Implementation Suggestions


Once a school team has developed an action plan and selected an approach to address the school’s priorities, it is time to implement the plan. Many of the programs and strategies included in this toolkit offer specific steps involved in implementation. Many of these are quite similar to each other, and boil down to a few key processes:

  • The school must make a long-term commitment to the innovation, because in many instances it takes two years or more to realize its full benefits.
  • It may be useful to identify a program coordinator to monitor program implementation and improvement.
  • Parents, students, family members, and community members should be informed and engaged from the earliest stages.
  • Staff who will be asked to change their daily practices in some way need to be trained and supported appropriately. Routine professional development is often not adequate to support innovative practices; often specialized training and/or technical support may be required.
  • Teams should solicit feedback from students and individuals implementing the new practices, to see how it is being received and whether people think it is helpful.

Evaluate results

The Student Connection survey is administered each year, and the scores will provide valuable input as to whether an effort is on track or not. Additionally, many other indicators that are available more frequently could be useful in assessing outcomes. These include:

  • Student grades
  • Student attendance
  • Teacher attendance
  • Number of disciplinary referrals (office visits, detentions, suspensions, expulsions)
  • Crimes
  • Achievement test scores

By “crossing” measures, instead of using one data source (such as student perceptions of the connection elements), educators can be provided much deeper insight into the school. By ensuring exposure to multiple sources of data, a culture can be built which values the use of reliable complete information to guide decisions and solve problems.

My Voice, My School

Implementation Suggestions from CPS Principals
Mary Dixon
Principal, Dawes Elementary