Description
Book SynopsisEmpowering leaders at each level of the implementation of improvement processes is essential if public schools are to survive moving forward. The story of Kentucky's continuous improvement can be evidenced from the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) of 1990, and the intensive systems work since 2009 outlined in Senate Bill 1 and amended by House Bill 176 (2010). Even with a significantly different governance and support approach outlined in Senate Bill 1 (2017) by aligning federal statute regulation and initiatives, state statute and regulation, state school board goals, local school board policies and school improvement plans, a consistent message of expectation is clarified for schools and classrooms. Key core work processes aligned behind those policies lead to systems that can be flexible and adjust to the political and economic climates that surround the work of learning without total disruption of the system. The use of transparent design and common instruction while monitor
Trade ReviewThis book tells a compelling story of how Kentucky’s Department of Education, in collaboration with a diverse array of partners, embraced continuous improvement approaches to support and strengthen many of the state’s highest needs schools. Through the voices of state, district, and teacher-leaders, Allred and Foster provide a deeply personal account of Kentucky’s improvement journey and offer lessons for others seeking to adapt these approaches in their own contexts. -- Anthony S. Bryk, president, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
Kentucky’s journey of continuous improvement to sustainability of systems using School Improvement Grant (SIG) funds is evidence that the struggle was and is worth it. There are no easy and universal answers, but there are successes when school improvement implementation is based on proven organizational and instructional strategies while being just-in-time supported and monitored for effectiveness. -- Arne Duncan, US Secretary of Education, 2009-2015
With the implementation of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) state education agency leaders must model intentional leadership for local districts about effectiveness and efficiency in reaching college and career goals with all students. States can learn much from each other about how to build sustainable processes to meet those goals. Kentucky’s District 180 story is one such process to be shared. -- Chris Minnich, executive director, Council of Chief State School Officers, 2012-2018
Packed with practical tools, sound advice, and compelling examples this book is a remarkable case study of practical approaches to the kind of data-driven school improvement processes necessary for schools to improve student learning. -- Dr. Mark A. Elgart, president/CEO, AdvancED
From 2007 to 2015, Kentucky’s education system significantly improved its national reputation for innovation and reform. We strengthened support for the lowest performing schools through District 180 and the Educational Recovery Initiative focusing on increasing the capacity of teachers and administrators in those identified schools and giving all students a chance at a quality education. -- Steve Beshear, Governor of Kentucky, 2007-2015
This book is as much for education leaders as it is for the communities that surround our schools and want to make a difference for our young people. Kelly and Susan give us reason for hope that educational excellence can be achieved anywhere if we are willing to come together, within and outside of the school house, in a spirit of shared responsibility and courageous honesty, celebrating even the smallest successes and recommitting daily to a march of continuous improvement together. -- Brigitte Blom Ramsey, executive director, Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, Lexington, KY
An incredible book that will inform the practice for all of us working to improve the lives of children! I want to thank Kelly Foster and Susan Allred for their contribution to the field of education. This book delves into the lesson’s learned around a wide range of specific topics related to school improvement. Despite all that has been learned across the nation school improvement continues to encounter many barriers that has prevented lasting and sustainable reform. Whether it’s external factors such as school-community relations, the political climate; or, internal factors such as teacher and principal turnover or principal and teacher capacity- at any given low performing school a myriad of challenges continue to exist. This book is an asset to the field of education as it provides real lessons learned from across many attempts at school improvement reform. In this book, education leaders can find a great deal of guidance specific to addressing existing barriers to sustainable and systemic school improvement. -- Carlas McCauley, director, Center on School Turnaround at WestEd
Table of ContentsForward- Terry K. Holliday, PhD former Kentucky Commissioner of Education Preface Acknowledgements Introduction Part I. A National Context and How Sustainability Can Be Built and Measured Chapter 1: A Perspective on Status of Low Performing Schools Intervention Chapter 2: The Empowering Information and Data Mass Insight District 180 School Data TELL Survey National Recognition Part II. The Kentucky Reality of Designing, Deploying and Monitoring Systems Chapter 3: The Backstory. State Legislation Chapter 4: Needs Assessment, Research, Visionary Leadership, A Plan Chapter 5: From Theory into Action - Two Stories Part III. Strategies and Tools to Empower for Sustainability Chapter 6: State Strategies and Support Technology Platform Diagnostic Review Process Alignment of Federal/State Laws and Regulations with Requirements 30-60-90 Day Planning The Art of System Questioning/Data Questions Professional Learning Communities Use of PDSA Improvement Process Special Two-Way Partnerships Chapter 7: Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement Through Application of Quality Tools Part IV. Case Studies and Lessons Learned with Continued Challenges Chapter 8: Case Studies A small rural high school and a district without capacity to support it Two rural school districts with re-starts A large urban traditional high school The largest district in the state with the most priority schools Chapter 9: Lessons Learned with Continued Challenges Appendices I.Sustainability Plan Example II.30-60-90 Day Plan Example III.A Guide for Using the Data Questions IV.PLC Tools/Templates V.PDSA Examples-State multi-year, District and template VI.Quality tools-plus/delta and linkage examples VII.HUB School information Glossary: The Letters Unscrambled Bibliography About the Authors
