School Leader's Guide to Root Cause Analysis

by Preuss, Paul G.

• ISBN13: 9781930556539
• ISBN10: 1930556535
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-01-01
• Publisher: Eye on Education

Summary

Helps educators avoid the tendency to jump from problem to solution without first investigating root causes

Author Biography

Dr. Paul G. Preuss has completed 36 years of service in the public schools of New York State as teacher, principal, superintendent, and as assistant Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) superintendent

Table of Contents

Foreword	iii
Acknowledgments	iv
Introduction	ix
Root Cause Basics	1	(14)
Why Root Cause Analysis?	1	(1)
What is ``Root Cause''?	2	(4)
Modalities of Root Cause Analysis	6	(1)
Examples of RCA Modalities	7	(2)
An Example of a ``Positive Reactive'' Modality	7	(1)
An Example of a ``Positive Proactive'' Modality	8	(1)
An Example of a ``Negative Proactive'' Modality	8	(1)
An Example of a ``Negative Reactive'' Modality	9	(1)
Levels of Root Cause	9	(2)
The Longitudinal Stream	11	(1)
When is a Cause a Root Cause?	12	(1)
Summary	13	(2)
Key Indicators of Student Success	15	(28)
The Importance of Key Indicators	15	(3)
The Verification Process	18	(4)
Other School Indicators	22	(1)
Using Key Indicators of Student Success	23	(3)
Means vs. Ends---Student Results-Focused Goal Statements	26	(2)
Some Data on Goal Statements	26	(2)
Examples of Complete ``Ends-Focused'' Goal Statements	28	(1)
Key Indicators and Goal Statements	28	(4)
Terminology	32	(1)
One Final Example: The Moose River CSD	32	(8)
A Key Indicators Discovery Process---Half Day	33	(1)
Facilitator's Comments	33	(7)
Templates	40	(2)
Summary	42	(1)
Root Cause Processes	43	(64)
Observations and Suggested Remedies	43	(3)
Root Cause Processes	46	(1)
The Importance of Facilitation	46	(1)
A Brief Word about Paretoing	47	(1)
The Questioning Data Process	47	(19)
Facilitator Guidelines	48	(2)
Example 1: Applying the Questioning Data Process to Student Failure Rates	50	(5)
Questions About the Students	55	(1)
Questions About the School and Its Processes	55	(1)
Questions About the School in Comparison to Itself Over Time and to Other Schools	55	(7)
Example 2: Using the Questioning Data Process to Assess a System	62	(4)
The Diagnostic Tree Process	66	(18)
Facilitator Guidelines	70	(14)
The Creative Root Cause Analysis Process	84	(2)
The Five Whys	86	(2)
Force Field Analysis	88	(3)
Presenting Root Cause Products	91	(9)
Templates	100	(5)
Summary	105	(2)
Using Root Cause Analysis	107	(16)
Where Does Root Cause Analysis Fit?	107	(7)
Two Nonacademic Examples	107	(3)
Two Academic Examples	110	(2)
Systems Planning	112	(2)
RCA and Required Planning Processes	114	(7)
Summary	121	(2)
Considerations	123	(42)
How to Use This Chapter	123	(1)
The Issue of Leadership	124	(2)
Central Leadership	124	(1)
Distributed Leadership	125	(1)
Contexts for RCA	126	(2)
Change, Transformation, and RCA	128	(4)
The Obvious and Not So Obvious	132	(1)
A Timetable for Meetings	133	(4)
Prior to the First Meeting	134	(1)
First Meeting---2 Hours	134	(1)
Between the First and Second Meeting---1 to 3 Weeks	134	(1)
At the Second Meeting---2 Hours	135	(1)
Between the Second and Third Meeting	135	(1)
At the Third Meeting---2 Hours	136	(1)
Between the Third and Fourth Meetings	136	(1)
The Fourth Meeting---2 Hours	136	(1)
Using Gantt Charts	137	(4)
The Team Charter	141	(3)
Why Write a Team Charter?	142	(2)
Foundations---Systems, Data, and Variation	144	(1)
Systems Thinking	144	(4)
Russell Ackoff on Systems	145	(2)
What Is Systems Thinking?---A Summary	147	(1)
Data	148	(4)
What Kinds of Data?	149	(2)
Levels of Data	151	(1)
Transforming Data	152	(1)
Squishy Data Warning	152	(1)
Variation	152	(11)
Summary	163	(2)
Models and Stories	165	(32)
A Multiple Measures Model	166	(1)
Steps to Take	167	(1)
An Assessment Analysis Model	167	(3)
Models of Nontraditional Data Sets	170	(3)
The National Transportation Safety Board---A Model	173	(5)
Root Cause Stories	178	(1)
Root Cause Story 1: Proctor High School (Utica, N.Y.) Lifted from Probation	179	(1)
Root Cause Story 2: A First-Year Superintendent	180	(1)
Root Cause Story 3: The First-Year Principal	181	(1)
Root Cause Story 4: The Wreck of the Morning Dew---A Tragedy That Should Have Been Avoided	182	(2)
Root Cause Story 5: Follow-Up to the Wreck of the Morning Dew---A Tragedy That Should Have Been Avoided	184	(1)
Root Cause Story 6: What Has Happened to the Recruits?	185	(2)
Root Cause Story 7: Welcome Freshmen!	187	(1)
Root Cause Story 8: Firestone Recalls ATX and ATX II and Wilderness Tires---August 9, 2000	188	(1)
Root Cause Story 9: Ammonia Leak Case Settled	189	(1)
Root Cause Story 10: Jury Asked to Determine Blame	190	(1)
Root Cause Stories: A Review	191	(4)
Summary	195	(2)
Resources	197	(16)
Why These Resources Are Essential for Understanding Root Cause Analysis	197	(1)
Glossary	198	(7)
Bibliography	205	(3)
Annotated Listing of Web Sites	208	(5)
Sites of Interest	209	(3)
The Regional Educational Laboratory Network	212	(1)
State Departments of Education	212	(1)
Data Warehousing: Examples and Resources	213