The word "innovation" is almost a cliche in education reform; it is easily and loosely applied to every new (and not so new) idea that comes down the pike. But a bill out of the Colorado legislature establishing "Innovation Schools" is deserving of the moniker.

Innovation schools would be granted freedom from state laws and regulations that govern hiring, scheduling and spending, if school leaders submit an approved plan to the district and to the state. With support from a majority of the school staff, innovation schools could also be removed from applicable collective bargaining agreements.

This bill would give principals full autonomy to make hiring, salary and tenure decisions. Not surprisingly, it is strongly opposed by the state teachers' union, which normally spells trouble for a bill that needs to come out of a Democratic legislature--but perhaps not this time. Remarked the bill's sponsor, Senate President Peter Groff: "I vote with the union 99 percent of the time. But there are times when we need to ask...'what's in the best educational interest of the child?'"

The proposal comes in the wake of a battle in the Denver Public Schools, where two reform-minded principals had launched a campaign seeking freedom from district policies and union rules they felt were counterproductive to their schools' needs. The union was adamantly opposed, but shortly after the statewide bill with the potential for schools to gain autonomy without union approval was introduced, the union became more willing to negotiate and agreed to a compromise. While still subject to standard grievance procedures, the two schools can now decide their own contract durations, hiring processes, school calendars, overtime procedures, teaching loads and class sizes.

These two schools should serve as an important case study for any larger statewide initiative. The ability to integrate and coordinate teacher policies with plans to raise student achievement is essential to school improvement, but it also requires real leadership to implement--something that not all schools have, by any measure. Assuming the state can muster the political will to pass this landmark bill (and that's a big assumption), it will then need to grant authority carefully to schools and monitor progress closely.