This report, which spotlights research on successful school districts, provides districts with a road map to reach their destination of improved student achievement. Supporting School Improvement: Lessons from Districts Successfully Meeting the Challenge, presents the findings of four studies highlighting school districts--most high poverty and at risk--that have achieved academic progress. As the authors attest, “school districts can have a profound and positive impact on school improvement efforts.” For improvement efforts to work, district-level leadership and support are critical, according to the report. The four studies focus on the key characteristics of successful district-level programs.
The districts profiled in the report prove student success is indeed an achievable goal. In the wake of NCLB, this is a much-needed piece of good news for many districts that may be found to be “low-performing.”
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Studies of the Charles A. Dana Center in Texas
- The Educational Research Service and Laboratory for School Success Study
- The Council of the Great City Schools Study
- The Learning First Alliance Study
- Implications for Leading Change Efforts