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10 Strategies for Doubling Student Performance
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10 Strategies for Doubling Student Performance

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October 2009 | 192 pages | Corwin
In a new era of education stimulus funds, this book shows school and district leaders how to create a school improvement plan that will qualify them for stimulus funding. Allan R. Odden provides ten research-based strategies which can lead to a dramatic improvement in student performance, regardless of school or district size, location, or demographics.

Based on the author's research in numerous schools around the United States—most with large numbers of students of poverty—the book details the ten key strategies leading to radically increased student achievement, with powerful examples of schools that have successfully used these practices to achieve impressive gains.

The strategies include:

- Setting ambitious goals

- Changing the curriculum

- Using data and assessments

- Providing continuous and intensive professional development

- Adjusting school day and instructional time

- Promoting collaboration and best practices

- Developing the necessary human capital or talent to successfully produce large improvements in student achievement.

 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About The Author
 
1. Understanding the Performance Challenge
Pressure to Improve Performance

 
Analyzing State Student Test Data

 
Conducting Curriculum Standards Audits

 
Summary

 
 
2. Set Ambitious Goals
Beyond Motivational Theory

 
Beyond the Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations

 
Setting Very High Goals

 
Thinking Big Is Quintessentially American

 
Summary

 
 
3. Change the Curriculum Program and Create a New Instructional Vision
Adopting New Textbooks and Instructional Visions

 
Assessing Effectiveness of Curriculum and Instructional Approaches

 
Collaborative Work

 
Summary

 
 
4. Benchmark and Formative Assessments and Data-Based Decision Making
Overview of Benchmark and Formative Assessments

 
Benchmark and Formative Assessments in Montgomery County, Maryland

 
A Comment on Value-Added Measures

 
Summary

 
 
5. Provide Ongoing, Intensive Professional Development
The Features of Effective Professional Development

 
Examples of Professional Development Programs

 
Summary

 
 
6. Using Time Efficiently and Effectively
Extending the School Year and Day

 
Better Uses of Time

 
Summary

 
 
7. Extend Learning Time for Struggling Students
Some Contextual Points

 
Time During the Regular School Day

 
Time Outside the Regular School Day but Within the Regular School Year

 
Time Outside the Regular School Year

 
Summary

 
 
8. Collaborative Cultures and Distributed Leadership
A Collaborative School Culture

 
Structuring Collaborative Cultures

 
Distributed Leadership

 
Summary

 
 
9. Professional and Best Practices
Indicators of Acting Professionally

 
Not Doing It Alone

 
Summary

 
 
10. The Human Capital Side of Doubling Student Performance
Overview

 
First, Recruit Top Talent

 
Second, Develop Top Talent

 
Sometimes Initial Talent Turnover Is Required

 
Summary

 
 
11. Putting It All Together: The Dramatically Improving School
The 10 Core Elements of the Improving School

 
Summary

 
The Kennewick Approach to Dramatic Improvement

 
 
References

"In this highly readable book, Allan Odden vividly illustrates many of the most important practices for creating strong professional communities that can leverage high-quality instruction for the students who need it most. From the organization of time to the recruitment of teachers and leaders to the development of productive curriculum and teaching, school leaders will learn how to create a framework for school reform grounded in research and the wisdom of practice."

Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education, Stanford University
Faculty Sponsor, School Redesign Network

"Odden offers a sound program of 10 steps school leaders can implement to significantly improve student academic achievement in their districts. The author's focus on research-based strategies and effective use of educational resources resonates with district leaders, as do the real-world case studies of schools that have succeeded using this model."

Daniel A. Domenech, Executive Director
American Association of School Administrators

"Allan Odden has once again created a succinct and compelling framework to dramatically improve the performance of our nation’s students, district by district. Odden not only thinks big, he provides specific examples from real school districts to support his 10-step program. Unlike others' suggestions, he provides a comprehensive, doable framework that should be a standard reference book in any superintendent's office. His systemic analysis of school district improvement and specific examples to fill in that framework create a road map for the nation. Let's get to work."

Jack D. Dale, Superintendent
Fairfax County Public Schools, VA

"This book provides a confluence of successful programs, instructional strategies, and ideas for the alignment of resources to guide principals and site and district office staffs. This compendium of programs and strategies for struggling schools will save educators time as they plan their work."

Glen Ishiwata, Superintendent
Moreland School District, San Jose, CA

"As a career educator, I am always looking for ways to improve instruction and increase student learning. This manuscript is thought provoking and provides a variety of specific ways to reach the goal of real, sustainable school improvement."

Judy Brunner, Author, Educational Consultant
Instructional Solutions Group

Sample Materials & Chapters

Preface

Chapter 1


Allan R. Odden

Allan Odden is Professor Emeritus of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; he also is Co-Director of the Strategic Management of Human Capital (SMHC) in public education and Co-Director of the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE). CPRE is a consortium of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Pennsylvania, Harvard, Michigan, Northwestern, Teachers College-Columbia University, and Stanford Universities. He is an international expert on education finance, effective resource allocation and use, resource reallocation, the strategic management of human capital in education, teacher... More About Author

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