Welcome to the first newsletter of the new Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement.
Who we are:
The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement began
operation in October 2004 and is funded through a contract with the
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education of the U.S. Department of
Education in Washington, D.C. The center is administered by Learning
Point Associates in partnership with the Southwest Educational
Development Laboratory (SEDL), the Education Development Center (EDC),
and WestEd.
Our purpose and mission:
The purpose of the center is to assist schools and school districts
contemplating or engaged in comprehensive school reform and
improvement. We do this by providing them with reliable information
about research-based strategies and assistance in using that
information to make positive changes. We also provide specific
information and support for the Comprehensive School Reform Program.
Our mission is to help schools organize, plan, implement, and sustain improvement.
Our audience:
We provide information and services to a variety of clients:
educational researchers, policy makers, staffs of local and state
education agencies, principals, and teachers.
All of our audience members share a common goal: improving schools and, ultimately, increasing student achievement.
What we do:
Although the center has a street address in Washington, D.C., our
scope is nationwide. We reach our large and diverse audiences by
creating and nurturing an online virtual learning community with an
easy-to-access Web site that is a repository of information about
comprehensive school reform and improvement. In addition, we offer both
ongoing and special-event technical assistance focused on the analysis
of school improvement issues and the application of proven strategies
to address them.
News and Events
One click provides a brief summary of news you need to know—new
research, current publications, national meetings—and links to other
organizations that support and assist in school improvement efforts.
Our Library
The Library contains many of the materials produced by the National
Clearinghouse for Comprehensive School Reform (NCCSR) operated by
George Washington University from 2000 until the end of 2004. Features
include:
A searchable database containing more than 4,000 abstracts of
research studies, journal articles, books, and occasional papers on
topics of interest to school reformers. New abstracts will be added
throughout the year.
Policy briefs that provide an overview of current issues in school
reform. Each brief raises questions, illuminates perspectives, and
informs the thinking of school and district leaders and decision
makers. Quarterly publications and occasional papers provide a more
in-depth look at critical topics.
Research syntheses on comprehensive reform that help practitioners
distinguish between "common practice" and "best practice." They are
designed to help school improvers capture and understand the most
effective research-based strategies.
Reference services. Click on "Ask the Expert" to find out how to
call or e-mail us with your questions about comprehensive school reform
or school improvement requirements and strategies. The center will
provide prompt, accurate, and helpful responses to your information
needs.
Guides and Tools
We assist you in translating school improvement information into
school improvement action. Our collection of practitioner guides
addresses the topics most often asked about in school improvement
planning and implementation. Here is a sampling of the products
available now, free for you to download and use. Additional products
will be posted during the coming months.
Making Good Choices: Sustainable School Improvement (2004)
(Adobe® Reader® PDF 1 MB)
Produced by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL), this newest publication in the Making Good Choices
series focuses on sustaining school improvement. Aimed at school and
district leaders, it presents information on growing commitment and
capacity, finding time, retaining teachers, and finding additional
resources for continuous school improvement. This booklet also includes
a list of additional resources (tools, software, and guidance) by
topic.
Using Data to Improve Schools (2002)
This
publication by the American Association of School Administrators helps
schools understand how to use data to promote whole-school improvement
by providing tools and insight that help cultivate a "districtwide
culture of inquiry."
In the coming months, the center will debut additional online resources, including:
Facilitated discussion forums that will allow participants to
engage in online conversations with colleagues across the country. The
center will provide participants with discussion materials, the
assistance of trained facilitators, and a summary of the discussion at
its conclusion. At times, authors of noteworthy reports, research
studies, or policy documents will be invited to conduct online
discussions of their work.
A workshop that explores planning for, designing, and conducting
program evaluations that are meaningful and useful to practitioners.
Readings, activities, and stimulating discussions will make this week
long online workshop a valuable professional development opportunity.
Self-study modules that provide participants with an in-depth look
at topics of interest to school reformers. The modular format will
allow participants to join in the discussion or just read and "listen."
Either way, these modules will encourage exploration and new learning.
Key Center Staff:
The center's director is Hugh E. Burkett, Ph.D. Burkett came to the
center from the U.S. Department of Education, where he was the former
program manager for the Comprehensive School Reform Program and former
acting deputy director of Title I. Burkett has more than 35 years of
experience as a practitioner in schools and school districts as a
teacher, a high school principal, an area associate superintendent, and
a superintendent of schools. His career reflects a long-standing
commitment to improving public education for poor and disadvantaged
students.
The center's deputy director is Fran Walter. Most recently, Walter
worked as the group leader for the Instructional Support Group in the
U.S. Department of Education's Title I office. Walter came to the
department after serving as the chief academic officer in a school
district in the state of Washington, where she also had been the
administrator for school programs and the director of assessment and
program evaluation. Walter has taught English in middle schools and
high schools and is also a school library media specialist.
