Summary

Struggling

Aiden Billy Dakota Iris Jayne

Johnny Julianna

Kylie Maddy Silas Sophie Adam Alana Christian Cyrus Damian Dillon Ellie Jaron Leah Maia Madison Natalie November Shane Spencer Tyra Ulysses Daphne Madelaine Max Nia

Bold = Nonattendees Progressing Proficient

Figure 3.1: Example of grouped evidence.

From these data, the team may generate some questions such as the following.

• Why are the struggling students struggling? Why can’t we see much growth yet? • What are we doing well for the students who are progressing? How can we ensure they stay on track? • For the students who are proficient, how do we extend the learning targets?

As you examine the model schools outlined in the appendix (page 115), do you see practices that would address the challenges you are facing? This may help identify your first or next steps when analyzing your realities to locate goals and discussing methods for addressing them over time. Continuing to devote staff meeting time, collaboration time, and professional development time to addressing challenges and making midcourse corrections will help you achieve your desired outcomes. As you collaborate on the model schools, also celebrate your successes, and look to leverage those as you continue the work. The reproducible “Determining Areas of Greatest Need” (page 65) helps teams summarize what needs to happen during this part of your journey.

The first step in the journey toward high levels of learning for all students is to determine one’s current location. These courageous conversations are a part of the larger—and critically important—topic of school culture. Culture will ultimately be the reason why a school succeeds in guaranteeing that all students graduate

from high school ready for college or a skilled career, or alternatively, why school leaders struggle to get improvement efforts started or fail to sustain systematic improvement efforts.

The next chapter describes the steps that schools can take to ensure that good ideas and best intentions translate into high levels of student achievement, as well as help them anticipate what kind of blowback they will get from resisters.