K-12

Explore success factors for all students from kindergarten through senior year.

This is meant as a diagnostic tool to help you identify strengths and weaknesses by using a series of rubrics, audit questions, and honest conversation with one another. Did you find a theme or two that clearly identifies where you need to start working for improvement? Now you should have a clear roadmap identifying where you should begin and how your time should be spent to reach your improvement goals.

Success Factors

College and Career Readiness Curriculum and Expectations

Critical Elements

Expectations for student learning are high and are made clear. They are faithful to the district/system’s college and career readiness mission. Schools’ goals, priorities, and resources are aligned to prepare all students for mastery of subjects. Materials and instructional approaches are selected based on evidence of effectiveness.

Practice

Provide clear, specific learning objectives aligned to college and career readiness, along with evidence-based instructional practices, materials, and resources.

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Culture of Achievement

Critical Elements

The leaders and teachers within the district/system believe that preparing all students for success in college and careers is an essential and attainable goal. This college- and career-bound mindset is central to all communication to parents, students, and teachers about the district/system’s mission. The college- and career-readiness goal influences all instructional decisions.

Practice

Establish system-wide mission of college and career readiness for all students. Provide schools with leadership and resources to support a culture of achievement.

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Human Capital

Critical Elements

Higher-performing districts/systems cite human capital as a primary success factor and therefore devote considerable time, energy, and resources to attracting and cultivating teachers and instructional leaders who share the college- and career-readiness mission and are willing to work diligently to achieve it.

Practice

Higher performing districts/systems and systems cite human capital as a primary success factor and therefore devote considerable time, energy, and resources to attracting and cultivating teachers and instructional leaders who share the college readiness.

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Data and Assessment

Critical Elements

Higher-performing district/systems design goals, set priorities, and evaluate all initiatives based on multiple measures of data, including both psychosocial development and academic student achievement. To that end, they support ongoing assessment aligned to their college and career readiness mission and provide significant assistance to schools to collect, analyze, and act on these data.

Practice

Maintain data and assessment systems to monitor school and student performance; provide resources for using data to support academic achievement.

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Personalized Learning

Critical Elements

Leaders in higher-performing districts/systems are convinced that all students can achieve at high levels, including those with disabilities or other specialized academic needs. At the same time, they recognize that not all students learn in the same way or at the same rate and therefore create challenging, yet personalized, programs in which all students can strive to reach their potential.

Practice

Deploy resources and guidance to support schools’ efforts to prepare all students for college, and explore in innovations in personalized instruction to meet students’ varied needs.

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