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Aurora Institute

Report

The iNACOL Federal Policy Frameworks 2015

Author(s): Maria Worthen

Organization(s): iNACOL

Issue(s): Federal Policy, Design for Educational Equity

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The iNACOL Federal Policy Frameworks 2015 provides specific policy recommendations to close persistent learning gaps, improve equity and dramatically increase student achievement. This policy brief provides concrete, actionable recommendations on eight key issues:

  1. Redesign assessment around student-centered learning.
  2. Rethink accountability for continuous improvement of next generation learning models.
  3. Modernize educator and leadership development.
  4. Make personalized learning a cross-cutting grant priority.
  5. Protect student data privacy and security.
  6. Invest in new learning models research and development.
  7. Build robust technology infrastructure and improve broadband.
  8. Support the development and use of open educational resources (OER).

Across the country, innovative educators and leaders are embracing a shift to student-centered learning and rejecting an outdated, one-size-fits-all K-12 education model. Because this shift holds the potential to close persistent learning gaps, improve equity, and dramatically improve student achievement, forty-two states have adopted policies to enable next generation learning models, waiving seat time requirements, providing credit flexibility, developing proficiency-based diplomas, creating innovation zones and pilots, or initiating a redesign of accountability and assessments.