All for Alignment: Stand Up and Holler–for New Hampshire!

Creating aligned professional learning systems is a key tenet of the CEEDAR mission. New Hampshire took no time at all to make this a priority when selected for the 2014 intensive cohort.

Karen Soule, a leader of the NH-CEEDAR state leadership team (SLT) and administrator of educator effectiveness at the state education agency (SEA), highlighted how the SLT strategically designed blueprint goals with alignment in mind. The New Hampshire SLT included a goal on developing effective partnerships between preparation programs and districts and took it a step further: the SLT made this a goal beyond CEEDAR and reached out to other collaborators. It is now a goal across initiatives and agencies in the state, including the Network for Transforming Educator Preparation (NTEP) and the New Hampshire’s 14 institutions of higher education (IHEs). This kind of alignment creates more momentum. Karen emphasizes, “It is important to have the same goals. We need large stakeholder groups across general and special education in order to move forward together.”

Coalescing around shared goals is reaping other benefits in New Hampshire. Strategic alignment has provided an opportunity for stakeholders from different professional backgrounds and expertise to share information that will benefit the students. The ultimate goal of New Hampshire’s reform initiatives is to make sure every student has a personalized learning plan that will meet his or her individual needs and empower students to advocate for their own learning. New Hampshire is taking critical steps toward sustaining this important work after the CEEDAR TA ends. By integrating the goals across all stakeholders, initiatives, and organizations, the state will sustain and institutionalize the dedication to meeting the needs of all students. The alignment of their reform efforts with key partnerships is playing a vital role. Alignment for the Win!

If you are interested in learning more about the CEEDAR New Hampshire effort, please visit their info page.

Want more details on the alignment structure in New Hampshire? Click here to learn more!