Starting Point for Improvement - Part 2

As a leader, how do you determine what is important when determing your starting points for improvement?

In another study of four successful high-poverty districts, Snipes, Doolittle, and Herlihy (2002) found that these districts in comparison with other districts

1. Focused on achievement, standards, and instructional practice
2. Created concrete accountability systems in relation to results
3. Focused on lowest-performing schools
4. Adopted districtwide professional development and support for consistent implementation
5. Drove reform into the classrooms by defining the role for central offices of guiding, supporting, and improving instruction at the building level
6. Committed themselves to data-driven decision making and instruction
7. Started the reform at the elementary level
8. Provided intensive instruction in reading and math to middle and high schools students

From: Leadership & Sustainability by Michael Fullan
Published by: Corwin Press & OPC (Ontario Principals' Council)

Starting Point for Improvement - Part 1

As a leader, how do you establish your starting point for improvement?

Nearly all of the success stories involve improvements in literacy and numeracy at the elementary level, with some closing of the gap between high- and low-performing schools.  The findings are consistent across many studies.  Togneri and Anderson's (2003) study of success in five high-poverty districts identified six strategies for improvement.  These districts

1. Acknowledged publicly poor performance and sought solutions (building the will for reform)
2. Focused intensively on improving instruction and achievement
3. Built a systemwide framework and infrastructure to support instruction
4. Redefined and redistributed leadership at all levels of the district
5. Made professional development relevant and useful
6. Recognized there were no quick fixes

From: Leadership & Sustainability by Michael Fullan
Published by: Corwin Press & OPC (Ontario Principals' Council)