What Happened to “Effective Schools Checklist” ?

What Happened To The “Effective Schools Checklist” ?

Ron Edmonds, Harvard 1978, initiated a promising move for systematic adoption of effective standard practice in schools with Effective Schools articles. This checklist emerged.

Why is it that in aviation and medicine checklists have now become standard practice, but not in other occupations? What’s become of the idea of a basic Checklist in school systems? Atul Gawande, in his book Checklist Manifesto, says that some professionals think it’s beneath them to have checklists. That is a feeble reason to drop a useful tool that’s proven a savior in other fields.

In view of the OECD’s most recent publication — UNIVERSAL BASIC SKILLS — the Checklist idea needs revival. http://hanushek.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/publications/Universal_Basic_Skills_WEF.pdf

EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS CHECKLIST

“We can whenever, and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know more than we need in order to do this. Whether we do it must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we haven’t so far.” (Ron Edmonds, 1978)

___ 1. Instructional Leadership — Principal is an effective communicator (with staff, parents, students, school boards), an effective supervisor, & the instructional leader in the school.

___ 2. Focused School Mission — General consensus by the school community (staff, parents, students) on goals, priorities, assessment, accountability. The mission statement is published and reviewed regularly.

___ 3. Orderly Environment — Purposeful atmosphere conducive to teaching and learning.

___ 4. High Expectations — Demonstrated high expectations not only for all students but also for staff as well. The belief is that students are capable and able to achieve, that teachers are capable and not powerless to make a difference.

___ 5. Mastery of Basic Skills — In particular, basic reading, writing and math skills are emphasized with back-up alternatives available for students with special learning needs.

___ 6. Frequent Monitoring of Results — Means exist to monitor student progress in relationship to instructional objectives (and results can be easily conveyed to parents).

___ Means to monitor teacher effectiveness

___ A system of monitoring school goals

___ 7. Meaningful Parent Involvement — Parents are kept well-informed re: programs, goals, etc. There is ample opportunity for them to keep in touch with their child’s progress. They are consulted for feedback about the school and when changes are foreseen. Parent-initiated contact with the school is encouraged.

___* 8. Avoidance of Pitfalls — Up-to-date awareness of good educational practice plus retaining currency in the field concerning promising and discredited practices.

* Most “effective schools” literature repeats the first 7 points. But, Edmonds’ original article (1979) stressed “one of the cardinal characteristics of effective schools is that they are as anxious to avoid things that don’t work as they are committed to implement things that do.”  This addition to the 7 points was made by a parent group in Vancouver, BC (Canada). It was felt by parents that if these 8 points became part of a school’s commitment most concerns, if any, could be easily addressed.  (The other two sub-points in #6 were adaptations adopted by some groups in the 80s, 90s.)