10 Strategies for Doubling Student Performance

Allan Odden is Professor Emeritus of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; he also is Co-Director of the Strategic Management of Human Capital (SMHC) in public education and Co-Director of the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE). CPRE is a consortium of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Pennsylvania, Harvard, Michigan, Northwestern, Teachers College-Columbia University, and Stanford Universities. He is an international expert on education finance, effective resource allocation and use, resource reallocation, the strategic management of human capital in education, teacher compensation, school-based management, and educational policy development and implementation. He consults regularly with states and districts on these issues. His most recent books include School Finance: A Policy Perspective (McGraw Hill, 2008, 4th edition), with Lawrence O. Picus and How to Create World Class Teacher Compensation (Freeload Press, 2007) with Marc Wallace. Other books include Paying Teachers for What They Know and Do: New and Smarter Compensation Strategies to Improve Schools (Corwin Press, 1997, 2nd Edition, 2002) with Carolyn Kelley; Reallocating Resources: How to Boost Student Achievement Without Spending More (Corwin, 2001) with Sarah Archibald; School Finance: A Policy Perspective (McGraw Hill, 1992, 2nd Edition, 2000, 3rd Edition 2004) co-authored with Lawrence Picus; School-Based Finance (Corwin Press, 1999), edited with Margaret Goertz; Financing Schools for High Performance: Strategies for Improving the Use of Educational Resources (Jossey Bass, 1998) with Carolyn Busch; Educational Leadership for America's Schools (McGraw Hill, 1995); Rethinking School Finance: An Agenda for the 1990s (Jossey-Bass, 1992); Education Policy Implementation (State University of New York Press, 1991); and School Finance and School Improvement: Linkages for the 1980s (Ballinger, 1983). He was a mathematics teacher and curriculum developer in New York City's East Harlem for five years. He received his PhD and MA degrees from Columbia University, a Masters of Divinity from the Union Theological Seminary and his BS in aerospace engineering from Brown University.

Preface Acknowledgments About The Author 1. Understanding the Performance Challenge Pressure to Improve Performance Analyzing State Student Test Data Conducting Curriculum Standards Audits Summary 2. Set Ambitious Goals Beyond Motivational Theory Beyond the Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations Setting Very High Goals Thinking Big Is Quintessentially American Summary 3. Change the Curriculum Program and Create a New Instructional Vision Adopting New Textbooks and Instructional Visions Assessing Effectiveness of Curriculum and Instructional Approaches Collaborative Work Summary 4. Benchmark and Formative Assessments and Data-Based Decision Making Overview of Benchmark and Formative Assessments Benchmark and Formative Assessments in Montgomery County, Maryland A Comment on Value-Added Measures Summary 5. Provide Ongoing, Intensive Professional Development The Features of Effective Professional Development Examples of Professional Development Programs Summary 6. Using Time Efficiently and Effectively Extending the School Year and Day Better Uses of Time Summary 7. Extend Learning Time for Struggling Students Some Contextual Points Time During the Regular School Day Time Outside the Regular School Day but Within the Regular School Year Time Outside the Regular School Year Summary 8. Collaborative Cultures and Distributed Leadership A Collaborative School Culture Structuring Collaborative Cultures Distributed Leadership Summary 9. Professional and Best Practices Indicators of Acting Professionally Not Doing It Alone Summary 10. The Human Capital Side of Doubling Student Performance Overview First, Recruit Top Talent Second, Develop Top Talent Sometimes Initial Talent Turnover Is Required Summary 11. Putting It All Together: The Dramatically Improving School The 10 Core Elements of the Improving School Summary The Kennewick Approach to Dramatic Improvement References

"In this highly readable book, Allan Odden vividly illustrates many of the most important practices for creating strong professional communities that can leverage high-quality instruction for the students who need it most. From the organization of time to the recruitment of teachers and leaders to the development of productive curriculum and teaching, school leaders will learn how to create a framework for school reform grounded in research and the wisdom of practice." -- Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education, Stanford University "Odden offers a sound program of 10 steps school leaders can implement to significantly improve student academic achievement in their districts. The author's focus on research-based strategies and effective use of educational resources resonates with district leaders, as do the real-world case studies of schools that have succeeded using this model." -- Daniel A. Domenech, Executive Director "Allan Odden has once again created a succinct and compelling framework to dramatically improve the performance of our nation's students, district by district. Odden not only thinks big, he provides specific examples from real school districts to support his 10-step program. Unlike others' suggestions, he provides a comprehensive, doable framework that should be a standard reference book in any superintendent's office. His systemic analysis of school district improvement and specific examples to fill in that framework create a road map for the nation. Let's get to work." -- Jack D. Dale, Superintendent "This book provides a confluence of successful programs, instructional strategies, and ideas for the alignment of resources to guide principals and site and district office staffs. This compendium of programs and strategies for struggling schools will save educators time as they plan their work." -- Glen Ishiwata, Superintendent "As a career educator, I am always looking for ways to improve instruction and increase student learning. This manuscript is thought provoking and provides a variety of specific ways to reach the goal of real, sustainable school improvement." -- Judy Brunner, Author, Educational Consultant