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First Things FirstFirst Things First::A Framework and Supports A Framework and Supports
For District and School ReformFor District and School Reform
Steve GeringSteve Gering
Kansas City Kansas Public SchoolsKansas City Kansas Public SchoolsInstitute for Research and Reform in EducationInstitute for Research and Reform in Education
St. Louis, MOSt. Louis, MOApril 23-24, 2004April 23-24, 2004
Institute for Research and Reform in EducationInstitute for Research and Reform in Education
IRRE is a not-for-profit organizationIRRE is a not-for-profit organization We created and developed the district and We created and developed the district and
school reform framework First Things Firstschool reform framework First Things First We provide direct technical assistance to We provide direct technical assistance to
schools and school districtsschools and school districts We advise state departments of educationWe advise state departments of education
A comprehensive reform framework...A comprehensive reform framework...
developed to raise students’ academic developed to raise students’ academic performance... performance...
to levels required for post-secondary to levels required for post-secondary education and high quality employment.education and high quality employment.
What Is First Things First?What Is First Things First?
Who Does IRRE Work With?Who Does IRRE Work With? Urban Districts Urban Districts
– Kansas City, KSKansas City, KS – Kansas City, MOKansas City, MO – Riverview Gardens, MORiverview Gardens, MO – Houston, TXHouston, TX – New Orleans, LANew Orleans, LA
Rural DistrictsRural Districts– High schools in High schools in Greenville and Shaw, MS Greenville and Shaw, MS
State Departments of EducationState Departments of Education– MissouriMissouri– ColoradoColorado– New JerseyNew Jersey
Who Are IRRE’s “Sponsors”?Who Are IRRE’s “Sponsors”?
Private FoundationsPrivate Foundations State Departments of EducationState Departments of Education US Department of EducationUS Department of Education
Evidence Of EffectivenessEvidence Of Effectiveness
Preliminary data from external evaluation Preliminary data from external evaluation of FTF in Kansas City, Kansasof FTF in Kansas City, Kansas– Approximately 20,000 studentsApproximately 20,000 students– Majority of children minorityMajority of children minority– 74% free and reduced lunch74% free and reduced lunch– Four comprehensive and one selective high Four comprehensive and one selective high
schoolsschools– Completed third year of district-wide Completed third year of district-wide
implementation of FTF in 2003implementation of FTF in 2003
Implementation and sustainabilityImplementation and sustainability– Six generations (1998 – 2003) of FTF high Six generations (1998 – 2003) of FTF high
schools (24 high schools) now implementing schools (24 high schools) now implementing the frameworkthe framework
– No school beginning implementation has No school beginning implementation has stopped implementation over this periodstopped implementation over this period
IRRE Technical Assistance IRRE Technical Assistance To Districts And StatesTo Districts And States
Clarifying expectations and rationale for Clarifying expectations and rationale for high school reformhigh school reform– OutcomesOutcomes– ConditionsConditions– Implementation strategies and standardsImplementation strategies and standards– Needed supportsNeeded supports
– Data based continuous improvementData based continuous improvement Measuring what mattersMeasuring what matters Using data to guide innovationUsing data to guide innovation
IRRE Technical Assistance IRRE Technical Assistance To High SchoolsTo High Schools
Small Learning CommunitiesSmall Learning Communities– Staffing and schedulingStaffing and scheduling– Facilities useFacilities use– Teacher leadershipTeacher leadership– Effective team work and use of common Effective team work and use of common
planning timeplanning time– Ensuring equity and purityEnsuring equity and purity– Using data to improve student commitment Using data to improve student commitment
Why District-wide Reform Why District-wide Reform Of High Schools?Of High Schools?
Morally defensible Morally defensible – Why don’t all our students deserve these Why don’t all our students deserve these
opportunities?opportunities?
– Prevent draining of innovative teachers into Prevent draining of innovative teachers into “reforming” schools and out of equally needy “reforming” schools and out of equally needy schoolsschools
EfficientEfficient– Not enough money to run one kind of high Not enough money to run one kind of high
school much less two or three school much less two or three
– Compels realignment of core resources to Compels realignment of core resources to support highest prioritiessupport highest priorities
Why District-wide Reform Why District-wide Reform Of High Schools?Of High Schools?
Coherent focus for district supports and policiesCoherent focus for district supports and policies– Professional development of teachers and Professional development of teachers and
administratorsadministrators– Personnel recruitment, evaluation and retentionPersonnel recruitment, evaluation and retention
SustainabilitySustainability– Individual schools easily marginalized and tokenized Individual schools easily marginalized and tokenized
when surrounded by business as usualwhen surrounded by business as usual– Reform less vulnerable to departure of individual Reform less vulnerable to departure of individual
leadersleaders– Reform becomes the work of the district rather than a Reform becomes the work of the district rather than a
program in one schoolprogram in one school Easier to align state supports and policies with Easier to align state supports and policies with
the work of districtsthe work of districts
IRREIRRE1420 Locust Street, 7Q1420 Locust Street, 7QPhiladelphia, PA 19102Philadelphia, PA 19102215.545.1335215.545.1335www.irre.orgLaurie LevinLaurie [email protected][email protected]
KCKPSKCKPS625 Minnesota Ave.625 Minnesota Ave.Kansas City, KS 66101Kansas City, KS 66101913.279.2269913.279.2269www.kckps.orgSteve GeringSteve [email protected]@kckps.org