The first resource is a new website called
"Progress: Teachers, Leaders, and Students Transforming Education."
You may have heard about it already, and you can find it here: http://www.ed.gov/edblogs/progress/
"Progress" aims to highlight state and local
innovative ideas, promising practices, lessons learned, and resources informed
by the implementation of K-12 education reforms. These lessons from the field
showcase reforms in action spurred by programs such as Race to the Top,
Investing in Innovation, School Improvement Grants, Promise Neighborhoods, and
ESEA flexibility. The website is intended to provide insight into the
transformations taking place in classrooms, schools, and systems across the
country through the leadership of teachers; school, district, and state
leaders; and their partners.
The U.S. Department of Education created this site to
emphasize the voices of educators, students, and administrators to better
understand how policy changes are spurring educational improvements, and to
draw out what can be learned from areas of progress occurring at the state and
local level.
The site will spotlight partnerships among the U.S.
Department of Education, states, districts, educators, and families that are
helping to build a better education for children. Of particular focus is:
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How students are being prepared to succeed in
college and careers;
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How educators are receiving higher quality
support and challenging professional opportunities
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How innovative leaders are transforming school
systems to meet new, higher expectations.
"Progress" does not recommend or endorse any
particular approach. It is intended to share information that can be of use to
educators, parents, learners, leaders, and other stakeholders in their efforts
to ensure that every student is provided with the highest quality education and
expanded opportunities to succeed.
Unlike ED's Homeroom blog, which covers a broad swath of
announcements, events, and opinions from senior ED officials,
"Progress" is designed to give voice to what's actually going on in
the field--often from the perspective of those doing the work on the ground.
In addition, the second resource, ED's “bookshelf,” is
now live at www.ed.gov/presentation/
This site has a series of ready-made presentations for
anyone's use, that highlight various focus areas in education. These decks
present facts, charts, data and other information reflecting progress and
challenges in improving education, as well as information regarding U.S.
Department of Education programs and initiatives that aim to close achievement
gaps and foster equal educational opportunities.