Finding the Right CSR Model
Selecting the right model or program is one of the most challenging aspects of comprehensive school reform. Just as each school is unique, so is each model. Therefore, considerable time and research should be devoted to the model selection process.
When planning to apply for a federal CSR grant, participants first need to understand all of the federal and state requirements for funding. For example, some states and/or school districts may require that schools choose from a limited selection of models; or they may require that schools applying for grants meet certain criteria (in addition to the 11 components required by the federal CSR program guidance). Applicants should understand both the federal requirements and the local parameters for this particular grant program.
The Value of Self-Assessment
Before turning to external providers for help, a school’s leadership team should first look inward and conduct an honest, thorough self-assessment. Based on the school’s academic goals (if your school does not have clear academic goals, consider that your greatest need), a self-assessment will help in identifying strengths, weaknesses, priority areas, best and worst practices, and values. When the team has some sense of what they have, what they are missing, and what they want, then model selection becomes easier.
Another valuable aspect of a self-assessment is that it can serve as a litmus test for how much support for the plan exists among teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders. For example, self-assessments often reveal concerns among teachers and staff about the CSR process and how it will affect classroom practice. This kind of “quiet apprehension” can easily undermine a reform effort, so it is best for school leaders to address any doubts and concerns at the outset.
Once the self-assessment is completed and a summary is made available to stakeholders, the leadership team needs to conduct a realistic evaluation of their expectations, as it is unlikely that any one comprehensive model will address every problem and issue within the school. If a school is fortunate enough to find a model that addresses most of its needs and wins the approval of key stakeholders (teachers, school staff, students, administrators, parents, community groups), then the hard work of the reform effort can begin.
Researching a Model or Program
After completing the self-assessment process, the leadership team should have a better sense of what kind of CSR program will work best within the school. Then comes the time-consuming task of investigating various reform models. Many CSR experts suggest that a school create a list of the model or program characteristics that are most important to them (based on the self-assessment) to use as a guide. Based on that list, the school can easily eliminate models that do not meet their general parameters.
It is impossible to overstate how important it is to involve key stakeholders in the model selection process. Teachers, parents, administrators, community groups, and students all have an important stake in a comprehensive reform effort. Without the support of all of these stakeholders, CSR is doomed to fail.
Fortunately, there is a variety of excellent resources to help schools research and select a CSR model or program. Generally speaking though, the search and decision-making process should incorporate the following steps:
- Identify the most important model/program characteristics for the school, based on a thorough self-assessment.
- Carefully research each model, visiting schools that are implementing selected models when possible.
- Make sure the model meets the eleven criteria outlined in the CSR program guidance, as well as any local criteria.
- Create a short list and ask key stakeholders to review selections.
- Narrow the field of choices to two or three models, based on stakeholder feedback.
- Conduct more research on those models, incorporating feedback.
- Present final selection to key stakeholders.
