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Sustaining Improvements

Betty Graham Young

Grand Canyon University

EAD-539: Clinical Internship III: Learner-Centered Leadership

Dr. Cherri Barker

December 23, 2020

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Sustaining Improvements

Have the implemented action plans from the CIP been effective? What results or data

support your choice?

Lakeview Secondary Alternative School’s Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) lists

goals that are related to improving student attendance, increasing student reading levels, and

successful, teacher implementation of the Restorative Practices Framework. The implemented

action plans have been effective in all areas associated with the three goals. The registrar is

responsible for completing a weekly census and the data manager a daily attendance report. The

results show a twelve percent increase in student attendance based on the initial assessment at the

beginning of the school year. Secondly, teachers must incorporate vocabulary instruction within

their lessons daily, which is monitored and observed by each grade level administrator. There are

no data related to student outcomes on state assessments; however, professional learning

communities (PLC) report improvement in student performance on assignments and teacher-

made tests. Lastly, the RPF coordinator survey students and parents to assess how well teachers

and support respond to behavior, social, and emotional aspects of students. The results of the

survey show growth; however, there is much more improvement needed in these areas.

How have the results been (or how will they be) reported to stakeholders? What is your

evaluation of these methods?

Communicating and interpreting the results of school improvement plans to stakeholders

are skills and responsibilities linked to ELCC Standard Element 1.4. Durham County’s public

schools are required to upload their CIP in an electronic folder that is managed by district

personnel for accountability and fidelity purposes. This method of communication is inclusive of
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all components of the CIP; however, some indicators are communicated to specific stakeholders.

For example, parents and students receive weekly Connect Ed messages from the principal with

important information and the sharing of good news; the principal sends out a weekly newsletter

to staff, and teachers make calls to parents regarding student attendance and academic and

behavior progress. These practices are essential ways for communicating with stakeholders;

however, involving stakeholders in the plan is a more meaningful way to make them a part of the

plan and include them in the transformation process. Stakeholders make up the school

community; therefore, the CIP should represent the inclusivity of all involved.

In those areas where improvement actions have been successful, how will leadership,

faculty, and staff continue to promote change and sustain the results? Will they need

additional resources?

For schools’ improvement plans to achieve sustainability, there must be the creation of

successful systems rather than mere plans. Systems include comprehensive procedures for

carrying out plans. The review of Lakeview School’s CIP revealed what and who was involved

in the action plane but did not explain the process by which those actions were to be executed.

Moreover, there were no clear objectives for expected outcomes. The action plans were

effective; however, if there is any chance of sustainability, it will need a coach who will support

continuous improvement.

Coaches also collaborate with school leaders to help them organize teams with teacher-

leaders who are skillful in specific areas. Moreover, they help build professional development

protocols that promote continuous improvement and sustainability of effective systems.

According to Courtney (2020), “Embedded within these plans are the specific supports that the

coaches will bring to the table to help facilitate change in the school.” CIP coaches are those who
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provide guidance, instruction, and modeling of concepts to leadership, which enables them to do

the same with the people they serve. This resource is Lakeview’s key to the sustainability of

continuous improvement.
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Reference

Courtney, M. (2020). Coaching for Continuous Improvement. The Rural Educator, Vol 41, Iss 2

(2020); National Rural Education Association. https://eds-b-ebscohost-

com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/