Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds released a “blueprint” for improving the state’s education system today.

The report says Iowa must become more selective and supportive of teachers and principals, set clear expectations and fair measures for student learning, and nurture innovation in schools to restore the state’s standing as a leader in education, according to a news release.

The plan, called One Unshakable Vision: World-Class Schools for Iowa, includes these recommendations:

• Attract and support talented educators with an increase in starting teacher pay, more selective teacher preparation programs and improved recruiting and hiring practices.

• Create educator leadership roles in schools and develop an evaluation system that requires annual and multiple evaluations of all educators.

• Develop a four-tier teacher compensation system with apprentice, career, mentor and master levels and substantial pay raises for teachers who move up.

• Improve and expand the Iowa Core to put Iowa’s standards on par with those of  the highest-performing systems in the world.

• Have all Iowa 11th-graders take a state-funded college-entrance exam.

• Seek a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind law and work with key education groups and leaders statewide to design a new accountability system.

• Ensure that children achieve basic literacy by the end of third grade.

• Nurture innovation with funding for transformative ideas and greater statutory waiver authority for the Iowa Department of Education; allow charter schools in Iowa.

• Create a state clearinghouse of high-quality online courses available to any student in Iowa, and back the courses with licensed teachers and the best online learning technology available.

• Set goals for student outcomes, including a 95 percent high school graduation rate and top statewide performance on national standardized assessments.

The entire report is available at www.governor.iowa.gov or at www.educateiowa.gov.