Since July of 2017, approximately 72 Kansas school districts and approximately 183 schools have volunteered to redesign their schools around four redesign principles as part of the Kansans Can School Redesign Project. The earliest cohort of volunteer schools were led by the two redesign specialists through a planning process that included engaging…

Community schools have gained attention as mechanisms to bring about equitable access to high-quality educational resources, extended learning time and opportunities, integrated student supports, and collaborative engaging relationships with parents and communities. In order to effectively create conditions that provide equitable access to such…

In 2009, the Coalition for Community Schools at the Institute for Educational Leadership (CCS-IEL) embarked on an ambitious action research and development project, leveraging the community school system infrastructure present in three geographic regions (Tulsa, Oklahoma; Multnomah County, Oregon; Albuquerque, New Mexico) to advance research and…

This case study presents data to support the notion that turnaround school policy can improve the efficiency of how traditionally low-performing schools function. The schools that were successful in implementing the UVA Turnaround Program training developed a clear understanding of the expectations for participating in the UVA Turnaround Program…

In this ethnographic case study, Ann M. Ishimaru examines how a collaboration emerged and evolved between a low-income Latino parent organizing group and the leadership of a rapidly changing school district. Using civic capacity and community organizing theories, Ishimaru seeks to understand the role of parents, goals, strategies, and change…

Provides an overview of a six-year collaborative literacy project. Discusses several key elements, processes, and beliefs that played a crucial role in the transformation of literacy practices in a small K-8 school district. Discusses time for growth, literate and thoughtful inservice sessions, imaginative expansion of roles, ongoing support and…

Educational reform efforts have increasingly focused on students at risk of school failure. Educational reform in the 1990s shows a trend toward large-scale restructuring of schools. This document explores the relationship between reform-restructuring schools, and improving educational outcomes for students at risk. Two main questions are posed:…

This report describes principles of community organization that can contribute to sustainable community renewal. Community is composed of social networks which form the community infrastructure. Relationships among people with the same roles are passive; relationships that cross role boundaries are active. Communities that exhibit active…

Offers reflections from eight people (administrators, teachers, and parents) who all took part in the collaborative transformation of literacy practices in a small K-8 school district. Discusses growth processes, connections across role boundaries, and staff development. Appends a list of recommended readings. (SR)

School communities feel pressure to dramatically improve the educational experience of students and principals are confronted with the need to lead their staff and community in examining current practice and implementing changes that respond to these demands. Leading school change is one of the most complex tasks faced by a school leader. The…

This booklet presents the story of Benito Martinez Elementary, one urban elementary school in the midst of change and renewal. It is one of 85 schools with which the National Institute for Urban School Improvement is involved in partnerships for change. Through the stories of parents, students, teachers, and administrators, the booklet describes…

Describes the development of a long-term plan for the transformation of literacy practices in a small K-8 school district. Discusses the superintendent's role in facilitating the change process. Appends a sample project action plan presented to the board of education and three sample school board presentations. (SR)

In 1997, AEL, a regional educational laboratory, invited more than 100 people from 18 primarily rural school communities in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia to join the QUEST network, a 3-year program dedicated to building quality learning communities that support high levels of student and adult performance. School stories from…

Describes the fruitful and sometimes challenging collaborations within a small K-8 school district transforming its literacy practices, from the points of view of a fifth-grade teacher and a fourth-grade teacher in two different schools. Discusses the resulting development of literature-based and integrated units in their classrooms. (SR)

Details two of the many staff-community collaborations that supported the reading and writing growth of children in a small K-8 school district transforming its literacy practices. Describes the publishing center at Bee Meadow Elementary School, and a district-wide, week-long celebration of writing. (SR)