Sustaining Extraordinary Student Achievement

Linda E. Reksten has been an educator for 25 years: 23 years in the public school system and two years as a college professor at Point Loma Nazarene University. Reksten began her public teaching career in the Burbank Unified School District in 1982 as a middle school science teacher and high school chemistry teacher. During the summers, she taught elementary science for gifted students in Grades 4 and 5. In 1986, she became principal of Disney Elementary School. During Reksten's 17 years as principal, Disney Elementary became a Title 1 school and the most ethnically diverse school in the Burbank Unified School District, with 12 languages and 44 percent of the student population speaking only limited English. Disney became a California Distinguished School in 1997 largely due to the school's technology program. As a result of her leadership and a dedicated, hard-working staff, Disney students' Academic Performance Index (API) grew from 603 to 790 in three years, ranking the third highest-performing school in the Burbank Unified School District. Because of this success with students, Reksten and her staff were recognized by President Bush on June 10, 2003 in The Rose Garden at the first anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act. After serving two years as Professor of Education at Point Loma Nazarene University, Reksten transitioned back into public education to become the director of assessment and evaluation for Mountain View School District in El Monte, where she was responsible for assessment and technology. As of August 2007, she was promoted to assistant superintendent of educational services for the Mountain View School District, assisting 12 schools in improving their student achievement. Reksten is the author of Using Technology to Increase Student Learning (Corwin Press 2000). A native of Montana, she graduated from Montana State University, Billings, in 1973 with a secondary education degree in biology and chemistry. Immediately after graduating, she went on to earn a master's degree in Christian education from George Fox University in 1976 and served four years as a director of Christian education. While still a teacher, she began her second master's degree at Point Loma Nazarene University, where she graduated in curriculum and administration during the summer of 1985. She completed her doctoral studies at UCLA in teaching studies in June 1995 while she was a principal.

Preface Acknowledgments About the Author 1. Introduction Selection of Five Title 1 Schools Focus Areas for Structured Interviews The Five Sustaining Schools 2. Sylvan Elementary School, Modesto, California: A Culture of Effective Instruction Building a High-Achieving Culture Sylvan's Non-Negotiable Core Values Empowering Staff to Do Their Best Work Using Student Data to Guide Curriculum and Instruction Ongoing Improvement of Instruction Strategic Intervention With Students Sylvan's Sustaining Elements Lessons Learned From Sylvan Elementary School 3. Camellia Elementary School, Sacramento, California: A Culture of Order and Discipline Developing a Culture of Order and Discipline The Right Staff Stays at the School Using Student Data to Guide Curriculum and Instruction The Role of the Leadership Team and Governance Camellia's Non-Negotiable Core Values and Sustaining Elements Lessons Learned From Camellia Elementary School 4. Jefferson Elementary School, Carlsbad, California: A Culture of Collaboration Developing a Culture of Collaboration Jefferson's Non-Negotiable Core Values Using Benchmark Data to Target Instruction Using Data to Intervene With Students Jefferson's Sustaining Elements Lessons Learned From Jefferson Elementary School 5. Rosita Elementary School, Garden Grove, California: A Culture of Clarity Building a High-Achieving Culture Empowering Staff to Do Their Best Work Rosita's Non-Negotiable Core Values Advice to Principals Sustaining Processes at Rosita Lessons Learned From Rosita Elementary School 6. Baldwin Elementary School, Alhambra, California: A Culture of High Expectations Building a High-Achieving Culture Baldwin's Non-Negotiable Core Values Empowering the Right People Mastery of Standards Using Student Achievement Data Baldwin's Sustaining Elements Lessons Learned From Baldwin Elementary School 7. Five Schools That Got the Job Done A Crisis Point Forces Change Developing a High-Achieving Culture Non-Negotiable Core Values The Essential Sustaining Elements A Final Word References Index

"The patterns described in these successful schools both validated and challenged my thinking. I can see opportunities for renewed emphasis in our district and much hope for continuing our progress with students." -- Nancy Skerritt, Assistant Superintendent "Reksten has utilized research by education gurus and data from the studied school sites to provide the foundation for educators to begin the challenging, but achievable path of collaboration and high expectations for successful sustainability. Kudos to the author and the school communities!" -- Lori Grossman, Manager of Mentoring Services "This book led me to think and reflect on my leadership as a principal. It also led to introspection and reflection of practices in my school, which is sustaining high achievement." -- Steve Knobl, Principal