Extend systemic reform deeply into central district operations such as budgeting, finance, human resources, and facilities¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The paper recommends that districts pursuing standards-based reform include central operations units in their core reform strategies, because in most districts reform has barely touched operations like budgeting and finance, human resources, or facilities. It argues that "weak and disconnected local central operations undermine progress in instruction and teacher capacity-building by failing to free up money to help improve instruction." The recommendation appears in the Executive Summary and the section on extending instructional reforms deeply into operations.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• District operations units included in core reform strategies

Constraints¶

• In most districts, school reform has barely touched central operations

Target Learners¶

• K-12 students in districts undertaking standards-based reform

Target Learning Goals¶

• Improving instruction and teacher capacity-building

Related Strategies¶

• Build a constituency of educator groups and public advocacy to sustain systemic standards-based reform
• Three-part state response: align funding policy with enrollment and student needs, build local capacity for managing change, and conduct strategic communication and case-making

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Kirst, M. W. (2024). Standards-based education reforms: Looking back to look forward. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/647.623