The Role of Districts in Fostering Instructional Improvements: Lessons from Three Urban Districts Partnered with the Institute for Learning

Analyzes three urban school districts' efforts to iprove the instructional quality and performance of their schoolas and assesses the contribution to those efforts made by an intermediary organization, the institute for Learning. The current high-stakes accountability environment brought on by the federal No Child Left Behind Act places great pressure on school districts to demonstrate success by meeting yearly progress goals for student achievement and eventually demonstrating that all students achieve at high standards. Many urban school districts, in particular, face great challenges in meeting these goals. This study analyzes three urban districts' efforts to face these challenges and assesses the contribution to those efforts made by an intermediary organization, the Institute for Learning. It describes the districts' work in four areas: promoting principals' instructional leadership; supporting teachers' professional learning, in particular through school-based coaching models; specifying curriculum; and promoting data-based decisionmaking for planning and instructional improvement. For each area, it identifies constraints and enablers of district success, assesses the nature and effect of district-intermediary partnerships, and makes recommendations for districts undertaking similar instructional reforms. Analyzes three urban districts' efforts to improve the instructional quality and performance of their schools and assesses the contribution to those efforts made by an intermediary organization, the Institute for Learning. The authors identify constraints and enablers of district success, assess the nature and effect of district-intermediary partnerships, and make recommendations for districts undertaking similar instructional reforms In the past decade, the responsibilities facing school district central offices have greatly increased.