Developing and updating school improvement plans is an annual ritual for
virtually all school principals and their school improvement committees.
Still, large numbers of schools continue to produce disappointing
outcomes. The authors believe that part of the problem is the result of
plans that focus on the wrong targets and that rely on ineffective
strategies for improvement. To help principals and their school
improvement committees develop and implement plans with a greater
likelihood of success, the authors offer a step-by-step process for
school improvement planning. They go on to pinpoint specific school
improvement goals, including raising reading and mathematics
achievement, building robust school cultures, addressing the needs of
English language learners, improving instruction, and reducing
absenteeism and dropouts. For each goal, a variety of objectives and
proven strategies is presented along with sample school improvement
plans. The book addresses the differences in planning to turn around a
low-performing school, planning to sustain improvements over time, and
planning to move a good school to a great school.