Accreditation>

Suggested Approaches
To School Improvement Planning

Introduction

School improvement planning is a process by which members of the school community conduct a thorough evaluation of their school's educational programming during the accreditation year and develop a written school improvement plan that:

establishes the starting point for ongoing evaluation efforts;
provides a road map for school improvement; and
unifies independently organized school improvement efforts from various areas of the total school program into a single, focused process.

With instructional leadership, continuous evaluation, and a commitment to achieving student-oriented goals, all schools can become improving schools. Improving schools do not just happen; they are the result of thoughtful assessment and informed planning. An improving school is one which is making a clear effort to become an effective school.

Effective schools, as defined by the research literature, demonstrate:

a focus on high student achievement;
students' learning of the curriculum that is taught;
equity of opportunity for all students; and
continuous improvement of instructional programs.

Some characteristics tend to be shared by effective and improving schools. Nine of these characteristics have been defined as correlates or topical areas and offered as possible areas for assessment.

The nine correlate areas, with suggested definitions, are:

1. Administrative Leadership in Instruction--Instructional leaders guide the school community in identification of shared beliefs, affirmation of the school's mission, and establishment of mutually agreed upon goals. Leaders facilitate the development of a healthy learning environment and the accompanying curricular and instructional models which move the school toward realization of the mission.

Instructional leadership is dynamic in that school improvement is a process, not an event. It is dynamic in that different persons assume different leadership roles. Leaders empower others to be leaders and encourage all members of the school community to be active participants in the teaching-learning process.

2. Curriculum--Curriculum is the plan for learning which identifies the student's "interaction...with instructional content, materials, resources, and processes for evaluating the attainment of educational objectives" [511 IAC 6.1-1-2 (e)]. Curriculum reflects the mission and goals of the school and community and enables all students to be fulfilled and confident persons as they participate in a democratic society.

3. Instruction--Instruction is the process of delivering the school's curriculum to students. Instruction helps students learn and empowers them to develop and use concepts and skills. Instruction may also foster the development of certain attitudes, understandings, values, and appreciations by students. Instruction is the establishment of an environment, the accessibility of materials, and the facilitation of experiences that support all learners in constructing and exhibiting knowledge and lifelong learning skills.

4. Monitoring Student Progress--Student performance and progress are regularly and frequently monitored by using a variety of assessment strategies and instruments. The results are communicated to students, parents, staff, and the community. Changes to the curriculum and improvements in instructional programs and services are based, in part, on the results of these assessments of student progress.

5. Program Evaluation--Program evaluation is a process for systematically and comprehensively determining the effectiveness of educational programs and services. It provides a forum for discussing what schooling is, as well as what it should be. Program evaluation generates information that can be used by providers of educational services, as well as the consumers of those services, as they develop a clear understanding of what the schooling process is all about, what happens in schools, and how the schooling process can be improved.

6. Professional Development--Professional development programs for staff focus on issues related to school improvement and professional growth. Staff are actively involved in planning professional development opportunities based on needs they have identified. These opportunities encourage professional collaboration of colleagues who share information, provide mutual support and encouragement, and sustain an environment where improvement is valued and celebrated.

7. Evaluation of School Personnel--Professional evaluation is the necessary companion of professional development. The evaluation system for school personnel provides for the growth and development of all staff, enhances professional performances, and may serve as the basis for employment decisions.

8. School Climate--The school climate and learning environment are safe, caring, and organized. Such an atmosphere promotes productive teaching and learning. The school community holds high expectations and fosters positive self-concept. All members of the school community believe they count as individuals within the educational environment.

9. Parent and Community Involvement--An effective educational program reflects cooperative relationships among the major participants in the process--students, parents, school staff, central administration, school board, and community members. Parents and other community members frequently participate in school activities and are well-informed regarding school expectations, successes and failures.
During the required discussion process, participants define and discuss educational issues within areas such as the nine correlate areas. Discussion of these issues can help school communities assess the important characteristics of the school's learning environment. The discussion of the issues may help outline school improvement planning by focusing on what is to be explored and what assessment and evaluation data might be used for further program assessment. Discussions will vary according to the school's size, structure, current school improvement efforts, and experience with program evaluation.

As members of the school community move through the process of school improvement planning, awareness increases that:

all students can learn the curriculum that is taught;
teachers can successfully teach all students;
the effectiveness of a school can be defined in terms of student performance; and
a school can become an improving school by following its mission, responding to community concerns for accountability, and accepting the challenge to demonstrate the success of existing program

Organizing the School Improvement Planning Process---

Introduce the Process--The department conducts orientation sessions for schools. Representatives of local schools and school corporations participate in general awareness sessions as well as specific training sessions. Topics presented at these sessions may include:

an overview of the accreditation system;
information about legal standards and expected (predicted) performance;
effective schools research;
developing a school mission statement;
conducting program assessment and evaluation;
identifying strengths and weaknesses;
establishing goals;
creating strategies to implement those goals;
the accreditation schedule and timeline; and
the roles performed by local school staff, central administration, local school board members, parents, school community members, and Indiana Department of Education consultants.

Explain Accreditation Requirements--To begin the school improvement planning process, representatives of the local school or school corporation (usually the principal or superintendent) may meet with members of the school community to explain requirements of the accreditation system. Topics include:

legal standards;
the school improvement planning process and written school improvement plan;

Identify Leadership for School Improvement Planning--To provide a strong sense of staff ownership for school improvement, leadership for the school improvement planning process should be shared among school staff members, no be centered on the principal. Responsibilities for leading the school improvement planning process may be organized by a single chairperson, divided among cochairpersons, or shared among members of the school improvement committee.

Primary responsibilities of the school improvement leadership include coordinating and facilitating all aspects of the school improvement planning process. Specific responsibilities and tasks may be assigned to school improvement committee members and study committees.

Establish Committees--The entire staff, along with representatives of the school community, need to be involved directly with the school improvement planning process. Committees are established to carry out the school improvement planning process.

School Improvement Committee--The school improvement committee is a broad-based group that represents staff and community interests and has responsibility for facilitating the school improvement planning process. Members of the school improvement committee may include teachers, administrators, department chairpersons, support staff, parents, school board members, students, and community representatives. Consider the following when identifying members:

Select people who share professional or personal respect with various constituencies from the school community;
Keep the committee small relative to the size of the school staff to promote efficiency and productivity; and
Select people who communicate effectively and are well-organized and task-oriented.

Study Committees--Study committees are established to discuss educational issues. Committees may function in a variety of ways:

discuss issues in a single topical area;
discuss issues in a combination of related topical areas; and
coordinate discussion of issues from other school improvement initiatives, such as North Central Association, Indiana 2000, strategic planning.

Curriculum Subcommittees--Due to the complexity of curriculum study, a second set of committees may be formed to address subject areas and educational program areas offered by the school. Curriculum subcommittees should consider:

reviewing each subject area and educational program area separately; or
combining the review of subjects and programs to reflect instructional designs, such as elementary interdisciplinary units, middle grade teaming, and interdisciplinary high school offerings.

In summary, committees become important decision-making groups that include people who ordinarily may not share decision-making and planning responsibilities. Communication among committees promotes ownership and helps maintain enthusiasm for the school improvement planning process.

Reflection---

1. Profile the School Community

[NOTE: Profiling the school community, as part of the school improvement planning process, provides valuable background information for understanding the context of the educational process within the community. This information may be included as an optional narrative section in the written school improvement plan.]

An important consideration when developing a school improvement plan is an understanding of the students and community the school serves. Background information about the student population may include:

number of students enrolled and the change in population over the past five years;
descriptive information regarding racial and ethnic diversity;
percentages of students by gender;
socioeconomic status of students;
data regarding achievement of students; and
highlights of progress, achievements, recognition and awards.

Characteristics of the school community may include:

influx or decline of business and industry and their support of the school;
community issues that influence the school;
social support services available to and utilized by the school;
community perception of the school's effectiveness; and
resources and partnerships available with businesses or community organizations.

2. Review School Improvement Efforts

[NOTE: Review of past and current school improvement efforts, as part of the school improvement planning process, provides valuable background information. A summary of this review may be included as an optional narrative section in the written school improvement plan.]

School representatives might consider using the school's prior written school improvement plan and any other recent improvement efforts as a foundation for current school improvement planning. The following questions provide focus for discussion of school improvement efforts and assessment of the progress of school improvement during the past five years.

What improvement efforts has the school pursued in the recent past (in particular since last accreditation)? Which of these efforts have been most successful? To what does the school attribute success or lack of success?
What planning and improvement initiatives are currently being used in the school?
What new learnings regarding school improvement and assessment are affecting the school's environment? How are research and professional literature being used in school improvement planning?
How is shared decision-making part of the school improvement planning process?
What basic beliefs does the school community hold about the purpose of education?

3. Affirm Mission Statement

The mission statement is a clear, concise expression that reflects shared commitment to education by the school community. The mission statement is not merely a description of current status, but rather a bold declaration of what the school wishes to accomplish. Within the school improvement planning process, the mission statement is a powerful tool for focusing on desired student performance.

Often a school corporation will have a mission statement that is used by all schools in the corporation. However, because each school is unique, it is important that members of each school community customize the statement into one that reflects the individual school's culture. A mission statement is not a philosophy, but may reflect the beliefs and values expressed in the school's philosophy. Education at each school should be aligned with the developmental characteristics and specific needs of its own student body.

Development of the mission is the responsibility of the entire school community. The process used to create the mission statement should represent the viewpoints of all participants. The school solicits information from representatives of the school community regarding their views on educational values and the desired focus for the school's curriculum and instructional programs.

The mission statement may address the following questions.

What are the student-oriented educational goals to be pursued by members of the school community?
What is the school's responsibility in preparing citizens?
Who has the responsibility and authority for providing the needed learning experiences?
What school learning experiences are essential for all educated citizens?

After the information has been compiled and reviewed, the school community affirms or refines the existing mission statement or drafts a new mission statement based upon the identified ideas.

The mission statement is always subject to the changing needs of the school community. It is reviewed at various points in the school improvement planning process to ensure consistency with the improvement focus. It is consulted whenever new practices, policies, rules, activities or modifications are considered. It also is reviewed as the school staff and student populations change and as community expectations change. The mission can provide direction as new curriculum areas are developed and as academic requirements are outlined.

Investigation---

1. Discuss Issues

By using knowledge about the students, the school community, and the mission statement, committee members begin to build the framework for the discussion of programs, practices, values, and activities required by 511 IAC 6.1-7-1. Discussion of issues within topical areas such as the correlates and subject areas can be a good way to begin.

Focusing on issues allows school community members to:

promote communication that recognizes diverse perspectives;
discuss student-centered topics; and
develop an outline for the school improvement plan.

The following process tips may be helpful as participants discuss the issues:

At this time in the investigation process, discussion should be inclusive of many ideas rather than narrowly focused on specific popular issues. No evaluation of quality or priority is made until discussions have been completed. It may be helpful to have a recorder list all ideas generated during these discussions.
Within each topical area, members of the school community list the programs, practices, values, and activities which will be discussed during the school improvement planning process.
The discussion of educational issues may relate to curricular offerings, instructional strategies, administrative practices, or school activities.
The discussion of issues may suggest the types of assessment strategies and sources of information required to determine strengths and weaknesses.
The discussion of the issues in one topical area may relate to discussions in other topical areas. Common issues or themes may be identified in more than one topical area.

As the school community examines what is and is not working within the context
of the effective school correlates or other locally-developed criteria, the discussions about the issues describes the major characteristics of the school's learning environment. As assessment continues, additional topics for discussion may arise. The discussions may suggest possible sources of documentation, as well as assessment instruments for gathering additional information.

2. Assess Information

The school improvement planning process provides a systematic approach to understand, evaluate, and improve educational opportunities for all students. Assessment of information is a vital step in this planning process. To ensure a thoughtful school improvement planning process, the school community describes, assesses, and verifies the effectiveness of current school programs, practices, values, and activities.

Assessment begins with gathering information from a variety of sources. Such information can be used to validate conclusions from the discussions. The following should be noted during the assessment process:

Assessment addresses issues specific to the individual school.
Comparable information from current and varied sources yields valid conclusions.
Information can be quantitative and qualitative. Both kinds of information are valuable and can work together to support conclusions.
Assessment is not solely dependent on such techniques as surveys or questionnaires.
Gathered information is clustered into categories to reveal relationships and to define significant issues or common themes.
Information gained from one assessment instrument often provides enough information to suggest another information source which in turn provides more specific information.
Assessment allows members of a school community to identify gaps or redundancies in school programs and practices.

In conclusion, assessment requires collaborative and coordinated efforts. All members of the study committees should be actively engaged in this portion of the school improvement planning process.

3. Cite Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths and weaknesses are identified as a result of the investigation and assessment of programs, practices, values and activities. They provide baseline information from which to develop future plans.

When citing strengths and weaknesses, the following guidelines may be helpful.

Strengths and weaknesses are derived from thoughtful discussion of information from formal and informal assessment.

Strengths and weaknesses are confirmed by information from a variety of current sources.

Strengths and weaknesses acknowledge the challenging issues facing the school.

Strengths and weaknesses are written in language that is clear, concrete, specific, and meaningful for the school community. Weaknesses do not include phrases such as "need to be," "should be," "must be," or "could be better if" because such phrases describe solutions rather than current practice. Strengths and weaknesses describe the instructional program from the student's perspective, rather than focusing on adult considerations such as facilities or resources. Strengths and weaknesses may be illustrated with examples of additional information in order to clarify, specify, or validate. Strengths and weaknesses written in complete sentences clearly explain school findings for future reference.

In summary, strengths and weaknesses clearly describe what is and, therefore, provide a complete and accurate picture of the school.

Action ---

1. Establish Goals

An effective goal focuses primarily on results rather than activity. It identifies where you want to be . . . . and it tells you when you have arrived. It unifies your efforts and energy. It gives meaning and purpose to all you do.

-- Stephen Covey

Goals are established based on the identified strengths and weaknesses of the school community to which school improvement activities will be directed
[511 IAC 6.1-7-1(c)(3)(C)]. Goals are established to eliminate or minimize weaknesses and to enhance strengths. Goals may be established to address a specific strength or weakness or some combination of related strengths or weaknesses.

To establish goals based on strengths and weaknesses:

Review all strengths and weaknesses.
Categorize related strengths and weaknesses to define significant issues or common themes.

As a result:

One or more goal statements may emerge from the identified issues or themes.
Goal statements may reflect issues or themes identified in more than one topical area.

The following are characteristics of well-developed goals focused on school improvement.

Goals are primarily student-oriented. They describe what happens with and for students.
Goals support the school mission statement.
Goals describe the desired results rather than processes or strategies. They do not focus on quick fixes; that is the role of strategies.
Goals are not buyable with dollars because they describe how students benefit from qualitative change, not how facilities and resources are to be addressed.
Goals stated in present tense with powerful verbs assist members of the school community as they describe the desired situation as if it were in place.

In summary, goals are established to project possibilities for future school improvement efforts. Goal development requires considerable creativity, deliberation, and consensus-building by committee members. The ultimate task of goal development is to create a list of goals that is consistent with the school mission.

2. Create Strategies

Strategies outline a variety of possible activities to achieve the goals of the school
[511 IAC 6.1-7-1(c)(3)(D)]. Strategies are practical, manageable, and flexible enough to allow for modifications.

The following are characteristics of well-developed strategies:

Strategies may emerge from the ideas and experiences of the participants, from best practices in the field, and professional literature.
Each goal has its own set of strategies. Strategies may suggest a sequence of activities.
Strategies are congruent with local and state policies.
Strategies are action-oriented and clearly state various ways to implement the goal.
Strategies provide justification for the allocation of time, money, and staff development needed to realize the goal.
Strategies indicate how various members of the school community may be involved in implementation of the activities.
Strategies realistically address changes which must occur to implement the goal.
Strategies allow for ongoing evaluation. This evaluation may suggest additional strategies and refinement of goals.

In summary, strategies explain how the school community plans to implement its goals. They create a variety of possibilities for action.

3. Establish Action Plan

As a culminating activity of the school improvement planning process, the school community formulates an action plan for at least the first year of improvement efforts. The action plan sets forth three to five goals with accompanying strategies. Action plan goals may be taken directly from those already in the topical area reports or they may reflect significant issues and common themes that were identified in more than one topical area. Additional strategies may be added. Action plan goals affirm the mission and define what the school wants to be.
The action plan:

unifies school improvement efforts from all parts of the school community;
provides a road map for implementing school improvement efforts; and
informs the school community of the specific direction school improvement is taking.

Components often included in the action plan are:

people responsible for implementing strategies;
timelines for beginning and completing strategies;
resources needed to implement strategies;
potential barriers to successful implementation of strategies;
possible preventions of barriers;
evaluation procedures for acknowledging successful realization of strategies; and
activities to celebrate successes.

As the action plan is implemented, periodic review and refinements may be made to advance school improvement efforts. That goals are not met within a single year does not mean failure as long as strategies are attempted and progress is made. Review and reflection of the action plan includes assessment of progress, revision of strategies, and celebration of successes. Annual reviews extend school improvement into the future and continue to focus on reflection, investigation, and action as key elements of successful school improvement. Therefore, the action plan is responsive to changing needs and provides on-going encouragement and structure for the school community as it continues school improvement efforts.

Ways to Sustain School Improvement Efforts--A school's action plan reflects the mission of the school community. The action plan provides a flexible blueprint for projected change. However, school improvement is not a short-term endeavor; it is an on-going process of reflection, investigation, and action.

School communities use a variety of means to sustain school improvement efforts. These efforts include:

celebrating the completion of the written school improvement plan as a first step for future efforts;
sharing the action plan with the community;
providing copies of the written school improvement plan to other schools in the corporation;
combining corporation strategic planning with PBA efforts;
maximizing the school improvement committee's opportunities to coordinate, evaluate, revise, and communicate local school improvement activities on a continuous basis;
sharing annual reports about improvement efforts with the superintendent, the local school board, and the community;
coordinating professional development activities with the action plan;
making copies of the plan available to staff members and central administration;
networking with other schools which have similar goals, environments, or philosophies;
establishing staff development and curriculum links with colleges, universities, or technical schools;
designing a chart that represents progress toward the goals;
rotating leadership roles to provide opportunities for broad participation;
being open to dissenting opinions;
sending updates of activities and progress toward goals to the media; and
celebrating successes.

Individual schools may develop their own ideas for sustaining school improvement efforts.

CRITERIA FOR THE
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANNING PROCESS
AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN

The following general rubrics describe characteristics of school improvement. These criteria may be useful when reviewing school improvement efforts, in terms of both the school improvement planning process and the written school improvement plan.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

The school improvement planning process describes current educational practice and projects future possibilities. A written school improvement plan records these descriptions and projections in a manageable format that school personnel use to guide efforts and document action.

Characteristics Conducive to School Improvement
Characteristics which Inhibit School Improvement

The process meets both the letter and the spirit of the appropriate statutes and rules and is true to the "effective schools" model. The process indicates that the school community has little or no understanding of the school improvement planning process.

The process is appropriate and meaningful relative to the school's size, organizational structure, innovations, sophistication, and experience in program evaluation and school improvement efforts. The process has been dictated by convenience to participants ratherthan by school and student needs.

The process reflects the following characteristics of the school community: trust, collegiality, caring, ownership, communication, celebration, and recognition. The process reflects the following characteristics of the school community: distrust, isolation, division, opposition, and reluctance.

The process provides evidence of the school community's commitment to school improvement. There is little evidence of the school community's commitment to quality school improvement.

The school improvement planning process is on-going throughout the school year, providing for regular and frequent reflection and refinement. The school improvement planning process is perceived as an academic exercise to complete rather than an on-going, active process to pursue.

The Department consultant provides guidance and support while school leadership directs the local school improvement planning process. The school relies almost exclusively on the consultant to interpret rules and regulations and expects the consultant to direct the school improvement planning process.

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION ROLE

Encouragement and assistance from the central administration reinforce the significance of and demonstrate commitment toward the school improvement planning process. The central administration sets the tone for school improvement. Critical resources and technical support provided by central administration facilitate planning.

Characteristics Conducive to School Improvement	Characteristics which Inhibit School Improvement
Central administration actively supports the school improvement process.	Central administration maintains the attitude that "this is exclusively a building level process required by the state--be sure it gets done on time."
Central administration communicates the importance of quality school improvement to individual schools.	Central administration is negative or passively silent regarding its attitude toward quality school improvement.
Central administration is proactive in assisting schools as they set timelines for appropriate completion of the process.	Each school works independently and must request assistance directly from the department or other schools.
A central administrator acts as liaison between the department and individual schools.	Individual schools have no central administrator to interact with the department.
Central administration is proactive in its contacts with the department and the consultant.	Central administration is ambivalent or antagonistic toward the department and the consultant.
Central administration distributes materials and data to individual schools as needed.	Materials do not reach individual schools on time or must be shared among schools.
Central administrators provide assistance with resources and technical support as needed.	Central office support personnel are available only sparingly to assist individual schools.
Central administration regularly monitors the process throughout the school year.	Schools proceed through the process with little or no guidance or assistance from central administration.

EVIDENCE OF COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS

The school improvement planning process and the written school improvement plan declare ownership by school constituencies. Information reflects the values and needs of interested parties. The process and plan emphasize the empowerment of the school to make positive qualitative change through school improvement efforts.

Characteristics Conducive to School Improvement	Characteristics which Inhibit School Improvement
The process clearly reflects careful planning, conscientious efforts, and cooperation.	The process reflects the minimum effort needed to complete a required task.
The entire school community, including staff members, students, parents, and community representatives, has input into development of the following: 1. Mission statement 2. Strengths and weaknesses; 3. Goals and strategies; and 4. Action plan.	Little evidence supports involvement by the broad school community, including staff members, students, parents, and community representatives, in the school improvement planning process.
Leadership for the school improvement planning process is shared between the building administration and the staff.	The school improvement planning process is controlled by an individual or small group.
The principal acts as facilitator for the school improvement planning process.	The principal consciously impedes or restricts involvement in the school improvement planning process.
Staff, along with student, parent, and community representatives, review and refine the working drafts of the plan.	Committees complete their draft work, but few refinements are made based on input from the broad school community.
The school improvement plan is developed and written as part of a collegial effort that includes regular opportunities for input, sharing, and revision by various members of the school community.	The school improvement plan is written by an individual or group not representative of the school community.
The plan provides evidence that the school community understands program evaluation--what it is and how to pursue it successfully.	The plan indicates a lack of under-standing of program evaluation-- it appears to be a "writing exercise" to fulfill a legal standard.
The details outlined in the action plan include personnel assignments and reasonable expectations that include participation by various members of the school community.	The action plan includes limited specifics regarding personnel responsibilities for implementation.

COMPREHENSIVENESS

The school improvement planning process addresses the total educational environment. The written school improvement plan portrays the critical components of the schooling process. Educational conditions are accurately and thoroughly described--it is readily apparent that "this is who we are, as we are--the concerns as well as the celebrations."

Characteristics Conducive to School Improvement	Characteristics which Inhibit School Improvement
The process provides coverage across correlate areas.	There is a "bits and pieces" approach.
The process is efficiently and thoughtfully refined; it provides focus where appropriate without "spinning wheels" on insignificant issues.	A focus on minor issues detracts from a balanced approach to significant ones. Participants appear reluctant to accept responsibility for their roles in school improvement.
Curriculum standards, as outlined in the state standards, are addressed from the students' perspective.	No evidence of comprehensive analysis of curriculum proficiencies is presented.
Instructional support programs such as Title 1, Gifted/Talented, At-Risk, Special Education, Pupil Personnel Services, and Media, are addressed.	Instructional support programs such as Title 1, Gifted/Talented, At-Risk, Special Education, Pupil Personnel Services, and Media, are not addressed.
Strengths and weaknesses describe the "tough" issues as well as the "comfortable" ones.	Strengths and weaknesses are superficial. Obvious strengths and weaknesses are not identified.
Strengths and weaknesses reflect a complete and accurate assessment of the educational conditions of the school.	Strengths and weaknesses reflect an incomplete or inaccurate assessment of the educational conditions of the school.
Goals address substantive issues and support the mission statement.	Goals are superficial, perhaps only restating weaknesses in positive terms.
Goals and strategies are written in such a way that there is no doubt students will benefit.	Goals and strategies appear narrowly focused on adult interests, with little concern for student benefits.
Strategies describe actions designed to affect student learning positively.	Strategies focus only on "fixing weaknesses," rather than suggesting creative actions.

VALIDITY, ACCURACY

The school improvement planning process is consistent with best educational practices. Each strength and weakness is derived from careful analysis of current, substantive data from a variety of sources.

Characteristics Conducive to School Improvement	Characteristics which Inhibit School Improvement
Schools assess, evaluate, and set goals based on qualitative and quantitative information.	Little thought is given to educational research and implications for local improvement efforts.
Current sources of information are used.	Strengths and weaknesses frequently are based on old information or questionable sources.
Current statutes and rules are used to guide the self-study.	Changes in statutes and rules are not recognized or reflected.
Findings are derived from thoughtful analysis and discussion of current information.	Findings rely heavily on perception.
Strengths and weaknesses accurately describe the school learning environment; helpful examples are included for purposes of illustration.	Strengths and weaknesses are sterile statements, often just repetitions of PBA program guide language, with few or no examples included to personalize and complete the statements.
The school improvement plan is presented in well-organized, declarative statements to ensure understanding by other readers.	The school improvement plan is written in sentence fragments which might not be understood by readers at a later date.

CONSISTENCY

The school improvement planning process supports discussion within small study groups along with larger group sharing and consensus-building. Information in the written school improvement plan is well-organized within and among correlates. Information is reported consistently.

Characteristics Conducive to School Improvement
Characteristics which Inhibit School Improvement

Recurring issues are consistently identified in more than one correlate, when appropriate, indicating communication across correlates. Inconsistencies within the school improvement plan reflect little or no evidence of communication across correlates.

Language that has meaning at the school is used throughout the school improvement plan. Vocabulary from the PBA program guide is used, rather than the authentic language of the school.

Clear, specific language is used throughout the plan. In many statements, vague, ambiguous language obscures the intended meanings.

Strengths and weaknesses are consistent with data analyzed. Strengths and weaknesses are not always clearly supported by relevant sources of information.

Findings which appear to be inconsistent are explained. The plan includes statements that directly conflict with each other and in which apparent conflicts are not explained.

CLARITY OF CONNECTIONS

The school improvement planning process develops relationships between current practice and future improvements. Components of the written school improvement plan are presented in logical sequence and clearly reflect the mission statement. Relationships are clearly defined among assessment information, strengths and weaknesses, goals and strategies and the action plan.

Characteristics Conducive to School Improvement	Characteristics which Inhibit School Improvement
School improvement planning begins with discussion of the mission and follows a logical sequence of study that culminates in an action plan to guide future school improvement efforts.	School improvement planning is pursued as a segmented writing exercise to fulfill a legal standard, rather than developed as an on-going, active process to pursue.
Strengths and weaknesses are derived directly from current, meaningful data.	It is unclear how results from self-study assessments were used to determine strengths and weaknesses.
Goals and strategies are logically derived from strengths and weaknesses.	Connections between goals and strategies and strengths and weaknesses are not well-defined.
The goals in the action plan reflect both strengths and weaknesses.	The action plan appears unconnected to the strengths. and weaknesses.
All components of the school improvement plan--strengths weaknesses, goals and strategies, and action plan--are supportive of and compatible with the mission statement.	The mission statement is not clearly reflected in the school improvement efforts and plan.

FORWARD-THINKING, ACTION-ORIENTED

The school improvement planning process and written plan outline on-going school improvement efforts. Goals are appropriate and significant; related strategies are practical and realistic. Goals and strategies are completely described to improve chances for successful implementation. The action plan projects positive changes in the learning environment.

Characteristics Conducive to School Improvement
Characteristics which Inhibit
School Improvement

Discussions regarding future planning indicate dynamic, ongoing commitment to school improvement. Future planning focuses on "more of the same."

Future planning focuses on qualitative change in the instructional program. Future planning is limited to improvement of facilities and increased resources rather than on-going creative actions to make learning more meaningful for students.

The process and plan reflect serious consideration of current best educational practice as support for school improvement. Participants have not seriously explored current best educational practice as support for school improvement.

The mission statement clearly defines the focus and direction school improvement efforts. The mission statement lacks for clarity and focus.

Goals are well-developed statements that completely describe the desired educational situation as if it were in place. While some goals suggest interesting and possibly valuable ideas, many goals lack clear and specific development.

Strategies clearly describe possibilities for active progress toward the goals. Many strategies are focused on maintenance of current practice or procedures.

Goals and strategies included in the action plan are meaningful and help achieve the mission of the school. Action plan goals and strategies are very general in nature--they resemble "fixits" or unconnected activity lists.

Action plan goals are compatible with current research findings and education literature. Action plan goals are based on limited review and understanding of current best educational practice.

The timeline presented in the action plan projects a workable sequence, but also allows flexibility as needed. The action plan lacks a detailed timeline or flexible range.

The action plan includes suggestions for evaluation of goals and strategies as well as possible proofs of completion. The action plan lacks suggestions for evaluation or statements that indicate proof of completion.