In order to support a culture of research and development and elevate the professionalism of the State's education practitioners, the commissioner shall encourage school administrative units to pursue continuous improvement processes to identify opportunities to innovate school structures and policies as a means of more effectively meeting the learning needs and improving the academic performance of all students. The public and private postsecondary institutions of higher education in the State are urged to partner with the department, the state board and school administrative units to provide appropriate and timely professional development programs and other support services to educators employed in public schools engaged in school innovation efforts.
1.School innovation.
For the purpose
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In order to support a culture of research and development and elevate the professionalism of the State's education practitioners, the commissioner shall encourage school administrative units to pursue continuous improvement processes to identify opportunities to innovate school structures and policies as a means of more effectively meeting the learning needs and improving the academic performance of all students. The public and private postsecondary institutions of higher education in the State are urged to partner with the department, the state board and school administrative units to provide appropriate and timely professional development programs and other support services to educators employed in public schools engaged in school innovation efforts.
1.
School innovation.
For the purposes of this section, the term "school innovation" means the process by which schools and communities use pilot programs and make significant changes in the existing school structure, including the policies, roles, relationships, pathways and schedules that influence teaching and learning in the school. School innovation recognizes the critical educational role of technology and integrates technology and technological systems in the classroom, in school governance and in school record keeping. School innovation is based on:
2.
Waiver of rules for local schools.
A school administrative unit undergoing school innovation may request that the commissioner waive the application of specific rules to that unit, or to certain schools in that unit, if the waiver is necessary to achieve the proposed innovation. The commissioner shall grant a waiver if the requesting unit, as determined by the commissioner, has:
3.
Waiver of rules for educator preparation programs.
In order to prepare educators to work in innovative schools, an educator preparation program may request that the state board waive the application of specific rules governing approval of that program. The state board shall grant waiver requests if, in the board's opinion, the program has: