• Clear and Shared Focus
• High Standards and Expectations For All Students
• Effective Leadership
• High Levels of Communication and Collaboration
• Alignment of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment With Standards
• Frequent Monitoring of Learning and Teaching
• Focused Professional Development
• Supportive Learning Environment
• High Levels of Parent and Community Involvement

Districts focus on student achievement, on learning and teaching, and on results. Districts reflect shared beliefs and values and establish clear and meaningful goals to create a clear vision of change. Districts set goals, build commitment around goals, and remove competing programs/priorities when necessary.

These actions support schools in which

• all stakeholders know where they are going and why;
• the focus is on achieving a shared vision and all understand their role in achieving the vision; and
• the focus and vision are developed from common beliefs and values, creating a consistent direction for all involved.

  Guiding Questions  

• How does the district develop and share its focus on improving student learning?
  • Define district and school roles for curriculum and instruction.
  • Identify core values in strategic plans.
  • Address instructional goals, as well as goals for facilities and finance, in strategic plans.
  • Develop instructional goals and priorities based on student’s academic and behavioral needs. 
  • Ensure goals are consistent with district and/or school vision, mission, and priorities.

• How does the district and/or school know that its focus and mission are shared?
  • Build and ensure commitment to vision, mission and focus in the hiring and induction/mentoring processes.
  • Build and ensure commitment to vision, mission and focus within current staff.

• How does the district emphasize closing achievement gaps among students?
  • Articulate core purpose as focus on equity in student learning, both to accelerate students’ learning to close achievement gaps and to enhance students’ learning to achieve high standards.
  • Communicate clear vision of the desired results and expected changes.
  • Include clear and meaningful goals related to accountability for results in student learning within improvement plans.
   

• How are the district-wide visions of powerful teaching and learning developed and implemented?  

• How are the school-wide visions of powerful teaching and learning developed and implemented?  

• Is there a clear connection between the two?
  • Communicate clear vision of the desired results and changes expected in teaching and learning.
  • Collaboratively determine visions of powerful teaching and learning, and communicate both in district documents.
  • Provide professional development to support teachers to attain the skills and knowledge to implement those visions.
  • Frequently monitor both teaching and learning to support implementation of these visions.

Districts hold all adults in the system accountable for student learning. Districts have clear expectations for instruction and apply consistent pressure on schools for improved outcomes for students. Superintendents expect excellence of all. Districts exhibit intensive attention to classroom practice and provide guidance and oversight for teaching and improvement of learning for all students. Central office has responsibility for defining goals and standards. Schools have latitude in use of resources and influence over issues important to school staff in supporting high standards and expectations for all students.

These actions support schools in which

• teachers and staff believe that all students can learn and meet high standards;
• while recognizing that some students must overcome significant barriers, these obstacles are not seen as insurmountable; and
• students are offered an ambitious and rigorous course of study. 

Guiding Questions

• How does the district monitor reform and change efforts to maintain pressure for improved learning?
  • Use data focused on learning and classroom practices to inform instruction.
  • Support systemic use of data to improve classroom practice to increase student achievement and to close achievement gaps.
  • Provide professional development to support administrators to effectively monitor staff.

• How does the district support and monitor school implementation of relevant and rigorous class work for all students?
  • Support providing a full range of curriculum for all students in policy and practice.
  • Articulate visions for powerful teaching and learning and essential content to be mastered by all students.
  • Provide latitude for schools in use of resources and influence over issues important to school staff in supporting high standards and expectations for all students.

• How does the district communicate high standards for teaching and learning and monitor implementation of these standards?
  • Support frequent monitoring of staff to hold them accountable.
  • Develops processes to monitor accountability and to provide feedback to adults in the system.
  • Support systemic use of data to improve classroom practice to increase student achievement and to close achievement gaps.
  • Support providing a full range of curriculum for all students in policy and practice.
  • Central office staff and superintendent focus intensive attention on classroom practice.
  • Provide professional development to support administrators to effectively monitor staff.
   

• How do district leaders model the belief that all students can learn to high standards; how does the district help all staff to share this belief and behave accordingly?
  • Expect excellence of all, and monitor and provide feedback relative to this expectation.
  • Provide guidance and oversight for improvement of learning for all students.

• How do district leaders, principals and teacher leaders define, describe and elicit quality student work?
  • Provide professional development to support administrators to effectively monitor staff.
  • Articulate visions for powerful teaching and learning and essential content.
  • Provide guidance and oversight for improvement of learning for all students.

• How does the district lead and support schools to close achievement gaps among students?
  • Provide guidance and oversight for improvement of learning for all students.
  • Support providing a full range of curriculum for all students in policy and practice.
  • Provide professional development and guidance to staff to improve classroom practice.
  • Provide latitude for schools in use of resources and influence over issues important to school staff in supporting high standards and expectations for all students.

 

Leadership is described as ethical and distributed among adults within the system. These leadership roles can include the superintendent, district leaders, principals and teacher leaders. District leaders are described as dynamic, united in purpose, involved, visible in schools and interested in instruction. Leaders provide encouragement, recognition and support. All district administrators have roles in improving teaching over time. Leaders have clear expectations for instruction, hold themselves and others accountable and provide consistent support for improved student achievement.

These behaviors and actions support schools in which

• effective instructional and administrative leadership is required to implement change processes;
• effective leaders are proactive and seek help that is needed, nurturing an instructional program and school culture conducive to learning and professional growth;
• effective leaders can have different styles and roles; and
• teachers and other staff, including those in the district office, have a leadership role.

  Guiding Questions

• What is the central focus of senior administrators and other leaders in the district?
  • Make student learning a primary reference point for decision making and resource allocation.
  • Lead and support schools in closing achievement gaps among their students.
  • Improve teaching and increase student achievement in meeting standards over time.
  • Educate school board members in school an improvement agenda and engage them as part of the district learning community.

• How do leaders demonstrate their commitment to student learning and improved instruction?
  • Hold district leaders and others accountable for student learning.
  • Distribute leadership among the superintendent, central office, staff, principals and teacher leaders.
  • Define administrative roles to align with district instructional focus.
  • Provide expert staff and other resources to schools to help with focused improvement efforts.
  • Lead and support schools in closing achievement gaps among their students.

• How does district leadership work with unions to collaborate and focus on student learning?
  • Develop plans and guidelines to address student learning in collaboration with the unions.
  • Provide opportunities and build capacity of teacher leaders.
  • Provide encouragement, recognition and support.

• How is data used in decision-making processes?
  • Guide a process of inquiry into district-wide organization and performance.
  • Hold district leaders and others accountable for student learning.

• How does district leadership support school improvement; i.e., ESD partnerships, consultants, etc.?
  • Make student learning a primary reference point for decision making and resource allocation.
  • Strategically use external requirements and resources to advance improvement efforts.
  • Provide expert staff and other resources to schools to help with focused improvement efforts.
  • Lead and support schools in closing achievement gaps among their students.

• How do district and school administrators lead and support schools in closing achievement gaps among students?
  • Demonstrate commitment through unity of purpose, visibility in schools and intensive focus on instruction.
  • Provide encouragement, recognition and support.
  • Make student learning a primary reference point for decision making and resource allocation.
  • Frequently monitor teaching and learning, and hold district leaders and others accountable for student learning.
  • Provide expert staff and other resources to schools to help with focused improvement efforts.
  • District leaders and others accountable for student learning.

 

Districts build a culture of commitment, collegiality, mutual respect and stability. Professional norms include peer support, collaboration, trust, shared responsibility and continuous learning for the adults in the system. Professional learning communities are developed to build teacher knowledge and skill and to change instruction across the system. Districts also develop professional learning communities.

These actions support schools in which

• there is strong teamwork among teachers across all grades and with other staff; and
• everybody is involved and connected to each other, including parents and members of the community, to identify problems and work on solutions.

  Guiding Questions

• What district policies/governance support communication and collaboration among staff? Parents? Community?
  • Develop collaborative efforts among staff to build teacher knowledge and skill and to change instruction across the system.
  • Develop professional learning community at district office level.
  • Collaborate with the teachers’ association to address school and district improvement.
  • Allocate resources to schools to support communication and collaboration among staff and with parents/community.  

• How does the district communicate and collaborate with stakeholders about instructional focus? School improvement? Use of data?
  • Communicate vision of powerful teaching and learning and of essential curriculum.
  • Focus intensive attention on classroom practice (superintendent and central office).
  • Review data collaboratively; ensure data is relevant and usable.
  • How does the district support school level communication and collaboration efforts; e.g., time, staff, technology, dollars?  
  • Communicate the need for and lead efforts to close achievement gaps among students.
  • Develop professional learning communities among staff to build teacher knowledge and skill and to change instruction across the system. 

• How does the district build a culture of commitment, collegiality, mutual respect and stability?
  • Embed collaboration among teachers in professional development activities.
  • Communicate the need for and lead efforts to close achievement gaps among students.
  • Develop professional norms of peer support, collaboration, trust, shared responsibility and continuous learning for adults in the system.

 

Districts align curriculum with standards, assessments, and policies. Curriculum is adopted district-wide and there is a centralized and coordinated approach to curriculum. Districts use multiple measures to assess learning.

These actions support schools in which

• the planned and actual curriculums are aligned with the essential academic learning requirements (EALRs) and grade level expectations (GLEs) and are consistently delivered;
• research-based teaching strategies and materials are used;
• staff understands the role of classroom and state assessments, what the assessments measure and how student work is evaluated; and
• staff uses data from multiple assessments, including state assessments, to plan instruction.

  Guiding Questions

• How does the district lead efforts to align learning standards with the state standards and assessments?
  • Support alignment of curriculum, instruction and assessment with state standards in policy, procedures and practice.
  • Provide professional development to increase staff skills in alignment of curriculum, instruction and assessment with the state standards and assessments.
  • How do district policies support alignment of curriculum, instruction and assessment?
  • Align the written, taught and tested curriculum.
  • Implement policies addressing alignment of curriculum, instruction and assessment to support closing achievement gaps among students.
  • Use multiple measures to systematically assess student learning.
  • Focus on early differentiated interventions for students in danger of not meeting grade level expectations; offer extended learning opportunities to accelerate students.

• What are the processes for coordinating curriculum district-wide?
  • Align curriculum horizontally and vertically district-wide.
  • Align the written, taught and tested curriculums.
  • Lead a centralized and coordinated approach to curriculum.
  • How are resources allocated to support the process of improving instruction?
  • Allocate resources to support district-wide core curriculum.
  • Focus first priority on providing support, resources and academic coaches to struggling schools.
  • Provide professional development to support use of research-based teaching strategies.

• How does the implementation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment support closing achievement gaps among students?
  • Align curriculum horizontally and vertically district-wide.
  • Use multiple measures to systematically assess student learning.
  • Use research-based teaching strategies.
  • Provide a full range of challenging curriculum for all students and support for them to meet curriculum goals.

 

Districts use data-based evidence to monitor results, to make instructional decisions, and for accountability. District staff assists schools in gathering and using data. Districts hold all adults in the system accountable for student learning, beginning with the superintendent, district staff and principals. Districts have clear expectations for student achievement and apply consistent pressure on schools for measurable improvement in student achievement. Superintendents expect excellence of all, and monitor expectations and provide feedback.

These actions support schools in which

• a steady cycle of different assessments identifies students who need help;
• more support and instructional time are provided, either during the school day or outside normal school hours, to students who need more help;
• teaching is adjusted based on frequent monitoring of student progress and needs; and
• assessment results are used to focus and improve instructional programs.

  Guiding Questions

• How does the district support teachers to gain the knowledge and skills described by the vision of powerful teaching and learning and essential content?
  • Collaboratively determine and articulate visions for powerful teaching and learning and essential content.
  • Provide job-embedded professional development for staff to improve classroom practice.
  • Focus intensive attention on classroom practice (superintendent and central office).

• How does the district support principals to lead teachers to attain those levels of expertise?
  • Provide professional development supporting administrators to effectively monitor staff.
  • Provide professional development that supports school and district priorities based on student and staff needs.
  • Support frequent monitoring of staff to hold them accountable for implementation of powerful teaching and learning in the classroom.

• How do teachers monitor improvement of student achievement?
  • Support use of data focusing on learning and classroom practices to inform instruction.
  • Use data system-wide to improve classroom practice to increase student achievement and to close achievement gaps.

• How does the district gather and use data to monitor teaching and learning?
  • Support use of data focusing on learning and classroom practices to inform instruction.
  • Use data system-wide to improve classroom practice to increase student achievement and to close achievement gaps.
   

• How does the district support principals and teachers in gathering and using data?
  • Provide professional development on collection, use and dissemination of data.
  • Provide professional development in how to use data from multiple assessments to inform instructional process.
  • Ensure that data is relevant and usable.

• How do district and schools use data to inform work in closing achievement gaps?
  • Support use of data focusing on learning and classroom practices to inform instruction.
  • Use data system-wide to improve classroom practice to increase student achievement and to close achievement gaps.

 

Districts may be providers or brokers of high-quality professional development programs that are focused on classroom practice, include on-site coaching, and are intensive and ongoing. Professional development support is provided based on needs identified at the school through data-based evidence designed to monitor results in teaching and learning. Professional learning communities are developed to build teacher knowledge and skills, and to change instruction across the system. These actions support schools in which

• a strong emphasis is placed on training staff in areas of most need;
• feedback from learning and teaching focuses extensive and ongoing professional development; and
• the support is also aligned with the school or district vision and objectives.

Guiding Questions

• How are the principles of learning implemented in classrooms? 
  • Focus professional development offerings on classroom practice with follow-up for application and implementation.
  • Include a variety of professional development formats such as job-embedded, collaborative work and support for a professional learning community.

• How does the district build staff capacity in the district and in schools?
  • Support and lead staff at all levels to view themselves as learners and to model pursuit of feedback and new skills.
  • Include a variety of professional development formats such as job-embedded, collaborative work and support for a professional learning community.
  • Build school-level capacity through coaching, site-based facilitators, collaboration, etc.
  • Develop professional learning communities at both the school level and the district level.

• How does the district provide opportunities to communicate and collaborate as part of professional development? 
  • Provide opportunity for vertical and horizontal collaboration and alignment.
  • Review data collaboratively; ensure data is relevant and usable.
  • Embed collaboration among teachers in professional development activities.

• How does the district reflect research-based professional development practices?
  • Build capacity and expectation for use of learned skills through professional development.
  • Address cultural competence and high expectations for all students in professional development.
  • Customize professional development to match needs identified at the school level.
  • Provide a continuum for professional development opportunities to address the developmental/differentiated needs of staff.

• How does the district ensure coherence between professional development policies and implementation of practices at the classroom level?
  • Monitor implementation of professional development focus and strategies through supervision at the school and classroom levels.
  • Focus on professional development and expectation for participation and implementation through policy and procedures.
  • Provide training for administrators based both on standards of instructional leadership and on monitoring of teaching and learning.

• How does the district support use of multiple measures and analysis of data?
  • Provide professional development for both district and school staff to support use of multiple measures and analysis of data to inform classroom instruction.
  • Ensure that data is “safe” and “usable.”

• How does professional development support school leaders and teachers in closing achievement gaps in their school?
  • Design professional development offerings based on analysis of data on student needs.
  • Address staff and student needs based on closing achievement gaps among students in each school in professional development.
  • Provide professional development to support teacher use of multiple measures and analysis of data in making instructional decisions regarding individual students.
  • Address cultural competence and high expectations for all students in professional development.

 

Districts ensure that all students are valued and honored throughout the system and assist schools in creating learning environments that provide appropriate instruction for diverse learning. They also ensure that schools are safe, healthy and inviting environments for students and their families. Districts provide professional development to support staff in developing and implementing high expectations for student behavior. Districts develop and maintain procedures to guide student behavior and provide guidelines for dealing effectively with crises.

In order to support schools in which

• students feel respected and connected with the staff and are engaged in learning;
• the school has a safe, civil, healthy and intellectually stimulating learning environment; and
• instruction is personalized and small learning environments increase student contact with teachers.

  Guiding Questions

• How does the district support staff in personalizing instruction so all students succeed?
  • Assist schools in creating learning environments that provide appropriate instruction for diverse learning.
  • Provide professional development to support teachers in using differentiated instruction.
  • Guide schools in developing culturally relevant educational practices.
  • Support schools to develop a collaborative climate, which includes students in problem-solving and decision-making.

• How does the district build caring environments that foster student resilience?
  • Ensure that schools are safe, healthy and inviting environments.
  • Guide schools in developing culturally relevant educational practices.
  • Ensure that all students are valued and honored throughout the system.
  • Provide a learning environment for teachers and students that ensures that they feel safe to try new things and take on new challenges to increase their learning.

• How does the district support schools to provide culturally relevant educational practices?
  • Assist schools in creating learning environments that provide appropriate instruction for diverse learning.
  • Provide professional development to support teachers in using differentiated instruction.

• How does the district create district and school environments that encourage staff and students to try new things and take on new challenges to increase their learning?
  • Ensure that schools are safe, healthy and inviting environments.
  • Support schools to develop a collaborative climate, which includes students in problem solving and decision making.
  • Provide a learning environment for teachers and students that ensures that they feel safe to try new things and take on new challenges to increase their learning.

• How do district leaders demonstrate that they honor and value students from all backgrounds?
  • Ensure that schools are safe, healthy and inviting environments.
  • Assist schools in creating learning environments that provide appropriate instruction for diverse learning.
  • Guide schools in developing culturally relevant educational practices.

• How does the district support safe and supportive learning environments, addressing classroom management, legal rights and responsibilities of students and staff, and crisis management?
  • Develop and maintain procedures to guide student behavior.
  • Provide guidelines for dealing effectively with crises.
  • Provide professional development to support staff in developing and implementing high expectations for student behavior.
  • Provide professional development to assist schools in understanding the connection between engaging classroom instruction and student behavior.

 

Districts mobilize and manage community and business support and involve family and community as partners. Districts build a culture of commitment, collegiality, mutual respect and stability.

These actions support schools in which

• there is a sense that all have a responsibility to educate students, not just the teachers and staff in the schools;
• and families, businesses, social service agencies and community colleges/universities all play a vital role in this effort.

  Guiding Questions

• How does the district support increased parent communication and involvement at all levels?
  • Collaborate to build ownership regarding parent roles, responsibilities and programs to support student achievement.
  • Communicate with families from all cultures and socio-economic groups in the schools.
  • Use multiple strategies to reach families, including translation of written and oral communication into the first language of the home.
  • Focus special attention on including parents from groups who tend to be underrepresented among parents involved in schools (e.g., special education, ELL, ethnic/racial and economically disadvantaged).

• How does the district support increased communication and involvement of the community at all levels?
  • Mobilize community support and share school successes with the community.
  • Collaborate with community to gather, use and disseminate information.
  • Develop formal relationships (e.g., businesses adopt schools) and informal relationships (e.g., “lunch buddies”) with the community.
  • Engage in vigorous outreach to ensure representation of all groups represented in the community.

• How does the district ensure authentic parent and community participation in decision making at district and school levels?
  • Collaborate to build ownership regarding parent roles and responsibilities to support student achievement.
  • Implement programs designed to increase parent and community involvement.
  • Participate in shared decision making with parents and community at the district and school levels.
  • Focus special attention on including parents from groups who tend to be underrepresented among parents involved in schools (e.g., special education, ELL, ethnic/racial and economically disadvantaged).

• How does the district support administrators and staff to work effectively with parents and community?
  • Describe expectations for creating a welcoming environment for parents and community at all levels (K-12).
  • Provide professional development programs to train staff in effective involvement of families and the community.
  • Allocate adequate resources to support implementation of programs to support parent and community involvement.  

• What collaborative efforts does the district support to build formal and informal relationships with the community?
  • Participate in shared decision making with parents and community at the district and school levels.
  • Develop formal relationships (e.g., businesses adopt schools) and informal relationships (e.g., “lunch buddies”) with the community.  
  • Collaborate with community to gather, use and disseminate information.