We were working in a small rural area and on the drive into town we noticed a small, well built brick hospital, clearly named after some heroic nurse who once served the community.
Later that day we asked one of our local colleagues in casual conversation about the hospital to see if that is where the new baby they were expecting was to be born. A few quick glances and the reply was swift. "Oh no...you don't go there if you can help it…we drive up to Brampton.
On the drive out that night, it made us think how similar that reaction was to how some people think about schools. They might look sweet and inviting on the outside, but when you talk to the locals they know what goes on in those rooms.
We know it's possible to make an individual school good. But what does it take to get all of the schools in a school district to be great?
We have seen amazing and across–the-board improvements in even large districts when everyone is working together to support the work of the schools around making all schools great. We have worked in districts with as few as five schools and as many as 209 schools. In all situations where all levels of leadership was committed to success, there have been significant improvements in both instructional practice and student performance within two years.
Since the whole system is working towards the support of effective instruction, districtwide practices and policies have changed along with site practices. It greatly increases the likelihood of having those gains last over time. We would describe these districts as "Results Systems."
Over the last ten years, the education establishment has been challenged to improve the service they provide for students through increasingly rigorous demands for accountability for improved student learning. The response to these demands has varied widely and provided uneven results in districts throughout North America.
There are some districts focused on creating a relentless culture of performance and accountability. They have begun to use results systems as a means to connect analysis to action and produce results. Throughout the organization, they set critical metrics and work to meet them. They produce gains in student learning because they do what is working and end practices that are not. Focus on Results has worked with many of the leaders of these districts that have demonstrated the ability to create results systems to improve learning for every student. From these real-world experiences, we have developed some critical attributes in districts that are embracing a culture of performance and accountability.
Leadership in these districts engages in frank, open and honest discussions with their community and staff about the challenges they face. They create a sense of urgency around the need to improve service and student learning results. The leaders are clear with the community and with all staff that the chief goal of the system is to ensure all students graduate prepared for college and careers. They reject the impulse to make increased testing and accountability their nemesis.
Successful leaders actively work to create a culture to move the organization from compliance to service orientation. To fully implement this cultural transformation toward results systems, leaders do the following:
A component of the system of pressure and support is a robust system of school and central accountability. ‘What good work looks like' is clearly defined for ALL schools and offices as are key metrics that indicate the progress of each school and office. All schools and central units are evaluated regularly using a consistent process, which includes data analysis and regular walk throughs. Leaders are trained and supported to use this information to augment and accelerate school and district improvement efforts. The aim is to make data analysis and regular visitation feedback a part of an ongoing system of pressure and support and not a static "annual external check."
District leadership groups schools and units based on performance and leadership strengths, and designs a system of appropriate rewards, sanctions and interventions for the differentiated needs of school and office groupings.
Overall school results are posted publicly at the school and throughout the district using easy to understand metrics. All staff are expected to understand the metrics and how they tie to the district framework for improved results.
One of the chief aspects of the "support" side of the system is the targeted professional development provided for school and central unit leaders. At a minimum, a monthly system of training in concrete tools and processes is provided for these leaders. Training develops the leaders' skills in goal setting, performance metrics and the use of data. It also develops leadership capacity to help replicate these activities with their staff. These sessions give the opportunity for district leadership to re-emphasize key messages, urgency, action and results, which in turn helps facilitate cultural transformation. In addition to training, schools and units are provided with ongoing follow-up coaching feedback and on-site support, both individually and in group settings, to ensure the content of the trainings translate to application and implementation back at the school or office.
When these critical attributes are in place, results happen. Districts large and small have seen results in a short period of time. After only a few years of this work, under the leadership of Superintendent Dianne Rutledge, EVERY school in Springfield, Illinois was able to meet AYP for the first time….Ever. Places like that make it easy to imagine districts where EVERY school is a good school and EVERY school is a great place to send our kids.