Collaborative School Reviews: How to Shape Schools From the Inside

"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.

Table of Contents:
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

About the Author :
Learn more about Beverley Freedman′s PD offerings Dr. Beverley Freedman is an educational consultant, involved in numerous district and provincial reviews, strategic planning and system improvement. Currently she is supporting districts in their implementation of school reviews using the Ministry’s SEF framework. Additionally, she has led several district-based special education reviews as well as special education reviews for the province. She is working with several independent schools including AHS on school improvement planning. In any one year, as an instructional leadership trainer, she visits hundreds of classrooms in a variety of schools and districts including districts in Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. The aim of the learning walks is to develop the instructional lens of administrators so they can gather data and give descriptive feedback to staff to provide within the frame of school improvement. Dr. Freedman has presented at numerous provincial, national and international research conferences including the International Principals Congress held this August in Toronto. Topics for presentations include equity, differentiation, and gender as a factor in education. She coordinates professional learning for Canada’s Outstanding Principals in collaboration with The Learning Partnership. She was the former Executive Officer for the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat (LNS), retired superintendent and a former provincial school inspector. In 2004 -2006, she was the Leadership Coordinator for the Faculty of Education, York University. She remains an adjunct professor for the University of Ontario’s Institute of Technology. Dr. Freedman was on the executive of Ontario’s provincial superintendents’ organization (OPSOA), and in 2001, was named Ontario’s Distinguished Leader by OPSOA. Her doctoral thesis won the Doctoral Dissertation Award from PDK U of T Chapter and she won the Larry Frase award from CMSi in 2007. She is on the board of Scientists in School and Teacher Mentor’s Abroad. She spent a week as a volunteer, training principal in Santo Domingo on behalf of their ministry. Currently she is president of the local PDK-UT chapter. Learn more about Raf Di Cecco′s PD offerings Raf Di Cecco, CMC, is a Certified Management Consultant. She is currently president of ARD Consulting Services and Director of the Education and Training Practice of PMC Inc Raf is also the former Executive Director of the Ontario Royal Commission on Learning where she directed the first review of Ontario’s elementary and secondary education system in 25 years. The commission’s report “For the Love of Learning”, tabled in 1995, established the foundation for Ontario’s current reform agenda. Her work experience includes both the Federal and Provincial governments. She has had assignments in a variety of policy fields and has held a range positions including senior executive positions. Raf brings a broad perspective and specialized knowledge and skills. Raf has extensive experience within the education sector and brings a deep understanding of the education sector at the provincial, district and the local level. She brings expertise in the development and management of complex policy and program reform and how these can be implemented at the local level. Her areas of expertise include organizational effectiveness, strategic planning, change management design and implementation, policy and program evaluation and design, mentoring and coaching, and stakeholder management and engagement. Her clients include Ontario Ministries including Education, Training Colleges and Universities, Attorney General, Government Services, Culture and Recreation; School Boards including Simcoe DSB, Waterloo Region DSB, Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB, Toronto DSB: Indian and Northern Affairs (INAC); the 23 First Nations of Sioux Lookout; not for profit agencies including The Learning Partnership; and private sector corporations. She has designed and led the review and evaluation of several key Ontario Ministry of Education initiatives, all involving reviews at the district and school level. Her work with the First Nations of Sioux Lookout involved the establishment of the Kaywiachiin Resource Centre in Sioux Lookout as the education authority for the district.

Review :
"Compared to the Standard Bearer review process, those included in the book are more detailed and provide more questions for reflection throughout the process." "I liked the use of the case study approach with the Lone Birch School District. It made the concepts and processes come alive. The case study examples and stories supported the discussion in each chapter. I liked how the chapters differentiated between planning at the district level and planning at school level. BRILLIANT IDEA! I felt that there was appropriate coverage of critical areas." "A further consideration is the insightful inclusion of student involvement in the review process—often a neglected population. The authors have coined the phrase "Data Tapestry," indicating that in order to achieve evidence-informed practice, there is a need for the collective use of rich, broad data. significant omissions or excesses." "The questions and suggestions for classroom visitations were insightful and well done." "The authors are true transformational leaders, keenly tuned in to current challenges and changes in classrooms and schools today. Their reader-friendly resource features an engaging and clear writing style and easy to follow guidelines, based on research and their personal experiences and insights. Their collaborative "inside out" model for school improvement is built on collegiality and accountability, uses data-driven evidence, and can be easily tailored to meet individual needs. What is key is that it is a cost-effective, positive "non-deficit" model, encouraging educators to look within their schools and systems for strengths and opportunities for learning and growth to benefit all students. This is definitely a resource well worth reading and using!" "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. This brilliant approach to improvement includes the Review; the Professional Learning needed; and the monitoring to sustain. A must-read for those who want systematic, dynamic school reviews that engage!" "The authors share a wealth of experience, knowledge and practical wisdom balanced with compassion and vision. They recognize the power of effective conversations and structures to promote student success. This book should be required reading for anybody leading change at their school or district." "Bev Freedman and Raf DiCecco address one of education′s most complex questions-how do we improve learning in all schools so that every student achieves success. Through sound research and rich illustrative examples, Freedman and DiCecco show the answer is not about external pressure and compliance, rather, it is all about an effective and collaborative design process that strategically shapes schools from the inside out. A must read for those interested in transformational change." "Many books provide general prescriptions for school systems wanting to improve outcomes and reduce achievement gaps. Collaborative School Reviews, on the other hand, provides a detailed yet flexible approach to an important vehicle for achieving this end. The authors are clear on principles, provide many examples of specific practices, and understand the importance of local context. Their work is guided by a solid knowledge of the relevant research as well as extensive direct experience. Every education leader will get valuable ideas from his work." "Collaborative School Reviews provides insightful and thought provoking processes to assist system leaders and principals develop effective methods to provide on-going feedback and support to schools thus raising achievement levels for students and supporting strong support structures for teachers. This book is a must read for any school system leader who wants to develop a supportive systemic system for school improvement."