CSR PRESENTED BY: KELLY WILLIAMS

WHAT IS COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL REFORM? The Comprehensive School Reform program (CSR) was developed to help low- performing schools overcome some of the most common obstacles to effective school reform.

WHAT IS COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL REFORM? Requirements of CSR: 1.Schools focus their reform efforts on the entire school 2.Schools use comprehensive school improvement models that are proven effective by scientifically- based research 3.Improvement models provide schools with support & training for all stakeholders

WHAT IS COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL REFORM? Early prototypes of CSR programs include the Title I Schoolwide Programs and the Goals 2000 school improvement initiatives.Title I Schoolwide ProgramsGoals 2000 The CSR program of today began as part of the FY1998 Labor-HHS Education Appropriations Act.FY1998 Labor-HHS Education Appropriations Act In 1998, school districts were awarded grants in amounts no less than $50,000 a year for up three years if they selected a comprehensive model that met nine specific criteria.

WHAT IS COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL REFORM? Reauthorizing the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Act, President Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 with new requirements to the original program. Today, schools seeking CSR funds must address eleven criteria when adopting a CSR model.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT FOR CSR DateEvent Ambitious curriculum reforms of 1960s Revelation that teacher’s use o new research based curriculum materials was extremely varied Development of federal programs in 1970s Research doubted whether full implementation of research based practice was possible in schools due to large scale planned educational programs like Head Start Rand Change Agent Study RAND found that mutual adaptation rather than uniform implementation proved effective and that local factors dominated project outcomes Early stages of reform in 1988 School-wide models allowed to blend Title 1 and other funds in effort to coordinate compensatory and regular programs NCLB Act 2001Title 1 moves away from an emphasis on targeted assistance toward use to stimulate school-wide programs of instructional improvement change primarily in schools serving high proportions of economically disadvantaged youth

HOW HAS CSR BEEN RESEARCHED?

Several guidebooks have been written compiling research evidence standing behind well known CSR models (the American Institutes for Research and NWREL/NCCSR). The best, most highly cited research comes from RAND study of the original NAS designs as well as such programs as the Accelerated Schools Program, the Coalition of Essential Schools, Core knowledge, and Success for All. CSR models are evolving constantly in efforts to continue to refine the models and change procedures used to support implementation. Research on CSR implementation shows great variability in local implementation like planned educational change.

EFFECTS OF DESIGN ON IMPLEMENTATION The characteristics of an educational innovation affects its prospects for implementation (ones that provide clear guidelines & technical assistance are better implemented) Include descriptions of targets of change as well as specific ideas about the people & processes involved in the change The number or type of changes targeted by particular designs affect the scope & pace of CSR

EFFECTS OF EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE ON IMPLEMENTATION External assistance providers are merely temporary linking agents that gradually decrease levels of support over time External assistance is necessary for successful implementation (just providing literature alone is not enough) Conferences & meetings are held to create systems that can be sustained after withdrawal of direct on site support According to RAND study, lack of stability in team membership provides variability in the quality of external assistance and negatively effects implementation

EFFECTS OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT ON IMPLEMENTATION Staff development is an essential component of successful implementation of CSR Successful programs include school-wide intensive staff training over longer periods of time that is reinforced by local facilitators Support goes beyond workshops to include additional strategies

EFFECTS OF LEADERSHIP ON IMPLEMENTATION Teacher’s perceptions of principal leadership are strong predictors of implementation success Principals need to have a clear vision of the short & long range goals, be actively involved in decision making, offer support for professional learning of teachers, aggressively seek resources for change, buffer unwarranted intrusions and distractions and seek policy changes at the district level in support of the school’s change efforts. Adding various instructional leadership positions, in addition to principal, contribute to success

WHERE DO WE STAND TODAY IN TERMS OF CSR? Two important ideas serve as catalysts for passage of the CSR Demonstration act of 1997: 1.Belief in utilization of research-based practices as key to school reform 2. Gradual evolution of the Federal Government Title 1 program toward focus on school-wide reform

CSR TODAY? POSITIVE CONNOTATIONS Video on Middle School Reform Some schools are experiencing success with CSR models as evidenced in the above link to a video on direct instruction.

CSR TODAY? NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS… However, research shows that in most cases, many of the essential conditions are missing resulting in failure to fully implement CSR efforts. In the link below, Diane Ratvich discusses the negative connotations of comprehensive school reform today and the failures of NCLB. video link to speech by Diane Ratvich

REFERENCES Cross, C. T. (2004). Putting the pieces together: Lessons from comprehensive school reform research. Washington, DC: National Clearinghouse for Comprehensive School Reform. Retrieved from