What Works in Title I Schools | NW Report: November/December 2001

Profiles of Progress: What Works in Northwest Title I Schools

What Works in
Title I Schools

We've all heard about those schools, struggling against poverty and low performance, that have turned themselves around, raising morale, student successes, and community support. And we wonder, How did they do that? Researchers generally agree that these reborn schools create specific conditions that form the catalyst for change. The authors of the latest By Request booklet, Profiles of Progress: What Works in Northwest Title I Schools, by Jennifer Railsback, Bracken Reed, and Suzie Boss, surveyed the research literature and found these conditions include:

Shared vision of excellence and equity
Students and staff engaged in learning
Positive, safe school climate
Effective, collaborative school leadership
Adequate resources
Decisionmaking based on data and research
Parent and community involvement

“Much can be learned from once low-performing schools that have made progress in their comprehensive school reform efforts,” say the authors.

To provide a regional perspective on school reform in the Northwest, the Laboratory's Comprehensive Center and the educational resources staff combined efforts to showcase a dozen Title I schools (having above-average percentages of low-income students) that have made significant progress toward improving student achievement. Two schools each from Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming are featured.

The booklet spotlights these schools' successful reform strategies for the benefit of other schools that may be facing similar challenges. The school profiles include specific examples and practical insights to illustrate how they used these strategies to make a difference. The authors also point out the implications of these findings for policymakers who wish to support schools' reform efforts.

To request a free copy of this By Request booklet, please call (503) 275-9720; e-mail info@nwrel.org; or download the online version at www.nwrel.org/request/.

| Next Article | Front Page | NW Report Index |