Moving Upward Together Creating Strategic Alignment to Sustain Systemic School Improvement

by Duffy, Francis M.

• ISBN13: 9781578860982
• ISBN10: 1578860989
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-04-02
• Publisher: R&L Education

Summary

If school districts want to sustain improvements that have been achieved during this period of district transformation, district leaders need to align their district, both vertically and horizontally. Alignment assures that the work of individuals supports their team goals, the work of teams supports their school's goals, the work of schools supports their clusters, and the work of clusters supports the district's strategic direction. This groudbreaking work presents qualitative information about the nature of strategic alignment in school systems and how to create and sustain it.

Author Biography

Francis (Frank) M. Duffy is a professor of change-leadership in education for the Department of Administration and Supervision at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.

Table of Contents

Foreword, by William J. Cook Jr.	ix
Preface	xii
Acknowledgments	xxii
Part I: First Things First: Foundational Knowledge for Transforming School Systems	1	(124)
1 Prologue to Policymaking: Understanding the Legacy of School-Based Reform and the Promise of Districtwide Transformation	3	(16)
2 Systems Thinking, System Dynamics, and Systemic Change	19	(40)
3 Strategic Thinking and Strategic Planning	59	(18)
4 Strategic Change Leadership to Transform School Systems	77	(26)
5 The Power of Mental Models	103	(22)
Part II: The Future in the Present Tense: How to Transform an Entire School System	125	(68)
6 Step-Up-To-Excellence: An Eagle's View of the Methodology	127	(18)
7 Step-Up-To-Excellence: The Pre-Launch Preparation Phase	145	(24)
8 Step-Up-To-Excellence, Step 1: Redesign the Entire District	169	(10)
9 Transition Management	179	(14)
Part III: Create and Sustain Strategic Alignment	193	(78)
10 Step-Up-To-Excellence, Steps 2 to 4: Create Strategic Alignment	195	(46)
11 New Brooms Sweep Clean: Sustaining Change When There's a Revolving Door on the Superintendent's Office	241	(8)
12 Step-Up-To-Excellence, Step 5: Evaluate Whole-System Performance	249	(22)
Epilogue	271	(6)
Index	277	(5)
About the Author and Series Editor	282