GROUP1


 * District Continuous Improvement Continuums**
 * LEADERSHIP**



|| || || || || || || The School Board is decision maker. Decisions are reactive to state, district, and federal mandates. Three is no knowledge of continuous improvement. || A shared decision-making structure is put into place and discussions begin on how to achieve a district vision. Most decisions are focused on solving problems and are reactive. || District leadership team is committed to continuous improvement. Leadership seeks inclusion of all school sectors and supports study teams by making time provisions for their work. || District leadership team represents a true shared decision-making structure. Study teams are reconstructed for the implementation of a comprehensive continuous improvement plan. || A strong continuous improvement structure is set into place that allows for input from all sectors of the district, school, and community, ensuring strong communication, flexibility, and refinement of approach and beliefs. The district vision is student focused, based on data and appropriate for district/school/community values, and meeting student needs. || || The School Board makes all decisions, with little or no input from administrators, teachers, the community, or students. Leadership inspects for mistakes. || District values and beliefs are identified; the purpose of district is defined; a district mission and student learning standards are developed with representative input. A structure for studying approaches to achieving student learning standards is established. || The district leadership team is active on study teams and integrates recommendations from the teams’ research and analyses to form a comprehensive plan for continuous improvement within the context of the district mission. Everyone is kept informed. || Decisions about budget and implementation of the vision are made within teams, by the school board, by the leadership team, by the individual schools, and by the full staff, as appropriate. All decisions are communicated to the leadership team and to the full staff. || The vision is implemented and articulated across all grade levels and into feeder schools. Quality standards are reinforced throughout the district. All members of the district community understand and apply the quality standards. Leadership team has systematic interactions and involvement with district administrators, teachers, parents, community, and students about the district’s direction. Necessary resources are available to implement and measure staff learning related to student learning standards. || || Although the decision-making process is clearly known, decisions are reactive and lack focus and consistency. There is no evidence of staff commitment to a shared vision. Students and parents do not feel they are being heard. || The mission provides a focus for all district and school improvement and guides the action to the vision. The school community is committed to continuous improvement. Quality leadership techniques are used sporadically. || The district leadership team is seen as committed to planning and quality improvement. Critical areas for improvement are identified. Faculty feel included in shared decision making. || There is evidence that the district leadership team listens to all levels of the organization. Implementation of the continuous improvement plan is linked to student learning standards and the guiding principles of the school. Leadership capacity for implementing the vision throughout the district is evident. || Teachers understand and display an intimate knowledge of how the school and district operate. Schools support and communicate with each other in the implementation of quality strategies. Teachers implement the vision in their classrooms and can determine how their new approaches meet student needs and lead to the attainment of student learning standards. ||
 * One**
 * Two**
 * Three**
 * Four**
 * Five**
 * Approach**
 * Approach**
 * Implementation**
 * Implementation**
 * Outcome**
 * Outcome**

From: Education for the Future Initiative, Chico, CA. 1991-2004, p. 278.