Making School Improvement Part of Daily Practice · Making School Improvement Part of Daily...

Making School

Improvement

Part of Daily

Practice

inquiryand action

Frank D. Barnes

Senior Associate Annenberg Institute for School Reformat Brown University

April 2004

Making School Improvement

Part of Daily Practice

Part I. The School-Improvement Guide2 Introduction to School Improvement

Provides an overview of school improvement and a framework for a school self-studyprocess using a cycle of inquiry and action.

5 Getting StartedOutlines preliminary tasks and commitments to begin a school-improvement effort.

9 Using Standards of PracticeExplains the importance of using mutually agreed-upon, appropriate, and quantifiable standards of practice to answer the question: “How good is our school?”

14 Putting a Self-Study Cycle into PracticeDescribes how a school can examine its own operation and performance by collecting, analyzing, and acting on information.

14...identify desired student-achievement outcomes

14...develop essential question(s)

15...identify, collect, and organize relevant data

16...analyze data

17...choose and implement actions

21...evaluate impact on practice and outcomes

22 Appendix A The Abigail Francis Middle School: An Illustration of the Self-Study Cycle in Practice

Shows how a school team identifies and researches a critical issue through a narrative about the Abigail Francis Middle School (a fictitious school that combines the characteristics andexperiences of a number of actual schools), in which a school-improvement team wrestles with the problem of students’ difficulty acquiring high levels of literacy.

29 Appendix B: Creating a School Portfolio

Answers the questions: What is a school portfolio? How are school portfolios used? How isa portfolio created?

33 Appendix C: Preparing to Host an External Review

Outlines steps that a school preparing to host an external review visit might consider,including general logistics, preparation, and presentation of school information collectedthrough a self-study.

35 Appendix D: School Inquiry Process Map

Helps a school create a timeline for completing tasks in an integrated school-improvementprocess.

Contents

ii C o n t e n t s

37 Glossary

38 Resources

38...guides and workbooks

39...works consulted in the creation of this guide

41...web resources

Part II. Worksheetsfor Use with the School-Improvement Guide

Contains worksheet templates and samples to help a school carry out some of the school-improvement tasks described in Part I: The School-Improvement Guide.

45 Introduction to Using the Worksheets

46 Worksheet 1: Generating Your Essential Question(s)

48 Worksheet 2: Connecting Your Essential Question(s) to Data

50 Worksheet 3: Schoolwide Data Mapping

52 Worksheet 4: Disaggregating the Data

54 Worksheet 5: Drawing Conclusions

56 Worksheet 6: Examining Self-Study Conclusions

58 Worksheet 7: Four Quadrants for Action

Part III. Rubrics and Standards of Practicefor Use with the School-Improvement Guide

Contains rubrics used in Boston and San Diego that a school can adapt to its own school-improvement efforts; describes a set of standards of practice formerly used by Chicago Public Schools (complete standards are available on the Annenberg Institute Web site at<www.annenberginstitute.org/tools/images/Chicago.pdf>.)

62 Boston Public Schools

72 San Diego City Schools

88 Boston Pilot Schools

101 Chicago Public Schools

iii

Preface

According to a piece of lore that has cir-culated among British school reformers,

you only have to address the weakest 10percent of an area’s schools each year tomake noticeable improvements. The goodnews in this philosophy is that you do nothave to take on everything at once. The badnews is that improvement never ends.

In our nation’s current environment, itis no longer acceptable that a great numberof schools routinely fail to educate all theirstudents well – especially urban schoolsserving largely minority and disadvantagedstudents. Furthermore, even the highest-ranked schools will always need improve-ment, because the conditions under whichadults educate, and children learn, arealways changing. We set standards that raiseour expectations for all children; computersmake it possible for children with disabilitiesto better demonstrate what they learn;school finance laws change; Congress passesnew regulations on the sweeping scale ofNo Child Left Behind; we learn ways todeliver ever greater supports for disadvan-taged students. The work of improvement isalways with us.

Improvement matters. It affects the livesof children. It is vital to “get good at it.”Improvement must become a permanentpart of school practice, not a one-time oroccasional event.

This publication is intended to helpschools or school-improvement teamsdevelop the habits of collaboration, discus-sion, inquiry, and decision making that arenecessary for ongoing improvement througha permanent cycle of inquiry and action.

The intent of the approach outlined here isto build the trust and ownership that wehave learned are the bedrock for schoolimprovement and to provide practical infor-mation and tools to help schools identifyand carry out the tasks that support continu-ous improvement.

Many districts and states now providetheir schools with established improvementprocesses. This publication is intended tocomplement those materials, not replacethem. It can be used by state or districtadministrators seeking to apply a consistentand effective approach to continuousimprovement in all their schools. It can alsobe used by school-level administrators orother stakeholders, either to help addressstate or district requirements for improve-ment or to initiate their own improvementprocess.

We have organized Inquiry and Action:Making School Improvement Part of DailyPractice into three parts. Part I is theSchool-Improvement Guide. Parts II and III contain tools – worksheets, templates,and rubrics – to use with the Guide. Youwill find more resources on the Web at<www.annenberginstitute.org/tools>, includ-ing a list of publications and a database ofschool-improvement tools organized intomajor categories, such as school climate andsafety, student performance, professionaldevelopment, and leadership. Each categorycontains a wide range of tried-and-true tools– guides for focus group discussions, inter-views, surveys, and more – that have beenused effectively in school settings by schoolreform organizations across the UnitedStates, Canada, and Europe. A team ofreviewers with extensive experience in class-

Getting Good at School Improvement

iv P re f a c e

rooms and schools made sure that onlypractical, clear, and productive tools wereselected.

We hope that you find this publicationand its associated tools useful. We especiallyhope that it supports you in creating thehabits of reflection, inquiry, and action thatfuel continuous school improvement. Wewish you and your students great rewardsfor the challenging work you are about toundertake.

Dennie Palmer Wolf Director, Opportunity and AccountabilityAnnenberg Institute for School Reform

v

Acknowledgments

T his guide is the result of numerous peo-ple’s time, talent, and expertise, without

which I could not have completed this proj-ect. First, I would like to acknowledge theextraordinary contributions of DenniePalmer Wolf, Peg Votta, and MargaretBalch-Gonzalez. Each of them, at somepoint during the writing process, took own-ership of this document and added value toit. They are fine colleagues and consummateprofessionals. I would like to acknowledgethe efforts of Susan Fisher and HaewonKim, who worked arduously to bring outthe best of what so many people helped cre-ate. They are indispensable.

Many people reviewed and offered feed-back on various iterations of this guide –Kenneth Bailey, Kothyn Alexander, TraciTeasley, Maryellen Donahue, Karen VolzBachofer, Kate Nolan, Peggy MacMullen,Marla Ucelli, Debi King, Sanjiv Rao, DavidSmith, Mary Neuman, Warren Simmons,Mike Grady, Cerrone Berkeley Daly, DavidAbbott, Barbara Cervone, Don Glass, RobO’Donnell, and Rebecca Ostro. I would liketo thank each of them for their time, can-dor, caring, and honesty. I am indebted tothem all.

Not to be overlooked is the support Ireceived from Nicole McGhee and TyanneCarter. Their work behind the scenes track-ing down information, organizing drafts,and translating the various rubrics into elec-tronic form was invaluable. I must thankthem for taking care of the details that, ifleft unattended, could have upended thisproject. They stood in the gap.

I would like to thank the many people Iworked with at Boston Public Schools, theCenter for Collaborative Education–MetroBoston, San Diego City Schools, Chicago

Public Schools, Catalpa Inc., and the NewEngland Association of Schools and Col-leges, each of whom allowed me access totheir experience and wisdom to build on thefoundations of their previous works.

Lastly, I would like to thank andacknowledge Warren Simmons and PeggyMacMullen, whose initial guidance, direc-tion, and inspiration gave this piece shapeand life. There is so much power in thewords we speak, and when they are usedwell, they can have an impact beyond theirboundaries. You both said exactly what Ineeded to hear.

Frank D. BarnesSenior AssociateAnnenberg Institute for School Reform

p a r t i

The School-

Improvement

Guide

2 I n q u i ry and Action: s c h o o l - i m p r o v e m e n t g u i d e

A school self-study cycle, led by a school-improvement team composed of peoplewithin the school who conduct an internalreview through a cycle of inquiry and action,is a crucial part of the response to thesegrowing accountability requirements. Theconclusions of the self-study can informboth the school community itself and exter-nal audiences, such as the school board orsuperintendent, about where the greatestchallenges lie and what specific kinds of helpthe school community believes it needs. Byconducting a self-study, a school canbecome an active partner in the schoolaccountability process.

School Improvement Today:A Structural Feature of School SystemsWhy is there so much current emphasis on school improvement? Haven’t schoolsalways wanted to improve? The answer tothese questions is that, in today’s context ofincreased accountability, school improve-ment is here to stay. School improvement isfirmly embedded in district and state plan-ning and accountability structures. Federalmandates have intensified these accountabil-ity challenges at an unprecedented levelwith external testing directives and conse-quences for low performance. In this atmos-phere of high demands and little time,schools are increasingly under pressure toimprove – and to do so quickly.

This section describes some of the waysin which the school-improvement process hasbecome an integral and necessary part ofschool and system reform.

Introduction to SchoolImprovement

The term school improvement1 refers to theprocess of altering specific practices and

policies in order to improve teaching andlearning. There are three driving ideasbehind the process: • Agency. This is the notion that a school

community (administrators, teachers,family members, and students) can col-lect, analyze, and act on information toreorganize and redistribute their human,social, fiscal, and technical resources inorder to improve student achievementcontinually.

• A community of adult learners. It isimportant to build a community of adultlearners who share a common interest increating a stronger school. Because of theemphasis on the whole school, a review orself-study does not target any individualor single classroom within the building.Rather, it targets how to improve currentpractices and policies that stand in theway of student learning.

• Continuous professional inquiry. This is the curiosity and will of individuals and groups as a whole to ask about thestrengths and weaknesses of current prac-tices and policies, to act, and then tomonitor the effects of those actions.

Across the country schools and schooldistricts have increasingly begun to holdthemselves accountable for school improve-ment by internally reviewing their practicesand policies. In some districts and states,district central offices and state departmentsof education have combined school-conducted internal reviews with externalreviews as a way of asking administrators,faculty, and staff to “account” for their prac-tice and its impact on student achievement.

1 Terms in italics are defined in the Glossary on page 37.

Making School Improvement Part of Daily Practice 3

Standards-Based Reform and NoChild Left BehindWith passage of the No Child Left BehindAct of 2001, schools, districts, and statedepartments of education will be heldincreasingly accountable for student aca-demic performance, as measured againstexplicit standards. Schools must raise studentachievement overall, while reducing the gapbetween current achievement levels andexisting state-level expectations of studentachievement. They are also expected toclose the gaps in achievement betweengroups of students based on income, race,gender, native language, and disability.Schools, districts, and states that are unableto exhibit annual progress in reducing thesegaps risk a range of potential interventionsand consequences.

This layer of federal intervention isforcing many schools to reexamine whatthey teach and how they teach in order tomeet changes in expectations. The self-study cycle for school improvement can helpschools look deeply at what they teach, howthey teach, how they allocate resources, andhow they structure the use of professionaldevelopment – all in the context of meetingnew standards and adapting to changingrequirements.

Mandated Internal Reviews forAccreditation or Other ExternalRequirements There are six accrediting associations acrossthe country that require an internal review,or self-study, by the school itself in additionto an external review visit to catalyze schoolimprovement. Though accreditationrequirements differ from region to region,adoption of a school-improvement processcan assist in preparation for an accreditationreview.2

Some states or districts also requireschool self-study processes as part of aschool-improvement plan.

Charter SchoolsMore and more states across the countryare providing funding for charter schools,and those that already support charters are expanding implementation. For theseschools, a school-improvement process canprovide a method for internal examinationand continuous improvement, as well as aprocess for articulating the practices a com-munity desires a school to adopt. Moreover,when the process is designed correctly,school improvement lends itself to commu-nity input – a mandated element of all char-ter legislation.

ESEA Funding to States for EffectiveComprehensive ReformsUnder the Elementary and Secondary Edu-cation Act, states may apply for money tofund the implementation of comprehensiveschool reforms, based upon scientificallyconducted research and effective practices,including an emphasis on basic academicsand parental involvement so that all childrencan meet challenging state academic-content and academic-achievement stan-dards. A self-study process can help schoolsassess their needs and inform the selectionof a research-based model that is mostappropriate for its conditions and interests.A d d i t i o n a l l y, as schools and districts embracethese models, school-improvement pro c e s s e s

2 For instance, the Commission on Public SecondarySchools of the New England Association of Schools andColleges (NEASC) requires an internal review as part ofits accreditation process for secondary schools within itsgeographic jurisdiction (Maine, Vermont, New Hamp-shire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island).

For more on what a school needs to do if the improvementprocess includes anexternal visit, seeAppendix C: Preparingto Host an ExternalReview.


can help schools implement and integrate amodel into daily practices, understand whereand why change is stalled, or check curre n tstatus of these pro g r a m s .

The Self-Study Cycle: A Philosophyof Continuous ImprovementIf you awoke one day and found your livingroom three inches deep in water, youwouldn’t ignore the flood and move thecouch to the second floor. You would lookfor the source of the leak, define the extentof the damage, and contemplate remedies.The same can be said about genuine schoolimprovement. Schools don’t get repairedunless questions are raised by those whoknow the school best. By creating and

nurturing a culture of inquiry, a school can embed its philosophy and mission in its school-improvement efforts. Figure 1depicts a School Self-Study Cycle – aprocess for building continual improvementinto the structure of a school.

This process has the potential (NewYork State Education Dept. 1996) to• place an emphasis on teaching and

learning;• build a collaborative professional

community; and • acknowledge the power and importance

of the individuals who educate our children.

This guide was designed with the expec-tation that many schools have been providedwith their own materials to help themmaneuver through a school-improvementprocess. The Guide and its associated toolscan supplement materials provided to youby your district central office or statedepartment of education.

The tasks described in this guide havebeen placed in an order that may be helpfulfor those who are “starting from scratch.”Few schools start from scratch, however, souse the parts of the Guide that best fit yourneeds, recognizing that the order need notbe regimented. Also, recognize that sometasks may need to be repeated as your needsand conclusions dictate.

Many school-improvement teams will tell you that the tasks overlap, varyin degree of importance, and differ in thechallenges that they represent for specificschool communities. To illustrate thisprocess, in Appendix A we have provided acase study of a fictitious middle school,based on a composite of several real middleschools, in which a team from the schoolpuzzles out how to address the low literacyskills of its students.

A SCHOOLSELF-STUDY

CYCLE

Identify Desired Student-Achievement

Outcomes

Analyze Data

Figure 1. A school self-study cycle

Continuous improve-ment relies on the effec-tive use of data. TheAnnenberg Institute’sTools for School-Improvement PlanningWeb site offers a widevariety of tools for col-lecting, analyzing, andusing data. You canaccess the tools andother helpful resourcesat <www.annenberginstitute.org/tools>.


Getting Started

School improvement is a lot of work. Itrequires that several key conditions be

in place to succeed:• Leadership. Support from school leader-

ship affirming the value of the work of aninternal school-improvement team, pro-viding the resources required to help theteam be successful, and encouragingcooperation between the school-improve-ment team and the larger school commu-nity are essential.

• Time. This type of inquiry takes time. Fora school-improvement team this meanstime to meet, plan, and coordinate theirwork. For the school as a whole thismeans time to collect, organize, and ana-lyze the data and to discuss action stepsand alternatives. Any of these may call forcommon planning time (as offered tomany teachers in block scheduling), use ofprofessional development opportunities,after-school meetings, and/or retreats.

• Skills. Several types of skills are requiredto conduct an inquiry process. Theseskills need be possessed only by a few to build the skills of many or may beobtained from outside the school buildingthrough local universities, community-based organizations, regional educationlabs, or other technical assistance organizations.

• Will. This is a prerequisite. At the veryminimum, a handful of the faculty needto see that examining and changing theirpractice is a worthwhile task.

The School-Improvement TeamThe way to start a school-improvementprocess is to create a school-improvementteam (s i t ). The s it is a group of peoplewho work together to develop, lead, andcoordinate the school-improvement process.

In addition to playing a major role inimproving the school, s it members haveoften found participation in the team to be a valuable professional developmentopportunity.

Characteristics of an effective school-improvement team include:• Small size. Groups of six to eight people

are relative easy to convene and coordi-nate for regular meetings.

• Representative group. Different con-stituencies from the school community,including administrators, teachers, par-ents, and students, are represented.

• Coordinated effort. The team worksclosely with the principal to make surethe group holds regular meetings, thattasks are assigned and completed, andthat progress is made toward establishedobjectives.

• Commitment to the task. The schooldemonstrates its commitment by provid-ing time and resources (equipment, cleri-

using existing structuresA new team doesn’t always need to be created. There may alreadybe a team of staff and faculty involved in existing reform efforts atthe school who act as or could become a school-improvementteam. The important aspects of an SIT are: the members can meettogether regularly; they’re able to fulfill the roles and responsibilitiesof an SIT; they have the respect of the school community; and theyhave the characteristics noted in this section for an effective team.


cal support, budget, etc.). The membersof the team should evidence a strongcommitment to the school-improvementprocess, including the self-study.

The team members decide who will takespecific roles on the team and determine theresponsibilities of each role. Ensuring thateveryone is clear about individual and collec-tive responsibilities will help the team tofunction well.

The SIT coordinator is usually a schoolemployee freed from other duties to fulfillthe following responsibilities:• assist with selection of the s it so

that it is representative of the school com-munity;

• support the team members in their tasksand projects;

• work with administrators to obtain appro-priate training and support for the team;

• report progress of the team to the schoolcommunity, including faculty and staff,administration, parents, caregivers, students;

• hold regular meetings;• keep the s it active and focused;• coordinate the activities of the team with

the larger school-improvement agenda as well as the district- and state-levelagendas.

SIT members are equally important tothe team. Their responsibilities are to:• meet with other members of the school

community to inform them of the self-study and its objectives and processes;

• obtain the input of faculty and staff andincorporate it into the self-study process;

• collect data;• meet regularly to discuss progress, make

preliminary conclusions, and reflect onwhat data shows, as well as on the processitself;

• assist with documentation and evaluationof the self-study;

• assign and negotiate collection taskswithin the school community; for exam-ple, each member might take the lead ona separate focus area or specific depart-ments may be asked to collect data intheir area of the school (e.g., data onmath instruction).

The team should participate in an ori-entation that includes:• review of the current school-impro v e m e n t

strategy (theory of action), past efforts,and current assessment of student per-formance;

• discussion of the pros and cons of teammembership;

• development of ground rules of thegroup, including how it will approachtasks, make decisions, and hold each otheraccountable.

challenges and issuesTwo strategies to increase commitment to the team and schoolimprovement are to decrease the loads of those best suited to be on the change team and provide formal recognition of theirefforts. Underscore repeatedly and through a variety of methodsthat the team is working to improve the way the school operates,not target or assess individuals within the school.


resources on using protocols tofoster cooperation• Sample protocols, or group norms for having structured con-

versations such as the ones described in this section, are avail-able at <www.annenberginstitute.org/tools>, along with othertools for school improvement.

• The Annenberg Institute (2002) video package Looking at Teach-ing and Learning through Peer Observation describes and pro-vides several protocol models for internal and external reviews.

• Other processes for structured conversations are described andexamined more deeply in two Annenberg Institute video pack-ages: Looking at Student Work: A Window into the Classroom andCritical Friends Groups in Action. Both show how the techniquesdescribed may be used to look at the most readily availableform of information we have – student work.

• For more models of protocols, see Allen & McDonald, n.d.;Dowd, n.d.; Cushman 1999 in Works Consulted in the Creationof This Guide on p. 39–41.

Fostering Adult Learning andCooperation The primary role of the s it is to work withthe members of the school community toproduce an in-depth picture of the manydimensions of school practice and a com-mon awareness of the school’s strengths,needs, and challenges. Though many staff,students, and parents may not need to par-ticipate in a self-study to come to an individ-ual understanding of school practice, a com-mon understanding requires moving beyondpersonal perspectives to collectively con-struct an image of school practice.

To achieve this will require learningtogether through the collection, organiza-tion, and analysis of data to draw conclu-sions about the school. The team mustmodel and assist with the adoption of aprocess of communicating and cooperating– having conversations – with each other.Such a process should be characterized by:• thoughtful inquiry;• active listening;• frequent reflection;• honest and respectful dialogue;• use of data.

Some of these characteristics may beabsent from current conversations betweenfaculty members, but may be cultivated byusing a set of protocols, or group norms fordiscussion. Over the years many organiza-tions and individuals have developed a num-ber of protocols, or norms, to guide conver-sations (see sidebar on this page).

Though they vary, most protocols areled by a facilitator, who introduces theobjective of the discussion, reminds thegroup of any ground rules for the conversa-tion, and asks everyone to briefly introducethemselves. An individual or a group ofindividuals pose a question or present aproblem along with some background infor-

mation. This person or persons are oftenreferred to as the presenter(s). A structuredconversation takes place, commonly includ-ing a part in which the presenter listens,without making comments, to the other participants, to encourage active listeningrather than defensiveness. Usually the con-versation concludes with a debrief, or evalua-tion of the process itself.

The sidebar on the next page outlines,in brief, the process of using a protocol toguide a discussion. It can be duplicated foruse by your school-improvement team. Theprocess overall usually lasts an hour.Although prescriptive in places, the notedsteps can build the culture of adult learningand contribute to greater cooperationbetween colleagues.

A question, problem, or task is posed by a presenter.The purpose of a question could be to evaluate an item,practice, or set of information (How does this piece ofwork align to state standards?); to describe a situation(What trends do we see in the attendance data we havefor various groups of students, e.g., girls, 11th-graders,special education students); or to address a challenge(How can professional development for literacy beoffered during the school day, on a weekly basis?)

An object for analysis is presented. This can be several items, a state standard, a piece ofstudent work, a teacher assignment, the school weeklyschedule, student-attendance data, or survey results. Itcan consist of anything that requires examination aspart of a discussion.

Members become familiar with the object of discussion. The item to be discussed may be provided to peoplebefore the meeting. It is also useful for time in themeeting to be designated for team members to exam-ine an object (or practice) to prepare to discuss itthoughtfully, through a presentation, chance to read,completion of an assignment given to students, or avideo viewing.

Members ask clarifying questions. After the initial look, team members are given a chanceto ask clarifying questions. These are questions con-cerning “matters of fact” that help people understandwhat they’re looking at.

Members discuss the object presented in the context of the question, problem, or taskposed. Based on what has been presented, seen, or experi-enced, members share their thoughts. In discussions, itis essential that members place an emphasis is placedon the positives (things they liked) before speakingabout things they’d change or question. The tendencyto criticize, although quite natural, prevents colleaguesfrom sharing their thoughts or their work. The discus-sion must be open and focused on the question orproblem presented. At this time the presenter(s) areasked to be silent, perhaps even pushing away from thetable or circle. This silence forces the presenter(s) to lis-ten carefully and prevents the desire to defend orexplain. At this point, participants should direct theircomments to each other, not to the presenter(s). In fact,the group should talk as if the presenter(s) aren’t there.

The presenter(s) reflect on the discussion. After peers have an opportunity to converse, the pre-senter(s) have an opportunity to speak. During thistime the rest of the group is silent. This doesn’t have tobe (and indeed shouldn’t be) a response to the previ-ous remarks, but a time to think aloud about the ques-tion or problem presented based on the informationgenerated by the conversation. Once again, this is not atime to defend or explain, but a chance to struggle withthe question or problem the presenter(s) brought to thetable.

Members debrief the process. The conversation concludes with a debrief of theprocess itself, so that future conversations may beimproved or enhanced.

Sample Protocol to Guide a Structured Conversation


There are many ways for the s it todevelop collaborative learning among adultsin the building. No matter how fosteringadult learning and collaboration is accom-plished, however, it is a necessary startingplace if the school-improvement effort is torise above more limited strategic planningprocesses and produce successful outcomes.

Obtaining Outside AssistanceAlthough many sites conduct school-improvement processes without externalassistance, some have found it useful to haveoutside help. In some sites it has provenuseful to bring in external coaches. Thecoach is someone familiar with schoolimprovement who is selected by the schoolto assist the school in its self-study and whoworks closely with the s i t .

The coach helps the s it develop awork plan and a timeline for meetings anddeadlines and provides an important exter-nal perspective on the overall self-study as itprogresses. Such assistance can also be pro-vided by various reform support organiza-tions such as (but not limited to) public edu-cation funds, regional education labs, uni-versities, and education-focused nonprofits.

Using Standards ofPractice

What do we mean by quality? How goodis good? What do we want to change,

and why? What will the school’s practicelook like if these changes are made?

In preparation for making strategicchanges to a school, these definitions ofquality must be explicit and shared publicly.In some instances these criteria, or standardsof practice, will be predetermined and pre-sented to the school for translation andanalysis. In other instances, a school willhave to identify criteria for itself.

Understand the Importance ofStandards of Practice During a school-improvement process, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders will be charting a course of action for schoolimprovement. Through the self-studyprocess, these team members will concludewhat school practice looks like and what itought to look like. Though staff may haveworked with each other for a number ofyears, it is risky to assume that all agree onwhat good school practice looks like. Withan increase in the diversity of perspectivesand interests that exists in many communi-ties, it is equally daring to assume that fami-lies, community members, or others mayshare a single view of what good schoolpractice looks like. This image will beshaped by opinions that are either explicitlystated or implicit.

These opinions are often based onassumptions and perceptions about thingssuch as:• what the role of a teacher should be;• what an “effective learning environment”

should look like;


• how students best learn;• what the role of a student’s family mem-

bers or caregivers should be in the school.These silent, often unconsciously held

opinions shape ideas about:• how teachers should teach;• what teachers need to know and be able

to do to be effective;• what the purpose of schooling is;• what expectations for students should be; • what general conclusions about school

practice can be drawn.These biases are natural and expected.

Standards of practice won’t change theseviews, but they do present a method forconfronting biases. Although this processmay seem like a waste of time, if your stan-dards of practice are clear, transparent, andexplicit, you have more concrete informa-tion to explain and act on your conclusionsabout the school. The presence of standardsof practice can facilitate this.

Agreeing upon standards of practice andways of measuring them through perform-ance indicators can help the s it make profes-sional judgments about the quality of schoolpractice.

Choose Focus AreasTo apply standards of practice in a self-study, the first task is to choose a set of focusareas in which to concentrate the inquiry.These focus areas are broad elements ofschool operation that cut across all areas ofthe school; that influence the effectivenessof teaching and learning; and that schoolshave some control over (HM Inspectors ofSchools 1996).

Across the country, focus areasidentified for and by schools vary. New YorkCity has identified eight focus areas, whichit calls “key elements” of exemplary schools,

as part of the Performance Assessment inSchools Systemwide (p a s s ) system. Thoseeight areas are:• Comprehensive Education Plan

Development• School Climate• Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment• Staff Development• Resources• Parent Involvement• Support Services• School Self-Evaluation

These look quite different from RhodeIsland’s very broad focus areas that are acomponent of the state’s School Account-ability for Learning and Teaching (s a l t )system. These focus areas are:• Student Learning• Teaching• The School

And these differ even more from focusareas that were part of the San Diego CitySchools Process for Accountability Review(p a r ), which consist of three questions (fordetails of the p a r , see pages 72–87):• Why is school performance the way it is?• What is the whole picture? (Is there more

to know about performance than the“first cut” indicates?)

• What is the school doing to enable stu-dents to make progress?


3 This description is based in part on the criteria for goodcontent or performance standards stated by New Stan-dards (New Standards 1997).

Adopt or Develop Standards ofPractice Standards of good practice should bedecided upon for each focus area the schoolhas chosen, and performance indicatorsshould be identified to measure the progresstoward each standard of practice. The stan-dards of practice in each focus area shouldbe chosen for their potential to create anenvironment for all children to achieve highstandards.

Although each site’s focus areas differ,applying standards of practice and choosingperformance indicators to measure how wellthe school is achieving each standard shouldallow a closer look at the elements of anindividual school relevant to the focus areasand at how these elements support studentachievement.

Good standards of practice should: 3

• Establish high standards. Each standardshould create high expectations of prac-tice for the school. This may requirelooking beyond what currently occurs towhat is essential to help support effectiveteaching and learning.

• Emphasize what is important. Among themany recommendations for standards ofpractice within a focus area, standardsshould concentrate on the most essentialaspects of best practice. This emphasisshould “focus” the attention on practicesthat are hallmarks of a good school.

• Clearly and usefully articulate expectations.From reading each standard it should

be understandable what the school isexpected to be able to do or exhibit.Moreover, standards should act as guidesto direct improvement efforts. Though a school may not be able to pursue all of the standards at the same time, eachstandard presents a clear objective forpractice.

• Reflect a broad consensus. Consensus is aconclusion reached in which no individualdisagrees enough to block a decision.Such an agreement should be reached onthe standards so that there is a commonview of what is essential. This will requiredialogue between multiple stakeholders.

• Present definitions and/or descriptions.Standards should be complemented byperformance indicators which show whata particular practice or behavior looks

some important terms• Focus areas: broad elements of school operation that influence the

effectiveness of teaching and learning; and that schools have somecontrol (e.g., mission and vision, professional development, etc.).

• Standards of practice: a model of good school practice to measureactual school practice against (e.g., effective instruction, equitableaccess and opportunity, etc.), chosen for each focus area. It isagainst these standards that a school or a visiting external team mayassess school practice and policies to inform school improvement.

• Performance indicators: (sometimes referred to as benchmarks): Dis-crete descriptions of best practice that measure to what extent astandard of practice has been achieved. These indicators articulatewhat achievement of a standard of practice looks like, providing aconcrete way to answer the question “How good is this school?”(Definition adapted from HM Inspectors of Schools 1996)

• Rubric: a scale that provides descriptions of performance in an areafrom strongest or most desired to weakest or unacceptable to guidethe measurement of the performance indicators.


like. For example, what does a profes-sional development plan that is informedby data on student learning needs gener-ally look like? Each performance indica-tor may be accompanied by a rubric – ascale that concretely describes what dif-ferent levels of performance look like.

There is a rich variety of models avail-able of standards of practice, performanceindicators, and rubrics that have been usedaround the country and discussed in recentresearch literature, within a variety of focusareas (e.g., professional development).

These models differ in their scope and approach; just as practitioners andresearchers don’t always agree on best prac-tices (e.g., phonics versus whole language),policy-makers don’t all agree on what willbring about academic success for all stu-dents. Different states and districts identifydifferent focus areas. Sometimes only indi-cators are provided, and in other cases onlystandards are outlined. Some standards orindicators may ask for a single item to showyou’ve achieved best practice in an area.Other standards or indicators are made up of several distinct parts that will requireseveral kinds of data to demonstrate bestpractice. 4

Examining different tools and choosingthe most appropriate ones are importantparts of any self-study cycle. For moreinformation on available tools and models,see the sidebar Resources and Tools forSchool Improvement on this page.

4 In those sites in which the district or state requires aself-study as part of a school-improvement process,expectations also vary about when best practice must bedemonstrated. Sometimes it is not expected in the firstyear of review, but rather three to five years after the ini-tial (baseline) review. These expectations should be clari-fied as the school self-study cycle is begun.

resources and tools for school improv e m e n t• The Resources section on pages 38–42 of the School-Improvement

Guide describes a number of guides and workbooks that containuseful tools for school improvement.

• Part II (Worksheets) on pages 43–59 and Part III (Rubrics andStandards of Practice) on pages 61–101 of Inquiry and Action con-tain sample tools and templates that are designed to be used withthe Guide.

• You will also find useful publications and an on-line database oftools for school improvement, organized by categories, on theAnnenberg Institute Web site at <www.annenberginstitute.org/tools>

In Boston, schools and reviewers usesix focus areas based on the district’s“six essential” practices to achieveschool improvement. The six areasencourage classroom practices thatsupport high student achievement.

Boston’s “Six Essentials”:I. Schoolwide Instructional Focus

II. Looking at Student Work and DataIII. Professional Development PlanIV. Learning and Using Best Teaching PracticesV. Aligning Resources with Instructional Focus

VI. Involvement of Parents and Community

Standards of practice are criteria bywhich focus areas are judged. Lookingat focus area IV: Learning and UsingBest Teaching Practices, we see six standards.

Standards of practice for Focus Area IV: Learning and Using Best Teaching Practices:• Effective Instruction• Academic Rigor• Access and Opportunity• High Standards• Coherence• Structure to Support Learning

Performance indicators constitute abest practice in a standard. The per-formance indicator of best teachingpractice, effective instruction, is identi-fied by the observation of two items.

Indicators of best practice in effective instruction:

• the presence and/or articulation of an empiricallyor conceptually strong theory of teaching

• use of a designated theory of teaching through-out the faculty

The presence or quality of a perform-ance indicator may be assessedagainst a number of levels of perform-ance. This may range from numericalrankings to a developmental scaleadjusted over time. In Boston, eachindicator can be assessed against fourlevels of attainment.

4 Demonstrating Effectiveness3 Operational2 Emerging1 Readiness

Rubrics are often illustrated to indi-cate what good, average, or poor performance looks like for each per-formance indicator.

In Boston the rubrics describe each performanceindicator at four levels. This is an illustration of aLevel 4 and a Level 2 rating for each of the twoperformance indicators for effective instruction.

4: Effective instructional practices are modeledby the vast majority of the school staff.

2: Effective instructional practices are modeledby some of the staff and there is evidence thatthe school is working towards schoolwideimplementation of effective practices.

4: There is an empirically or conceptually defen-sible theory of teaching and instructional prac-tice that is clearly described and supports theschool’s academic goals for all students.

2: There is evidence that the school is workingtoward a theory of teaching and instructionalpractice that is clearly described and supportsthe school’s academic goals.

FOCUS AREAS

STANDARDS OF PRACTICE

ILLUSTRATIONS OF EACH LEVEL OF THE RUBRIC

RUBRICS (LEVELS OF MEASUREMENT)

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (OR BENCHMARKS)

Using Standards of Practice in BostonAs part of Boston’s effortto bring about schoolimprovement across thedistrict, schools undergoan in-depth review everyfour years, based on thedistrict’s six focus areas(which they call “essentialsfor school improvement”).

The table to the right shows how one ofBoston’s standards ofpractice (Effective Instruc-tion) in the focus area onLearning and Using BestTeaching Practices isdefined by specific per-formance indicators andmeasured by a four-levelrubric.

Complete rubrics forthe six “essentials” arepresented in Part III,Rubrics and Standards ofPractice, pages 62–71.


Putting a Self-StudyCycle into Practice

A self-study, in which a school examinesits own operation and performance by

collecting and analyzing data, is driven bythe overall question: “How good is ourschool?” Whoever is asking the question –students, teachers, parents, the businesscommunity, or the local board of education– wants to know how good the local schoolsare. A self-study provides an entry point tolooking at how each aspect of school opera-tion supports or improves teaching andlearning. In this section we will outline howa school can answer the question of howgood the school is through self-study.

The entire school community isinvolved in an effective effort to improve aschool. It is the role of the school-improve-ment team, in coordination with the princi-pal and senior staff, to delegate and negoti-ate staff involvement in the self-studyprocess.

Focus areas, standards of practice, per-formance indicators, rubrics, and procedures

for data collection and analysis will varyfrom school to school. Once these are inplace, however, the basic tasks depicted inFigure 1 (A School Self-Study Cycle) aresimilar from one self-study process toanother. This section describes these tasksin greater detail. To help you carry out thesetasks, we have included a set of worksheets inP a rt II of I n q u i ry and Action, pages 4 3 to 5 9.

Identify Desired Student-Achievement OutcomesAll inquiries should be tied to student-achievement goals. Identify goals for studentachievement relevant to the focus areas youhave chosen.

In most sites, student-achievement goals are determined for the school by thedistrict or the state. If not, set short- andlong-term student-achievement goals thatwill act as measures of success of yourschool-improvement efforts.

Develop Essential Question(s) Start this part of your self-study with essen-tial questions about the school, brainstorminga list of issues you wonder about. For exam-ple, what do you want to know about howthe budget is appropriated? How does yourcurriculum compare to the state’s standardsfor learning? Be specific in your questionsand concerns.

It is important that the essential ques-tions be informed by your school’s needsand relevant to the focus areas, standards ofpractice, and student-achievement goalschosen. You can have more than one ques-tion, but the more essential questions youpursue, the more people you will need togather data in response to those questions.Be aware that if you have selected morethan one inquiry question, you need to linkthem to appropriate focus areas and stan-dards of practice for each of the questions.

After refining your question or ques-tions, assign them to the focus areas andstandards of practice to which they apply.

school self-study, teacherresearch, and classroom inquiryThe passion that drives many teachers’ research initiatives or class-room inquiries is the desire to improve practice for the childrenthey teach daily. In a school self-study this same passion has to bebroadened to the entire school’s practice in service of the entirestudent body. A school self-study differs from teacher research inthat it doesn’t attempt to learn about or identify any particularteacher. Although teacher research and classroom inquires areimportant parts of professional environments, the self-study muststay focused on the larger school inquiry strategy. For school self-studies, we want teachers’ passions, skills, and questions to bedirected toward the school’s inquiry.


Note the essential question(s) you decide to use for your self-study on Worksheet 1:Generating Your Essential Question(s).

Identify, Collect, and Organize Relevant DataWhat data already exists in the building thatcan respond to your essential question(s)?Examples may include lesson plans, studentwork, test scores, attendance records,department budgets, teacher professionaldevelopment plans, suspension rate statis-tics, etc. For each essential question beingconsidered:• State your hunches about what the answer

may be.• Identify data you think will support your

hunch.• Identify data that may challenge you

hunch.• Determine the additional data you need

to collect to gain better insight.Worksheet 2: Connecting Your Essential

Question(s) to Data may be used for thesetasks. Based on the data that may support orchallenge your essential question, identifythe types of data you have at your school.Based on your additional data needs, namethe other types of data you will need tocomplement what already exists. For thistask, you can use Worksheet 3: SchoolwideData Mapping. Examples of types of datamay include teacher opinions collected viainterviews or surveys, student experiencesand perspectives collected through studentshadowing, or classroom practices usedthroughout the school as seen through peerobservations. From your data mappingeffort, develop a data-collection strategythat is manageable and possible within thetime you have been allotted.

Data are pieces of information that willhelp you reach a conclusion about yourschool. Choo (1998) identifies five types ofdata (information) which may be useful:

• technical information: personal insightsand experiences

• cognitive information: assumptions,beliefs, perceptions (hunches), and mentalmodels

• symbols: facts, figures, records, and statistics

what is an essential question?An essential question is the engine of an inquiry process. It is aquestion about crucial aspects of the school, as identified in theschool’s chosen focus areas that, if answered, will inform actionsthat can substantially close the gap between student-achievementgoals and current student-achievement levels. Defining an essen-tial question is not a perfect science, so it may require revision andalteration as you go.

Characteristics of a “good” essential question: • It identifies an issue that relates directly or closely to improving

teaching and learning.• It identifies a topic that most stakeholders agree needs to be

addressed.• It can be used to direct an inquiry that includes data collection

that will provide meaningful information for adjusting the workof the school.

Signs that the question is not an essential question: • You already know the answer.• You cannot relate the question to teaching and learning.• Few stakeholders agree that the question needs to be investi-

gated.• It cannot direct an inquiry process.• It cannot lead to data collection.• Answering it has no implications on your school’s practice or

day-to-day operations.

For instance, a school in which the student population has shiftedto include many students who are learning English might ask: Isour instruction currently successful or unsuccessful for English-language learners? The intent of the question may be double:• to address the needs of English-language learners • to initiate a process for addressing the specific needs of different

populations of students


• physical objects/inputs: equipment, finan-cial resources, human resources, models(such as reform models being used)

• rules: routines, policies, and operatingprocedures

Sources for the first two categories ofdata can be people in the school communitysuch as teachers, staff, community members,parents, and students. Sources for the latterthree categories – the more traditionalforms of data – can be found in enrollmentrecords, attendance records, transcripts, stu-dent work, standardized-test scores, guid-ance records, personnel evaluations, staffdevelopment activities, college entranceexam scores, and meeting agendas, to namea few. These types of data may reveal whatand how students are doing, and what has or is being done to foster (or hinder) thatachievement.

Organize the data in such a way that itreveals what’s happening in your school. Bydisaggregating the data, or sorting data abouta large group into meaningful subcategories,you can often uncover problems that havebeen hidden if data have always been aver-aged over the larger group. Categories thatmay be informative are: • grade level • department • program participation (for students

and/or teachers)• gender • race and ethnicity• year data was collected (if existing data

was collected over multiple years)• home language or first language spoken• years of attendance at school

Analyze DataOnce the data is collected and organized,analyze the data, looking for informationthat answers your essential questions aboutthe quality of practice within each of the focus areas you’ve chosen, and drawconclusions.

Acknowledge the potential and limita-tions of your information. Some data, due to collection method, may be less valid andreliable than other data. Be up-front aboutthese shortcomings, but do not simply disre-gard certain sets of data due to perceptionsof quality. You may record the above infor-mation on Worksheet 4: Disaggregating theData.

Relate and compare multiple pieces ofdata to one another. See if they tell the samestory. Look for trends. For example, whatpatterns seem to emerge when the data islooked at collectively? What do each of thedepartments appear to be spending fundson? How do student standardized-testscores compare to the quality of studentwork produced and teacher assignmentsgiven?

When making conclusions, rememberthat a conclusion is not a summary of thedata, but a statement about your school – a response to your essential question(s) –based upon an analysis of the data. A con-clusion may be written in a single sentenceor in several sentences. Tom Wilson, princi-pal investigator of Catalpa Ltd. and one ofthe crafters of Rhode Island’s s a l t Visit,recommends (RI Dept. of Elementary andSecondary Education 1999c) that conclu-sions be no longer than three sentences andthat, once written, a conclusion should be • explicitly stated and supported with evidence.

All conclusions should be reached as aresult of data analysis. All sources of dataused to reach a conclusion should beidentified (e.g., classroom observations,

trends vs.causalityTo look for or identifytrends is not to claim orseek causality (causeand effect). However,trends may revealpotential strategies forschool improvement orraise deeper questionswhich themselves,when responded to withdata, may indicate adirection for strategicaction.


interviews, student work, etc.). Neitherassumptions nor hearsay should be takeninto consideration as evidence.

• reached through a deliberative process withcolleagues. Collaboratively discuss trendsand contradictions in the data, challeng-ing conclusions when necessary. If thegroup cannot agree on a conclusion inlight of the data present, consider notaccepting the conclusion. If your teamdetermines that you need additionalinformation or support for a conclusion,document the conclusion citing data thatsupports and refutes it. The use of such aprocess based on valid and reliable datawill add weight to the conclusions.

• written with the intent of informing action bythe school to improve teaching and learning.The purpose of the self-study is to directschool improvement. This does not meanyour conclusion should necessarilyinclude a recommendation; most do not.Neither do conclusions target, applaud,or denigrate any individual in the school.Even disappointing conclusions should bepresented positively in order to move theschool forward. The way conclusions arepresented influences how they arereceived.

• punctuated by the professional judgment ofthose analyzing the data. In a self-study theschool community will determine howgood school practice is through a reviewof qualitative and quantitative measuresmatched against standards for effectiveschool operation. It will be the role ofschool staff to exercise their professionaljudgment to determine if what they haveobserved meets current expectations.

Worksheet 5: Drawing Conclusions may beused to document your conclusions as wellas connect them to the data you’ve analyzedand actions that you’d like to propose.

Choose and Implement ActionsOnce your school produces a set of conclusions in response to your essentialquestion(s), it is the responsibility of theprincipal, the s i t , and the rest of the fac-ulty and staff to review the conclusions and choose appropriate actions to improveschool practice. Choosing appropriateactions is also part of the response if aschool has received conclusions from anexternal review team. The actions taken bythe school to improve student achievementare as important, if not more important,than the conclusions themselves. The effortsof the school to understand the conclusionsand chart a course for action are crucialcomponents of the school-improvementprocess.

Start by breaking down your conclu-sions. Going by focus area, outline both the strengths and the areas in need of improve-ment (or attention) cited by the school-improvement team. Worksheet 6: ExaminingSelf-Study Conclusions may be used to aidwith this task. (Note: the worksheet listsseveral focus areas, but you need focus onlyon the ones you chose to inquire about.)

Once conclusions have been brokendown by focus area, the team is positionedto use the self-study conclusions to devisean action plan. After completing severalmonths of investigation, it’s important toremind each other of the student achieve-ment goal(s) you set for yourselves. As youbegin devising your action plan, restatethose student learning goals – the desiredoutcomes for student achievement – youcollectively identified. With those goals inmind, identify actions within each focus area toimprove school practice.

remember your essentialquestion(s)It’s easy to getengrossed in examiningthe data and lose trackof what you’re lookingfor. In order to be valu-able to your school-improvement efforts,the analysis shouldinform your judgmentof the school’s achieve-ment or practice in agiven focus area andshould help answeryour essential question.Keep this focus in mindas you push forward inyour self-study.


• skills of the faculty, staff, or administra-tion to implement the appropriate/effec-tive curriculum, instructional methods, oradministrative practices (how staff work topromote student achievement)

• knowledge of effective teaching practices to reach a particular demographic withinthe student body; of how to build a collaborative school culture; of how todevelop or sustain strong relationshipswith parents; etc. (what staff knows abouteffective practices)

• will and teacher expectations of students:the will to teach all children; the expecta-tion that all children can achieve high

standards; the motivation to changehabits, beliefs, or behaviors to

improve student achievement(why staff work to promote

student achievement)

The Four Quadrants for ActionThrough our work in schools and schooldistricts we have identified four quadrantsfor action. (See Worksheet 7: Four Quadrantsfor Action and Figure 2.)

i. human resource use and development

This quadrant concentrates on staff capacity,cooperation, organization, motivation, andmanagement. Three components of staffwork have substantial effects on instructionor school practice in this quadrant:

Figure 2. Four quadrants for action

Skills: How staff promote student achievement

Knowledge: What staff knows about effective practice

Will and teacher expectations of students: Whystaff work to promote student achievement

MoneyMaterials

Technology

Partnerships: Useof communityassets to increasea school’sresources

Parent and com-munity connec-tions: Relation-ship with familiesand communitymembers who areinvested in stu-dent success

Systems and structures: Length of class periods,what is taught, etc.

Policies and rules:School characteris-tics that promote a rich learning envi-ronment

Culture (student and adult/profes-sional): Teacher, stu-dent, and adminis-trator values, atti-tudes, and generalbehavior

Human Resource Use and

Development

IIIIV

IIIFiscal

and TechnicalResources

Resources available and allocated to the achievementof core instructional needs


ii. school organizationThis quadrant addresses internal organiza-tion and norms and contains three areas forpossible action:• systems and structures: how long class

periods are, what is taught, etc.• policies and rules: school characteristics

that may produce positive behaviors oroutcomes that facilitate a rich learningenvironment

• culture (student and adult/professional):attributes of the school culture such asteacher, student, and administrator values,attitudes, and general behavior; howadults work together in the building; etc.

iii. fiscal and technicalresources

This quadrant is self-explanatory. It con-cerns the• presence and use of financial and techno-

logical resources: the money, materials,and technology available and allocated tothe achievement of core instructionalneeds

iv. social resourcesThis quadrant concerns the developmentand use of relationships with other sourcesand organizations that can help improve stu-dent achievement, i.e.: • partnerships: the school’s relationship

with stakeholders outside of the schoolbuilding and its efforts to leverage com-munity assets to increase its resources

• parent and community connections: theschool’s relationship with the families andcommunity members who are invested instudent success (e.g., religious leaders,community development organizers, for-mer school board members, etc.)

Sharing Your Self-Study Conclusionsand Action Plan Sharing of self-study conclusions with stake-holders in the school community as well asthe general public is something to considerand plan for as part of your school-improve-ment strategy. Stakeholders who may havean interest in self-study conclusions include: • school board members and the superin-

tendent• the school site council• faculty • students• parents• the media• funders and external partners

Each stakeholder has his or her owninterests and motives for wanting to knowthe results of the study and may be reached

ensuring participationBuilding an action plan should not fall to a small number of indi-viduals. Restricting participation can prevent buy-in from col-leagues, causing your team to miss a valuable opportunity to ben-efit from the knowledge and know-how of peers.

Similar to the self-study process, action planning should be dele-gated to the appropriate groups who have the expertise to informand/or responsibility for the implementation of particular areas.For example, planning for improved math instruction shouldinclude math (and perhaps science) teachers.

This group should not work in isolation or without supervision,but should be asked to work collaboratively to craft a course ofaction informed by the data gathered and conclusions reachedabout instruction. Selecting the “best” course of action mayrequire further data gathering and research on best practices andavailable resources.

Protocols may be used here to generate feedback on plans or tobrainstorm on next steps.


with a number of communication and public-engagement strategies. Evenunflattering conclusions can be used by theschool to its advantage to foster improve-ment rather than fuel hostility. Reportingthe conclusions of your self-study represents a significant opportunity for you to commu-nicate directly with parents, media, and thecommunity at-large about how the school is performing. Below are suggestions fortaking full advantage of that opportunity.

plan ahead and be proactiveSchools that make good use of the conclu-sions of a self-study do a lot of planning atthe front end. What is the key message?Who should get summaries of the conclu-sions? How will they be disseminated? Howwill feedback from the public be collected?These are key questions to be addressed.Communications planning should beginearly in the self-study process and shouldfocus on developing relationships. Work tobuild healthy relationships with your com-munity, the families of students, and (insmaller communities) media contacts so that

when it is time to disseminate information,the task is more manageable. Don’t waituntil the tail end of the process, whenyou’re left to figure out how best to “spin”the results.

make reports easy to read:shorter is betterBe careful not to overload people with toomuch information. We suggest an “onionpeel” approach of providing all audienceswith a brief, easy-to-understand summaryof the conclusions of your self-study, withmore detailed information available forthose who want it.

invest in graphic design People are more likely to read a report that’sattractive and well organized, with clearheadlines. This kind of reporting does nothave to be expensive. Use readily availableclip art instead of fancy graphics or photo-graphs. People also like the use of color,although we suggest that those on a limitedbudget would be better off to put moneyinto design and writing rather than colorprinting.

make the conclusions meaningfulUnderstand that while people want per-formance data, in raw form it is often mean-ingless to families and the larger commu-nity. We suggest reporting self-study con-clusions within a broader context. In this eraof the bottom line, most people direct theirattention exclusively to outcome measures,such as test scores. A strength of the school-improvement process is its ability to makeschools more transparent. Consider usingthis transparency to create a better under-standing of what schools can do to helpchildren achieve high standards and whatyour particular school has done and isdoing. Also connect your self-study conclu-sions to bread-and-butter issues that peoplecare about such as safety, discipline, andachievement. Help the reader make the linkbetween things they care about and theoperations within a school that foster thosethings.

resources to prepare for external reviews• Some states, districts, and accrediting organizations require a

review by a team external to the school as part of the school-improvement process. A school might also want to invite anexternal team to serve as critical friends, even if it is notrequired. For more information about what a school needs to doto prepare for an external visit, see Appendix C: Preparing toHost an External Review.

• Appendix B: Creating a School Portfolio can also be useful whenan external review is planned.

• Appendix D: School Inquiry Process Map outlines tasks toaddress in an integrated school-improvement process that caninclude a self-study, an external review, or both.


be candid: present the good and the badThe public will want to know how good theschool is and what school personnel aregoing to do to improve performance. Thisshould be the central point of your report-ing. In a short summary, identify yourstrengths and successes, your challenges andshortcomings, and your immediate nextsteps. The last piece will be particularlyimportant if your self-study yields conclu-sions that are less than glowing. Presently,there is an overall lack of confidence in anda general frustration with public schools,particularly in urban areas. If a portion of aschool’s operation is unsatisfactory, schoolswill have to explain what they’re going to do to make improvements.

use credible and multiple messengersMany schools and districts assume that sim-ply preparing a report, sending it home in“backpack mail” and getting informationinto the local newspaper is sufficient.Research on school report cards found thatalthough most states and districts publishsuch reports, large majorities of parents andtaxpayers have never seen one. Indeed, halfthe educators interviewed said they hadnever seen a school report card.

We strongly urge administrators toensure that their front-line communicators,teachers, are familiar with the contents ofself-study conclusions and are prepared todiscuss them with parents and others in thecommunity. Research and common sensesuggest that teachers are the most crediblesources of information for parents (Educa-tion Commission of the States 1996).Teachers who aren’t part of the s it areoften left out of the information loop.Preparing all of your teachers to discussself-study conclusions will likely requiresome communications training, but it maybe the most cost-effective communicationsinvestment a school can make.

Evaluate Impact on Practice andOutcomesTo complete the self-study process andmake it into a cycle, plan when and how to evaluate the impact of your actions onschool practice and student outcomes. Youshould plan to examine, at regular intervals,whether school practice has really changedand whether student achievement has reallyimproved. This will take you back to thebeginning of a new cycle – revisiting youroriginal student-achievement goals, estab-lishing new student-achievement goals, anddeveloping new essential questions, basedon learning from the previous cycle.

As part of the evaluation process, it may be useful to prepare a school portfolio – acollection of artifacts or work that documentschool practices and that can provide a base-line for evaluation (See Appendix B: Creat-ing a School Portfolio). As evidence isadded, the portfolio can also demonstrategrowth over time of a school community. Itcan be shared both internally and with anexternal audience.

getting information to parentsBased on conclusions about school report cards, we suggest thatschools use multiple messengers to spread the word about schoolperformance. A priority for all schools should be getting informa-tion into the hands of families.

Sending self-study conclusions home with students or expectingparents to pick them up at school meetings is not enough.Approaches to consider are: direct home mailings, making conclu-sions available at a wide range of locations in the community(banks, hardware stores, community centers, supermarkets, etc.),presenting the information at meetings at schools and elsewhere,and making information available on the Internet.

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