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The Connecticut classroom of the future may not be limited by a traditional school year, the four walls of a classroom, or even the standard progression of grades, based on a proposed package of unusually bold changes that are being advanced by the state’s school superintendents. Instead, the current system would be replaced by a “learner-centered” education program that would begin at age 3; offer parents a menu of options, including charter schools and magnet schools; and provide assessments when an individual child is ready to be tested, rather than having all children tested in a class at the same time. The superintendents’ recommendations also promote the long-resisted idea of consolidating some of the state’s 165 school districts, 21 of which consist of only one school.

What:Improving graduation rates have factored into political, economic, and education discussions because earning a high school diploma has been described as having individual and community economic benefit. However, even with educational reforms, dropout rates in some communities remain high. Schools often find addressing the challenges associated with improving graduation rates to be difficult, but for students with disabilities, the challenges can be even more complex. Georgia's GraduateFIRST initiative is designed to help students with disabilities and other students who are struggling stay in school and graduate.When:Tuesday, February 28, 201210:00 am -11:30 am MSTContact:All registration is free. To register you can call 1-800-775-7654 or register online here! For more information you can Email Sarah Melpignano at smelpignano@edc.org

Several years ago, I had a courteous, if troubling, e-mail exchange with the architect of a hugely popular instructional innovation. She had heard that I had been criticizing this approach. (I had.) In a series of e-mails, I explained my reasons, starting with the fact that there was no research or strong evidence to support its widespread adoption. I asked, with increasing importunity, for any such evidence. Only after multiple requests did I finally receive an answer: There was no solid research or school evidence.

This short summary describes the health coverage provisions contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, including the individual mandate requirements, expansion of public programs, health insurance exchanges, changes to private insurance, employer requirements and cost and coverage estimates.

A 2010 study examining school improvement work in Chicago's lowest performing public schools found that success depends on five necessary ingredients. Not surprisingly, family engagement is one of them. Like baking a cake, researchers found that if even one ingredient was not in place, there was no recipe for success. We know this to be true, yet we fail to see family engagement made a priority in many reform movements.

The DOE consistently ignores its own requirement that failing schools must develop ways to incorporate parents and the community in their turnarounds in exchange for progress waivers.