statewide teacher working conditions survey: AZ, NC
- State sponsored teacher health insurance: KS, OR
- Governor's commissions/ summits on recruiting and retaining teachers: AZ, ID, MD, MS, PN, WI
Redesigning High School Curriculum for a Knowledge-Based Economy
- Expanding access to advanced placement classes: AR, CO, ID, MN, MS, OH, TX
- Replacing high school assessment tests with college admission exams: CO, MI
- Curriculum changes, with focus on science and engineering: AL, ID, IN, MA, MN, NC, OH, OK
- Curriculum changes to move toward college-prepatory track: AR, DE, KY, LA, PN, MI, MN, TX
- Student assessments to identify interests and/or college readiness: FL, CA, MN, TX, VA
- Tuition scholarships for at least first years of college: DE, GA, MA, ME, MI, MO, MT, NV, NJ, RI, SD
- Guaranteed college admission for top students in the state: FL
- Governor's Cup award for schools with best improvement in test scores: GA
- Grace period for high school graduates not ready for college: NM
- Longer school days with provision for study hall, athletics and tutoring: MA
- Less red tape for high school students getting college credit: FL
- Free tuition for children whose parents killed on active service: NH
- Governor's commissions/ summits on redesigning high school curriculum: PN
Other Curriculum Changes
- Inclusion of holocaust/ genocide education, including recent atrocities: IL, NJ
- Pilot wildlife education curriculum: CO
- Governor's commissions/ summits on science and math, statewide initiatives: TX, RI
Other Banishing Bureaucracy Measures
- "Liberating" best performing schools from some bureaucratic requirements: MS
- Regional agreements between multiple school districts: ME, OR
- Increase efficiency of school transportation: ME
- Governor's innovations grants for school programs: ID
Distance Learning/ Integrating Technology into the Classroom
- Promoting the benefits of distance education: IN
- Distance learning to provide class instruction to students across the state: AL, GA, TX, WA, VA
- Pilot programs to familiarize students with computers technology: LA
- Using technology to ensure more accurate student performance data: IA, KY, OR
- On-line tools for educators and students: FL, KY, MS, OR
- State survey to collect data on school technology successes, challenges: WV
Parental Involvement and Notification
- Mandatory parental preparation courses in failing school districts: MA
- School performance reports for parents: CO, KS, NY, VA
- College savings plan through a public trust: NE
- Refining definition of "drop outs" for more accurate graduation data: IN
Aligning Elementary, Secondary and Post-Secondary Education
- Align curriculum from pre-K to college: KS, KY, ME, OH
- State youth surveys to better identify student needs: IA, LA, NE
- Governor's commissions/ summits on Pre-K-16 education: AZ, IN, OH, ME, NC, NV, SD, TX, UT, RI, WA
Charter Schools
- Lifting state caps on the number of charter schools, other law changes: HI, MA, RI, SC
- Forced public school conversion to charter school: CO
- Technical assistance, oversight, "one-stop shop" for charter schools: CO,HI, SC
- Charter school programs for high-need students: CO, UT
- Governor's commissions/ summits on school choice: UT
High Need Students: Low-Income, Special Education and Student Health
- Removing junk food vending machines from schools: NM
- Required dental exams for young children: IL
- Expanding healthy breakfast programs for students: CA, WI
- Teaching high school athletes about the dangers of steroids: IL, NJ
- High school drug counseling programs: VT
- Awareness campaign on dangers of childhood obesity: NM, NY
- Governor's commissions/ summits on special education: ME, WI
- School supply collection drive: AZ
- Student scholarships for students behind in reading: FL
School Safety and Disruptive Students
- School manuals on preventing bullying and harassment: IA
- Harsher penalities for violence against educators: NY, SC
- Classroom management training on working with disruptive students: MS
- Revoking driver's licenses if student has too many unexcused absences: GA
- State safety center to help schools: TX
Principal Leadership/ Turning Around Low Performing Schools
- Best practices forum for principals: FL
- Breaking down large schools into smaller learning communities: OH, SC
- Training "turn around" specialists: RI, VA
- Governor's commissions/ summits on school leadership: AL, NV, NC
- Governor's commission on principal leadership/ accountability: MD
Public School Partnerships with Private and Public Sector
- Partnerships between early childhood educators and the private sector: MD, MI, VA
- School partnerships between schools and community members, organizations: NY, WI
- Cross-sector partnerships to boost math and science: OH, TN
- Partnerships between universities and the private sector to prepare students for jobs: ME, MI, ND
- Service learning programs to teach students about value of service: IL, NJ
- Governor's commission on public/ higher education and the Economy: OH, MI
