What's Next? Hints and Next Steps for Stakeholders

Making Dreams into Realities

While comprehensive school reform may be one of the biggest challenges your school will ever tackle, it will also be one of the most significant. Providing our young people with a good education is the most important responsibility that American education professionals have today. Each child has only one chance to reap the invaluable benefits of public education. They deserve the best experience that we can provide them. It is our duty to embrace reform, participate in improvements, and challenge ourselves to do all that we can to make their years of learning as precious as we know they are.

What's Next?: Hints and Next Steps for Each Stakeholder

Teachers

Begin by regarding yourself as a learner.
Approach reform not simply as a goal to be reached, but as an improvement process for every element of the school.
Attend as many meetings on the reform model selection as possible.
Be open to the new instructional practices and organizational structures that you will experience.
Visualize what your classroom and your teaching practices will be like once the reform takes place -- share the vision.
Provide input and voice your concerns regarding the process, the implementation, and individual practices.
Participate in decision making.
Consider taking a leadership role in the reform effort.
Take advantage of all the professional development that is offered.
Meet with other teachers formally and informally to discuss your progress and help one another.
Take risks.
Communicate the shared vision of reform with everyone: students, parents, and other teachers.
Encourage parents to get involved in the implementation process.
When faced with a problem, share it so others involved can help find a solution or make a change.
Listen and provide feedback in order to help other teachers as they go through the implementation process.

Principals

Visit other schools that are involved in implementing reform models.
Encourage input from the entire staff, parents, and students throughout the planning and implementation process.
Develop a workable schedule for spending time in classrooms on a regular basis.
Structure schedules and provide time for teachers to have the opportunity to discuss the reform effort.
Provide teachers with informative feedback to help guide implementation.
Recognize and reward teachers for their individual accomplishments, either publicly or privately.
Display student work in hallways and at PTA meetings to demonstrate support of teacher and student efforts.
Assist teachers with reviewing student achievement data and using that data to make changes in instruction as needed.
Discuss and examine failed efforts closely to determine where and why the failure occurred.
Discuss and examine successful efforts to learn why they worked.

Parents

Get involved with your school's model selection.
Visit other schools that are involved in implementing reform models.
Help to identify any additional fundraising efforts for the school.
Encourage community leaders to participate in the success of implementing the reform effort.
Volunteer classroom monitoring time to help teachers.
Work and talk with your children to support the changes taking place.
Encourage your children in their academic pursuits.

Community members and leaders

Visit other schools that are involved in implementing reform models.
Provide input for the vision of reform and support vision once it is established.
Show your support for both the school and the reform effort.
Sponsor or participate in fundraising efforts.
Provide steady encouragement as the implementation progresses.
Consider serving as a mentor to one or more students at the school.

Central Office Administrators

Support the school's vision of reform.
Provide guidance and encouragement as the school selects a reform model.
Support the school with materials, data, and resources for assessment purposes.
Offer ample professional development opportunities connected to the reform program.
Provide guidance as the school allocates resources.
Offer technical assistance as needed.
Help the school uncover funds to support the reform effort.

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