Thanks to a new guidebook from the Department of Education, here are four steps to improving chronically low-performing schools:
Signal the need for dramatic change with strong leadership ... Maintain a consistent focus on improving instruction ... Make visible improvements early in the school turnaround process (quick wins) ... [and] Build a committed staff."
The panel of researchers that wrote the checklist said these are the best ideas they’ve found. But they warn that completing the list may not necessarily yield gains in student improvement.
“The recommendations in this guide are based on a collection of case studies of low-performing schools that improved student achievement in one to three years. The panel feels compelled to emphasize that the level of evidence is low because none of the studies examined for this practice guide is based on a research methodology that yields valid causal inference.”
