THE FUTURE
High-Performing Schools, Learning Communities, and Procedural Knowledge
New words and phrases are becoming common in the education vocabulary as schools make changes and implement practices to meet state standards and help all students to achieve to high levels … phrases like "high-performing schools," "learning communities," and "procedural knowledge."
Researchers find that "high-performing schools" have five elements:*
- Shared vision by educators and community members of high expectations for all students
- Challenging curriculum that engages students in learning
- Supportive organizational structure
- Proactive community relations that engage parents and community members
- Culture of a collaborative learning community
A school is a "learning community" when educators, parents, students, and community members all continuously learn and change, as part of taking collective responsibility for improving student achievement.
Further, students who attend and learn in schools that have these characteristics will all achieve to high levels.
The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory this year began a new five-year plan, with funding from the U.S. Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI), that focuses on helping schools become high-performing learning communities. To do this we have:
- Identified priority problems that schools face as they strive to be high performing
- Formed problem-focused teams composed of staff members across our program and center organizational units who, in concert with other NWREL activities, are developing new products and processes for use by schools and providing training and technical assistance to help them become high-performing learning communities
Throughout our work, we will be identifying and documenting "what works" for our Northwest schools; in the vocabulary of educational researchers that is "procedural knowledge." By doing this and sharing the results, all schools will benefit from the trials and experiences of those who are successful.
Dr. Carol Thomas
NWREL Chief Executive Officer
* As identified by the High Performance Learning Communities Project, RPP International
