Changing for Good
Sustaining School Improvement
- Melissa Evans-Andris - University of Louisville, KY
Principalship | School Change, Reform, & Restructuring | Superintendents & District Administration
The recent emphasis on educational reform has lead to many books on initiating school improvement, but relatively few on how to sustain reform efforts so that improvements have a lasting impact.
Changing for Good offers a detailed examination of current schoolwide reform efforts and identifies strategies for introducing, managing, and sustaining successful school renewal programs. Based on a six-year study of 74 schools, the book provides a model for generating the necessary district support, schoolwide leadership, teacher commitment, and performance outcomes to cultivate improvement that lasts. Applicable at all levels, this model helps readers:
- Align reform efforts with educational standards and accountability guidelines
- Create a research-based improvement plan
- Support change by developing a shared vision
- Promote distributed leadership
- Celebrate gains to encourage cooperation
The most beneficial school improvements are the ones that endure. With this exceptional resource, educational administrators and leaders can create a school environment that embraces meaningful change, sustains positive reform, and ensures successful learning outcomes.
“This important work identifies the critical elements of sustainability—the necessary goal of systemic reform—which requires a long-term commitment to change for the benefit of students.”