The following article was contributed by Henry Cram, Ed.D., president of Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools.
As president of the Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools, I look forward to presenting at this year’s NCEA New Directions Assessment Conference in Philadelphia, where Middle States is headquartered.
For background, Middle States is the worldwide leader in accreditation and school improvement. For over 125 years, we have been helping school leaders establish and reach their goals, develop strategic plans, promote staff development and advance student achievement. We accredit more than 2,700 schools and school systems in nearly all 50 states and over 100 countries, including 600 Catholic schools around the globe.
The session I will be presenting, “Moving Beyond Data Collection for Real School Improvement”, will address how schools can use student performance data to make informed decisions that lead to increases in student achievement and improve the system’s organizational capacity. Often, assessment data shows how your school is performing at a certain point in time and does little more than reflect back what a community may already know about its school system and student performance levels.
However, for meaningful and ongoing school improvement, schools not only need to take full advantage of the data they collect to inform their decisions, they need to move beyond the data. Research on school improvement suggests increases in student performance are attainable only when the school improvement process is locally led, sustained over time, focused on a clear vision and supported by a cohesive plan. In essence, real improvement requires systemic change.
School improvement requires a comprehensive, locally led improvement process that examines the school system as a whole and ensures all of the components of the system are strategically aligned and everyone within the system is working collaboratively on common goals for improved student performance.
But how can school leaders balance the competing challenges of daily operations, data collection demands and real school improvement?
The answer, put simply, is by combining the assessment work already underway, with the Middle States accreditation process. Accreditation is a volunteer, peer review process that promotes the kind of locally led and sustainable school improvement research says works best. It is cost effective and ensures the school’s planning and decision-making processes are focused on a clear mission, world-class standards, and measurable progress.
The process encourages the use of student performance data to make informed decisions that lead to increases in student achievement and improve the system’s organizational capacity. With a centralized organizing framework, the process provides the means for fostering broad-based stakeholder involvement, cultivating both the support of faculty and the commitment of the community necessary to sustain a culture of continuous school improvement. It also provides the means for developing the professional skills of the staff and increases understanding of what steps are necessary to improving student achievement.
In Philadelphia, our basketball team, the Philadelphia 76ers, has a mantra: “Trust the Process.” It has guided the team from being one of the worst teams in the NBA just a few years ago, to achieving a winning record and a playoff bid this season. And it just goes to show whether you’re a professional basketball team or a Catholic school, you need to look beyond the scores for real improvement.
I look forward to seeing you in Philadelphia in June!
2018 NCEA New Directions Assessment Conference
June 18-20, 2018
The Inn at Penn, A Hilton Hotel
3600 Sansom Street I Philadelphia, PA 19104
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The 2018 NCEA New Directions Assessment Conference (Assessment 2018) will provide top level education on how Catholic schools can implement a comprehensive assessment program to monitor student progress and inform decision-making regarding instructional programs. Register today!
