Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for Better Educational Outcomes(Improvement Science in Education and Beyond)

2023 SPE Outstanding Book Award Honorable Mention Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement is a collection of equity-focused improvement science-in-action, school-based case studies led by practitioners. Chapter authors tell us how and why improvement science principles make system-wide improvements in classroom practice, how they learned from the problems encountered and further, how they were then able to make changes within a school or district.

About the Author :
Deborah S. Peterson (MA, Portland State University; EdD, Lewis and Clark College) is an associate professor at Portland State University. She is known for increasing equity, community engagement, and student voice while dramatically improving student outcomes. Her teaching and research focus on preparing current and future school leaders to serve as anti-racist, culturally responsive leaders for equity. Her work has been published in numerous journals and her current research includes examining the experiences of women leaders and leaders of color in numerous professions. Susan P. Carlile (MA, University of Oregon; graduate work in education, University of Washington and Harvard University) is a professor of practice and program lead for the Educational Leadership and Policy Program. She has facilitated the leadership development of over 600 school leaders, received 18 grants for her work, and presented and published in dozens of state, national and international forums of leadership. Most recently, her research has focused on examining the issues facing women in leadership positions and strategies for navigating the workplace to ensure gender, racial, ethnic, linguistic and socio-economic equity in education.

Review :
"In my efforts to help improvement science land as a useful set of mindsets and skills for educators, the most consistent request I hear is for concrete examples of improvement projects in education. Imagine my delight to discover this book, filled with stories of improvement by teachers and school leaders. If you believe that disciplined inquiry by those closest to students can lead to more equitable outcomes, you will want to read this book."--Ben Daley, President, High Tech High Graduate School of Education "Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for Better Educational Outcomes offers a deeper understanding of how to effectively utilize the tenets of improvement science across educational environments in creating a more just educational system. This book gives research-based tangible tools for educators to dismantle persistent barriers and reimagine how schools serve students."--Dr. Kevin Walker, Director of Elementary Education, Salem-Keizer Public Schools "Though other books and publications exist that present and discuss improvement science (many of which are cited throughout the series), the Improvement Science in Education series exhibits the most comprehensive coverage of improvement science currently available. Crow, Hinnant-Crawford, and Spaulding have curated a collection of books that showcases the breadth and depth of improvement science appealing to a variety of audiences, regardless of backgrounds, expertise, and readiness levels. . . Certainly, improvement science is a challenging undertaking, but this series empowers those ready and willing to try."--Review by Christopher Benedetti for Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice, Vol. 8 No. 3 (2023) "In Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement, Peterson and Carlile provide an exemplary collection of cases, each of which uses improvement science tools to generate an equitable solution to a local, user-centered problem. The text and accompanying figures teach a wide continuum of educational professionals how to apply IS tools and strategies in their own laboratory of practice with culturally responsive results. It's an essential book to prepare innovative teachers and leaders, both pre-service and in-service."--Dr. Kristina A. Hesbol, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Morgridge College of Education, University of Denver and Founding Director, Center for Innovative Rural Collaborative Leadership Education (CIRCLE) "As a Gates Millennium Scholar, I became a teacher to give every student a sense of belonging and access to any career. This idealistic goal, held by most teachers, is often dropped when we don't have methods to deconstruct individual or systemic barriers. Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for Better Educational Outcomes gives us the examples and framework to begin approaching our lofty goals with intentionality. As a teacher, I particularly appreciate that Peterson and Carlile highlight necessary steps in chapter 18 to engage in challenging work while sustaining the hopes and spirits of colleagues."--Enrique Mora, Gates Millennium Scholar Middle School Teacher, Highline Public Schools "Keeping equity at the center of every improvement effort, affirming the value of every child in our care, and supporting the teachers and leaders who work tirelessly to improve our schools is key to my work in rural and suburban schools. Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for Better Educational Outcomes affirms our teachers and leaders while also providing guidance, tools, and processes as we collaborate to improve social-emotional health, the school experience, and academic outcomes for children of all backgrounds. Every chapter gives me hope that change can happen now."--Johnna Timmes, Executive Director of Early Learning, Northwest Regional Education Service District "The pragmatism and power of utilizing Improvement Science in schools is on full display in Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for Better Educational Outcomes. The use of practical examples implemented by teacher leaders and school administrators demonstrating real improvement, should provide a positive path forward for all educators."--Rob Saxton, Retired Oregon Schools Chief and District Superintendent