Transcript Effective Implementation Practices

Notes by Ben Boerkoel, Kent ISD, based on a
training by Beth Steenwyk
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Selection of the Practice – the processes a team uses to
study and understand the need and the development of a
thoughtful approach to address the need.
Fluency with the Practice – the degree to which the team
understands and knows the practice
Improvement Cycles – the degree to which the team focuses
and intentionally engages in continuous improvement
Drivers of Practices – the degree to which the team
understands and pays attention to how the practice is
implemented

Is this the right thing to do?
 Is there a clearly identified need?
 Does it fit the need?
 Is it supported by evidence?

Can we do this the right way?
 Do we have the resources?
 Do we have the readiness, knowledge and skills?
 Do we have the capacity?
Need

Is the need identified across the district,
building, grade?

Has the need been identified as a critical by the
school improvement process?

Is this a social/behavioral need or an academic
need? Have the two been correlated?

Is there support for addressing this need?
Fit

What other initiatives must be considered?

What district/school priorities must be considered?

What priorities have been identified by the school
improvement process related to student achievement?

What school-wide structures need to be considered when
determining fit?

What multi-tiered system of supports must be considered
for this to be effective and can they be put in place?
Evidence
•
To what extent do school personnel have the skills
required to:
• Examine research/scientific evidence?
• Analyze and use data to make decisions?
• Understand impact and effectiveness data?
•
Are practices of examining data embedded in the
school culture and school improvement process?
•
What limitations of the research must be considered?
Resources

What resources will be needed? (e.g., fiscal,
personnel, technology, data, training and
coaching, etc.)

What current resource expenditures might
require change, adjustment, or elimination?

What current practices might require change,
adjustment, or elimination?
Readiness

What is the level of commitment to the practice, a commitment
that will be necessary if it is to be implemented with fidelity?

What benchmarks are in place to determine readiness?

What standard of readiness are in place to ensure that personnel
are ready to adopt and implement?

What system and competency benchmarks are in place to ensure
readiness for implementation?

To what extent is there a culture of learning that would support
the practice?
Capacity

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To what extent do staff members meet the
qualifications needed for implementation?
What is the decision-making process for
selecting /prioritizing staff for training?
What commitment is present to build and sustain
capacity, including a commitment to cost?
The degree to which the team
understands and knows the practice
and can identify the:
 Selection of the Practice – effective
processes for choosing a practice
 Key Features or Core Components – the
non-negotiable features of the practice.
If these features are not present, you
are not “doing” the practice.

Critical components that you can observe at the
classroom, building, and district level.
 Ideal “gold standard”
 Acceptable variations
 Unacceptable variations
(You need a technical expert in the practice to help define
this)

Help identify the fit with current priorities and
practices

Clarify the resource requirements that will be
needed for implementation

Observable at the classroom, building, and district level.

Need to define the implementation standard at each level

Each level of implementation becomes a measure that can
be used to assess implementation fidelity

The levels of implementation serve as a guidance for
effective coaching and performance assessment
 Classroom – so the teacher can interact with students as intended
 Building – to support what happens at the classroom level
 District – to support building and classroom implementation
 Ideal “gold standard”
 Acceptable variations
 Unacceptable variations
The degree to which the team focuses and
intentionally engages in continuous improvement

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Gather – A need uncovered is not a need
understood
Study – A need considered does not design a
solution
Plan – A solution designed does not make it
happen
Do – Making it happen means implementing with
intention, purpose, and fidelity

Exploration

Installation

Initial Implementation

Full Operation

Innovation

Sustainability Cycle

The implementation stages are not linear.

Taking time to explore is critical to effective
implementation

Each stage requires an improvement cycle.

Implementation is not an event, it’s a process.

Ongoing wondering – Can we work to do it better
so we can do it more efficiently and sustain it?
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Developing a school improvement plan is one
thing.
Executing that plan is another thing.
Implementing the educational practices
within that plan is yet another thing.
Monitoring and evaluating implementation is
a critical thing.

The degree to which the team understands and pays
attention to how the practice is implemented.

Intentionality, Focus, and Change

The key components that “drive” the practices
forward.
 Competencies
 Systems
 Leadership

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Occur at all levels of the system but look different
at each level.
Are integrated, with one driver influencing
another.
Are compensatory so that if one driver is weak,
another can support and compensate for a short
period of time.
Require those implementing to know the
Innovation (the “what”) and the Implementation
(the “how”) well
Implementation requires CHANGE in
 Supporting roles
 Functions
 Processes
 Practices
 Procedures
at the classroom, school, and district levels of
the organization.

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
Leadership – What leadership capacity needs to
exist to assure that the practices are
implemented and maintained with accuracy and
fidelity?
Competencies – What skills do people need at the
classroom, building, and district level to
implement this practice with accuracy and
fluency/fidelity?
Organization/Systems – What infrastructure and
supports need to be in place to assure that the
practices can be implemented by those charged
with implementation with accuracy and fidelity?


Technical – Does the leadership have the
knowledge and skills to effectively monitor
and evaluate implementation and impact and
to identify known (technical) solutions to
issues that may arise?
Adaptive – In an effort to support the
required change, does the leadership have
the disposition, willingness, and knowledge
to challenge assumptions and current
practice and to adapt the implementation as
needed without compromising fidelity?
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Selection – Who are the right people to
implement and who will need training?
Training – What learning opportunities will
support implementation with fidelity?
Coaching – What support will be provided for
those who are implementing the practice?
Performance Assessment – What will be done
to monitor fidelity of implementation and the
impact on recipients of the practice?

Data-driven Decision-Making – What type of data
systems are in place to collect implementation and
impact data? What are the decision-making processes
and mechanisms in place to analyze data?

Leadership Support – How will leadership support
successful implementation of the practice?

System Support – What internal systems are in place to
support the successful implementation of the practice?

Performance Assessment - What processes and
mechanisms are in place to evaluate if systems are
present and fully functioning to support
implementation of the practice with fidelity?
“ A poorly implemented
program can lead to
failure as easily as a
poorly designed one. “