School Reform Initiative Draws on Models of Success

April 1998
School Reform Initiative Draws on Models of Success

"THIS INITIATIVE PROVIDES A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO SCALE UP REFORM SO THAT THOSE NORTHWEST CHILDREN IN GREATEST NEED RECEIVE THE HIGH-QUALITY AND APPROPRIATE SCHOOLING THEY REQUIRE TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP AND REACH HIGH STANDARDS."

The Northwest Laboratory will be helping schools throughout the region reform their programs from the ground up.
Under a new initiative of the U.S. Department of Education, the Laboratory will work with state education departments and local schools to carry out innovative, whole-school reforms designed to boost the achievement of all students. Parental involvement and basic academics will figure strongly in the reforms, which will be built on proven, research-based practices that touch every aspect of school life.
Under the Education Department's Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSRD) program, schools may apply for grants, renewable for up to three years, to adopt and implement a reform plan. Schools are encouraged to choose one of a number of existing models with records of success as the centerpiece or a major component of their plan.
Working within broad guidelines established by the department, each state is managing a process by which specific schools are selected to receive grants. Generally, successful applicants will serve concentrations of economically disadvantaged students. Chosen schools will draw not only upon the grant, but upon all their available resources, in support of comprehensive improvement.
"NWREL believes this initiative provides a tremendous opportunity to scale up reform so that those Northwest children in greatest need receive the high-quality and appropriate schooling they require to close the achievement gap and reach high standards," says Rex Hagans, Director of Planning, Evaluation, and Service Coordination for the Laboratory.
Hagans envisions a broad-based, regional support system that includes the Laboratory and draws upon the skills and capabilities of all groups and organizations that provide service to schools. These service providers will include, among others, education service districts, regional assistance centers, institutions of higher education, and state education departments.
The 10 regional educational labs will work both in support of efforts in their regions and collectively as a national resource to increase the effectiveness and impact of the CSRDP nationwide. NWREL is leading a national effort to provide good information about research-based models for schools to use in their decisionmaking. An initial document, Catalog of School Reform Models: First Edition, has been produced by NWREL for distribution to all 50 states. The document describes 44 models, including 26 entire-school models and 18 skill-and-subject models. A second edition is planned for the fall. NWREL will build upon this initial effort to work with the other laboratories in maintaining an online compendium of resources for comprehensive reform. (To access the compendium, visit the NWREL Web site at http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/catalog/.)
Among the activities the Laboratory will conduct in support of states' reform efforts are:

Conducting workshops to build capacity within state departments of education and regional service providers (such as ESDs) to provide assistance for schools on assessing needs, and selecting and implementing reform models
Developing guidelines for schools to use in assessing needs and selecting research-based practices.
Holding two "showcases" of proven and effective practices. Developers of selected whole-school models will meet with teams of principals, teachers, and parents from individual schools interested in learning firsthand about the student results of the models. Showcases will be held in Spokane and Portland this spring.
Grooming "regional experts" on selected models. These experts, who will serve as ongoing resources for schools engaging in reform efforts, will form the nucleus of a regional technical-assistance team for comprehensive reform.
Helping schools to design program evaluations.
Creating a database and Internet mailing list of sites participating in reform.

For more information about the comprehensive school reform initiative, contact Rex Hagans at (503) 275-9543.

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