A Multistate Collaboration to Create World-Class Schools Across New England A presentation by Duke Albanese Great Schools Partnership ECS 2009 National Forum on Education Policy Nashville, Tennessee July 9, 2009

What is the New England Secondary School Consortium? 2

ABOUT US A groundbreaking regional partnership encompassing the education systems of Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont Four state departments of education working collaboratively with each other and with their schools to redefine secondary education for the 21 st century Funded by the Nellie Mae Education Foundation with a partnership grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Coordinated by the Great Schools Partnership, a school-support organization based in Portland, Maine 3

The Consortium believes that equity is not an unattainable ideal, but a moral imperative that must guide our every effort Our goal is to ensure that by 2016: 1.Every public high school student in the four states receives an education that will prepare them for success in the colleges, careers, communities of the interconnected globalsociety of the 21st century 2.The educational performance and attainment of our students will be competitive with their peers worldwide ABOUT US 4

But what will the Consortium do? 5

An 18-month planning period supported by a $1 million grant from Nellie Mae Education Foundation (includes a $500K partnership grant from the Gates Foundation): Establish and convene NESSC Council Engage professional organizations, state leaders, and other stakeholders Complete multistate policy review Draft 21 st -century learning standards Begin international benchmarking Identify schools for Phase II Undertake comprehensive evaluation PHASE I 6

A 5-6 year implementation period: Secure additional funding Leverage NESSC network (Council, state leaders, professional organizations) to create a movement of high school redesign Create high-leverage policies in each state Adopt 21 st -century learning standards and develop new aligned assessments Provide support and intensive coaching to a core group of schools in each state Achieve five ambitious performance objectives by 2016 PHASE II 7

1.Transform secondary schooling from the statehouse to the schoolhouse 2.Achieve five ambitious performance objectives for student achievement and college completion 3.Co-adopt 21 st -century learning standards that will prepare our students for the future 4.Reshape state, district, and local policy to encourage educational innovation 5.Accurately measure student learning using performance assessments and standards-based grading OUR WORK 8

6.Undertake an international- benchmarking process to ensure the global competitiveness of our schools 7.Create versatile learning models that blend secondary, postsecondary, and real-world experiences 8.Build collaborative networks that can harness talent, expertise, and resources 9.Cultivate a movement by engaging parents and community members and build broad-based support for the work among educational, political, and business leaders OUR WORK 9

How is the Consortium organized? 10

OUR ORGANIZATION 11

NESSC COUNCIL STATE MEMBERSHIP Commissioners of Education State Legislators Policy Advisors Business Leaders NESSC State Leads (DOE) AT-LARGE MEMBERS President and CEO, Nellie Mae Education Foundation Executive Director, New England Association of Schools and Colleges President and CEO, New England Board of Higher Education 12

OUR ORGANIZATION 13

OUR ORGANIZATION 14

OUR PARTNERS 15

Great Schools Partnership 22 Monument Square, Suite 404 Portland, ME