Whether the district is anticipating a transition or is in the middle of one, it's a good time to think about whether you're on track and to bring the community and others into a conversation around strategic direction.

The transition review can be used, for example, to identify the characteristics and skills needed in a new superintendent or to engage community partners in owning and supporting a new reform effort.

Who can commission a District Transition Review?

Any individual or group who has a vested interest in the future of the school district or the community could launch a District Transition Review. This could be a school board, a superintendent, a mayor, a local education fund, or a civic or community group active in education.

What personnel are needed to conduct a District Transition Review?

A District Transition Review requires leaders with both research and education backgrounds, including some individuals who work in or closely with the district and others who are not familiar with the day to day operations of the district. We suggest the following groups of people:

An External Review Team of three to four leaders from outside the school system under study, who bring deep expertise in complex urban school system reform. The External Review Team leads the design, data collection, analysis and writing of the final document. Using external reviewers maximizes credibility and gives district employees, community members, and other stakeholders interviewed in the process the opportunity to be candid. The local leaders who commission the District Transition Review might seek the input of others in their network (local education funds in other cities, national or state school board associations, etc.) to find such individuals.

A Research Staff of four to six people from outside the school system to review and summarize district documents, research key background information, record notes in interviews and focus groups, analyze data and respond to drafts of the case. One of the esearch team members serves as the Review Manager. In addition to data documentation and analysis duties, the Review Manager coordinates and organizes the work of the External Review Team and the research staff. Local universities, especially those with graduate programs in education, may be a source for staffing the research team. Additionally, locally connected business leaders or other individuals involved in the district may be able to draw research staff from their organizations.

A District Liaison Team made up of six to eight district employees and partners who advise on the design of the transition review and review draft versions of the report. This small panel of key system leaders and partners also serves as an advisory group to the researchers from outside the system, who must draw on the expertise of district employees, stakeholders, and community members. The liaison team helps the external team gather important documents, identify a focus and a set of informants, and they review and comment on draft versions of the report.

The liaison team should include one or two deputy superintendents who have worked in the district long enough to understand internal politics and remember various phases of reform; representatives of key community groups and district partners; and at least one principal and one teacher representative. The leaders who commission the transition review will probably know the system well enough to identify key people to serve on this team. A District Liaison Team Chair leads the liaison team and helps to gather documents, schedule interviews and focus groups, and advise on the progress of the review.