SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
for ALL
A How-To Guide for Doing the Right Work
Sharon V. KramerSarah Schuhl
Copyright © 2017 by Solution Tree Press
Materials appearing here are copyrighted. With one exception, all rights are reserved. Readers may reproduce only those pages marked “Reproducible.” Otherwise, no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission of the publisher.
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Printed in the United States of America
21 20 19 18 17 1 2 3 4 5
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Kramer, Sharon V., author. | Schuhl, Sarah, author.
Title: School improvement for all : a how-to guide for doing the right work / Sharon V. Kramer and Sarah Schuhl.
Description: Bloomington, IN : Solution Tree Press, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017005335 | ISBN 9781943874828 (perfect bound)
Subjects: LCSH: School improvement programs--United States. | School management and organization--United States. | Educational change--United States.
Classification: LCC LB2822.82 .K72 2017 | DDC 371.2/07--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017005335
Solution Tree
Jeffrey C. Jones, CEO
Edmund M. Ackerman, President
Solution Tree Press
President and Publisher: Douglas M. Rife
Editorial Director: Sarah Payne-Mills
Managing Production Editor: Caroline Weiss
Senior Production Editor: Suzanne Kraszewski
Senior Editor: Amy Rubenstein
Copy Editor: Miranda Addonizio
Proofreader: Evie Madsen
Text and Cover Designer: Laura Cox
Editorial Assistants: Jessi Finn and Kendra Slayton
We dedicate this book to the tireless work ofeducators striving to improve the learningof each and every student. Because ofyou, lives are being saved and doors ofopportunity continue to be opened.
Acknowledgments
This book stands on the shoulders of many leaders and pioneers in our education community. None are as impactful as Richard DuFour, who not only wrote prolifically about the work that matters most to students but also made that work come alive in his experiences as principal and superintendent at Adlai E. Stevenson High School. He, Robert Eaker, and Rebecca DuFour, the founders of Professional Learning Communities at Work™, have had an everlasting influence on our work and the work of countless others across the world. We are eternally grateful for the opportunity to learn from them. We share a special bond with Rick, Bob, and Becky that we cherish.
We are also fortunate to have the passionate support of Jeff Jones, the chief executive officer of Solution Tree, and the entire Solution Tree family. We are especially indebted to Douglas Rife, president and publisher of Solution Tree Press, for his encouragement along the way and Suzanne Kraszewski, our editor, for her attention to detail. Shannon Ritz, Claudia Wheatley, and countless others at Solution Tree support us each and every day.
In addition, our colleagues and friends—fellow Solution Tree associates who we have had the privilege of working alongside for years—have challenged us to grow in so many ways. They work endlessly on behalf of students and travel across the world often missing time with their families to spread the message that all students can learn.
Finally, this book could not have been written without the endless work of the educators in schools across the United States that have invited us on their continuous-improvement journeys. We learn so much from them as they work through the challenges and struggles schools that serve at-risk populations face. Their tireless focus on students is what keeps us going. This book is really their story.
Last, but not least, we have had the good fortune of coauthoring this book and are grateful to our families for their support. Continuous improvement for all is our passion. We believe all students should have the same options and opportunities that we want for our own children and grandchildren. This book represents our contribution to learning for all.
Solution Tree Press would like to thank the following reviewers:
Janel Keating
Superintendent
White River School District
Buckley, Washington
Barbara Phillips
Director of Data, Accountability, and Continuous Improvement
Windsor Central School District
Windsor, New York
Karen Branscombe Power
Educational Consultant
Moncton, New Brunswick
Canada
Jeanne Spiller
Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning
Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District 96
Buffalo Grove, Illinois
Mona Toncheff
Educational Consultant
Phoenix, Arizona
Megann Tresemer
Curriculum Professional Development Leader
Cedar Falls Community School District
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Mary White
Director of Elementary Programs and School Improvement
Martin County School District
Stuart, Florida
Visit go.SolutionTree.com/PLCbooks to download the free reproducibles in this book.
Table of Contents