Tangible+Steps+Toward+Tomorrow

8/7/2019 Tangible+Steps+Toward+Tomorrow

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Tangible StepsToward Tomorrow

New designs for early education, ages 0-8


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We see a future for early childhood education,

where education is not a separate activity from societybut allows kids to

be embedded and thrive within their local community. A future in which

the community is invested in, and responsible for, the success of each

childs experience.

Where children and their care givers are engaged in learning that responds

to their unique ways of understanding and interpreting the world.

And where teaching and leading in education remains an engaging

and creative activity, with permission to evolve with new knowledge,

understanding, trends, and technologies.


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We lose so

not being

reach them

early years.Superintendent, Central Ohio


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much by

able to

in the


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In the US today, many children are notset up to succeed in school. For example,one recent study states that 46 percentof kindergartners arrive at school at riskfor failure. Helping to increase School

Readiness for both the student and theschool is the drive behind this project.


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Education reform is a dauntingchallenge, given the complexity ofthe system and the multiple

stakeholders within it. It is one of thefew systems that touch everyone atsome point in their lives, creatingdeep investments and points of viewin the established ways within whichweve all been raised. In the eld ofreform, there are many established

experts with entrenched and oftenconicting points of view.


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With a fresh approach in mind, WKKFapproached IDEO to envision possibilitiesfor change.

IDEO is a design consultancy, with ahuman-centered methodology. We learndirectly from people who live in the spacewe are seeking to understand. We observeand speak to them within their contextso we can empathize with their needsand motivations. From this inspiration,we generate ideas, which become visual,tangible prototypes.


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The goal of this project has been to use thismethodology to create new solutions to thechallenge of school readiness. The IDEOteam immersed itself in the full ecosystemof early childhood education, conductingobservations in classrooms and in the homesof parents, as well as connecting to expertswithin and outside of Kelloggs network.We also drew on the ideas and expertiseof directors from the SPARK (SupportingPartnerships to Assure Ready Kids) initiative.


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The solutions here are presented in theforms of scenarios: idealized occasionsof use, from the users point of view. Thesolutions have focused around threeareas: parents, teachers and schools.The rationale for this is that these arethe three major inuences on the childs

education, and that they are also discreteand observable groupings, as opposed tobroader social or political issues.


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These ideas are intended as thought-

starters: prompts for conversationsamong the many bravely seekingto push forward education reformwithin the US. It is our hope that this

material is freely distributed, in eitherprint or digital form, and that peopletake what they like from it. Evolve theideas, provide feedback to build on

them, and become the facilitators andinspiring leaders that pull us towardan engaging, relevant, and inspiringfuture for our systems of early

childhood education.


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The Extended Network:The Core Development Team:

IDEO

Hillary Carey

Suzanne Gibbs Howard

Michelle LeeAaron Shinn

Sandy Speicher

Caroline Stanculescu

Neil Stevenson

W.K.Kellogg Foundation

Tony Berkley

Barb Fitch

Jody Glover

Valorie Johnson

Reggie LeGrand

Paula Sammons

Jocelyn Sargent

Greg Taylor

Special Thanks To:

Gary Romano, DCA

Steve Greeley, DCA

Kate Anderson Simons, WRMA

The W. K. Kellogg Foundations initiative, Supporting

Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK) has been a main

source of inspiration for these designs. Please see page 129

for a list of the people involved.

The SPARK initiative of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation is designed

to unite communities so that all children can be successful

before and after they enter school. SPARK fosters partnerships

of selected communities, schools, state agencies and families

to ensure that they work together effectively for young children.

With the initiative serving as a catalyst or spark, the goal is

to ensure that vulnerable children are ready for school and that

schools are ready for children.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation supports children, families,

and communities as they strengthen and create conditions that

propel vulnerable children to achieve success as individuals

and as contributors to the larger community and society.

Tangible Steps Towards Tomorrow


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Contents

18 Impact Area 1: Engaging ParentsLeading parents along the path to full participation in their

childs education

44 Impact Area 2: Empowering TeachersGiving teachers the practical and emotional support to enable them

to do the best for their students

72 Impact Area 3: Connecting SchoolsConnecting schools to communities, so as to enrich the students

experience and support their needs

100 A Model For Scaling SolutionsDescribing the different ways in which change is implemented

104 Design Principles: Realigning The SystemFraming the big challenges in the system by examining the

misalignments in the system, so as to bring it into line with

changes in society

110 Appendix: Our ProcessFrom human-centered research to insights to solutions


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Focusing on three major solution sets

Impact Areas



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Impact Areas 17

Our eldwork revealed a large arrayof opportunities to inuence early childhood

education, ranging from basic needs such as

health and security and other factors suchas architecture. In order to focus this work,

we designed to the three points that we

consistently heard as the strongest sources

of needs: the parents, the teachers and the

schools relationship with its community.

Within each of these areas, we have attempted

to provide interconnected design solutions.

While many of the individual ideas are inspiredby existing initiatives we have observed, they

acquire an extra level of power when joined up

into a system.


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We heard repeatedly that an engaged parent is a majordeterminant of a childs success. However, becomingengaged with a childs education or with a school isnot a one-step process. It is a journey, comprisingmultiple stages. The transitions between each stagerepresent opportunities for design. Although thereis of course huge variation between the differentcircumstances of parents, it is possible to hypothesize apath to engagement for all parents. This is shown in the

accompanying framework diagram.

EngagingParents

Impact Area 1

Engagement is a journey with multiple stages



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The purpose of this framework is to help us have empathy towards the complexities of parents lives, and help us look for opportunities to accelerate theelements that drive engagement, while reducing the hurdles that deter. (Please note: we do not wish to imply that every parent needs to be moved all theway to becoming an Advocate. The intention is merely to attempt to generally increase parental engagement wherever possible.)

My Parent Partner helped me understand whatparts of my childs education were most importantand how to slow down in some other expectations. Parent, Canton, Ohio

Impact Areas Engaging Parents 19

For many parents, school represents a teacher-to-parent relationship and thats scary. SPARK is aparent-to-parent connection. Leader, Sisters of Charity of Canton, Ohio

We see it all as a process with small steps forward.We want to help them identify the paths, the stepsand the successful parts to hold on to. Leader, New Mexico Community Foundation


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Scenario



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Impact Areas Engaging Parents / Scenario 21

The following scenario shows some waysin which this might happen.

What if parents were helpedalong paths to engagement,both before and after their

childs rst day of school?


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Teresais headed to one of her nal pre-natal appointments. Her doctor hands her an

introductory yer and explains to Teresa:

Zero8 is a program that provides parent

coaches to all parents, helping them to learn

about their childs development.

Dr. Jordan has participated in the program

herself with her children and recommends it.

Teresa has also seen advertising around the city

about this program. But shes still somewhat

overwhelmed about having a baby, she cant

begin to think about school for her child... and

really, when does she have time to take classes,

anyway. Isnt parenting something that you just

gure out on your own?

ScenarioCreating awareness



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Afterobserving how much her baby learnsevery day and wanting to know more about it,

Teresa decides to apply for the Zero8 program

when she sees an ad on a box of baby wipes. It

states that parenting is about getting support

from others and so she decides to nd out whatthey oer.

She begins meeting with her coach, who is a

trained Zero8 expert, when her son, Galeno, is

four months old.

The rst meeting takes place in the doctors

oce so that her doctor can make the

introduction, but soon after they meet at

Teresas home so that the coach can help Teresacreate a safe and learning-rich environment.

The time together gives Teresa and Galeno a

chance to learn from their coach. Teresa passes

quickly from one milestone to the next. One of

the rst things that she learns is the importance

of talking to her child even before he can speak.

Teresa appreciates the patience and respect that

her coach has for Galeno and for her when she

raises questions.

ScenarioBuilding a strong relationship



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Michael also has a young son, and heknows a bit about the Zero8 coaches that are

available. But he prefers to gure things out on

his own. He knows that his son needs activities

to keep him stimulated, so Michael shops the toy

aisle to nd things to keep a one-year-old busy.

He discovers that Zero8, the program he

has heard about for parents, is also here in

the store.

Zero8 has labeled a selection of toys with an

approval rating and additional activities that

parents can do with their children. Michael

makes a selection and feels condent that he has

chosen well for his son.

ScenarioAlternative approaches to awareness



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By the time Teresa and Michaelsboys reach Kindergarten, both parents have

learned how important it is to participate

in the classroom. But another parent in the

class, Rosa, is less comfortable with the role

of classroom parent. In fact she had a terribleschool experience when she was young, and

it still makes her uncomfortable today. Her

daughter will have to go to school, but Rosa

wants to have little to do with it. Which is why

Rosa is a bit surprised when she reads the

rst message the teacher sends her, free to

her cell phone.

The message is simple: Hello parents, we

are reading stories about the night skies inclass. Be sure to look at the stars with your

child tonight!

This is not the type of message Rosa expected

from the teacher, and she is relieved that she can

help her daughter without going to the school.

She begins to see that her daughter can learn at

home and Rosa can help. She texts back to the

teachers, Gracias, she loved it.

ScenarioFrom experience to participation



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The teacheruses an electronic systemto send the messages out to the parents. It

has made communication more of a dialogue

between her and all of the parents, helping themall to be more engaged. It is no longer a matter of

taking time to write out messages only when the

students are

in trouble.

Now the system helps her send out group

messages, keeping parents informed of the

learning in the classroom and how they can

participate.

She can also craft individual messages about

good and bad days with her students.

The system helps her track her messages to

parents and their responses back, a requirement

from her principal. It also helps record extra

steps she has taken to help her students in the

classroom. One child, Robert, participates in

the Zero8 program and so already had a le in

the system. It described the speech therapy

his mother was taking him to before he came

to Kindergarten. As his teacher, she is able to

record Roberts progress and note when she

sends home extra activities for him to do with

his parents. This system has created a way for

her to connect with parents and students in a

positive and productive way that actually

saves her time!

ScenarioTracking engagement



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Solutions



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Impact Areas Engaging Parents / Solutions 33

for engaging parents


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Zero8 is an incentive-based parent coaching program that starts at birth

and supports the child and caregiver through elementary school. It is builton the proven successes of programs like Parents as Teachers fromSPARK Georgia and Parent Coaches from SPARK Ohio. The Zero8program is voluntary and aimed at all parents, regardless of social statusor income level. It is a program that supports parents, making them awareof their childs learning needs, offering experiential help and preparingthem to participate in and feel in control of their interactions withthe school system.

Zero8 Coaching

Features and Interactions

Helping parents understand and engage in their childs development

(birth through age 8)

The program is free to families, with incentivesfor participation.The Zero8 program is promoted by an aggressive

campaign that uses traditional and viral marketingto spread the word that this program exists to helpparents gain access to information and resources.

Initial communication happens via trustedsources for new parents: obstetricians, medicalclinics, social workers, churches, andchildcare centers.

Local organizations run the program and trainthe parent coaches with support from nationalfunding. They recruit community members andexperienced parents to become parent coaches.

Coaches go through a Zero8 training programin which they learn to administer screenings forlearning development and how to navigate thesocial services system.

The program will require an application from theparent so that the matching service will nd a Zero8coach who can relate well with the parent. Ideally,the coach would have a similar background as thefamily to reduce barriers to trust.

Once matched, the coach meets with the familyregularly through home visits. If the parent prefersto meet at another location, community centers,and other public venues have rooms that may bereserved for such appointments.

The visits will be tailored to the parents needs,with a basic structure of rst focusing on childsafety and nutrition, then moving to verbal andsocial skills. As children get closer to Kindergarten,the lessons prepare them for school by teachingthe needed skills, introducing them to booksand games they will see in class, taking them ona tour of the school, and introducing them totheir teachers.

There are clear milestones within the programto celebrate parent learning as well, marked withcerticates of achievement and rewards. Once thechild begins school, the coach awards the parentwith a Zero8 diploma.

Solution 1a



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Parents who show good promise are encouragedto sign up for training to become Zero8 coachesthemselves. Zero8 coaching is a exible part-timejob that is ideal for parents with young children.

In addition to the regular coaching, there is afathering program. Fathers meet at a Zero8 ofcefor a monthly discussion on topics related to beinga positive inuence for their childrens future. Theylearn from other men from their area who serve asrole models. They earn gift certicates and freepasses to family activities.

Obstetricians can take brief courses that coverthe latest ndings in Early Childhood Developmentand training on how to support at-risk parents, so

that they are current on the topic and prepared tooffer effective support. The doctors are rewardedand referred through the Zero8 program.

A database is the backbone of the informationfrom Zero8 coaches. To ensure continuity andaccountability, the program stores reports from thecoaches in a database that can be accessed via theinternet. After completing a lesson with a family,the coach takes notes on her PDA from which shecan upload the information to the database to trackprogress and ensure all lessons are covered.

Parents can access the database from anyinternet-accessible computer. They can track theirprogress in advancing through different levels,

which entitles them to a number of incentivesincluding essential items like formula and diapers,as well as perks that will help the parent bond withtheir child, such as zoo tickets.

Pediatricians can access the database fora more comprehensive view of the child. Thecoach and pediatrician act as a team to spot anydevelopmental problems early. If problems aredetected, such as a speech impediment, the coachcan refer the family to a speech therapist in theZero8 network.


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Research is showing thatthe early years matter.

By the time they cometo school, its too late.Weve lost the mostvaluable years to makea dierence.

Early care and education expert, NM

What Can Be Done: Near Term Questions to ConsiderWhat Can Be Done: Long Term

How can we motivate municipalities to fundinnovative early learning programs so that they willsave money later?

How do we recruit coaches who can espouseearly learning principles and build strong, trustedrelationships with parents?

How can we securely transition the parent-coachrelationship and the childs developmental informationwhen families move from one area to another?

How can we best measure and build evidenceso that the program can effectively scale up to beoffered to everyone everywhere?

Provide obstetricians and pediatricians with up-to-date information about child development andsuggestions for activities for parents to do with theirchildren, that they can distribute to all their patients.

Initiate parent classes as a rst step towardsparent education, being sure to open them to allparents so there is no social stigma associated withthem. Begin with classes run by parent volunteersalongside early childhood experts.

Start small rst, proving the value of parentcoaches by implementing a local, or state fundedprogram and measuring changes in performanceof children over time, before implementing thenational program. Build on what has been provedand measured in the SPARK Ohio program.

The federal government recognizes parentsas childrens rst teachers and as a key to thesuccess of the No Child Left Behind act. Createa national, unied campaign to provide parentcoaches across the country, accessible to allparents, focused on guiding parents in activitiesthat engage their children in learning and preparethem for school.

Send every child a birthday card at birth, withinformation for parents about learning. Every fewmonths a new package comes in the mail withinformation about development, activities to try,and a free story book.

Solution 1aZero8 Coaching



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Parents and caregivers play a crucial role in preparing children forschool. But even the most educated parents cannot provide all of thelearning tools that children need, and many parents have not been

prepared with an understanding of how children learn and develop.Coaches who can work beside parents and children on a personalized,one-on-one basis have an extraordinary opportunity to teach parentshow to engage their children in learning from the beginning.


Parent Partners are more valuable than preschoolbecause its one-on-one attention for my child. It

makes her feel special but also gives them time

to concentrate on specic skills. Preschool is more

about socialization than education. Parent, Minerva, Ohio

Programs to Reference

Our little school got the parents involved in theirchilds education, so that when the children started

elementary school they were comfortable. We nowhave a parent on the local PTA! SPARK Leader, Atlanta, Georgia

Ohios Parent Partners have shown that a one-on-one home-based parent coach system can reacha range of parents and children and effectivelyprepare them for Kindergarten. They are now workingout how to scale the program and make it sustainable.

Parents as Teachers and Born Learning aresuccessful national programs that encouragesunderstanding of the importance of learning anddevelopment for their young children in new parents.

RCMA in Miami offers resources to people fromthe community to give them an education in order tocreate more teachers who can reach out to childrenand work to bring up the level of education of all ofthe immigrant workers in the center.

Doulas are a traditional way to aid mothers withinformation and emotional support during pregnancyand birth.

Life coaches, personal trainers and professional

coaches provide very personalized support toincrease the effectiveness of everyday decisions.


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Adults are made aware of the learning value of Zero8 accredited toys,and provided with instructions for creating learning experiences usingthem. Developmental experts who design and oversee curriculum rateand review toys. They publish a list of approved toys, and also providelessons for the home. A supporting website offers in-depth information

about learning stages and how play can support child development.Children are interacting with multiple stimuli while growing up. Toys arekey to learning, but some are more valuable than others. This concepttakes advantage of an opportunity to best support developmentalmoments. Current systems for accrediting toys are not ofcial and canlead to misinformation for parents. Toy companies and parents need oneofcial, reliable source for accreditation.

Zero8 Toy Accreditation


A low-barrier entry point for parents to engage in education

Early Learning experts have a trusted voice toaccompany toys in the toy store. The Zero8 sealof approval is featured on toys that truly offer alearning experience for different-aged children.

Parents, and other adults who are not expertsin child development have guidance in the toystore about purchasing the most developmentallyappropriate toys for their children. If they want tolearn more, there is information packaged with thetoy and even more available on a public website.

Toy companies are encouraged to producetoys that are educational and developmentallyappropriate so that they can be highlighted andawarded through the Zero8 program.

Solution 1b

What Can Be Done: Near Term What Can Be Done: Long Term

Set up a Mythbusters-style website fordevelopmental learning toys to which parentsand educators can turn for the latest reviews byeducation experts on childrens toys. Include freeactivities that parents can do with kids at each levelof development.

Principals are given a list of toys that are best forlearning for each age group. Principals, as a trustedsource for education information, distribute the liststo parents and ECE centers.

Establish a federal Zero8 education departmentthat requires all toys that want to bear the termDevelopmental or Learning to be approved.

Establish a national award system that places atrusted label of Zero8 approved for learning ontoys that pass rigorous review for their learning anddevelopment value to children.



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Questions to Consider Programs to Reference

How do we ensure that this approvals boardis not corrupted by incentives from the toymanufacturers?

Who are the experts needed to test and reviewthe educational value of toys?

Is it by force or by virtue that toy manufacturersinclude additional learning activities andinformation with the Zero8 awarded toys?

Parenting magazines currently offer awards foreducational toys or quality products. But separatingthe awards from the media altogether would build astronger sense of trust from parents.

Many independent groups offer approved lists oftoys for children but the educational expertise is notclear to parents and consumers.

The Caldecott and Newbury Book Awardshave proven themselves over time as the two mostprominent and respected awards forchildrens books.


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Right now the state isconcerned most with

reading, math, andparent engagement. Imstill trying to gure out agood system for trackingengagement

- Principal, New Mexico


What percentage of parents have cell phoneswith text messaging? What percentage will havetext messaging in two years?

Do teachers prefer to manage this systemthrough their computers at school, through a webinterface so it can be used at home, or via a cellphone application?

Set up easy ways for teachers to send outpositive communications to parents, i.e. stacks ofpre-paid postcards with encouraging messages.

Encourage greater communication betweenteachers and parents with school-owned cellphones for teachers, to keep their own privatenumbers private.

Schools could sponsor cell phone plansfor teachers with unlimited local calls and textmessaging to encourage frequent communicationto parents.

A national software system would be createdfor use by all teachers, pre-K through 12th grade.It would be sponsored by a national cell phoneprovider so that messages to and from parents arefree. It would be supported by a national campaignto provide schools with up-to-date technology forcommunications.

Solution 1cParent Contact Database



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Parents need to stay in touch with their childrens education but manyparents need help crossing the chasm into the classroom.Breakingdown the barrier between parent and teacher begins with positive

communication. Parents can be discouraged by teacher communicationthat is focused on the negatives. Being informed helps them stay moreengaged in their childs education, and helps build trust withthe teachers.

But teachers have paper work to handle already. This solution can offerthem an automated system that helps to communicate quickly and

efciently, so that the rst points of contact are encouraging.


Because a lot of families dont have email, I willsend a text message to all the families saying that ahomework assignment is due or to not forgettheir shoes because I know that if I text them,they will get it. Teacher, Hayward, California


I thought I was in frequent communication with theteacher. Everything looked ne. Then my child failedkindergarten!Parent, Miami, Florida

Hotel customer service uses customer relationshipmanagement (CRM) software that helps them takeextra pains to remember the customers preferencesso that when the customer checks in, they know theroom preference and favored beverage.

Credit cards ask what is the best mode ofcommunication and will send bills through traditionalpost mail or electronically via email.

Blue Mountain Greeting cards has a number oftemplated cards and messages and even has themavailable in different languages.


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The push for standards and accountability has hadthe unintended consequence of disempowering anddemotivating many teachers. In particular, we heardfrom many teachers that their creative freedom hasbeen reduced to make way for structured learningtasks. In order to nd areas for empowerment, attentionmust be paid to both the practical and emotionalneeds of teachers.

EmpoweringTeachers

Impact Area 2

Providing structure, support and reinforcement to motivate teachers



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A clear scaffolding from the schoolleadership, which denes the task(s) they arebeing empowered to perform, with a focuson end goals and values, rather than merelyprescribing what to do.

Support, inspiration and understandingfrom their peers: rather than being isolated,they would benet from feeling part of acollaborative movement.

Regular feedback and reinforcement.They need to know that they are doing theright thing, to see their progress measuredand to also receive emotional support andencouragement from mentors.

Each of these represents a design opportunity.How can we provide the right structure,support and reinforcement to help increaseempowerment within the teaching profession?

We are losing too many teachers in the rst threeyears, a 60% loss. We cant add anything else totheir work, they need more support. Teachers Union Leader, New Mexico

Impact Areas Empowering Teachers 45

Summer enrichment programs give selectedteachers the opportunity to explore creativecurriculum and themed learning with less pressurethat the school year. They are given structured timeto collaborate with other teachers on developingnew lesson plans and aids to meet state standards.

Miami-Dade Learning Lab Schools, Miami, FL

In training youre taught to treat kids asindividuals. On that job, theres no time for uff. Ex-Teacher, San Francisco, California

To become empowered,teachers require 3 things:


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Scenario



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What if teachers were networkedwith both mentors and peers,and provided with short- and

long-term goals that weremotivating and stimulating?

Impact Areas Empowering Teachers 47


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DMarc is a bright high school student.Before he begins his senior year he receives apostcard from a National Teaching Organization

representative.

Congratulations on your Young Leaders

Award. Have you considered teaching?

It continues, You will have the chance to inspire

hundreds of young people, plus an array of great

benets! Stop in to visit your local representative

for more information.

ScenarioRecruiting into a desirable career



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Impact Areas Empowering Teachers / Scenario 49


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A few years later DMarc is graduatingfrom college with a degree in Education! In

two months he will begin teaching at Bostons

Launch Pad School with sixty other new

teachers.

He cant wait to try out his skills under

the guidance of a master teacher who oers

feedback and encouragement through his

rst years.

He is ready to apply his skills, connect with

his students and develop creative ways to

incorporate the state standards for his rst

graders.

When he arrives he has already determined a

ritual for his classroom every morning! And

he nds a group of like-minded teachers who

spend Wednesday evenings collaborating on

their upcoming lesson plans over dinner at the

school. They support each other when individual

students have trouble in the classroom and

when they need inspiration to face the strict

teaching standards.

ScenarioScaolding for transitions



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Aftertwo years of supported teaching atthe Launch Pad School, DMarc is now ready to

work on his own in the classroom. Fortunately,he has several tools to support him. The rst is

a networking website just for teachers that will

allow him to share ideas and advice with his

cohorts, and other teachers across the country.

Also the Go-U Prescriptions system

allows him to easily draw on community

organizations for enrichment or remedial

learning solutions for his students.

Finally there is the opportunity to present

back to the Launch Pad School on as aspect of

teaching in which he succeeded during his rst

year on his own. He will earn an extra week

of pay after the school year ends to have time

to reect on his experiences and prepare the

presentation. It will be videoed and distributed

around the teacher network to share his

insights.

ScenarioCollaborating throughout the system



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Afterhis third year of teaching, DMarcbegins to think about next steps for his career.

He loves his classroom work but is ready for

a new challenge; after all, the excitement of

learning every day is why he was drawn to

teaching in the rst place. He attends the career

coaching sessions at his school and nds that he

has three ways to focus his career:

Managingbecoming a leader within the school

Learning Theorybecoming a leader of other teachers

Connectingbecoming a liaison within the community

Because he grew up in this community where

he now teaches, DMarc is strongly connected

here. He knows that he could really bring people

together in creative ways if he takes on the

Connecting role.

ScenarioCreate a scaolding for growth



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Solutions



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for empowering teachers

Impact Areas Empowering Teachers / Solutions 57


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A national effort to recruit young leaders and achievers into teachingthrough targeted communication and rebranding of teaching as arewarding career that contributes richly to society.

Currently teaching is not viewed as a career choice for the best and mostambitious. It is an easy profession to enter into but difcult job day to day.

Teaching requires a multitude of skills and teachers play a integral rolein preparing children for learning. It is time that we made efforts towardmaking that career more desirable. The NCEEs Tough Choices or ToughTimes report describes teachers as coming from the bottom third of theirgraduating high school classes. What would our schools look like if weemployed the top third of graduates?

Teacher Recruiting


Attracting young leaders to the teaching profession

A national teaching organization sends targetedinvitations to high school students who havereceived awards for leadership, academic successand community service. Camp counsellors andother young people who work with children arealso targeted. The communication pieces provideinformation about the appeal of working ineducation and the benets of becoming a teacher.

Each major city has a resource center whereinterested people can meet with recruiters forfurther information on teaching and advice onchoosing a teaching school. The spaces canshowcase interesting work done by school childrenas well as innovative ways teachers are reachingout to students.

Advertisements featuring the social contributionsthat teachers make to their communities wouldsupport the message that teaching is adesirable career.

This attitude toward supporting teachers isechoed by outside movements toward appreciatingteachers as serving our country. Government andbusinesses develop ways to provide soft benetsfor teachers, such as reimbursement of college feesin exchange for a commitment to work in needyschools, free passes into museums and places thatare regarded as education centers, in addition tolifetime discounts on airlines, hotels, restaurants,cars, etc.

Solution 2a

Questions to consider

How would we measure the positive impactof the teaching recruiting centers in order tojustify their costs?

Who will take responsibility for the recruitingcommunications? Are the teachers unions theappropriate source for this effort?

How can we discourage burned-out teachersfrom presenting a bad example to their students,thus discouraging them from pursuing ateaching career?



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What Can Be Done: Near Term

Design and distribute communication piecesto send to high school students to help themconsider teaching as a career. Provide interactiveactivities about teaching, such as fun quizzes orquestionnaires to gauge their interest andabilities to teach.

Create a website that offers clear informationabout how to take rst steps toward becoming ateacher. Suggest activities, colleges and internshipsthat help students get a feel for teaching.

Encourage teachers nationwide to talk withstudents with potential about the possibility ofgoing into teaching.

What Can Be Done: Long Term Programs to Reference

Appoint a national recruiting organization totarget successful high school and college studentswith messages about the benets of teachingas a career.

Gather resources to set up recruiting centers inmajor cities, staffed by retired teachers and currentteachers.

Work with the National Ad Council to promoteteaching as a social contribution.

The US Military invests heavily in reaching outto high school students as a recruitment technique.Their multi-channel reach includes advertisingcampaigns along with physical centers andoutreach programs.

Big businesses such as HP and Google partnerwith colleges, attend job fairs, promote theirorganizations through advertisements, and havemany staff recruiters making sure they get the verybest candidates.



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A public school that supports new teachers by offering planned timefor collaboration and structured methods for feedback during their rst

years. This concept is an extension of the Learning Lab schools thathave been inspired by SPARK Miami, and the United Ways Centerfor Excellence in Early Education. Students and teachers benet from

paired teachers in every classroom, master teachers as mentors, and afocus on creatively meeting state standards in their own curriculum.

Launch Pad SchoolsSupportive training grounds for new teachers

Solution 2b


New teachers share classroom time andfeedback with experienced teachers. Formal timesfor discussion and collaboration are established.Formal mentoring programs assure that newteachers receive consistent praise, feedbackand advice.

Technology classes are offered so that newteachers are prepared to take advantage of thelatest systems that support communications andinnovation once they leave the Launch Pad Schooland enter the traditional school system.

Teachers are invited back after their rst yearof teaching outside the school to present to theirpeers their new learnings, thus sharing knowledge

and creating a stronger network. The presentationsare then recorded and made available to anyteachers interested in renewing their skills.

A website encourages teachers to post minibiographies on a secure website in order tonetwork, support and share ideas with otherteachers across the country. The website will createa collaborative community where teachers feelconnected to one another.



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New Mexico has issued stateregulations to lessen the burden

on teachers during their rstthree years. New teachers haveless paper work to le and areassigned mentors from theschool district.


Can we dene a business case that makesLaunch Pad Schools more cost-effective than thecurrent process of needing to retrain and rehirenew teachers when the unsupported ones burn outin their rst three years?

How do we transition new teachers from theLaunch Pad School to their next assignment,without too much disruption?

Do we need a way to engage teachers who donot want to use the internet to connect to otherteachers?

How do we support online connection withofine meet-ups? What role might unions be willingto take in this effort?

Extend the Miami-Dade Demonstration Schoolsto be year-round for invigorating experiencedteachers and supporting new teachers.

Design state policies to require mentors for allnew teachers, which has been already implementedin New Mexico.

Set up ofcial mentoring programs that rewardexperienced teachers for time spent mentoringnew teachers.

Pilot a small group of teachers who currentlyuse an existing social networking site, such asFacebook.com to create an online group to shareideas about education and support each other.

Set up district or state-wide socials forteachers to network with each other. They would bebased around different teaching techniques ortopics of interest.

Each state would have enough teachingpositions in a Launch Pad School to offer a positionto every new teacher they hire. Ideally they wouldhave several Launch Pad Schools so that teachersin their rst three years have the positions availablewith the Launch Pad School.

The government would offer benets to teacherssimilar to those in the armed services, recognizingthat both professions are providing a great serviceto our country. Benets are offered to encourageacademic achievers to become teachers.

Design a website for teachers across the countryto share ideas and advice and generally networkand support each other. The site is secure andaccessible and offers multiple activities for teachersto share their thoughts on teaching.

Solution 2bLaunch Pad Schools



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Teaching is a difcult job, but a rewarding one. We should create systems

that support new teachers so that they can make it through to experiencethe benets. The rst three years of teaching are the toughest. Teachers

are more engaged when mentoring and collaboration are incorporatedinto their workday, it is about more than additional salary. Supportingthese teachers in sheltered environments allow them to have hands-onguidance during their rst years.

Once young teachers leave the Launch Pad Schools, they use TeacherFacebook and other online collaboration tools to stay in touch with theircohorts and to nd mentors who match their teaching perspective.

This work is so difcult day to day, but I really feellike Im part of a team. Our principal meets with meeveryday to help. Teacher, Oakland, California


I had a lot of support from Teach for America. Wehad workshops and lectures and I had a group ofpeople I could talk through things with. But thisschool has nothing. I cant face that everyday. Teach for America Teacher, San Jose, California

Summer Demonstration Schools in Miami areworking well to empower teachers to feel in controlof the curriculum, giving them time they dont haveduring the school year to be creative.

New Mexico has issued state regulations tolessen the burden on teachers during their rst threeyears. New teachers have less paper work to le andare assigned mentors from the school district.

Facebook.com is currently serving to connectthousands of people to others like them for onlinesharing. Basic prole information is input optionallyand connections are discovered based on whatpeople use to describe their interests and activities.

Teaching hospitals help develop new teachersthrough support in a real-world, applied context. Inteaching hospitals, the patients are aware that theirstaff are in a learning mode, and often choose thesehospitals for that reason.



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A software database that facilitates connections between communitylearning resources and teachers who seek additional help for students.Provides those community resources as free prescriptions from teachersto individual students. Teachers who have students who could benet from

one-on-one sessions with education volunteers, enter requests into thedatabase. Teachers have trackable evidence that they have taken extrasteps to help students who are struggling or are in need of enrichment.

Go-U PrescriptionsMatching individual student needs to community resources

Solution 2c


The software database creates a broad networkof partners who can provide learning experiencesthat supplement classroom-based education.Community organizations are guided through aprocess of presenting their offerings in a way thatis most accessible to teachers, helping both partiesconnect in more valuable ways.

For the community organizations, the softwarewould provide them with details around schoolcurriculum and state standards so that they havethe opportunity to align their offerings to supportwhat teachers in the classroom really need. Theywould also have to pass through security andliability screenings and specify whether they can

offer important resources like in-school-visits ortransportation.The software database could also act as a

way to pull individual volunteers together to offertheir resources. They could describe what theyoffer, pass security clearances and be paired withstudents to tutor.

The school would have a place to present itsmission and philosophy to volunteers to assure theyare always aligned with their goals.

Teachers could provide descriptions of theircurricula so that volunteers can provide extrahelp in context.



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Teachers and schools are not able to address the individual needs ofeach student, though they are often best placed to identify them. Manycommunity organizations already exist to provide tutoring, activities andgrowth experiences outside of the classroom. This online service wouldgive the teacher a tool to refer students to these services.

Additionally, with No Child Left Behind, most school resources aredirected to students who are failing. This solution would provide a wayfor teachers to provide extra learning opportunities to the students whoare excelling.

Schools take this burden upon themselves now by networking throughfriends and family to nd resources. There are few electronic systems

supporting this now.

Reading, reading, reading, math. Its all lessons allday. I just dont have enough help in the classroomto be able to spend time with the individual studentsthat need help.- Teacher, Oakland, California

Outside resources could show students theresources that are in their own community. It makesthe lessons more real.- Teacher, Albuquerque, New Mexico


Mothers clubs often have tools to connectparents to resources in the community, whetherit is available as an online database or with acommunity liaison.

Often schools bring in community volunteers.While this program is about using resources outsideof the school, looking at what kind of resourcesschools bring in will help reveal gaps in what istaught in school.



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A formal system within the public schools that offers multiple, equallyviable career paths for teachers to support their varied talents andaspirations. It must offer structured, transparent and transferablesupport along those paths from the school district and the schoolleaders. It would include tools, programs, and coaching relationshipsthat offer feedback and guide teachers through their entire career.

Teacher PathwaysChallenging and engaging teachers throughout their careers

Solution 2d


Restructure schools to use teacher expertise toimprove the quality of education. Create room foradditional teachers whose task it is to improve theabilities of all other teachers in the school. Newteachers improve more rapidly because they haveexpert teachers as mentors.

Teachers excel because they have clear paths forgrowth that build on their own areas of interest.

Great teachers stay engaged because they seethey will be rewarded for their skills.

School management is a growth path only forthose who want to excel at operations.

Summer programs are established to offeropportunities for teachers to increase their

knowledge of a variety of areas, supporting theircareer path. Summer internships with corporations,community service and government positions andprincipal-in-training opportunities are a fewof the options.

Connection to industry also serves to offer newchallenges and expansion of interests for teachersthroughout their career. Therefore teachersare encouraged to seek out internships incorporations during their summer breaks in orderto learn real world applications of the thingsthat they teach.



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Teachers require paths tosuccess that align with

their passions


How could the burden of the cost be taken awayfrom the schools?

Could the unions become a channelfor coaching?

How might this map to compensation?How to make teaching compensation equal toadministration?

How could master teachers become an acceptedand expected part of the culture of teaching?

For a school, try pairing up teachers as buddies.For this year, and ask them to track the kinds ofthings that they ask each other for advice about.

Reward experienced teachers for their time spentmentoring younger teachers.

Develop career growth plans with all teachers sothat they feel there is value in becoming acommitted teacher.

Create positions in schools for master teachers.

Treat teachers like other professional workers anddene clear achievement plans over their careers.Create positions in schools for management typepositions where master teachers advise youngerteachers.

Solution 2dTeacher Pathways



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There are limited growth opportunities for ambitious teachers, currently.Those with leadership skills are drawn out of the classroom to becomeadministrators, but their skills and interests do not necessarily align withthe requirements of a principal or superintendent, particularly theoperational tasks. Educators who become administrators sometimes nd

themselves needing to exercise business and management skills they didnot study and are left with little time for the teaching and learning tasksthat they are passionate about.


New Mexico has implemented a Master Teacherlevel to reward teachers who pursue the highestacademic achievements, though this does notcome with a leadership/mentorship aspect totheir current job.

Several schools in Ohio have made space in theirbudget and teaching curriculum for Master Teacherswho have the job of observing and guiding newerteachers. This has been successful in rewarding thestellar teachers as well as supporting thenewer teachers.

Many professional careers have paths andtracking.

University faculty have strict tiered levels(associate professor, professor, full professor...).Criteria for these positions are clear, and are oftenevaluated through peer review.


I dont have time to focus on the curriculum thingsthat I love, I have to spend too much time runningPR for the community, managing the budgets andworrying about the school board. Superintendant, Northern California

I love teaching. But I dont know if Ill be doingit for too much longer. Its too hard to live on ateachers salary here, so I may have to try adifferent eld. Teacher, Hayward, California


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Most often by accident than by design, many schoolsare sending isolating signals. The need for security hasresulted in grim, jail-like buildings that actively excludethe community. In addition, the concern over child-predators has created high barriers of paperwork tobe dealt with before adults can help in the classroom.While these protective systems are valuable, they canalso be launching points for better design solutions thatwork alongside security to build connections between

the community and the school integrating the childsworld with her primary place of learning.

We see this connection happening through differentlevels of interaction and emotion. Each level has value,but produces different effects when enacted in theworld. Ideally, schools would strive toward the richest

levels to create lasting, fullling connections.

Connecting

Schools

Impact Area 3

Providing structures to facilitate school-community connection



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I dont pay for something if someone else [in thecommunity] can. Partnership always spreads thecost burden. Community Leader, Miami, Florida

Impact Areas Connecting Schools 73

I help families with whatever they need: clothes,rent, immigration, food. I am a bridge betweenthe parents and the school. It is worth it becauseit is impossible to do your job as a teacher if thechildren are not supported at home. Family Resource Coordinator,

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Especially in the early years, if there could be morespaces in the school where parents are allowednot just volunteers. Why not have more placesfor parents? Parent, Canton, Ohio

InformationTransparency

Information is

available

Levels of Interaction:

Level 1

Level 2Level 3

Level 4

Conversation

We have an activedialogue, we bothlisten and speak

Service

We understandyour needs and havesomething to oer

Inspiration

We invite peoplein and encourage

them to contribute


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Scenario



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What if schools becamewelcoming and vibrant hubs

of the community?

Impact Areas Connecting Schools 75


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Impact Areas Connecting Schools / Scenario 77


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Gabriel is surprised by the schoolsvibrancy on a Saturday. There are families

coming in and out of the medical clinic. Young

children are visiting the schools library because

the hours have been extended. There is even a

large family picnic happening in a pavilion at the

far end

of the grounds.

The community relies on the school as a

resource and they feel connected to it.

On the wall, Gabriel sees a notice about ESL

classes that are being oered in the evenings and

looks forward to telling his mother about them.

Maybe she would even take the computer class

held in the schools computer lab. And they will

both attend a lecture on managing a budget, to

be given by the schools principal.

ScenarioSchools have services to oer to the community



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Mrs. Domingo, principal of VillaElementary School, values her chance to reach

out and share her schools goals and decisions tothe community.

She uses a website and a column in the local

newspaper to talk to the community about

the philosophy she takes in running Villa.

She also nd that now that she has a chance to

explain the budget, hiring and policies in clear,

jargon-free terms, fewer people stop her in the

market to question her decisions.

ScenarioSchool business is transparent



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The liaison to the community makestime in her busy schedule to ask for help

from the community. She solicits requests

from the teachers and other sta. She knows

that this benets her students, benets the

people around her, and positions her school

as an essential part of the community. This is

important when voting time rolls around.

The schools website acts as a portal to adatabase that matches school needs with

volunteers in the community.

She imagines these opportunities in three

ways: those that directly help to educate the

students, those that help her maintain the

school, and those that bring people together in

the community so that they feel more connected

to the school.

ScenarioSchools inspire people to contribute



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Gabriel sees the schools website everytime he connects to the free wireless internet.

After several months of using the school as a

place for learning, connecting with neighbors

and working in the garden to relax, he realizes

that he can help out in the classroom with a

lesson on nutrition. He will combine it with a

tour of the schools garden that he has grown to

love.

On any given day he can see many other people

from the community giving their time and

expertise to the school and its many services.

He feels strongly connected to this little school

even though it will be several years before he

has children of his own.

But he looks forward to them attending Villa and

working alongside him in the garden.

ScenarioCommunity members connect



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Solutions



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for connecting schools

Impact Areas Connecting Schools / Solutions 87


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The architecture of a school should project an open and welcomingenvironment, one that seeks to create connections to its community. Itmust still offer an inner structure that is safe and secure and accessibleonly to students and authorized adults, while an outer area buffers thatinner security and is used by the public after school hours.

Welcoming Architecture


Sending inviting signals to the community

The school is structured as three concentricrings. The innermost ring is the most secure, wherestudents and teachers are located. The middlering is designed for use by the public, but onlyafter school hours. The outer ring is a public parkarea that surrounds the school, offering spaces forcommunity gatherings and activities.

The building itself is designed with childrenscomfort in mind. Lighting and materials are soft todampen sound and make the building feel warm.Hallways are softened with greenery and artworkfrom students. Windows and doors are built foraccess by young children.

Public WiFi access is available to the greatercommunity, but they are presented with the schools

information site rst, with mission statement,communication from the principal andvolunteer opportunities

The auditorium or other large area becomes aspace for celebrations and meetings. A dedicatedliaison, a non-education based role sponsoredby the city, manages contracts with families andcommunity service groups along with the contractswith businesses.

A public vegetable garden allows people fromthe community to get their hands dirty and growsomething, which is rewarding for their mental andphysical well-being. People come together andwork together, forming social connections. They feelmore connected to the school as a result. Students

can learn about science through the plants.

Solution 3a



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Schools have becomebland, even harsh

environments foroutsiders


How do we nd ideal ways to balance securityareas in ways that are completely safe for childrenbut open and welcoming to the public?

What are the guidelines that determine thetypes of businesses that can rent space at theschool: only those that are most benecial to aschool community?

How to set liability and insurance contractsso that schools cannot be held responsible foraccidents that happen while public groups areusing school spaces after hours?

Pilot architecture solutions with schools that arecurrently being rebuilt.

Begin with small steps: adding sheltered seatingareas and tables for work.

Open the schools library after school, thenon weekends.

Encourage information access by providing freewireless internet access.

Create a website that describes the schoolsmission and goals. Invite the community tolearn more.

Design security devices so that only the mostcentral school areas are secured, while other, lesscontrolled areas are open to the public.

Change legal permissions so that school spacescan be open to public groups but cannot be heldliable for the groups activities.

Schools hire Operations Experts as leaders inorder to optimize the management of the schoolemployment, public relations, fundraising andfacilities systems.

Architects are encouraged to research the valueof bringing community resources into the schooland nding ways to balance that connection to thecommunity with the safety needed within the schoolarchitecture.

Solution 3aWelcoming Architecture



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Communities are rich resources for schools, but schools are oftendifcult to permeate, which can turn off volunteers, taxpayers andparents. In order to fully take advantage of the available time and

knowledge from people outside of the school, we should make theschools as welcoming as possible, so as to draw in those resources.

These are the schools were sending them to[shows photograph of a school with a chain linkfence and concrete buildings], the Hannibal LecterSchool Theres obviously a notion here that if youlet the inmates of the school out, theyll snatch amotorist off the streets. James Howard Kunstler, TED Conference Speech


We have a lot of families who have just moved tothe area. We found that if we gave them a place togather, they would meet each other and help eachother and feel more comfortable. Parent Coordinator, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Contemporary hospital design seeks to balancethe hard needs of patients and staff (eg: healthand safety) with softer emotional needs.

Places like Starbucks have had massiveengagement and success by creating a comfortablegathering spot for people, a third place.

Ofce parks will often have different levels ofaccess available. For instance, lobby and auditoriumspaces might be open to the public, while workspaces and conference rooms are often through alayer of security, such as keys or electronic fobs.



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Schools know that they must take care of the most basic needs of theirstudents rst, before learning can begin. Lets extend that to the basicneeds of the community, so that individuals have the ability to helpwith the higher level of needs of the school. Extrapolating the beliefs ofSPARK New Mexicos Joining Hands Network, schools would offer thesocial services needed to raise healthy children in a healthy and enrichedcommunity.

Embedded Services


Essential services conveniently available on school grounds

Schools would have spaces and resourcesdedicated to offering needed services to theircommunity members:Family clinic (doctors and dentists)Social Services CounselorsComputer LabPublic WiFiESLParenting AdviceLibrary is open on weekends and after schoolSpaces for celebrations, family and cultural

events, community service groupsLectures and other learning opportunities for the

community at large

A community liaison position oversees themanaging of these services. This position can bea support staff person from the municipality, who islocated at the school, this way bridging the needsof both parties. Eventually, it would be a larger goalto promote teachers in to this position and combineit with policy and public relations outreach. Thiswould be a leadership position in which theconnection to the community would be valued andbenecial to the school.

Solution 3b



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Community Schools inAlbuquerque oer classes

to parents. They improvetheir childs education bylearning English, becomemore involved with theschool, and spend more

time with their children.


What are the most fundamental services thatfamilies need?

How can governments work with schools toprovide service centers?

What other organizations might be willing tofacilitate next steps so it doesnt become thecore responsibility of the school to organizethe services?

What current rules about what can happenon school grounds would need to be broken orrewritten?

Offer classes to the greater community toimprove the communitys connectionwith the school.

Partner with local educational groups or ndcommunity volunteers to run courses for parents inthe evenings, or during the school day while kidsare being taken care of.

Open the school library to the public after schooland weekends to encourage more reading andmore access to the school.

Work around liability concerns with clearcontracts and deposits, so that communitygroups and families can rent the school spaceson weekends.

Schools become Community Centers. Socialservices are offered through public schools.Municipalities should combine funding for schoolrenovations with funding for community centers inorder to merge the two purposes.

Schools provide all of the basic social servicesfor families in need. Government organizationsset up and support every school in providingbasic services.

The community liaison position could pay foritself through revenue of supporting the services atthe school. Rent from businesses and events usingthe space as well as funding from the governmentto offer the services on site.

Solution 3bEmbedded Services



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Schools are the center of every community. Most people in a communitytouch the school at some point, therefore, offering social services thatprovide help for children and the community make the school and the

community stronger together. The infrastructure of the school is alreadythere; bringing in the resources is the next step.

It is difcult for a child to learn when they arecoming to school hungry or unhealthy.Teacher, Oakland, California


It feels really good when we can offer things to ourcommunity. We become a community school and webuild partnerships.Principal, Albuquerque, New Mexico

HeadStart currently offers this to families ofyoung children, but the services stop when thechildren reach elementary school, whether the familyis ready or not.

Community Schools in Albuquerque offer classesto parents, who are able to improve heir childseducation by learning English, becoming moreinvolved with the school, and spending more timewith their children.

Native American Reservation schools in NewMexico offer a wealth of services to their communitymembers because they are often the only resourcesin the rural communities.

Community Centers are public buildings that rentout their spaces for different purposes, bringingpeople together from across the community.

Large companies, such as Yahoo! and Oracle,offer services such as dry cleaning, car washing,

ower delivery, gym facilities, and day care, toemployees in their large corporate headquarters.



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A national website that is localized and customized for eachcommunity, presented in a clear and accessible way as a gatewayfor people to engage with the school. It symbolizes transparencyand openness, demonstrating that schools are welcoming and a vitalpart of the community. This transparency will build trust and inviteconversation and contribution.

Community Dialogue Website


Facilitates transparent communication between school and community

A school website that presents the philosophyand goals of the school, describes the decisionsand budgeting and offers a supporting databasethat connects requests from schools with offeringsfrom the community.

The principal, community liaison or publicrelations person present the major decisionsof the school to the community in a clear andconversational waytranslating them from thenormal policy-driven communication style ofofcial business.

The liaison encourages teachers to postquestions and ideas about projects to thecommunity so that experts in the community cananswer questions and expand on lesson ideas.

Teachers post stories of students and theirwork in order to allow the community to see thewonderful things that are happening in school.

Teachers post requests for people to come talk toclasses, giving lessons on their jobs and community,or teaching fun, practical skills in order to offerholistic education in a time where education isbecoming more and more narrow. Also, they postideas for projects and curricula, soliciting ideas andanswers from the community experts.

Teachers and administrators can post requestsfor supplies to be purchased and for volunteeropportunities throughout the school.

A community liaison can act as a conduit forgathering input from people in the community who

do not use computers, entering in their informationand connecting them with potential opportunitiesfor volunteering.

Once a volunteer is signed up on the system,the website takes them through the process ofcontributing to the classroom. They must pass asecurity clearance before entering the classroom.They can also read up on the state requirements foreach class and the classroom curriculum in orderto prepare their lessons to the students. Advice onteaching to different age groups is a lso available.

Solution 3c



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School administratorsregret that they need to

spend a lot of timedefending their decisionsto the public


How can we easily collect contributions frompeople who do not have access to a computer?

How can we make sure that all volunteers passthe right security clearances?

Schools host a volunteer fair where the schoolinvites people to come to the school to share whatthey can do.

Systematize the process of recruiting volunteers.Post opportunities for volunteering at the schooland in the classrooms on the schools website andin the newspaper.

Ask parents to ll in a survey about the thingsthey know and do, and things they would beinterested in contributing. Ask if they would sharetheir skills with other classes as well. Compilethat into a spreadsheet. This is an early and easydatabase.

Communities see education as the responsibilityof everyone. It is expected that community membersspend time volunteering in schools.

There is one website which everyone in theUnited States uses to learn ways to participate inpublic education. A non-prot organization couldbuild the website and host it. All schools shouldhave access to it through that organization. Schoolscan customize their pages.

Solution 3cCommunity Dialogue Website



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There are a wealth of resources available in most communities, butbringing them into the school requires confronting many hurdles.Creating a systematized structure for connecting community resources

with teacher needs simplies the process for everyone, resulting in anengaged community and a richer school.

Schools today do this by hand. Teachers and administrators use wordof mouth and face-to-face solicitation to nd the resources they need.

There are so many things I need to do to tie to thestate curriculum that I dont have time to be creativewith the other things my kids should be learning. Teacher, Miami, Florida


We had been counting newsletters and numbersof meetings; we never asked if we were doing anygood or if we were helpful. We were on send allthe time. School Board Member, Montgomery, Virginia

Some national websites have begun to worktoward this solution: SchoolMatters.org andGradeschools.net

Kiva.org is a website that connects smallentrepreneurs in the developing world withindividuals who are willing to lend money as asocial investment. It has been very successful inconnecting people who want to do good with theirmoney.



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A Model for

Scaling Solutions



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101

In our research we observed severalmovements toward change in schools. This

model describes the two key ways in which we

saw those changes happening, depending onthe type of leader, the scope of the challenges,

and the resources at hand. From this, we

developed a framework to show how Top Down

and Bottom Up change inuence each other

and work together to create signicant changes

in a complex system. We have used that

framework to explore opportunities for scaling

the solutions that weve described in this book.


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Top Down Infuence

Top down change begins with a vision, and when it is effective the focus isrst on changing mindsets and creating support so that the vision can beimplemented. For education this is often about setting permissions so thatothers in the system may also change. After permission has been establishedand supported, the people on the ground can take action, and in a healthysystem they have time for reection and iteration, and their demonstrationinforms and improves the original vision.

We observed this type of change through SPARK Miamis connection withthe Early Childhood Initiative Foundation. With a dynamic leader who is wellconnected to the community, David Lawrence, the Miami-Dade district hasshifted its attitude toward early childhood education, now voting for initiatives

that support quality education for all children. Because the foundation has beenable to change the mindset of their community they have the permission andsupport needed from the community to implement solutions in many areas ofearly education.

Bottom Up Infuence

The second form of change is bottom up, and it begins with ideas put intopractice. This type of change is more common and more agile because it doesnot depend on the inuence of people in positions of power in order to be setin motion. These ideas start small; one passionate group of people can havean idea and take action. That group reects and iterates in order to rene. Afterproving the success of their idea, they can scale their solution by demonstratingits benets to people of inuence in order to create support and change

minds. Once they have created support other groups will have permission andresources to implement and take action.

The SPARK Ohio group, through the Sisters of Charity of Canton, Ohio, hastaken this approach to improving early childhood education in the state of Ohio.They began a Parent Partners program in two cities, with the resources to servea portion of the population. Over several years they measured and recorded theimprovement in school readiness for children whose caregivers participated inthe program. With those proven successes they won the attention of the stateboard of education as well as other cities around them. Now their solution isscaling in two directions, rst through the other cities that will work with theSisters of Charity to support their own Parent Partner programs, as well asthrough informing and inuencing the state legislature on the importance of thisprogram on preparing children for school.

Start with a Vision:National Support for Economy of Scale

As we think about the solutions proposed in this book we can map theirprocess of implementation onto the diagram for scaling solutions. There arethree solutions that would benet most from private or public national support.These ideas would be implemented most successfully if one entity took oncreating a nationwide solution that could be localized by the individual schoolsor municipalities. This would save a great deal of implementation resources ifindividual groups were able to avoid spending time and moneyreplicating efforts.

These nation-wide solutions include:Zero8 Toy AccreditationParent Relationship Software

Community in Education DatabaseWe see exceptional opportunities for foundations such as the W.K. KelloggFoundation to support these types of solutions through:

Demonstration: provide tools for people on the ground to measure, recordand prove the value of their solutions. Give them a voice and a chance topresent their ideas to people of inuence.

Fund Design and Development: create the nationwide systems that will beimplemented individually across the country.

Offer expertise: advise smaller groups on navigating the system of change,from creating a vision and gathering support to taking action anddemonstrating success.

A Model For Scaling Solutions



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103

Begin with Practice:National Support for Government Inuence

There is a set of solutions that would be most effective if there was nationalsupport from government legislation, because the solutions require a changein approach, mindset and nancial support. Schools will need a level ofpermission from leadership to make the large-scale changes to move toward thesolutions vision of the future. But government will not be likely to offer supportat a national level until they can be sure that the solutions have been provento demonstrate success. For this reason, scaling these solutions will requirebrave experimenters to begin with practice in order to demonstrate success tothe government. Fortunately, there are examples of several of these solutionsalready in place in innovative school districts across the country. We haveobserved Ohios Parent Partners, Miamis Demonstration Schools and NewMexicos teacher career paths already making strides toward proving that these

ideas offer pathways to success for early education.

The solutions that require demonstration before garnering national support are:Zero8 CoachesLaunch Pad SchoolsGo-U PrescriptionsTeacher Pathways

We see opportunities for foundations such as the W.K. Kellogg Foundation tocontinue to support scalable solutions from the ground up:

Support Practice: discover and fund innovative approaches to improvingquality in early childhood education.

Support Demonstration: provide tools for people on the ground to measure,record and prove the value of their solutions.

Inform and Inuence Policy: create opportunities for policy makers and peopleof inuence to learn about and understand the solutions that work to improveearly childhood education.

Begin with Practice:Local Support for Community Change

There are some solutions that can be implemented and managed by theircommunity and do not need to scale across the country. These solutions directlybenet their community, therefore strategies for investing should be tailoredto and directed toward the people of inuence in their community so thatthe community members take responsibility for improving education. Theseprocesses for implementation can remain in the action and reection space inorder to create change.

The solutions that communities can implement on their own are:Community Services in SchoolsWelcoming Open ArchitectureSchools as Vibrant Hubs

National foundations such as the W.K. Kellogg Foundation can play a signicantrole here in helping innovative community members make a compellingpresentation to motivate their peers and leaders:

Support individual, Ready Communities: while the solutions will directlybenet the communities, most do not have the resources to implement them andneed outside funding and guidance.

Collect Best Practices: a national resource is needed to help the individualmovements implement these ideas in the most eff

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