The D.C. Council approved a package of school reform measures that members hope will keep kids in school and good teachers in the District.
The new measures are aimed not just at keeping kids from dropping out, but also at preparing them for what comes after graduation.
First, an early warning system will be established to track how students are progressing toward graduation. It will identify students at risk for dropping out and give them more individual attention.
The reform also calls for a plan to have all high school students take the SATs or ACTs and apply to a college or vocational school.
The reform also includes a new incentive program for highly effective teachers to move to low-performing schools. The city will offer a $10,000 transfer bonus, housing assistance and possible income tax credits for teachers willing to move. Of the more than 600 teachers deemed highly effective last year, about 10 percent worked in the District's low-performing schools.
The entire package will cost the city about $2.8 million.
