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TOOLS TO BUILD CAPACITY FOR WHOLE SYSTEMS OF SUCCESSFUL SCHOOLS

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Goal
The Annenberg Institute is researching, developing, and testing “tools” (knowledge, supports, and resources) for use by communities and their school districts to help build their capacity to create and sustain high-quality teaching and learning at scale. The Institute’s work – focusing in the areas of systems redesign, civic engagement, and data-informed decision making – is part of a multi-organization collaboration funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The products of the collaboration will be available to school systems nationwide through EdImpact.org, a Web-based education reform resource center developed and hosted by ETR Associates. The site is expected to be online in Fall 2007.


What We Do
The Institute’s work involves four progressive steps:

1. identify and adapt existing tools;
2. generate and test new tools to fill identified gaps;
3. disseminate products through the EdImpact.org; and
4. document and evaluate the products’ quality and impact on systemic capacity to improve teaching and learning.

Tools are generated in three Resource Groups that address specific areas where capacity building is needed.

• District Redesign
  Tools that help schools and districts examine and strengthen their capacity to support high-quality teaching and learning at scale
  
      > Guide to Preparing for District Leadership Change
      > Products for Capacity Building in School Districts
  
  
  
• Community Engagement
  Tools to engage community constituencies in the process of education reform
  
      > Products for Capacity Building in Communities
  
  
  
• Data-Informed Decision Making
  Tools for collecting and using information to guide key decisions about policy and practice
  
      > Study of Leading Indicators of Improved Practice
      > Products for Using Data for Decision Making
  

As promising supports and resources in each area are identified or developed, frameworks or guides are created to support their effective use. The Institute pilots new tools in partner districts that are actively engaged in moving reform to scale. Tools are subsequently revised based on the feedback from users.

Over the four years of the project (ending June 2009), the Institute anticipates contributing some 40 to 50 tools and resources. All these products are either available or described on this Web site.


Partners & Funders

• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• Collaborative Communications Group
• Consortium for Policy Research in Education
• The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Contact Person
Michael Grady
Deputy Director
Michael_Grady@brown.edu

 

Annenberg Institute for School Reform Brown University, Box 1985 Providence, RI 02912

Telephone: 401.863.7990 Fax: 401.863.1290

AISR_info@brown.edu