Working Systemically in Action: A Guide for Facilitators

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Produced by a team of SEDL staff who drew upon more than 3 decades of school reform research and theory, the Working Systemically approach is a process for school improvement—and, ultimately, increased student achievement—that focuses on key components and competencies at all levels of the local educational system. The guide gives technical assistance providers a framework and tools to help schools and districts establish a culture of continuous inquiry and collaboration, as well as develop the structures and leadership roles necessary to support and sustain both student and staff learning.

Although “quick wins” are important in turning around low-performing schools, successful systemic improvement calls for a commitment of 3 to 5 years of continuous work across three dimensions:

• Levels (national, state, intermediate agencies, districts, school, and classroom)
• Components (standards, curriculum, instruction, assessment, resources, professional staff, policy and governance, and family and community)
• Competencies (creating coherence; collecting, interpreting, and using data; ensuring continuous professional learning; building relationships; and responding to changing conditions)

The Working Systemically approach explores the interrelated roles of individuals in the district, school, and classroom and helps build capacity at all levels to make sustainable, long-term improvements in the system. Components and competencies are developed at all levels of the system through a five-phase process:

• Phase 1: Scanning the System
• Phase 2: Analyzing the System
• Phase 3: Planning Action
• Phase 4: Taking Action and Monitoring Progress
• Phase 5: Assessing and Reflecting on Outcomes

The guide contains useful resources for facilitators to use as they assist schools and districts in probing beneath the surface to discover the root causes for student achievement problems. The product includes a CD-ROM containing the electronic files for all the tools and handouts referenced in the guide.

Related Resources:
Working Systemically in Action: Engaging Family & Community is a supplement to Working Systemically in Action and provides practical guidance for educators who are seeking to engage family and community members in systemic improvement. This guide includes explanations for key concepts, suggestions, and ready-to-use tools to help educators, families, and community members come together as partners in systemic support for student learning.

SEDL also offers free access to the Working Systemically online survey, a data collection instrument that allows the survey coordinator to set up and deploy a 34-question online survey to gather data from teachers, administrators, and other school stakeholders regarding the principles of working systemically (e.g. use of data, communicating priorities, access to materials, professional development, etc.).  The results are automatically tallied and graphed for the survey coordinator, and the data can be reviewed as a single group of data or by subgroups of data based on demographic subgroups customized by the survey coordinator. Sign up for a free survey coordinator account today!