Guides and Tools

Information about CSR Models—includes catalogues/guides pertaining to CSR models as well as self-assessment tools for schools and districts.
Implementation—includes resources that focus on implementation and the need to build capacity at the school/district level to support CSR.
Evaluation—includes resources that focus specifically on evaluation, as well as tools for data-driven decision-making.
Sustainability—includes resources that focus on how schools/districts identify and/or reallocate additional, long-term funding for CSR.

Information about CSR Models

Better by Design? A Consumer’s Guide to Schoolwide Reform
1999, Thomas B. Fordham Foundation
This guide describes ten reform models and presents accounts of site visits to schools where each model is being implemented.

Catalog of School Reform Models (Site no longer available - 2008: www.nwrel.org/scpd/catalog/index.shtml)
NWREL (Northwest Regional Education Laboratory) and The Center for School Reform and Improvement (http://www.centerforcsri.org)
This catalog contains information about a wide variety of comprehensive models, plus additional entries on models that focus specifically on reading. Currently, the catalog includes information on 26 comprehensive models and 10 reading models.

CSRQ Center Report on Elementary School CSR Models
2005, American Institutes for Research (AIR)
This report from AIR’s Comprehensive School Reform Quality (CSRQ) Center is a review of 22 elementary school CSR models. It serves as a decision-making tool for comparing various models, rating each model as to evidence of 1) positive effects on student achievement; 2) positive effects on additional outcomes; 3) positive effects on family and community involvement; 4) links between research and model design; and 5) services and support to schools to enable successful implementation.

Comprehensive Reform Models Addressing the Needs of English Language Learners
1999, CESDP (Center for the Education and Study of Diverse Populations)
This resource guide, developed by CESDP’s Region IX Southwest Comprehensive Assistance Center, describes some of the nationally available and locally developed school reform models that address the needs of English language learners

Guide to Working with Model Providers
2000, U. S. Department of Education
This document from the Regional Educational Laboratory Network offers advice to schools and districts working with an external model provider. The guide follows the process through initial stages, contract negotiations, and on-going partnerships. Tools are included to assist throughout the process. This document is available from Learning Point Associates/NCREL.

Making Good Choices: A Guide for Schools and Districts (revised edition)
2002, NCREL (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory)
This tool for planning and implementing comprehensive reform helps schools select a CSR model that fits the needs of the school.

Making Good Choices: Districts Take the Lead
2000, NCREL (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory)
This tool focuses on the role the school district plays in leading and supporting comprehensive school reform. Topics include strategic planning, data collection, resource reallocation, and evaluation.

School CSR Self-Assessment Tool and Assessment of School Readiness
These are forms developed by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) to help schools assess their needs related to the eleven components in the comprehensive school reform legislation.

CSR Practitioner’s Guide to Scientifically Based Research
2003, National Clearinghouse on Comprehensive School Reform
This guide is designed to help those planning and/or implementing CSR to understand and respond to the new federal regulations regarding the quality of research supporting CSR models and programs. The guide is maintained by The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement.

Model Key Features: Guiding Questions for Teachers
NWREL (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory)
This tool helps teachers understand the key features of a CSR model as it impacts classroom practice.

Database of CSR Schools
The CSR Awards Database listed information about schools that were awarded CSR funds. The database identified schools implementing particular reform models. It also provided state-specific information on CSR subgrants.
In 1998, the Department of Education awarded SEDL a contract to construct a searchable online database of schools receiving CSR subgrants. SEDL hosted the database from 1998 through October, 2006. In November, 2006, the database was transferred to a new hosting contractor; however that contract has also ended, and the database is no longer available online. Please contact the U.S. Department of Education if you have questions about the status of the CSR Awards Database.

Implementation

Comprehensive School Reform: Research-Based Strategies to Achieve High Standards
2000, WESTED
This guidebook from the Region XI Northern California Comprehensive Assistance Center is designed to help schools with successful implementation of comprehensive, schoolwide reform. The guide offers step-by-step explanations and practical tools for school reform processes and approaches.

How to Build Support for Comprehensive School Reform
1999, New American Schools
Monica Solomon and Maria Voles Ferguson of New American Schools provide step-by-step advice on how to involve key stakeholders—teachers, administrators, parents, and the community—in building long-term support for CSR.

At Your Fingertips: Using Everyday Data to Improve Schools
1998, MPR Associates
This is a user-friendly workbook designed to help teachers and administrators use available data to improve schools. The guide presents a simple six-step approach to selecting, analyzing, and reporting key information. The steps direct schools on how to (1) establish goals; (2) identify specific outcomes and related practices; (3) determine data sources and indicators; (4) analyze the data; (5) set performance targets; and (6) monitor performance over time. This workbook costs $39.95. It can be ordered by calling (800) 677-6987; by emailing services@mprinc.com; or by ordering online at http://www.mprinc.com/ps/ayf/index.html

Implementing Schoolwide Programs: An Idea Book on Planning
1998, U. S. Department of Education
This guide outlines six steps for school reform planning: establishing a planning team; conducting a comprehensive needs assessment; clarifying needs and finding research-based strategies; setting schoolwide program goals; writing a schoolwide plan; and finalizing the schoolwide plan. Each section includes checklists and examples to help schools carry out the process of planning.

Evaluation

At Your Fingertips: Using Everyday Data to Improve Schools
1998, MPR Associates
This is a user-friendly workbook designed to help teachers and administrators use available data to improve schools. The guide presents a simple six-step approach to selecting, analyzing, and reporting key information. The steps direct schools on how to (1) establish goals; (2) identify specific outcomes and related practices; (3) determine data sources and indicators; (4) analyze the data; (5) set performance targets; and (6) monitor performance over time. This workbook costs $39.95. It can be ordered by calling (800) 677-6987; by emailing services@mprinc.com; or by ordering online at http://www.mprinc.com/ps/ayf/index.html

Evaluating Whole School Reform Efforts: A Guide for District and School Staff (2nd edition)
2000, NWREL (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory)
This practical resource walks educators through the steps involved in planning, designing, and carrying out effective evaluation of CSR programs. The guidebook describes how to plan and prepare for an evaluation; develop evaluation questions; collect, analyze, interpret, and report data; and use findings to make improvements.

How to Evaluate Comprehensive School Reform Models
1999, New American Schools
This guide is designed to help school district leaders understand how schools can and should use evaluation as a tool for data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement when implementing a CSR program. Based on researcher Steven M. Ross’ work with the Memphis City Schools, this guide explains how a thoughtfully planned evaluation is an essential part of any CSR effort.

Evaluating for Success
1999, MCREL (Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning)
This guide for planning, conducting, and reporting on a CSR evaluation is designed to help schools with CSR grants meet the evaluation requirement.

Data Use: Data Primer
NCREL (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory)
The Data Primer is an instructional website designed to help educators become more comfortable with thinking about and using data for the purposes of instructional decision making. The Data Primer is organized around four modules. In addition to a focal question that educators can ask when developing school improvement plans, each module contains three sections:

The "Tutorial" section uses different graphing techniques to show how data put in graphical form increase readability, illuminate patterns, and elicit questions about meaning.
The "Practice" section lets users apply their own data to the graph type used in the "Tutorial" section.
The "Going Further" section acts as a bridge between the sample scenario and actual tools, resources, and services that users can access and implement to address more thoroughly some of the questions and issues raised throughout the instructional portion.

Sustainability

A Better Return on Investment: Reallocating Resources to Improve Student Achievement
2000, NCREL (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory)
This booklet focuses on the use of resource reallocation to promote standards-based reform.

District Leaders Guide to Reallocating Resources
2001, NWREL (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory)
This practical “how-to” guide is geared towards school district leaders and other practitioners interested in supporting CSR through reallocating resources. The guide looks at issues such as alignment, barriers to reallocation and solutions, promising initiatives, and the key role of the district office.

Making Good Choices: Sustainable School Improvement
2004, NCREL (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory)
Aimed at school and district leaders, this tool focuses on sustaining comprehensive school reform efforts. Among other topics, it discusses how to build commitment, increase staff retention, and find money to continue the improvement process.

Rethinking School Resources
New American Schools
Karen Hawley Miles of Education Resource Management Strategies in Dallas, TX, presents a framework for districts and schools to use when re-examining school infrastructures to support academic success more effectively.