Appalachia Comprehensive Center

Happy Thanksgiving! Wishing you a cozy and festive day filled with good food and even better company. As always, we are thankful for the education leaders and teachers in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia who go above and beyond for their students. We're thankful for the Comprehensive Center Network and the amazing team of professionals who support one another and lift best practices, so everyone can find joy in the classroom. And we're thankful for you! This journey to ensure high-quality opportunities for students, teachers, and future teachers in the Appalachia and beyond wouldn't be the same without you. We're so glad you're here.

?? Big news! The Region 5 Comprehensive Center will be transitioning to the Appalachia Comprehensive Center. While our name and website might look different (it’s a work in progress, thank you for your patience!), we will still serve Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia and support the needs of educators and students, so that everyone can find success in the classroom and beyond. Thank you to everyone who has been along for the ride these last five years. And to anyone new, welcome! We're so happy you're here.

Thank you, Council of Chief State School Officers! It's always invigorating to connect with friends, colleagues, and professionals who are adamant about ensuring our students have the best opportunities to succeed. We look forward to further supporting high-quality and evidence-based initiatives in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia!

“Balanced assessment systems are crucial in supporting educational decisionmaking and improving student learning.” So what are the components of a balanced assessment system and how can they be implemented within continuous improvement efforts? ? Follow along on our continuous improvement journey as Juan D'Brot and W. Christopher Brandt describe challenges and solutions as well as five high-leverage actions that state educational agencies can take to get the best results. https://lnkd.in/ecf9EZkg ? Interested in learning more? Take the next step by exploring their companion brief: https://lnkd.in/ezx_vctX

One of the biggest hurdles to achieving the State Seal of Biliteracy is awareness of the opportunity. ? As our series continues, we highlight the parent perspective and show student translation skills in action! https://lnkd.in/eFPFa2AE #StateSealofBiliteracy #multilingualism

So far, we've explored the perspectives of an educator and a grassroots organization. But how are students impacted by the State Seal of Biliteracy? In our latest blog post, learn about Karina’s experience, how achieving the seal gave her a boost of confidence, and how she’s using her multilingual skills to help her community. https://lnkd.in/eWcthG5R #multilingualism #statesealofbiliteracy

Every educational leader champions continuous improvement, but what does it really take to make it happen? From new curriculums to training programs, the journey can be full of challenges. In their first blog post in a new series, Juan D'Brot and W. Christopher Brandt describe continuous improvement and explore principles for effectively using data systems, so that you can answer questions like: ?? What evidence do we have that these changes will work? ??? How do we track progress? ?? What’s our plan B? Read the blog post here and then dive a little deeper with their corresponding brief, “Key Characteristics and Principles to Support the Development of Continuous Improvement Systems.” - https://lnkd.in/eppwhj56 #continuousimprovement

The student-led organization, Educator's Rising, hosted 145 students at its Fall Leadership Conference at West Virginia State University. The event allowed high school students interested in becoming teachers to network with peers and gain further insight into their career pathways. ???? Learn more ?? https://bit.ly/48yzYMk. View the event photo album ?? https://bit.ly/3NIY39u. #WVEd #ThankATeacher #TeachWV

How can states recruit and retain high-quality, licensed teachers? First, they need to determine why there’s a shortage in the first place. Cue the West Virginia Educator Preparation Task Force! In this Impact Story, discover how the Region 5 team partnered with the West Virginia Department of Education and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission | Community & Technical College System to uncover West Virginia’s unique challenges and create innovative solutions. Learn about the bold effects of this collaboration and the journey that led to the Teacher Leadership Framework, Grow Your Own pathways, teacher residency programs, and the #TeachWV campaign. https://lnkd.in/gFvzZ9ip #WVEd

You might be wondering, how are Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia addressing needs and concerns when it comes to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the classroom? Check out this blog post from Sarah McClusky and Annalee Jackson for a collection of policies, state-led engagement, and state guidance from each state educational agency. https://lnkd.in/e6YiVS9C