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In a story that has received remarkably little media attention so far, eight urban public schools in Connecticut are participating in an experiment to give teachers, parents and communities greater autonomy over curriculum, governance and budgets.  The Connecticut Alliance for CommPACT Schools is helping these formerly struggling schools reorganize.

Among the hallmarks of this effort:

• School staff are committed to the reform.  A school's principal--and at least 90% of its teachers--must be on board before the school can apply to become a CommPACT school.
• Improvement strategies come from those closest to children.
• Teachers have flexibility to address student needs.  CommPACT teachers may change parts of their collective bargaining agreements to promote this flexibility.
• Schools have access to research and evaluation.  The University of Connecticut's Neag School of Education aims to help the schools link research to classroom practice.  The NEA Foundation is providing $250,000 towards research and evaluation.

The CommPACT Alliance, which conceived this model for reform, includes the AFT Connecticut, Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, Connecticut Association of Urban School Superintendents, Connecticut Education Association, Connecticut Federation of School Administrators, and the Neag School of Education.

It's of course far too early to judge the success of this effort.  I do hope school reform advocates will keep an eye on it over the coming years.