Ed Week reports that Rudy Crew may not keep the rhythm of the Miami Zone Schools going, and that's a shame. The Zone Schools, like the Chancellor's District before it, show what can be achieved when a district concentrates energy and resources on a limited number of schools.  In fact, one of the things I like in the Miller-McKeon draft is that it puts a cap on the number of schools that can be designated for redesign.  School districts have real capacity limitations, and forcing them to concentrate on the neediest schools may not sound like rocket science, but it's incredibly important. As one principal in the Ed Week article says:

"I can pick up the phone now and say, ‘Dr.Woodard, I need something.’ When you are in the zone, you make a phone call to any district office and they know it’s a priority.”

To shift focus now would be a mistake.  As United Teachers of Dade President Karen Aronowitz points out, it's unclear how many teachers would be willing to stay in a zone school if they no longer offered extended day and teachers were not eligible for additional compensation.  And, it's not just that teachers want the extra money--it's simply a harder job to improve student performance at schools that have chronically lagged, and you need the extra time to get there.

Update: Maisie at EdWize weighs in here.