Resource International Education Study Group 2020-2022

Study Group Member Statement

We, the members of the Legislative International Education Study Group, recognize that our work is particularly relevant in the time of a global pandemic. The pandemic’s profound disruption of education—including the challenges of distance learning that schools, students and families faced—exacerbated persistent inequities in the system and created a new urgency for systemic reform.  

The pandemic also changed the workforce, accelerating the use of artificial intelligence and automation. This will require a new level of skill for students, better coordination between parts of the education system and opportunities for lifelong learning.  

We know many parents, teachers and students are exhausted after three years of disrupted learning, eager for normalcy and sick of calls for further change. Students and teachers are working very hard to recover. But they are working in broken systems that are no longer designed for success, and we cannot continue ignore this difficult reality. Silver bullets and siloed policies will not fix this.  Instead, we must reimagine and rebuild for success based on policies and practices that work. 

Our job as legislators is to work with other policymakers and align resources to create a world-class state statutory framework. Our mission as education policymakers is to ensure that every teacher and student can do their best work in a world-class system that supports them to thrive now and in the future. With the right tools, mindset and collaborative spirit, we can accomplish this goal. 

THE TIME IS NOW to reimagine and rebuild an education system that meets our current challenges and workforce needs. We must seize this opportunity to create a better tomorrow for every child. 

Participants

• Rep. Andi Story, Alaska
• Rep. Terri Collins, Alabama
• Dustin Jones, Alabama
• Rep. Justin Woodson, Hawaii
• Sen. Max Wise, Kentucky
• Joe Burks, Kentucky
• Lisa Lovello, Louisiana
• Rep. Jim Davnie, Minnesota
• Porscha Miner, Mississippi
• Rep. Llew Jones, Montana
• Rep. Graig Meyer, North Carolina
• Rep. Mary Heath, New Hampshire
• Jennifer Foor, New Hampshire
• Rep. G. Andres Romero, New Mexico
• Jessica Hathaway, New Mexico
• Sen. Marilyn Dondero Loop, Nevada
• Sen. Ryan Aument, Pennsylvania
• Stephanie Buchanan, Pennsylvania
• Pierce McNair, South Carolina
• Delegate Schuyler VanValkenburg, Virginia

NCEE’s The Design of High-Performing Education Systems: A Framework for Policy and Practice

NCEE’s How Did the World's Highest Performing Education Systems Approach Distance Learning?

No Time to Lose: How to Build a World-Class Education System State by State

Video of 2019 NCSL Summit Session Highlighting State Actions by International Study Group Members

SREB’s Unprepared and Unaware: Upskilling the Workforce for a Decade of Uncertainty 

The SREB Region’s Economic Outlook: The Potential Impact of Automation and AI

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

• Programme for International Study Assessment (PISA)
• Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC)
• The Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)

• NCEE: The Design of High-Performing Education Systems, pages 24-26
• Marc Tucker, Fixing Our National Accountability System
• OECD, Governing Education in a Complex World, Chapter 1 (pages 17-34)
• Maryland HB 1300: "The Blueprint for Maryland's Future--Implementation": Title 5, Subtitle 4: The Accountability and Implementation Board (pages 77-101)
• NCEE Brief: "British Columbia: Governance and Accountability"
• Maryland HB 999
• Pennsylvania SR 144
• Pennsylvania 2030 Commission on Education and Economic Competitiveness – Context and Urgency

• Facing the Pandemic: Learning at the Centre Stage by Kai-ming Cheng
• Education Nation: Estonia video clip
• NGA: “Reimagining Workforce Policy in the Age of Disruption”
• Review NCEE’s PPT Slides from meeting 2: “CTE Systems in Top Performing Countries”
• CSE Leading Education Series: Rethinking Assessment in Education: The Case for Change
• National Academy of Education: Educational Assessments in the COVID-19 Era and Beyond
• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Opinion: States should use pandemic to create more relevant tests
• NCEE: Reimagining Standardized Testing in the US: A View from High Performing Systems
• Marc Tucker: Fixing Our National Accountability System (previously assigned as prereading for the session on Governance.)
• Tom Vander Ark in Forbes: Pandemic Opportunity: Rethink Accountability
• David Hopkins: Chapter 6 – Intelligent Accountability. In Exploding the Myths of School Reform. Camberwell: Australian Council for Educational Research

NCEE:

• The Vocational Education and Training System You Need Depends on the Kind of Economy You Want
• Estonia Learning System Brief
• Career and Technical Education in Singapore
• Career and Technical Education in Switzerland

SREB:

• Forging our Future Workforce: The Role of Partnerships
• Gates Career Pathway Draft
• Georgia’s Pilot Nursing Career Pathway Program of Study
• Credentials for All: An Imperative for SREB States
• Beginning the Bachelor of Science in Nursing in High School: How Kentucky Created a 120-Credit Hour Nursing Career Pathway
• Recruiting and Preparing World-Class Educators: Effective Teachers and Principals
• Rethinking Teacher Compensation along with Teacher Licensure Systems
• Strategic and Systematic Learning and Development: The Case of Singapore
• Systematic Leadership: Effective Teachers and Principals

Robert Schwartz

• “The Career Pathways Movement: A Promising Strategy for Increasing Opportunity and Mobility”
• Vocational Education and Training for a Global Economy, Chapters 4-5
• Pathways to Prosperity Network
• Harvard Project on Workforce

SREB

• SREB: The Pandemic’s Dual Threat for Vulnerable Workers
• SREB: Unprepared and Unaware: Upskilling the Workforce for a Decade of Uncertainty (pre-reading from meeting 1)

State of Indiana

• School Accountability Panel Final Recommendations
• Graduation Pathways Panel

• Equitable Foundation of Supports: Finland, Kristiina Kumpulainen
• NISL Case Study: Teacher and Leader Preparation Programs
• NISL: Singapore's Career Ladder System
• Finnish Teacher Training School video
• Ben Jensen: Beyond PD- Executive Summary
• SREB Policy Brief: New Ideas in Teacher Compensation
• David Ng, et al. Singapore Future Ready Learners Framework- Executive Summary
• Empowered Educators: What We Can Learn From Teaching in High Performing Systems webinar, July 2017
• SREB: Alabama Teacher Quantity and Quality Roundtable

NCEE's Empowered Educators Policy Briefs

• Recruiting and Selecting Excellent Teachers
• Preparing Profession-Ready Teachers
• Developing High-Quality Teaching
• Teacher Appraisal and Feedback
• The Teaching Career and Leadership for the Profession

• NCEE: The Design of High-Performing Education Systems, pages 22-23
• NCEE: How Finland Ensures an Equitable Foundation of Supports for Learners
• Paul Reville: "In This Uncertain Time, Every Student Needs an Education Navigator and a Success Plan to Weather This Crisis and Fix Long-Standing Inequities"
• Paul Reville: "An Opportunity for Paradigm Shifts to Enable Lifelong Learning"
• Sharon Lynn Kagan
  • Context Matters: Lessons Learned from the World's Highest-Performing Early Childhood Systems, from Young Children
  • The Quest for Social Strategy, from "The Early Advantage 2: Building Systems that Work for Young Children"
• NCEE: The Early Advantage case studies and system summaries

British Columbia

• NCEE: Profile of British Columbia's Education System
• NCEE: British Columbia: Demographics and Economic Data
• NCEE: Overview of British Columbia's Political Structure
• NCEE: Overview of Relevant BC Government Ministries
• NCEE: British Columbia's PISA Performance
• NCEE: Timeline of Key Dates in British Columbia/Canda History
• NCEE: British Columbia's Approach to Distance Learning
• BC Education Restart Plan (Ministry of Education)
• BC Emerging Economy Task Force Final Report (March 2020)
• BC Graduation Policy Guide
• BC Redesigned Curriculum - An Orientation Guide
• BC Strategic Plan 2018-19 to 2021-22
• BC Ministry of Education Service PLan 2020-21 to 2022-23

Estonia

• NCEE: Profile of Estonia's Education System
• NCEE: Estonia: Demographics and Economic Data
• NCEE: Overview of Estonia's Political Structure
• NCEE: Overview of Estonia's Economy
• NCEE: Estonia's PISA Trends: 2006-2018
• NCEE: Timeline of Key Dates in Estonia's History
• NCEE: Estonia's Approach to Distance Learning
• NCEE: Overview of Relevant Government Ministries
• Estonia 2020 National Reform Program - 2019-20 Strategy
• Estonia 2035 Strategy: Estonian Education and Research Strategy, 2021-2035
• Estonia's AI National Stragegy 2019-21
• How Estonia Became an E-Government Powerhouse (Heath)
• Lifelong Learning Strategy 2020
• OECD Note on Estonia results from PISA 2018

Finland

• NCEE: Profile of Finland's Education System
• NCEE: Finland: Demographics and Economic Data
• NCEE: Overview of Finland's Political Structure
• NCEE: Finland's PISA Performance
• NCEE: Finland Overview of Relevant Government Ministries
• NCEE: Finland's Approach to Distance Learning
• NCEE: Timeline of Key Dates Finland's History
• Finland Ministry of Education and Culture VET Brochure
• Article: "Demographic time-bomb: Finland sends a warning to Europe"
• Finland 2019 Government Priorities
• Finland Agenda for Sustainable Growth
• Finland AI Strategy
• Finland Strategy 2030
• Finland Roadmap for Vision 2030
• Finland Ministry of Education Basic School Curriculum Brochure
• Excerpt of Finland Basic Curriculum: Mission and General Goals

Singapore

• NCEE: Profile of Singapore's Education System
• NCEE: Singapore: Demographics and Economic Data
• NCEE: Overview of Singapore's Political and Education Government Structure
• NCEE: Singapore's PISA Score Trends: 2000-2018
• NCEE: Singapore's Approach to Distance Learning
• NCEE: Timeline of Key Dates Singapore's History
• NCEE: Singapore's Educator Career Ladder
• NCEE: "The Phoenix: Vocational Education and Training in Singapore"
• Singapore Economic Development Board Brochure
• Singapore Ministry of Education Brochure
• Singapore Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) Brochure
• Singapore NIE Leadership Program Brochure
• Singapore NIE Professional Development Catalogue
• Singapore NIE Graduate Studies and Professional Learning Brochure

Experts and Faculty

• Eve Eisenschmidt, professor of educational leadership, Tallinn University, Estonia
• Geoff Masters, chief executive officer, Australian Council on Educational Research
• Kai-ming Cheng, professor emeritus, University of Hong Kong
• David Ng, head of academic quality, National Institute of Education, Singapore
• Scott MacDonald, deputy minister of education, British Columbia
• Vivien Stewart, senior advisor for education, Asia Society
• Rachel Hise, principal policy analyst, Maryland Department of Legislative Services
• Dr. Eve Eisenschmidt, professor of educational leadership, Tallinn University
• Dr. Kristiina Kumpulainen, professor of education, University of Helsinki 
• Keith Godin, assistant deputy minister of education, British Columbia
• Dr. Chew Leng Poon, divisional director, research and management information, Singapore Ministry of Education
• Robert Schwartz, professor at Harvard University and co-founder of the Pathways to Prosperity network
• Dr. Sharon Lynn Kagan, Virginia and Leonard Marx Professor of Early Childhood and Family Policy and Co-Director of the National Center for Children and Families
• Caitlin Dermody, research assistant, National Center for Children & Families
• Scott Marion, executive director, Center for Assessment
• Marc Tucker, retired founding president and senior fellow, NCEE
• Ben Boggs, former KY legislative staff and current chief of staff to the CO Commissioner for Higher Education
• State Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos, Washington

Study Group Staff and Contributors

• Gretchen Cheney, Senior Policy Analyst, NCEE 
• Jason Dougal, President and COO, NCEE 
• Nathan Driskell, Associate Director, Policy Analysis and Development, NCEE 
• Jackie Kraemer, Director of Policy Analysis and Development, NCEE 
• Anthony Mackay, Board of Trustees Co-Chair, NCEE 
• Lee Posey, Vice President of State Strategies, SREB 
• Stephen Pruitt, President, SREB 
• Michelle Exstrom, Director of Education, NCSL 
• Emily Ronco, Policy Associate, NCSL 
• Marilyn Villalobos, Policy Specialist, NCSL