Changing for Good: Sustaining School Improvement

‘This important work identifies the critical elements of sustainability - the necessary goal of systemic reform - which requires a long-term commitment to change for the benefit of students’ - Lois Adams-Rogers, Deputy Executive Director, Council of Chief State School Officers. The recent emphasis on educational reform has lead to many books on initiating school improvement, but relatively few on how to sustain reform efforts so that improvements have a lasting impact. Changing for Good offers a detailed examination of current schoolwide reform efforts and identifies strategies for introducing, managing, and sustaining successful school renewal programs. Based on a six-year study of 74 schools, the book provides a model for generating the necessary district support, schoolwide leadership, teacher commitment, and performance outcomes to cultivate improvement that lasts. Applicable at all levels, this model helps readers: align reform efforts with educational standards and accountability guidelines; create a research-based improvement plan; support change by developing a shared vision; promote distributed leadership; and, celebrate gains to encourage cooperation. The most beneficial school improvements are the ones that endure. With this exceptional resource, educational administrators and leaders can create a school environment that embraces meaningful change, sustains positive reform, and ensures successful learning outcomes.