My School is a

Priority!

NEA’s

Priority

Schools

Campaign

My School is a

Priority!

Campaign Message

Leading permanent change in the nation’s

struggling schools is a priority for NEA’s 3.2

million members.

Our commitment is to work hand-in-hand with

communities and policymakers; to partner in

pursuit of innovative ways to measure student

success and educator quality; and to ensure

that priority schools have the personnel and

other resources they need.

2

My School is a

Priority!

What is a “Priority School?”

Priority schools is NEA’s name for a low-

performing school. We believe improving

their performance should be the nation’s

priority.

In most cases, these schools educate large

numbers of racial and ethnic-minority

students, students living in poverty, and

students who are English language

learners.

3

My School is a

Priority!

SIG Intervention Models: Major Required Features

Turnaround

Replace the principal

Rehire no more than 50% of

staff

Adopt a new governance

structure

Provide school with

“operational flexibility

Provide ongoing, high-quality

professional development

Provide incentives (can be

financial) to attract and retain

staff

Transformation*

Replace the principal

Keep the staff intact

Implement teacher and leader

evaluation systems using student

growth as a significant component

Institute comprehensive

instructional reform

Increase learning time

Create community-oriented schools

Provide operational flexibility and

sustained support

4* Union supported

My School is a

Priority!

SIG Intervention Models: Major Required Features

Restart

Convert or close the school

and reopen it under a

charter school operator, a

charter management

organization (CMO), or an

educational management

organization (EMO) that

has been selected through

a rigorous selection

process.

Enroll, within the grades it

serves, any former student

who wishes to attend.

School Closure

Close the school and enroll its

students in other higher

achieving schools in the district.

These schools must be within

reasonable proximity to the

closed school.

They may include charter

schools or new schools for

which achievement data are not

available.

5

My School is a

Priority!

NEA Priority Schools Campaign

Elements of Support and Advocacy

1. Communications - Call attention to the urgency

of transforming Priority Schools through

multifaceted communication campaign.

2. Affiliate Capacity-Building – Support members

staffing Priority Schools.

3. Affiliate and Member Engagement – Assist

local efforts to transform Priority Schools.

4. Outreach and Partnerships – Raise awareness

of the Priority Schools Campaign with external

partners, communities and organizations.

6

My School is a

Priority!

Research- and Evidence-Based

Elements of Change

7

Ad

ap

ted fro

m t

he

NE

A F

ou

nd

atio

nLeverage

Community Assets

Improve Staff Capacity/

Effectiveness

Improve District/Local Association

Capacity and Collaboration

Improve Student Outcomes

Access Performance Attainment

Develop Family and Community

Partnerships

My School is a

Priority!

Communicating with Members

and the Public

neapriorityschools.org

priorityschools.groupsite.com

Become a fan!facebook.com/priorityschools

Follow us onTwitter.com/priorityschools

Send your video of great practice to youtube.com/user/neapriorityschools.com

8

Checkout our Blog! talkpriorityschools.org

My School is a

Priority!

Priority School Campaign On-line Resourceswww.neapriorityschools.org

* Tier III Strategy Schools

NM

(3)

AK

(4)

WA

(18)

OR

(12)

CA

(89)

NV

(10)

ID

MT (7)

WY

(6)

UT

(7)

CO

(19)

AZ

(9)

TX

(72)

OK

(7)

KS

(6)

NE

(7)

* SD (15)

* ND (42)

MN

(17)

MO

(11)

AR

(7)

LA

(13)

WI

(46)

IL

(4)

MI

(19)

IN

(4)

TN (72)

MS

(8)

AL

(14)

GA

(26)

FL

(70)

SC

(19)

NC (25)

*KY

(108)

OH

(20)

VA (58)

WV

(15)

PA

(20)

NY

(13)

DE (2)

NJ (7)

MD (4)

ME

(6)

*VT

(68)

NH (7)

CT (4)

MA (1)

RI (4)

HI (6)

NEA PSC Target States (AL, CA, CO, DE, IL, MD, NV, NJ, NY, NC, OH, TN, UT, and WA)

NEA Priority Schools Campaign Map

(As of December 1, 2010)

10

IA

(6)

1,037 Schools304 in target states733 in other states

My School is a

Priority!

Priority Schools in Your Region

11

Data for priority schools in all states

can be found at:

www.neapriorityschools.org

Click on