How are decisions on improving student achievement made in your schools and districts?
Have you been involved in school improvement planning? Have your seen your district improvement plan? Does your district have a strategic plan? What student performance trends have you seen in these plans? What celebrations have your observed? What concerns do you have on student performance? Are there clear goals and objectives on these plans?
These are some fundamental questions we must answer as campus and district improvement teams to improve student achievement. Decisions must be made based on evidence, to continuously improve practice. You must also understand the context in which your schools and districts operate.
The questions posed here are for a variety of stakeholders to consider. Stakeholders have specific roles and responsibilities to fulfill their parts in answering these questions. Most believe they know what needs to be done to improve student achievement, and they suggest they know who should do the necessary steps, but the how of implementing necessary change remains the mystery and is usually avoided in the conversations.