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Collaborative School Reviews
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Collaborative School Reviews
How to Shape Schools From the Inside

A Joint Publication with Ontario Principals’ Council



April 2013 | 216 pages | Corwin

"It is heartening to read about a practical, specific and supportive school review process that begins with true collaboration! Bev Freedman and Raf Di Cecco offer a complete package for educators who crave how to collaboratively guide school improvement from the inside out."
—Lyn Sharratt, Author, Putting FACES on the Data

Say goodbye to top-down evaluations and hello to collaboration and change!

How can you leverage the objectivity of outside evaluators and the knowledge of local educators who understand your school's particular situation to help you drive school improvement? The answer: collaborative schools reviews.

Beverly Freedman and Raf DiCecco show how to design and implement a rigorous and effective school evaluation process, conducted by personnel from within your district in collaboration with your school leadership team. Here you'll find user-friendly guidance for planning and managing every step of the review process, including

  • A research-based case for how collaborative school reviews transform teaching and learning
  • Guidance on ensuring that the review process aligns with the district's mission and goals as well as with the Common Core State Standards
  • Best practices and protocols for creating review teams and conducting onsite classroom observations
  • How-to's for effectively using data to gain a balanced view of school performance
  • A composite case study that brings the collaborative school review process to life

This breakthrough book shows how to bring school and district teams together to shape sustainable, positive change and strengthen student achievement.


 
About the Authors
 
Introduction
Improving Schools Matter

 
Why a Resource on School Reviews?

 
What Makes This Approach Different?

 
Our Lens is the School

 
This is a How-to-Resource

 
 
1. Setting the Stage
Collaborative Schools Reviews: A Path for Improvement

 
What is a School Review?

 
What Distinguishes Collaborative School Reviews from Other Reviews?

 
Achieving Excellence-A Strategic Lens to Contextualize Collaborative School Reviews

 
Collaborative School Reivews as Opportunities for Transformational Change

 
Our Case Study: The Lone Birch School District

 
In Summary

 
 
2. Designing Collaborative School Reviews
Step One: Design Effectively

 
Link Collaborative School Reviews to District Vision, Mission and Transformational Agenda

 
Collaborative School Review Policy

 
Collaborative School Review Design/Process

 
Governance

 
Procedures and Protocols

 
Structure and Flow for the Review

 
Protocols for Classroom Observations

 
Expectations and Protocols for the Onsite Classroom Observations

 
Possible Questions for Members of the Review Team to Ask Students

 
Capacity Building

 
Stakeholder Engagement

 
Alignment with other Requirements/Processes

 
Conceptualizing the Collaborative School Review Process: Lone Birch

 
In Summary

 
 
3. Planning Commences at the District Level
Setting the Stage

 
System Level Planning Process and Detailed Work Plan

 
Capacity Building

 
Teams Matter

 
Leadership, Coordination, Planning at a System Level to Prepare for the Reviews

 
Composition of the External Review Teams

 
Developing a Self-Assessment Tool

 
Data Plan

 
Capacity Building Plan

 
Data Management-Creating a Data Tapestry

 
Lone Birch's Data Management Plan

 
Communication and Engagement

 
Communication Plan

 
Other Planning Considerations for Lone Birch

 
In Summary

 
 
4. Planning Continues at the School Level
Layering the School-based Priorities on the District Priorities

 
Pleasant Valley

 
Organizing for the Review

 
Areas for Focus and Feedback

 
Supporting Data

 
Logistics

 
Meadows Middle School

 
Organizing for the Review

 
Areas for Focus and Feedback

 
Supporting Data

 
Logistics

 
Harper High School

 
Organizing for the Review

 
Areas for Focus and Feedback

 
Supporting Data

 
Logistics

 
In Summary

 
 
5. The Day of the Review Arrives
Harper High

 
Introduction and Setting the Stage

 
Conducting the School Review

 
Debriefing and Sharing Findings and Feedback

 
Meadows Middle School

 
Introduction and Setting the Stage

 
Conducting the School Review

 
Debriefing and Sharing Findings and Feedback

 
Pleasant Valley Public School

 
Introduction and Setting the Stage

 
Conducting the School Review

 
Debriefing and Sharing Findings and Feedback

 
In Summary

 
 
6. Unpacking the Results: Ensuring Improvement Happens
Accountability Structure

 
Roles and Responsibilities

 
Verbal Feedback and Formal Report

 
Analysis: Unpacking the Reviews

 
Work Plan to Implement Suggested Changes

 
Unpacking the Reviews at the Schools

 
Pulling Out District Level Trends and Patterns

 
A Follow-Up Plan

 
Monitoring and Evaluation of Collaborative School Review Process

 
In Summary

 
 
7. Creating Excellence and Innovation from the Inside Out
Key features
The content of this proposed resource blends research and practice. The aim is a practical how-to resource. Beyond the research, the content is drawn from practical experiences with school reviews in Ontario and other jurisdictions. The chapters are sequential and designed to walk though system-level and school-based staffs through the review process. There are questions strategically placed to encourage self-reflection and analysis. The chapter on classroom observations includes specific look-fors and protocols. The appendices will include templates, web sites, and other ready to use resources.

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 1


Purchasing options

For large school/district orders, volume discounts, availability and shipping times contact customer service at 800-233-9936
or order@corwin.com.

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ISBN: 9781452242958
$39.95

For large school/district orders, volume discounts, availability and shipping times contact customer service at 800-233-9936
or order@corwin.com.