Table Of ContentNote
worthy
P E R S P E C T I V E S
School Improvement
Table of Contents
Introduction: The Science & Art of Schooling
Three school improvement mistakes (and how to avoid them) .......................................................................1
Turning failure into opportunity ........................................................................................................................3
Creating a culture of high expectations ...........................................................................................................6
Focusing on the basics in beat-the-odds schools ............................................................................................7
Creating conditions for leadership effectiveness: The district’s role ...............................................................12
The primacy of superintendent leadership .....................................................................................................16
Understanding resistance: Lessons from a river ...........................................................................................21
Selecting the right data .................................................................................................................................23
A different kind of community .......................................................................................................................26
Montview Elementary: A lesson in sustainability ..........................................................................................28
Think systemically, act systematically ...........................................................................................................29
Balance the “science” and “art” of school improvement:
McREL’s Success in Sight ..............................................................................................................................32
In 2006, McREL published Noteworthy Perspectives: Success in Sight. It tells the story of a school
using McREL’s approach to school improvement. It includes guidelines for a school to use in its
planning process and “Tips” developed out of McREL’s broad experience with school improvement.
Download at http://www.mcrel.org/topics/products/229
Contact McREL to order additional copies of
Noteworthy Perspectives: School Improvement at:
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P: 303.337.0990 • 800.781.0156 • F: 303.337.3005
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© 2008 McREL
Introduction:
The
S
cience &
A
rt of Schooling
In McREL’s 2003 Annual Report, Advancing the Science and Art We open with Bryan Goodwin and Ceri Dean’s pointed
of Education, we wrote this: “Three School Improvement Mistakes (and How to Avoid
Them).” The authors assert that there are three common,
Educators today have more than 30 years worth of
yet avoidable, mistakes many schools make when trying to
research about what works and what does not in schools
implement their school improvement efforts.
and classrooms. . . . [However], it would be a mistake
to conclude that we can universally boost student On page 7, we offer a McREL policy brief wherein
achievement solely by advancing this new science of Laura Lefkowits and Carolyn Woempner describe steps a
education. As parents and teachers know, every student school board might take to improve the environment (and
is unique, defying one-size-fits-all solutions. Effective ultimately the performance) of low-performing, high-needs
educators. . . know how to create learning environments schools.
that are both challenging and supportive. This intangible,
Beginning on page 16, we have reprinted highlights of
affective quality of effective teachers is what some call
McREL’s research on effective school district leaders as it
the art of education.
appeared in The School Administrator magazine.
In the years that followed this report, McREL staff
Collectively, these articles represent some of McREL’s best
members wrote more than 100 published articles in
thinking and research to date on what it takes to improve
practitioner and peer-reviewed journals describing what
school performance and student achievement. We hope
we know from four decades of research on effective
these articles provide you with some new insights and
schools as well as years of practical experience working to
fresh perspectives on how to balance the science and art of
help educators raise student performance: that improving
effective schooling to support the success of all students.
schools is both a “science” and an “art.” This idea is
the common thread running through this unique issue
of Noteworthy Perspectives, which brings together several
previously published articles from McREL.
Three school
improvement
mistakes
(and how to avoid them)
By Bryan Goodwin and Ceri Dean
head-on a “purposeful community,” one that
rather than comes together around a clear focus
serving up and does what it takes to accomplish
a “cocktail” its goals.
of
In an era of accountability, culture
symptom-
and climate may seem like “soft”
treating
Despite having well- medications. concerns that are disconnected to
intentioned, thoughtful Digging beneath the surface of pressing needs to demonstrate gains
improvement plans, many school-level data might reveal, for with “hard” data, such as student
schools still struggle to raise student example, that most teachers haven’t achievement. Our research and
performance—often because their actually implemented the school’s experience in working with schools
improvement efforts are doomed to reading program and are unwittingly that have demonstrated significant
failure from the very start by three using a “chicken feed” approach to gains in student achievement and
common, yet avoidable, mistakes. teaching, throwing out knowledge other hard data, however, suggests
that addressing soft issues such as
to students, expecting some will get
Mistake #1: culture, environment, attitudes and
it and others won’t. Providing more
Treating the Symptoms, Not beliefs, are at the heart of every
time for reading instruction might
the Underlying Problem successful improvement effort. By
help, but it probably won’t create the
some estimates, up to 85 percent of
Everyone knows cough syrup desired effect until teachers are aware
publicly traded companies market
doesn’t cure you; it just treats your of their practices and know how
value is related to “intangible” assets,
symptoms. But all too often, like to change their teaching strategies.
namely the talents, dispositions, and
cough syrup, school improvement To achieve that, the school needs
ideas of its employees. As a similar
plans attempt to treat the symptoms, to focus on building a culture of
metric likely applies to the value
but not the root causes of low high expectations for teachers and
schools bring to student learning,
student achievement. For example, students alike.
improvement efforts should focus
if a school’s data show that it has an
Mistake #2: on not just tangible assets, but also
unacceptably low number of students
who are proficient in reading, it can Focusing Only on Tangibles (and perhaps more importantly)
be easy to rush to a solution, such as and Ignoring Intangibles intangible assets.
creating 90-minute literacy blocks to Digging deeper into data often reveals
Mistake #3:
provide additional time for reading that school culture, teacher attitudes
Biting Off More Than You
instruction. But what if the real and beliefs, and other norms and
Can Chew
issue is something deeper—such values are at the heart of low school
as widespread, low expectations performance. McREL research We recently examined several
for student performance? Will suggests that a key distinction improvement plans from around
a 90-minute literacy block really between high- and low-performing the country and found that most
provide the cure? schools is that high-performing plans focus not on one or two clearly
defined efforts, but rather sweeping
schools work to create a “culture of
Herein lies the rub with data-driven efforts with multiple goals and several
high expectations.” Similarly, in our
decision making. Data, by itself, is action items related to each goal.
own Balanced Leadership® reports
no more instructive than tea leaves. Indeed, some plans we reviewed
and program for school leaders, we
Schools must dig below the surface to identified 30–40 actions for a single
refer to the importance of creating
get at the real issues and address them year—that’s one per week! That’s far
1 Noteworthy Perspectives: School Improvement
too many initiatives for school faculty do next. And when they are in the Kaizen declares that “every defect
and staff to keep in their heads or process of doing this, they must not is a treasure”—that is, making, and
take seriously. As a result, usually very overlook culture. By paying attention uncovering mistakes is all part of the
little happens. to both technical processes as well improvement process. In their own
as issues related to school culture, improvement efforts, schools should
One way for schools to focus their
they will eventually find that their be thoughtful and intentional and
efforts with a “less-is-more” approach
improvement efforts have become give 100 percent to the effort, yet be
is to engage in a “fractal experience.”
comprehensive and systemic. In our willing to learn from their mistakes.
A fractal experience is a small-scale,
report Success in Sight: A Comprehensive In the end, the only real improvement
short-term effort that results in quick,
Approach to School Improvement, we refer mistake a school can make is to do
measurable gains in achievement.
to the approach of taking one step at nothing at all.
These “quick wins” encourage school
a time as “thinking systemically and
staff to undertake ever more complex
acting systematically.” This article originally appeared in
and substantive improvement efforts
McREL’s quarterly magazine,
that have the dramatic affect of Learn From Your Mistakes
Changing Schools (Spring 2007) and
transforming a school’s culture.
In Japan, successful companies, such was reprinted in the Fall 2008 issue
In short, rather than attempting to as Toyota, adhere to the concept of of the Australian journal, Leader-
do many things and doing none of “kaizen”—that is, the continuous ship in focus.
them well, schools should identify process of taking frequent and small
the one or two big things they will steps on the path to improvement.
Noteworthy Perspectives: School Improvement 2
Turning Failure
Into
Opportunity
By Mike Galvin and Danette Parsley
Faculty and staff sat in stunned a high level of community support enabling them to target their
silence as the principal and pride. There is great continuity particular needs and keep building
delivered the news: Alcester- in this community: Looking through on their progress long after McREL
Hudson Elementary School had photographs of graduating classes of consultants leave.
been designated a school “in need Alcester-Hudson dating back to the
Three years after beginning their
of improvement.” After two years 1950s, one can see the parents and
improvement efforts, staff members
of declining test scores at the school, extended family members of many
at Alcester-Hudson have indeed
in 2001 the state of South Dakota current students and faculty members.
developed their own capacity for
was requiring the faculty to develop a
When we first visited Alcester- continual improvement. Student
school improvement plan for review
Hudson, we were impressed by the achievement has risen dramatically:
and approval by the state. Failure
pride that teachers showed in their In 2004, 94 percent of students
to improve could lead to a series of
school. However, they were clearly achieved “proficient” status on South
increasingly severe consequences.
devastated by their new label of Dakota’s standardized math test and
“Looking back, going on school “underperforming,” and were unsure 100 percent tested as “proficient” on
improvement status was the best how to follow through on their desire the state’s reading test. In 2001—the
thing that ever happened to us,” said to improve. year Alcester-Hudson was labeled
Kathy Johannsen, the school’s test, as needing improvement—only
While staff members at Alcester-
technology, and school improvement 55 percent of students tested as
Hudson were considering their next
coordinator. “But at the time, we proficient in reading and 45 percent as
course of action, our team at Mid-
were surprised, embarrassed, and proficient in math. As a result of this
continent Research for Education
humiliated.” jump in achievement, the school has
and Learning (McREL) was launching
received the state’s highest rating of
The McREL Approach a project with the South Dakota “distinguished.”
Department of Education to build
The small neighboring communities
statewide capacity for helping local We believe that Alcester-Hudson
of Alcester and Hudson sit amid
schools in need of improvement. dramatically raised student
fertile farms in the southeast corner of
Alcester-Hudson Elementary School achievement through six key practices:
South Dakota. The two communities
became part of this project, and
consolidated their schools several
• Distributing leadership.
as project consultants, we became
years ago. The student population
partners with the school in a school • Developing shared expectations for
of Alcester-Hudson Elementary, a
improvement process that would not
K–6 school with 150 students, is 95 students.
only significantly raise test scores but
percent white, with 26 percent of
• Getting hooked on data.
also create lasting structural changes.
students eligible for free or reduced-
price lunch. In many ways, the school McREL’s approach is to ground • Focusing on one problem at a time.
and community are characteristic of school change strategies in each • Building a professional learning
small farming communities in the school’s local context. We aim to teach community.
upper Midwest. Along with a slowly local school teams how to use data and
declining student population and a research to solve their own problems. • Turning a problem into an
degree of geographic isolation, the This strategy helps educators develop opportunity for growth.
school embodies strong traditions and their own capacity for improvement,
3 Noteworthy Perspectives: School Improvement
Distributing Leadership doors each morning and do their to determine changes in student
own thing during the day. We noticed learning. Data also became a vehicle
True school improvement requires
right away that teachers were using for noting success and celebrating
widespread, shared commitment to
the math program differently in each the achievements of the staff. Today,
the effort and a sizable group willing
classroom and that teachers of the instruction in the school revolves
to make a plan and carry it out. One
same grade level had differing levels around data.
of McREL’s first recommendations
of expectations for students’ reading.
to Alcester-Hudson was to form a
Teachers grew so adept at using data
We encouraged the staff to take a
school leadership team that would
that they were able to use formative
“balcony view”—to step back and
manage the steps of the improvement
assessments to monitor each student’s
look at their teaching practice as part
process, beginning with writing the
learning in relation to state and district
of a group effort with shared goals
improvement plan. The principal
content standards. Midway through
and standards for students. With the
chose a representative group of
the 2003–2004 school year, the
benefit of an outside perspective, the
teachers, parents, paraprofessionals,
McREL consultants asked the staff
faculty members began to see how
and school board members. Forming
to use formative assessment data to
many aspects of their school culture—
this team proved to be an effective
predict performance on the upcoming
including their autonomy as teachers—
way to develop leadership capacity. In
state test. The teachers predicted that
got in the way of working together to
2002, because of decreased funding,
student scores would decline; they
make a difference.
the school district eliminated the
believed that as teachers they may have
principal’s position at Alcester-Hudson,
Teachers on the leadership team let up on some of the efforts that had
combining the positions of elementary
began to take a hard look at student led to their initial success in 2002. This
principal and district superintendent.
achievement data to determine prediction energized the teachers to
The Alcester-Hudson leadership team
where they should focus their recommit to their shared agreements,
became the source of continuity in
improvement efforts. The leadership and in 2004, student scores on the
school leadership.
team proposed a number of “shared state math and reading tests again
agreements,” which various groups showed improvement.
After an initial awkward period during
of teachers discussed and in most
which teachers hesitated to take charge
cases accepted, to be consistent across Focusing On One Problem at a Time
and act collectively, the group gelled
their classrooms. For example, all Too often, data—far from
and teachers began offering to lead in
teachers in the school agreed to teach empowering schools—leave schools
different ways. In one of the first such
mathematics for one hour and 15 and teachers feeling overwhelmed,
instances, a leadership team member
minutes each day; follow timelines for realizing that they need to make drastic
enlisted several colleagues to plan
completing various portions of the improvements but unsure where to
and carry out a math games night to
math curriculum; implement a rigorous begin. As a result, schools often try to
further the goal of increased parental
schedule of formative and summative make too many improvements at once,
involvement. Most teachers at the
assessments in reading and math; and drafting comprehensive improvement
school are now comfortable taking
use guided reading strategies in grades plans that change instructional
the initiative to start new projects and
K–3. One challenge for faculty was programs, alter scheduling, and
invite other teachers to join them.
figuring out how to handle situations revamp organizational and support
Team membership changed as the in which a faculty member was not structures. Such plans throw
original members cycled off and abiding by these shared agreements. everything but the kitchen sink at the
new members joined. In the third The leadership team proposed—and problem; in trying to do everything
year, the school reached a milestone all teachers agreed—to use regularly at once, they often do nothing well
in distributed leadership when team scheduled meetings to check in with and bring little or no gains in student
members realized that none of one another about whether everyone achievement.
the original members remained on was adhering to the shared agreements
The leadership team at Alcester-
the team. At that point, the group and how they could support one
Hudson used data to focus on one
formalized membership arrangements, another in doing so.
problem at a time. For example,
creating a policy of staggered two-year
Getting Hooked on Data teachers in the primary grades jointly
terms of service.
agreed on specific minimum test
Early on in the improvement process,
Developing Shared Expectations scores in reading comprehension
the staff at Alcester-Hudson learned
(using the Developmental Reading
As is true in many public schools, the cycle of school improvement:
Assessment to measure reading)
teachers at Alcester-Hudson were Study data, form hypotheses, plan and
as achievement targets for all
initially almost entirely autonomous. implement changes in instruction,
students at each grade level. After
They tended to close their classroom reallocate resources, and remeasure
Noteworthy Perspectives: School Improvement 4
a year of consistently focusing on others used strategies successfully, they systemic effort to forge a stronger
instructional goals and discussing became more aware of the learning learning environment. As Kathy
student achievement, the teachers were potential of all students. At the Johannsen observed,
gratified (but not surprised) to see beginning of the work, we often heard
I knew we were a school marked
scores on the state standardized tests teachers attribute student achievement
for improvement by the state and
rise significantly. With these “quick to factors in the home environment
that we needed to improve our
wins” under their belts, the teachers or participation in special programs.
standardized test scores. But it’s
consulted the data again, derived a As teachers shared strategies and
much more than that. The school
new focus for their improvement proposed new ideas to get students
improvement process . . . improves
efforts, and consulted the research for “off the list,” such comments became
a lot more than just your test scores.
guidance about next steps. less frequent. Instead, conversations
It improves literally every aspect
focused on changes that teachers
Building a Professional could make in their instruction. Staff of the school—how we interact
Learning Community members also celebrated together with each other as staff members,
how we work with kids, what we’re
During initial discussions about when formative assessment data
teaching those kids, and the climate
reallocating resources to support allowed them to remove a student
of our school.
their improvement goals, the from the list.
teachers developed a scheduling At the beginning of the process,
With a structure that guided
strategy that allowed them to meet Alcester-Hudson relied heavily on
discussion, the teachers made great
monthly in instructional teams McREL’s expertise; the leadership
progress in learning new strategies
(K–3 and 4–6) on what they called team and the consultants typically met
and became a cohesive professional
“Working Wednesdays.” During this for a half-day each month to work on
learning community. But creating
uninterrupted two-hour block of time, whichever aspect of the improvement
and maintaining that structure
classroom, special education, and plan needed the most attention. As the
was challenging at times. At first,
Title I teachers met as a whole group work progressed, the leadership team
teachers were not used to publicly
to discuss instructional strategies and gained expertise in curriculum and
discussing their students’ progress
the needs of individual students who instruction and in working together
or speaking openly about challenges
were not meeting the standards. They as a team. Over time, the team
in the classroom. They also had little
drew up lists of students who needed became more self-directed in making
experience engaging in structured and
help to meet standards, which they decisions and scheduling group work.
focused discussions as a group, and
posted on the walls of their meeting Gradually, members of the leadership
early meetings did not go well. As time
room to consult together from time team took over coordinating Working
went on, the Alcester-Hudson teachers
to time. The teachers also used Wednesdays.
realized that assigning roles (such as
Working Wednesdays for just-in-time
facilitator and note taker) and setting
professional development—short As we end our active involvement
an agenda in advance helped them use
learning opportunities that arose in Alcester-Hudson’s improvement
their time effectively. They established
from discussions about student process, the school leaders are focusing
a format of spending the first half of
needs. At one meeting, a teacher on the future—and so are we. From
the meeting talking about individual
asked for advice about assessing a the beginning, our goals went beyond
student progress and suggesting
student with ADHD who seemed to helping the school make its required
strategies and the other half engaged
understand the math concepts but adequate yearly progress to helping it
in professional development activities
had problems demonstrating that become a true learning organization
tied to student learning issues that had
competency on a paper-and-pencil test. that could sustain changes and make
surfaced in previous meetings.
Colleagues offered ideas for making new ones. Because of its hard work,
accommodations to testing, but many the Alcester-Hudson community now
Turning a Problem into
teachers felt a need to learn more has the skills to tackle any kind of
a Chance for Growth
about teaching students with attention challenge that might come its way.
To be effective and sustainable, school
problems. The special education
improvement needs to focus on
teacher offered to provide instructional
specific problems at the beginning of Parsley, D. & Galvin, M. Turning
strategies for teachers to help them
the process but be broad and systemic failure into opportunity. Educational
meet the needs of these students.
by the end. The Alcester-Hudson Leadership, vol. 62, Summer 2005.
Working Wednesdays played a staff’s original perception of the Copyright © 2005 by Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Devel-
significant role in making teachers improvement process as a way to get
opment. Used with permission. Learn
aware of their own attitudes about off the “needing improvement” list
more about ASCD at www.ascd.org.
student learning. As teachers saw how quickly evolved into a comprehensive,
5 Noteworthy Perspectives: School Improvement
