Beyond Islands of Excellence: What Districts Can Do to Improve Instruction and Achievement in All Schools

Author: Togneri, W.
Publisher: Learning First Alliance
Publication Date: 2003, March
Publication City: Washington
Publication State: DC
Full text available online at: http://www.learningfirst.org/lfa-web/rp?pa=doc&docId=63

Abstract (written by WestEd)

This Leadership Brief presents key findings of a full report by the same title, researched and published by the Learning First Alliance. After researching five high-poverty districts with a record of increasing student achievement, the author identifies seven factors that were essential to that improvement, describes challenges to the systemwide instructional improvement, outlines ten lessons learned, makes recommendations for taking action and for individual stakeholders, and suggests next steps.

The seven factors identified as essential to student improvement are:

1. Districts had the courage to acknowledge poor performance and the will to seek solutions.
   
2. Districts put in place a systemwide approach to improving instruction — one that articulated curricular content and provided instructional supports.
   
3. Districts instilled visions that focused on student learning and guided instructional improvement.
   
4. Districts made decisions based on data, not instinct.
   
5. Districts adopted new approaches to professional development that involved a coherent and district-organized set of strategies to improve instruction.
   
6. Districts redefined leadership roles.
   
7. Districts committed to sustaining reform over the long haul.