TL;DR:

• Every year, schools work to establish school improvement goals.
• Schools may fall into one of three categories: improvement, diminishing returns, or flatlining.
• There are five leverage points schools should look at for improvement.

Each year, school improvement teams identify needs, create goals, and determine how to measure each goal.  Staff commits to focusing on school priorities and strategies for improving the system.  According to Goleman (2013), “The best leaders have systems awareness, helping them answer the constant query, ‘Where should we head and how?’” There are two types of schools: schools that are improving and schools experiencing diminishing returns.  The third type of school is one that flatlines and sees neither improvement nor diminishing returns.  

If we are trying to improve the system for students, we should invite students to join the conversation. Even elementary students can identify strengths and weaknesses in the system. Click To Tweet

School teams often focus on last year’s goals or parts of the system that are easy to recognize.  This approach is one reason why several schools struggle with improvement.  Leverage points exist in every school, yet they are easy to overlook.  Three reasons leverage points are overlooked are tradition, a focus on outcomes, and groupthink. 

School improvement meetings are typically scheduled from 3:30 – 4:30 pm—after teachers and administrators have worked a full day.  This is not the ideal time to focus on continuous improvement, but it is common practice in schools.  Major corporations take leadership teams and thought leaders in the organization on retreats and provide an environment for creativity and inspiration. However, school teams often meet in a classroom or the cafetorium at the end of the workday.

How Can School Teams Find Leverage Points?

1. Instructional Strategies
2. Social and Emotional Learning
3. Home-to-School Communication/Partnerships
4. Student Perspectives
5. Facilities

“The bottom line of systems thinking is leverage – seeing where actions and changes in structures can lead to significant, enduring improvements…the best results come not from large-scale efforts but from small well-focused actions” (Senge, 1992).  All areas of the school are part of the system.  The five leverage points highlighted in this article are just a starting point.  Teams will be able to recognize several other leverage points in their school. 

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The fourth leverage point listed in this article is “Student Perspectives.”  In a majority of School Improvement Team meetings, students are missing.  If we are trying to improve the system for students, we should invite students to join the conversation.  Even elementary students can identify strengths and weaknesses in the system.  Where can you find leverage points that will help your school reach and exceed its goals?  Begin your next meeting by asking, “Where are the Leverage Points?”  

“You do not rise to the level of your goals.  You fall to the level of your systems” (Clear, 2018).

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About Steven Weber

Dr. Steven Weber is the Associate Superintendent for Teaching and Learning with Fayetteville Public Schools (AR). His areas of research include curriculum design, formative assessment, professional learning, and school leadership.