1. The Realities of School Reform
Dr. Janeen Demi-Smith
Dr. Beverly Johnson
Dr. Terry N. Bishop
Assessment, Evaluation and Research Office
Division of Information, Technology, and CQI

2. Early Work and Research on Reform (80’s and 90’s)
Conducted on schools and classrooms
A lot of site based management because several states mandated SBM
Some positive results, but the results were not sustained
Islands of Excellence
Results were not sustained when the principals left or teacher leadership changed in a building
During these two decades most districts did not have a systems wide approach

3. The later 1990’s developed an Awareness of the Urban Setting
16,850 districts in the United States with 47 million students
25% of the 47 million students in the largest 100 districts
18.5 million minority students in the United States
40% of 18.5 million students in the 100 largest districts
20.0 million economically disadvantages students in the United States
30% of the 20.0 million in the 100 largest districts
NCLB – emphasizes the gap between ethnic groups of students and between economically disadvantaged students

4. District Wide Instructional Reform
Much of the work and research on district or centralized reform has been in the last 5 years
Two (2) major studies looking at what successful districts are doing
Beyond Islands of Excellence, What Districts Can Do to Improve Instruction and Achievement in All Schools
Foundation of Success: Case Studies of How Urban School Systems Improve Student Achievement

5. District Wide Instructional Reform
Common Themes of Success
Board and Superintendent stability a and focus on student achievement
System wide approach and processes
District level determination of the “What”
Schools determine the “How”
Targeted staff development
Decisions based on data
Commitment to sustaining reform over the long haul
Strong parental involvement

6. DISTRICT 11 CHARACTERISTICS
Free and Reduced Lunch
Approximately 31% in 2001
Approximately 39% in 2005
ESL (English as a Second Language)
Average increase is 3-5% a year over time
800 + in 2003
2,100 + in 2005
District 11 is becoming more urban

7. WHAT WORKS
Neither total site based nor total centralized decision making has worked
Successful urban districts have used a combination
Districts determine the “What”
Schools determine the “How”
Central – needs sufficient staff to provide the necessary direction, support and accountability
School – needs staff with the proper training in instructional methods, use of assessments, the use of intervention to help determine the “How”

8. ALDINE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT ALDINE, TEXAS
Three (3) Superintendents in last 50 years
Board has averaged 10 years of tenure over this time
Programs in place
Systems Approach
Aligned Curriculum with Standards
Short term Assessments every three weeks
Data driven decision making/good data system
Strong Instruction and Curriculum Department
5 area Superintendents with strong instructional background and responsibility for accountability
Parental involvement
Everyone seems to be on the same page –
“Whatever it takes to increase student achievement”

9. In Summation No school is an island Central office is not an island
Everyone must work together in order to move the whole district forward in order to increase achievement for all students.
That’s what NCLB is about.