2. The Portfolio Strategy What is the “portfolio strategy?” Why are some school systems attracted to it? Is the portfolio strategy improving student achievement? What are we learning from places that implement it?

3. What is it? Seven interconnected components of the portfolio strategy Citywide choice, great options for all families School autonomy Pupil-based funding Talent-seeking strategy Performance-based accountability New support providers Extensive parent/public engagement

4. Portfolio actions are part of a continuous improvement cycle Give families choice Give schools Autonomy/D ata/New Support Assess School Performance Schools Improve or Get Intervention Expand or Replace Schools

5. Why do some systems go portfolio? Struggling with academic, financial crisis Tried many initiatives, not seeing gains Doing some parts already, looking for guiding strategy Seeking to let schools try new things

6. The portfolio concept has velocity 2013 Fulton County, GA Indianapolis, IN Lawrence, MA Shelby County, TN 2012 Austin, TX Bridgeport, CT Central Falls, RI Columbus, OH Detroit, MI Minneapolis, MN Nashville, TN New London, CT Philadelphia, PA Sacramento, CA Spring Branch, TX Spokane, WA St. Louis, MO Tennessee ASD Windham, CT 2011 Boston, MA Clark County, NV Jefferson Parish, LA New Haven, CT 2010 Cincinnati, OH Cleveland, OH 2009 Los Angeles, CA 2007 Baltimore, MD Hartford, CT Reynoldsburg, OH 2003–2005 Chicago, IL New York City, NY Oakland, CA Denver, CO New Orleans, LA 2014 Alum Rock, CA Franklin- McKinley, CA Fullerton, CA Henry Cty, GA Tulsa, OK

7. Time, commitment, and newly designed districts are most fully implementing

8. Is the portfolio strategy improving student outcomes? Few cities are well studied Districts “in the green” have promising evidence on a number of indicators. Districts that aren’t implementing the full strategy, hard to say that the strategy isn’t working Need to look more deeply and broadly

9. Lessons learned from a decade of portfolio implementation Choice is not enough. Autonomy is not enough. Pupil based funding requires a mindset shift. Talent is everything. There are few new support providers. Putting accountability systems to use has created a great deal of conflict. Involving families and communities in real ways has too often been overlooked.