Shoreville is a PK-12 school district with four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
Industry: Education PK-12 Districts and Schools
Project Type: Online use of the VitalInsight Diagnostic Inventory.
Challenge
Provide an online tool for internal stakeholders (all employees) to assess current school performance by comparing their experience against best practices and to complete the assessment and provide reports to the interim superintendent whose two year term was ending in a few months.
Solution
The online VitalInsight™ (VI) Diagnostic Inventory was used to collect assessment data from administrators, teachers, and support personnel from all six schools. From the collected data, four reports were generated. LE presented the reports to the superintendent within the projected time frame.
Assessment data collected from nine stakeholder groups identified each group’s assessment of readiness for performance improvement. This data was reported by administrators, teachers, and support personnel at each school and by all elementary principals together. Strengths and priorities for improvements were identified in all eighteen Interactive Performance Systems (IPS) that have an impact on school, adult, and student performance. Priorities for professional growth were identified by each stakeholder group in 18 IPS.
Results
Administrators, teachers, and support personnel responded online. A five point (1-5) scale required stakeholders to identify the frequency (never, rarely, sometimes, often, or always) with which they interacted with the best practice described in VI diagnostic statements. The schools received ratings in a broad range of 2.5 to 4.5, a significant spread with the six school average of 3.5. The range of identified System challenges was 2.0 to 5.0.. Priorities for professional growth were identified in sixteen of eighteen IPS.
The unique strengths and challenges in each school for conducting performance improvement processes were identified. Among stakeholder groups, the IPS of Customer Focus, Leadership, and Team Work, and Problem Solving were rated as strengths. The IPS of Alignment of Work Processes, Technology, and use of Student Behavior and Performance Data were rated low and were considered challenges to overcome to improve performance.
Among the IPS, stakeholders across the district identified the following IPS as priorities for professional learning growth: Alignment of Work Processes; Business and Financial Acumen; Effective and Integrated Governance; Customer Focus; Information Management and Reporting Systems; Student Behavior and Performance Data; Programs that Accelerate Learning; and Structures that Nurture Improvement.
Many performance improvement priorities were identified. A large majority of schools and stakeholders selected as priorities the IPS of Business and Financial Acumen; Effective and Integrated Governance; and Structures that Nurture Improvement. LE recommended that leadership teams at the district level and each school review the reports, reduce the number of priorities, and prepare action plans that would best address current adult and student performance needs.
Customer Feedback
“This assessment was easy for staff members to complete. While some ratings appeared a little high, the overall assessment of strengths and needs for improvement are accurate. This process would be very helpful for superintendents starting new in the position.”
—Dr. Ken Litts , Interim Superintendent
*The case study is real and positions of personnel are accurate. Names of districts, schools, and personnel have been changed.
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