Jefferson County Public Schools: Providing an Evidence-Based Approach to Accelerate the Success of Improvement Schools
There is a critical need for system-level support for school leaders, particularly those principals working to rapidly improve schools.
The Center on Great Teachers and Leaders (GTL Center) collaborated with the Jefferson County Public Schools' (JCPS) Office of Accelerated Improvement Schools (AIS) to improve its capacity to elevate leadership quality through targeted coaching and the application of data-driven decision-making within AIS-supported schools. The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) also provided valuable input.
The Approach
The project team conducted a needs assessment for JCPS AIS. This needs assessment included interviews with technical experts in school turnaround, website scans, interviews with JCPS staff, and more. As a result of this needs assessment, the GTL Center provided recommendations of results for AIS Office to use as presentation support to AIS or JCPS leadership.
The project was structured around four key tasks, each designed to contribute to the overarching aim of improving school leadership. Activities in this two-year project included:
- professional development and coaching for school leaders,
- a robust framework for progress monitoring and evaluation
- strategic partnerships for project management and systems support, and
- a focus on strategic planning to ensure all project components were aligned and focused on improving educational leadership.
This multi-pronged approach was designed to equip school leaders with the skills needed for school improvement and to ensure the project's initiatives were effectively implemented and sustained.
The Outcome
As a result of this project:
- Principals, Education Renewal Leaders (ERLs), and their coaches reported an increase in leadership capacity and the ability to apply leadership competencies in practice.
- Training on the AIR Implementation Continuum enabled principals to identify actionable evidence in their practice and to use the Continuum's elements in leading school improvement initiatives.
- Interviews revealed that principals, ERLs, and coaches observed improvements in leadership practices and capacity as a direct result of the coaching received.
- The GTL Center's coaching program was credited for these perceived increases in leadership capacity.
Overall, principals, ERLs, coaches, and leaders expressed high levels of satisfaction, crediting the GTL Center's experienced, personable coaches who built capacity and offered a valuable, external perspective based in evidence-based practices.
