National Forum Focuses on

Reform Efforts

In Spokane, Washington, there's been a shift in how educators view their students and their schools. Under the clear direction of the superintendent and school board, staff members are now asked to look at the district as a whole, rather than as discrete, isolated entities. Teachers are focusing on how to maximize learning for all students, rather than using perceived student deficits as an excuse for low test scores. A new sense of urgency, clearer districtwide goals, and research-based school plans have combined to help Spokane close the achievement gap in high-poverty schools.

Attending the national forum were (from left) Cathy Fromme from the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Patrick Shields of SRI International, and Betty Hale of the Institute for Educational Leadership.Presenters shared Spokane's success story at a national forum on comprehensive school reform, held October 27-28, 2003, in Seattle. Organized by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory and nine partner organizations, the meeting focused on how school districts develop the capacity to ensure learning success for all students. Forum proceedings will be posted at www.nwrel.org/scpd/re-engineering/keyissues.shtml in late January.

Keynote speaker Thomas Hatch, of the National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching at Columbia University, asserted that you can't change what's going on inside schools without thinking seriously about how to help them deal with limited resources and conflicting demands. "Schools and districts have to be able to participate in the creation of the conditions they need to be successful," he told the gathering.

Hatch pointed out that "reform efforts themselves create a whole set of demands that many schools, particularly low-performing schools, don't have the capacity to meet." He suggested a number of joint strategies that schools and districts can use to find resources and manage demands: allow for focus and flexibility; match qualified teachers with appropriate schools; create arenas where district and school members can build relationships; recognize and reward shifts in job skills and responsibilities; and build public understanding of schools' needs and strengths.

Other presenters focused on bringing coherence to curriculum and instruction throughout the system. Panelists also explored the role of data in effective decisionmaking, what the research says about professional development, and developing leadership to transform culture.

This was the seventh in a series of annual conferences on school reform efforts. According to Bob Blum, director of NWREL's Center for School and District Improvement, the forums provide an important opportunity for researchers and practitioners to come together to discuss critical issues.

Joining NWREL as sponsors of the event were the National Clearinghouse for Comprehensive School Reform, Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, Consortium for Policy Research in Education, Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy, Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, Council of Chief State School Officers, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, and American Association of School Administrators.

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