Continuous Quality Improvement at the Secondary Level
In many K-12 school systems, it appears that the elementary staff are the first to buy-in to the continuous quality improvement approach. Not too far behind are the middle school and junior high staff since the elementary students soon find their way into their classrooms. Continuous quality improvement initiatives at the high school level are often implemented at a slower pace.
Secondary educators seem to be embracing the concept of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) which, in essence, is rooted in the spirit of continuous improvement. The "Big Ideas" of PLC's include teams asking questions like:
- What do we want students to learn?
- How will we know when students have learned it?
- How will we respond when students aren't learning?
To obtain an aligned system, is it critical to have a unified approach to continuous quality improvement efforts? Should quality look the same at the elementary and secondary levels? How do school systems better support and encourage a continuous approach at the high school? Do you know of any high schools that have truly embraced continuous improvement? Who are they and what do they look like?
Share you thoughts and opinions about continuous improvement at the high school level!
