| I.
SERVE's Policy Program and NCLB
The
Policy Program at SERVE developed a variety of documents,
web pages, field support efforts, and publications that interpret
and clarify the various components of the NCLB Act. Links
to the full text of the Act were provided, and important sections
were excerpted and placed on SERVE's website.
In
addition, SERVE policy staff in each state provided assistance
to individual states, serving on key policy teams, task forces,
and NCLB review committees. For example, the Georgia Policy
Specialist serves on several key policy teams in the Georgia
Department of Education, including the No Child Left Behind
implementation committee, School Improvement Task Force,
the Teacher Quality Task Force, the End-of-Course Test Task
Force, Testing Task Force, Limited English Proficient (LEP)
Task Force, the Georgia school Administrators Association
NCLB Review Committee, and was recently selected to participate
in a weekly meeting of the state's education organization
leaders. Policy staff also synthesized research on social
promotion and retention, state efforts to improve teacher
working conditions, and school governance and prepared briefs
on a variety of topics, such as state regulations around social
promotion and retention, teacher workforce conditions surveys,
and board rules related to 2004 state legislation.
II.
Identifying high-quality, instructional strategies validated
by scientifically based research (SBR)
Reading
SERVE's
Advancing Reading Achievement (ARA) project is piloting ways
to help teachers understand research-based instructional strategies
in reading through the use of study groups. Based on lackluster
reading achievement results regionally and nationally in the
late 1990s and the emergence of high-stakes accountability
programs in states during the same period, SERVE began work
on a document entitled Advancing Reading Achievement in
Elementary Schools (ARA-E). In part, the document reflects
the reading research that is the foundation for Preventing
Reading Difficulties in Young Children and The National
Reading Panel Report. The rationale for this project
included two themes from educational research: research-based
instructional practices that lead to improvement in student
reading achievement, and research on professional learning
communities that result in effective change in practice which
can lead to increased reading achievement. It incorporated
a faculty professional learning team format to assist elementary
educators in providing effective reading instruction to students,
and, thereby, developing proficient, successful readers. Based
on the success of ARA-E and educator needs, the Advancing
Reading Achievement in Middle Schools (ARA-M) document
was created in 2003.
III.
Implementing Reading First programs
SERVE
partnered with the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory
(NCREL) on a Reading First Initiative to promote scientifically
based reading research and instruction. In January 2003, NCREL
was awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Education
to provide technical assistance to Reading First states in
their subgrant competitions. SERVE is assisting NCREL in this
process. Together, NCREL and SERVE have the responsibility
to meet with all states and territories that have been awarded
Reading First grants. In addition to our work with the states,
SERVE is creating four products to assist both SEAs and LEAs
as they implement their Reading First programs. The following
are SERVE products developed for Reading First.
Scientifically
Based Reading Research
This
web-based product focuses on scientifically based reading
research and how it affects principals and teachers implementing
Reading First. For schools involved in the Reading First initiative,
scientifically based reading research (SBRR) is the guiding
principle for reading instruction, professional development,
and assessment. In other words, SBRR affects almost all aspects
of reading instruction for K3 teachers. Using this site can
help you learn more about these topics:
- The
effects of Reading First and SBRR on classroom instruction
- How
teachers will use the five essential components identified
by SBRR for reading instruction.
- Common
scenarios in which teachers and principals might find themselves
with regard to SBRR.
- Assistance
schools can expect to receive from state education agencies.
Resources
for additional information:
SERVE's
2003 issue of The Vision: Creating Good Readers: Initiatives
and Issues in Reading  describes
state programs and scientifically based reading research and
includes an article entitled Reading First and Early First
Grant Programs.
IV.
Supporting improvement of state assessment
The
following are SERVE publications and reports related to state
assessment:
V.
Implementing comprehensive school reform programs validated
by SBR
SERVE's
work with Comprehensive School Reform is two-pronged. The
first aspect involves offering technical assistance to states,
districts, and schools. In 2003–2004, SERVE supported
the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in conducting
site visits at CSR schools. In addition, SERVE has a web-based
resource Understanding
Comprehensive Reform that outlines the 11 components of
CSR.
Title
I Schoolwide Planning
SERVE's
Response to the Eleven Components of Comprehensive School
Reform:
Understanding
Comprehensive Reform (UCR) online resource. UCR is a SERVE
online resource that provides background information about
Comprehensive School Reform, research aligned to its 11
components, and relevant external links.
Comprehensive
School Reform Demonstration Program (CSR)
Research,
development, technical assistance, and dissemination—especially
via the web—are components of SERVE's continuing support
of this national program.
Conferences/Meetings
SERVE
Forum on School Improvement
The
SERVE Forum on School Improvement is an annual conference
held for educators all over the SERVE region. Each year's
Forum features a different theme, but all aspects of education
are addressed. Participants meet for three days and attend
a variety of seminars, workshops, and courses.
Southern
States Seminar on Accountability
SERVE
convenes invited SEA representatives from the region and
other experts in education reform for the annual SERVE Southern
States Seminar on Accountability. This conference provides
an opportunity for networking among states.
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