At The BERC Group, we visit many schools for many reasons. More often than not, they are struggling and under-performing. This fall, I had the privilege of visiting a once-failing school in a high poverty neighborhood. Despite its almost 100% free/reduced lunch status, extreme diversity, and high level of academic needs, the school had made great strides in improving student performance. Reflecting back upon many other schools I have visited, I wondered how the vibe at this particular school could be so different. Where were their excuses? Weren’t they frustrated by the deficits of the clientele they serve? Why didn’t they blame their circumstances like so many other schools?
One of the biggest differences I could identify comes down to a simple shift in philosophy: the leaders of this school ran it like a business, and everyone behaved like a professional. This is not to say that administrators and teachers at other schools are not professionals, but many schools do not adhere to such high standards. Let me see if I can explain the nuances of this difference.
One of the biggest differences I could identify comes down to a simple shift in philosophy: the leaders of this school ran it like a business, and everyone behaved like a professional. This is not to say that administrators and teachers at other schools are not professionals, but many schools do not adhere to such high standards. Let me see if I can explain the nuances of this difference.
Modeling Success
One difference was simply the way the staff members dressed. Nearly everyone, men and women, wore business suits or other professional attire. Does a suit make you a good teacher? Certainly not. But it does add a level of respect. It suggests to students and parents that they are important enough to dress up for and models how education can help them rise above their circumstances. In the same vein, staff members intentionally engage families in the education process. The school shares progress toward school improvement goals with families and community stakeholders during community meetings and site council. In addition, a staff member shared, “We take families on learning walks through classrooms so they can see it firsthand. We are trying to build that knowledge level for families.”
Expecting Success
Staff members also work to ensure that academic expectations and challenges are high for all students, regardless of their background or prior performance. Teachers work with their students to set goals for the future. Even at the elementary level, “College is definitely a discussion and we are talking about that with all of our students, trying to integrate this into our language daily,” shared a staff member.
Room for Innovation
Part of what makes this school so successful is a shared mindset and mission amongst staff members. Everyone is very cognizant of where the school came from and where they want it to end up. A staff member said, “This school was one of 200 most failing schools. We are always asking, how has the current system served our kids, and how can we break free from the ranks of that? We have a very visionary team that doesn’t want to repeat past failures.” In order to accomplish this, administrators have managed to strike a balance between holding high expectations and providing the space and flexibility to allow staff members to succeed. “At first, there had to be some intense monitoring, but that can cause fear and inefficiencies,” shared an administrator, “There has to be an emphasis that it is okay to take risks…and it is okay to fall on your face. You can’t always crack the whip if you want innovation.”
According to staff members, school leaders remain current in research and regularly engage staff members in conversations focused on applying research-based ideas and practices in the classroom. A staff member shared, “One of the things I love is our principal is constantly providing us with literature and things we can apply to our circumstances here. We are constantly learning.” When asked how they are supported in taking risks and making innovations to their practice, a staff member replied, “It’s encouraged as long as you are trying to teach the Common Core and have that foundation.” Another staff member’s response mirrored the mentality of the administration: “For me, it was a learning curve to realize they really meant ‘take risks,’ and it wasn’t just lip service, and it was okay if failure was involved. They were more interested in what worked and how to change practices for the better.” School leaders recognize and respect the implications of asking teachers to innovate, understanding theory is being put into practice, and there will be bumps along the way.
According to staff members, school leaders remain current in research and regularly engage staff members in conversations focused on applying research-based ideas and practices in the classroom. A staff member shared, “One of the things I love is our principal is constantly providing us with literature and things we can apply to our circumstances here. We are constantly learning.” When asked how they are supported in taking risks and making innovations to their practice, a staff member replied, “It’s encouraged as long as you are trying to teach the Common Core and have that foundation.” Another staff member’s response mirrored the mentality of the administration: “For me, it was a learning curve to realize they really meant ‘take risks,’ and it wasn’t just lip service, and it was okay if failure was involved. They were more interested in what worked and how to change practices for the better.” School leaders recognize and respect the implications of asking teachers to innovate, understanding theory is being put into practice, and there will be bumps along the way.
A Culture of Accountability
In the midst of innovation, there is also accountability. Administrators conduct classroom walkthroughs, sit in on common planning time, and look at data. A staff member shared, “Our administrators are good about coming into classrooms and giving us feedback. That is accountability. They tell us what we are doing well.” Another staff member reflected on the formal evaluation process, which is more like a performance review in the business world than the typical “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory” report card for a teacher:
When I had my formal evaluation last year, it was comprehensive. It wasn’t just the district evaluation, but it also reflected the unique pieces of our school integrated into our evaluation. We also did a self-evaluation, and they included it. It was empowering and authentic. It was reflective of what we do here. I got tailored feedback on how I’m achieving the school’s goals.
Flexible Hiring
Perhaps one key difference between this school and others is, because of a district initiative, school leaders were allowed to circumvent the seniority list, allowing them to hire personnel whom they believed would best fit with the vision of the school and serve their unique needs. An administrator explained:
The hiring process is about finding the right match. [We look for] someone with a lot of passion for the work, a lot of moral connection to it in the deep meaning behind transforming an underserved community; someone willing to take a risk, fail, and try again; someone who can make sure the students can make a meaningful connection. We have the right team; now it’s time to create the culture to allow us to excel.
While not all schools have the option to cherry pick the best and brightest candidates to comprise their staff, all administrators can help bolster the potential and professionalism of their teachers. Although it may not work for all schools to run themselves like businesses, this example makes an interesting case for what education can learn from the business world.
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Lisa Law, M.Ed. Research Associate
Lisa Law holds a Masters of Education degree in School Counseling from Seattle Pacific University. She has worked and volunteered in many educational and extracurricular settings involving children and youth, including a 600-hour school counseling internship at a high-need elementary school in the Edmonds School District. While earning her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington, Lisa participated in a variety of research projects through the School of Psychology. She joined The BERC Group as a Research Assistant in 2010 and is excited to be involved in educational research at a pivotal time in school reform. Lisa’s research interests include program evaluation, equity in education, and risk and resiliency factors in predicting students’ personal, social and academic success.
