Host School/Team Lead Materials
Welcome! You are embarking on an important part of the Continuous Improvement journey. Whether you are the organizer for the Host School site or the Team Lead for the External Visit, this will be an opportunity to showcase the efforts made during the 5-year cycle. Accredited schools must comply with 92 NAC 10, the rules and regulations which govern standards and procedures for the accreditation of all public schools and any nonpublic schools that request state accreditation. Section 009 of Rule 10 lists the required actions for Continuous Improvement.
009.01B The school improvement process includes a visitation by a team of external representatives to review progress and provide written recommendations. A copy of the school system’s improvement plan and the written recommendations of the external representatives are provided to the Department. The external team visits are conducted at least once each five years.
The guiding principle behind an external visit is to provide an outside, objective view of the continuous improvement processes being implemented by the school. Peer reviews are a common strategy for supporting school and teacher improvement and there is research to suggest the potential value in peer review as a part of larger school improvement initiatives. Of particular note, some suggest that peer reviews may reduce “top-down” accountability mindsets and generate greater practitioner-driven innovations. Several states utilize peer review as part of their larger school quality, accountability, or accreditation processes. (See Appendices – Continuous Improvement: Review of Literature, Hanover Research August 2021.)
The External Team is composed of professional peers who will review the school system’s Action Plan to affirm progress and to offer recommendations. The Action Plan is a living document that school systems use to determine goals and the steps needed to make progress on those goals.
009.01A3 Selection of improvement goals. At least one goal is directed toward improving student academic achievement.
009.01A4 Development and implementation of an improvement plan which includes procedures, strategies, actions to achieve goals, and an aligned professional development plan.
The External Team verifies goal setting, decision making and the use of multiple data points to drive Continuous Improvement. Themes are developed by the External Team using a triangulation approach during the review as they engage in stakeholder interviews, classroom visits, and learn about the unique characteristics of the community. At the end of the visit the External Team provides an Exit Presentation of initial findings including Commendations and Recommendations. By affirming success and providing specific feedback the External team also provides direction for launching the next 5-year journey.