Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive

Davey and Angela discuss school improvement, and the "Seven Sure Solutions". . . the evidenced-based components. . . that have been proven to facilitate school success in schools across the country. Guided by Dr. Howie Knoff's July 13, 2024 blog post, your Hosts critique the narrow definition of school success that is solely based on standardized test scores. In doing this, they highlight the significant number of students that are still struggling academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally, even in high-performing schools. Advocating for a more comprehensive and proven approach, they describe the seven-solution blueprint for continuous school improvement. This blueprint emphasizes strategic planning, community involvement, robust professional development, effective instruction in academics and behavior, multi-tiered support systems, and rigorous data-driven evaluation. The ultimate goal is to maximize the potential of every student by moving beyond superficial metrics of success and implementing evidence-based practices. They note that while too many schools still focus on how many students “pass the state test,” they need to focus instead on helping students to be proficient and prepared for their post-graduation lives.