School Improvement Through Performance Feedback PDF Download

The School Improvement Specialist Project prepared seven modules. School improvement specialists, as defined by the Appalachia Educational Laboratory at Edvantia, are change agents who work with schools to help them improve in the following areas so as to increase student achievement. These modules are intended to provide training materials for educators seeking professional development to prepare them for a new level of work. The following modules are presented in this document: (1) Shared Leadership Module; (2) Learning Culture Module; (3) School-Family-Community Connections; (4) Effective Teaching; (5) Shared Goals for Learning; (6) Aligned and Balanced Curriculum; and (7) Purposeful Student Assessment. each module has three sections: (1) Standards: Each set of content standards and performance indicators helps school improvement specialists assess their skills and knowledge related to each topic. The rubric format provides both a measurement for self-assessment and goals for self-improvement. (2) Improving Schools: These briefs provide research--and practice-based information to help school improvement specialists consider how they might address strengths and weaknesses in the schools where they work. The information contained in the briefs is often appropriate for sharing with teachers and principals; each includes information about strategies and practices that can be implemented in schools, resources to be consulted for more information, tools for facilitating thinking about and working on school issues, and real-life stories from school improvement specialists who offer their advice and experiences. (3) Literature Review: The reviews of research literature summarize the best available information about the topic of each module. They can be used by school improvement specialists to expand their knowledge base and shared with school staffs as part of professional development activities. This matrix measures the extent to which a school improvement specialist has the knowledge and skills to following characteristics: (1) a widespread view among all stakeholders that leadership is shared; (2) the existence of mechanisms for involving teachers, students, and parents in decision making; (3) opportunities for leadership development among the members of the school community; (4) the sharing of information and open flow of communications; and (5) school administrators actively listening to and soliciting the input of others. [This document was produced by the Appalachia Educational Laboratory at Edvantia, formerly the Appalachian Educational Laboratory (AEL, Inc.).].