The current state of the School Improvement Movement that is sweeping the country and the world is both encouraging and confusing. Many sources claim to know how to proceed, but none I know of have emerged as a reliable way for all schools to follow with the resources they have available. I will outline in the next few paragraphs some essential elements necessary to create a Continually Improving School. I have provided the names of some authors I have read who speak in more detail about these ideas.

A Continually Improving school depends on trusting relationships that grow over time. Every relationship is included: teachers, students, parents, administrators, support staff, community members, businesses, other schools, plants, animals, the environment, our country, other countries the entire world. This community of trust builds as people work together on the daily tasks of the school. (Glasser; Barth; Bryk & Schneider)

A Continually Improving School needs a compelling vision that can provide inspiration for generative learning to occur. This vision is the collective expression of individual visions in the hearts and minds of its members. It will be known, understood and supported by the community of relationships. (Senge; Covey; Collins)

A Continually Improving School makes the cultural shifts necessary to become a Professional Learning Community. Some examples of these shifts are: From a Focus on Teaching to a Focus on Learning; From Working in Isolation to Working Collaboratively; From Punitive to Positive. (DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, Darhanek)

A Continually Improving School is committed to making systemic change and uses the recursive process of Plan/Do/Analyze/Evaluate (or its equivalent) to progress towards its vision. It is each member’s responsibility to self-evaluate. Communication plays a key role in this, engaging in dialogue and maintaining a commitment to being a Professional Learning Community. (Deming, Glasser, Senge, Covey, Collins, Fullan)

There may be other key ingredients to assure a Continually Improving School. Please begin a dialogue with me and with each other about these so we may give this school improvement process more focus and effectiveness.

Peter Driscoll 8/2/11