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Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Innovation Zone?

A designation by the West Virginia Board of Education that provides schools with the support and flexibility to collaboratively implement innovations, which may currently be restrained by policy or code.

Who Should Apply?

Applications are welcome from educators who have a shared vision of how to better prepare students for learning and living in a global society. This group of educators must be willing to work together over time to identify, plan and implement innovative and educationally sound ideas that contribute to the achievement and well-being of the students they serve. This could include:

School and Groups of Schools

  • entire faculty of a school working to implement a school-wide strategy
  • feeder schools or schools of the same programmatic levels working within a county or across counties to implement a strategy

Teacher Team or Partnership of Teams

  • partnership of teacher teams across schools (subject-specific departments, subject, grade level, or issue-specific teams willing to implement a common approach)
  • teacher teams within a school (department, grade-level, or cross-role team with a common focus)

Higher education institutions

  • Establish a new Innovation Zone school under jurisdiction of the state institution of higher education, which must be approved by the county board of the school district in which the new school is located.
  • Partner with public education on application submitted by school(s).

What are the benefits of an Innovation Zone?

  • flexibility from policy and/or code
  • an opportunity to receive funds to study and develop new and original ideas
  • support to pilot unique reform ideas on a small scale
  • enhanced teacher leadership and collaboration in and among schools
  • an opportunity to participate in a state-wide team of like-minded innovators willing to support each other and take risks on behalf of students 

What ideas could be considered?

West Virginia schools are led by teachers and principals with the collective wisdom and imaginative ideas on how to prepare students for their future. An Innovation Zone provides the opportunities for faculties or teams to refine those ideas with resources and support from the West Virginia Board of Education. These ideas could include a range of topics from how to restructure time, configure staff, and modify school-wide programs to more specific ideas that may relate to a particular grade or content level.

Creativity can be applied to any aspect of the schooling experience as long as it has promise to improve student achievement and well-being. This could include such things as:

  • creating improved processes for teacher leadership
  • improving processes for schoolbased professional development
  • enhancing the rigor and relevance of curriculum and instruction
  • improving student support systems
  • emphasizing 21st century curriculum components of personal wellness, fiscal literacy, civic literacy and global awareness
  • enhancing 21st century skills
  • improving classroom assessments for learning
  • promoting student responsibility and self-direction
The possibilities for innovation are endless …..

How much money may be granted?

The West Virginia Board of Education will grant awards on a pro-rata basis from $5,000 to $50,000 for the planning of innovative programs to enhance educational performance. Applications are ue Dec. 29, 2009, and funds will be distributed to designated Innovation Zones in January 2010.

How can you find out more?

Visit the WVDE Innovation Zones Website for a copy of the application and guidance:
http://wvde.state.wv.us/innovationzones

Attend regional information meetings – dates and locations are found on the website:
http://wvde.state.wv.us/innovationzones/registration.html

Contact Donna Peduto, Coordinator of the WVDE Innovation Zone Initiative for more information:dpeduto@access.k12.wv.us/304-558-3199