Proposed draft recommendations for review at 6.2.14 work sessions

1. EDUCATOR AUTONOMY WORKGROUP
ATTACHMENT #2
New Items for June 2, 2014
 Resolving Recommendation from May 5th
and New Recommendation
 Key Features of Final Report to the Governor

2. Attachment #2 Page 1 of 1
Educator Autonomy Workgroup
June 2, 2014
Resolving Recommendation from May 5th
and new Recommendation for Consideration
Straw Recommendation:
Develop a regulatory framework and, if warranted, a legislative strategy that creates a clear path for existing
LEAs and their schools to operationalize autonomy in the following areas: budget; curriculum, instruction and
assessment; governance; staffing; and scheduling/calendar/school hours.
How it can be realized:
a. Create a workgroup to examine legislation and regulatory state frameworks that foster autonomy.
b. Create a collaborative partnership including district, state and union leaders to generate input and buy-in
for a regulatory and/or legislative strategy.
Why? This is necessary because the existing Rhode Island regulatory framework may not specify the types of
autonomies that are available between the district and the school. Further, legislation in other states (e.g.
Massachusetts, Georgia, and Louisiana) has proven effective in improving levels of autonomy in the district and
at the school level.
New Straw Recommendation:
Create fiscal support that enables teachers to have the autonomy or decision-making authority at the school
level to collaborate on the development, revision, implementation, assessment, and selection of curricula.
How it can be realized:
a. Collaborate with existing educational partners.
b. Seek state, federal and private funding.
Why? This is necessary because research shows that when teachers collaborate around curriculum, instruction,
and assessment, it drives school improvement and creates the environment for improving teacher practice.

3. Attachment #2 Page 1 of 1
Educator Autonomy Work Group
June 2, 2014
Key Features of the Final Report to the Governor
For Review by the Whole Group
(1) Format for the final recommendations
Bold recommendation statement as a stand-alone followed by:
a. How it can be realized
b. Why? This is necessary because...
(2) DRAFT Outline of the Final Report
I. Cover Page – Clean design that represents the working group’s focus
II. Letter from the Co-Chairs to Governor
III. List of the Autonomy Members & Staff/Volunteer Support
IV. Introduction to the Group’s Work
A. Work group’s charge
B. Process and areas explored
C. Core principles guiding the work
V. Recommendations for Increasing Autonomy in Rhode Island
A. Core tenets/conditions underlying recommendations
B. Specific recommendations – Each recommendation boxed, with “how to implement” and “why it
is necessary” listed separately
VI. Conclusion
Appendices:
A. Website
B. Research summary
C. Interview summary of experts
D. Materials generated at meetings, including themes and outcomes for each meeting
E. Glossary of commonly used words
(3) Key words to be defined and included in the final report:
 Autonomy – The freedom to make professional decisions in an educational setting.
 District – An administrative agency that is recognized by the State as having the legal authority for its public
elementary or secondary schools, including typical Local Education Agency, charter schools, and state
schools.
 Education System – The aligned and interconnected structures and processes that exist from the state to
the district, from the district to the school, and from the school to classroom that ensure that all Rhode
Island students are adequately prepared for life beyond secondary education.
 Education Leader – An educator who has a decision-making role within the education system, or one who
influences the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of a significant number of individuals they interact with to
improve student learning and success.
 Stakeholders – A person or group invested in the success of the education system. For our purposes this
would include students, parents, teachers, principals, superintendents and other education leaders, the
higher education system, employers, local and state policy-makers, and community members.
 Systems and Supports – A group of interacting and interrelated functions that are necessary for K-12 public
education to operate in Rhode Island. These include: human resources; professional development; educator
preparation; finance, budgeting, and purchasing; curriculum and assessment selection.