The U.S. Department of Education has quietly invited states and schools using the most popular of four school improvement models, transformation, to apply for extra time to establish teacher-evaluation systems that take student progress into account. The transformation model in the School Improvement Grant program requires professional development for teachers, as well as a teacher-evaluation system that takes student performance into account in hiring, firing, promotion, and retention decisions.
A version of this article appeared in the August 31, 2011 edition of Education Week as SIG Schools Offered Waivers
