ExcelinEd

A February Dear Colleague letter from Kirsten Baesler highlights an important opportunity for states and districts: Title II funds remain underutilized for strategic staffing and the flexibility exists to change that. Strategic staffing, as defined in the letter, moves beyond the traditional one-teacher, one-classroom model toward differentiated roles, stronger career pathways and compensation tied to expertise and impact. ExcelinEd's Advanced Teacher Incentives (ATI) model policy is designed to meet exactly that need. By establishing a three-tiered advanced licensure system, ATI creates a structured, evidence-based framework for identifying high-impact teachers, expanding leadership opportunities and aligning compensation with performance. Dedicated funding mechanisms ensure that advanced-designation teachers are incentivized to serve in rural and low-income schools directing effective educators to the communities that need them most. Explore ExcelinEd's ATI model policy here: https://lnkd.in/g4eraUcE

"For almost 15 years, Prince George’s County Public Schools has offered an intensive career and technical education program that enables high school students to earn college credits and a paraprofessional certification on the path to teaching. The results of the program — known as the Teacher Academy of Maryland — are promising at both the district and state levels." Read on to learn about Maryland's efforts to strengthen the state's teacher pipeline: https://lnkd.in/esZjA9sh

ExcelinEd in the field ➡️ Senior Policy Fellow Chrisy Hovanetz, Ph.D., presented at BEST NC's Education Innovation Lab Policymaker Session earlier this week! This event provides policymakers and advocates with an opportunity to take a deeper dive into actionable perspectives on the importance of assessment and accountability, evidence that accountability systems are critical for understanding the academic needs of students and the professional capacities of educators.

CTE has enormous potential to connect students to strong careers and help states meet workforce needs. But do states actually have the systems in place to know whether their pathways are delivering? That’s the question behind Effective Pathways, a new national report from Insightful Education Solutions. Drawing on data from 47 states, it gives every state a clearer picture of where readiness gaps exist — and what steps can help strengthen CTE as a driver of economic opportunity. Explore the findings: https://lnkd.in/gbM-4eA6 #EffectivePathways

ExcelinEd in the field ➡️ Senior Policy Fellow Dr. Kymyona Burk, Ed.D. gave a keynote address at the Pennsylvania Literacy Coalition Summit and Day of Action! Kymyona shared insights on the "Mississippi Marathon" and what it takes to successfully implement literacy policies that lead to long-term student success.

ExcelinEd Senior Policy Fellow Dr. Kymyona Burk, Ed.D. joined The Harvard EdCast podcast to explore how policy, teacher investment and clear implementation helped Mississippi improve scores and strengthen student literacy skills! Listen to the full episode on the Mississippi Marathon here: https://lnkd.in/gZcFAv2G

📣 ICYMI ➡️ ExcelinEd Senior Policy Director Casey Taylor was featured in a recent article exploring how states are investing in literacy coaches to improve student reading outcomes. Read it now!

ExcelinEd Senior Policy Fellow, Christy Hovanetz, Ph.D., was featured in a recent Baltimore Sun article on the critical importance of transparency and high standards in school accountability. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gKy-CE-k

ExcelinEd's Model Policy for AI-Powered Educational Tools gives states and districts a practical framework to move forward with confidence, covering student data privacy, operator accountability, learning-focused design and a clear division of roles. If your state or district is still figuring out where to start, this is a resource worth revisiting. Explore the model policy and see how it can help turn uncertainty into action.

Arkansas's LEARNS Act includes a third grade reading promotion policy. The goal is to make sure students have the foundational reading skills they need before moving to fourth grade, and to connect those who need extra support with resources to help them get there. Read more: https://lnkd.in/giWemiHZ