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The Society for the Advancement of Excellence in Education provides non-partisan education research and information to policy-makers, education partners and the public. Our purpose is to encourage higher performance throughout Canada's public education system.
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Looking Beyond the Classroom to Improve Student Achievement
[ January 11, 2004 ] A new study suggests school district policies and practices can have a considerable effect on learning outcomes.
“Research tells us a great deal about effective schools and teachers, but much less is known about best practice at the district level. That makes this study significant,” said Helen Raham, Executive Director of the Society for the Advancement of Excellence in Education (SAEE), a research agency located in Kelowna, B.C.
District Practices and Student Achievement: Lessons from Alberta was written by Patrick Maguire, an education consultant with extensive experience as a teacher and school district administrator in both Ireland and Canada. The research was commissioned by SAEE and funded by the Donner Canadian Foundation.
Maguire’s report flags a number of policy issues related to district performance. It recommends, for example, that provincial education ministries consider additional investment in professional development for district superintendents as a strategy to achieve large-scale improvements. Similarly, it suggests that trustee associations evaluate their development programs.
Maguire selected five Alberta school districts for his study. Four districts had demonstrated consistent improvement in student academic achievement over a five-year period. The performance of the fifth district was comparatively constant. Through interviews, focus groups, surveys and relevant document review, Maguire probed district structures, practices, and relationships with their schools. He discovered that all five districts were alike in terms of formal structures and operations, but the higher-performing districts differed markedly from their more typical counterpart in terms of actual practices.
Among other characteristics, Maguire found the consistently improving districts were more sharply focused on student learning and that their entire staff supported this goal whether they taught students or balanced the books. Essential was the guidance of at least one senior district-level administrator with the passion and energy to champion the improvement process.
Consistently improving districts were also unique in their ability to foster a collective culture. Teachers and principals took pride in the district because they shared in its planning, decisions, and achievements. The district, rather than individual schools, set the bar for academic standards. Consistent analysis of assessment data and a close alignment of planning processes were prevalent. Successes were celebrated; failures triggered consequences. Staff development programs were emphasized and supported district-wide.
For further information contact: Helen Raham Tel (250) 717-1163, Patrick Maguire Tel (403) 851-0200
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