Using the Toolkit
School and district improvement is a multi-faceted endeavor that will, most often, involve changing an organization as well as people’s practices and beliefs. There are key or critical elements to address, content that has been researched, and processes that have been proven successful. These are incorporated into the Continuous Improvement Process and this toolkit. In addition, the toolkit offers a wealth of information and links to many resources.
The Continuous Improvement Process
The Continuous Improvement Process is built upon the following four phases:
- Creating the Profile
- Setting the Goals
- Planning to Improve
- Implementing the Plan
Within the Toolkit you will find:
- The Topic Guides for CIP Plans. The Topic Guides were developed using a Continuous Improvement Process. These are areas that research has shown are found in high-performing schools and districts. You may want to reference these topics as you move through the four phases of the CIP. Or, if your Continuous Improvement Process identifies one of these areas as a need, you may want to have a small group work through the entire topic.
- Improvement Plan Requirements. In addition to the improvement requirements for accreditation, other programs and grants have requirements for improvement when certain conditions are present. These are detailed in a link on the homepage of the Toolkit.
- Resources. The resources listed contain links to additional information and examples.