P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 107

May 21, 2004

INFORMATIONAL

TO:

Division Superintendents

FROM:

Jo Lynne DeMary

Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT:

Virginia School Turnaround Specialist Program

The Virginia Department of Education is pleased to announce the Virginia School Turnaround Specialist Program in response to Governor Warners Education for a Lifetime initiative. This program is designed to support consistently low-performing schools in improving student achievement by providing them with a Turnaround Specialist.

The University of Virginia Partnership for Leaders in Education will deliver an executive education program specially designed and customized in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education to train a cadre of experts charged with turning around consistently low-performing schools. The partnership, a joint initiative of the Darden Graduate School of Business and the Curry School of Education, will have overall responsibility for the Virginia School Turnaround Specialist Program.

Ten specialists will be trained in education and business practices during the summer of 2004, receive on-site coaching during the 2004-2005 school year, and earn a performance-based school turnaround credential upon successful completion of the full program. These individuals will begin their tenure as a school turnaround specialist this fall, with a second cohort of ten specialists entering schools in 2005-2006. Selection of principals and schools to participate in the program will begin immediately. Schools initially eligible to participate in the program for 2004-2005 will be those that are either (1) Title I schools likely to move to Year Three School Improvement or (2) schools that are Accredited With Warning for multiple years. However, additional schools may be added as the program continues.

An outline of the Virginia School Turnaround Specialist Program is available on the Internet at http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Instruction/OCP/vstsp.html. For additional information about the program, including inquiries related to schools and principals interested in participating, please contact Dr. Tierney Temple-Fairchild, executive director, University of Virginia Partnership for Leaders in Education, at (434) 243-7686 or FairchildT@Darden.Virginia.edu or Dr. Linda Wallinger, director, Office of Program Administration and Accountability, Virginia Department of Education, at (804) 225-2869 or lwalling@mail.vak12ed.edu.

JLD/lmw