Are you looking for new ways to use data in the decision-making process? Are you seeking tools that provide better flow-through from data to improved student achievement? Have you ever considered including students in the data-to-improvement cycle? Schools recognize that data is an essential decision-making tool, but it requires teamwork and reflection to reap the maximum benefits. This guidebook offers practical collection and analysis methods and templates as well as tips for building trust and working together.

This compact volume combines research, practice, and innovative thinking to illustrate how strategic application of data enhances leadership practices and significantly improves curriculum, instruction, and schoolwide performance.

"A practical, useful, easy-to-read resource that I will keep on the edge of my desk as a reference. The book is filled with excellent and useful information and serves as both a concise summary of focal points for principals as well as a resource for additional information." —Kari Dahlquist, Principal Creek Valley Elementary School, Edina, MN "All school administrators who want their school to become a high-performing school have to read this book. It is transformational!" —Sean Beggin, Assistant Principal Andover High School, MN Learn how successful principals make a difference in their school′s performance! Outstanding principals are made, not born. With insights drawn from a ground-breaking study and numerous firsthand accounts, this illuminating book reveals how principals develop the leadership qualities that support schoolwide achievement. Written by best-selling authors and respected experts in school improvement, this comprehensive guide captures unique perspectives from 20 successful principals, representing a wide range of urban and rural schools. Presenting real-life strategies and best practices, the authors show how principals use a systems-development approach to build empowered teams and excellent organizations. Designed for school and district administrators as well as staff developers, this resource: Describes the key characteristics of extraordinary principals and high-performing schools, including nine crucial actions that drive positive change Focuses on how principals balance both administrative responsibilities and instructional leadership Shows how to actively involve teachers, staff, and families in school improvement, including individual and group activities Addresses the role of research and data in stronger schoolwide performance Offers tips and suggestions from highly regarded principals, along with recommended resources for further study and team trainings Learn how the experiences of fellow principals can help you energize your team and realize your school′s promise!

Data Analysis for Continuous School Improvement is about inspiring schools and school districts to commit to continuous school improvement by providing a framework that will result in improving teaching for every teacher, and learning for every student, through the comprehensive use of data. This book provides new and very specific tools, timelines, and strategies that will help schools and districts become true learning organizations.

Lynn Winters's and Joan Herman's The Turnaround Toolkit is written for school leaders who are focused on transforming instruction, and who may be working under significant time constraints to reverse declining student achievement or public perceptions of school failure. Based on the evidence that simply implementing “continuous improvement” is not enough to close the achievement gap, The Turnaround Toolkit provides a nine-step formative evaluation program designed to achieve an immediate and consistent focus on improving instruction in order to bolster student achievement. In a straightforward and accessible fashion, Herman and Winters explain three overarching “Turnaround Tasks” that frame these steps and the necessary-and sometimes drastic-actions that must be taken by school leaders as they use data to strategically choose, implement, monitor, and revise school interventions. A dedicated, online “toolkit” offers numerous worksheets and templates that support each stage of the process and help school leaders scaffold the work of educators to put an aggressive turnaround plan into action while a leadership guide at the end of the book provides guidance to turnaround teams and facilitators.

You’re ready to start collecting and utilizing school data, but what data? How exactly will you find it, and how will you use it once you have it? This informative resource takes an in-depth look at best data collection practices and guides the elementary school principal on how to reach struggling learners, strengthen instruction, and achieve schoolwide improvement.

This thought-provoking book strengthens key skills for effective teaching, including classroom leadership, skillful planning, and promoting active learning, respect, and achievement.

"Presentations and resources about scientifically based reading research"--Cover.

"This is a wonderful book with deep insight into the relationship between teachers′ action and result of student learning. It discusses from different angles impact of action research on student learning in the classroom. Writing samples provided at the back are wonderful examples." —Kejing Liu, Shawnee State University Teacher Action Research: Building Knowledge Democracies focuses on helping schools build knowledge democracies through a process of action research in which teachers, students, and parents collaborate in conducting participatory and caring inquiry in the classroom, school, and community. Author Gerald J. Pine examines historical origins, the rationale for practice-based research, related theoretical and philosophical perspectives, and action research as a paradigm rather than a method. Key Features Discusses how to build a school research culture through collaborative teacher research Delineates the role of the professional development school as a venue for constructing a knowledge democracy Focuses on how teacher action research can empower the active and ongoing inclusion of nontraditional voices (those of students and parents) in the research process Includes chapters addressing the concrete practices of observation, reflection, dialogue, writing, and the conduct of action research, as well as examples of teacher action research studies

Strategies for Developing and Supporting School Leaders assists personnel in school districts to deliver appropriate development and support practices for aspiring and current school leaders. This book explores a variety of research-based and best-practice processes that can be implemented in school districts to prepare leaders to meet the technical and adaptive demands of school leadership and the needs of a diverse student population. Sanzo lays out a cohesive framework of key processes and activities that range from the very simple and immediately implementable, to the more complex and nuanced. Providing both the "how," and "why," this important resource shares ideas, strategies, tools, and systems to develop effective and meaningful professional learning opportunities to help promote highly effective schools and districts.