                                                              
| NWREL Catalogue of School Reform Models |
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| Written by Maryellen Rogusky |
| Thursday, 02 February 2006 02:25 |
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Content In 1997, the U.S. Congress passed the Comprehensive school reform Demonstration program (CSRD), which provided financial incentives for schools to undertake comprehensive reform. Each school's reform program had to meet 9 components identified in the law. Although schools themselves were responsible for developing plans that integrate these 9 components, the legislation encouraged them to consider adopting an externally developed reform model as a central part of their plan. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 authorizes the continuation of this program, now called the Comprehensive School Reform program, with several changes. Most notably, there are now 11 components of comprehensiveness, including a requirement that schools use strategies backed by scientifically based research. To familiarize schools with the variety of available models, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) asked the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) to produce a catalog containing introductory information on 17 models named in the CSRD legislation plus selected other models. The catalog focused on whole-school models, those that weave curriculum, instruction, assessment, Professional Development, governance, and other aspects of school operations into a coherent framework for overall School Improvement. Because the legislation allowed schools to adopt subject-area or other models as part of their comprehensive plan, OERI also asked the Laboratory to include information on reading/language arts, mathematics, science, and other models, such as Critical Thinking or Classroom Management. NWREL subcontracted with the Education Commission of the States (ECS) to produce the first catalog. To identify potential models for Inclusion beyond the 17 named in the legislation, staff from the two organizations examined previously published documents containing descriptions of models and consulted with subject-area experts. Models without evidence of impact on student achievement were eliminated from consideration. NWREL and ECS then worked with the developers of the remaining models to prepare descriptions of each model's main features, results, costs, and support to schools. The result was the Catalog of School Reform Models: First Edition, published in print form in March 1998 and converted to a Web site (http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/catalog/modellist.asp) shortly thereafter. The catalog contained descriptions of 44 models, including 26 whole-school models. First Review Process and Addendum Because hundreds of research-based models have been used in schools, some with impressive results, NWREL initiated a formal review process to select additional models for the catalog. In collaboration with the other nine regional educational laboratories, NWREL developed an application packet for developers, devised criteria for inclusion, and established panels and procedures for reviewing models. Over the next year, panels reviewed 56 models and selected 20 for inclusion. A description of each model was added to the catalog Web site upon completion. In August 1999, NWREL published the 20 new descriptions as the Addendum to the Catalog of School Reform Models. In April 2000, NWREL entered into a partnership with the National Clearinghouse for Comprehensive School Reform (NCCSR) to continue catalog work. The three main purposes of the partnership were to:
Early in 2001, NWREL and NCCSR sent all developers a form requesting updated cost and contact information. Each developer also was asked to provide detailed demographic information for at least four sample sites. That information was incorporated into each model's description. In the summer of 2001, NWREL and NCCSR asked developers of models included in the first edition to re-apply for inclusion. As noted above, those 44 models were selected without having undergone a formal review. Since the focus of the catalog is on comprehensive reform, not on more limited approaches to school improvement, NWREL and NCCSR decided to eliminate the Other category from the catalog. Over the next year, panels accepted 21 whole-school and reading models for continued inclusion in the catalog. Descriptions of these models were updated at the time of acceptance. In addition, NWREL and NCCSR added a new section to each updated description entitled State Standards and accountability. This section describes components of the model, if any, that help schools align curriculum with state standards and improve student performance on state assessments. (Eventually, a similar section will be added to all descriptions in the catalog.) As the review process progressed, it became clear that most programs listed in the mathematics and science sections were not comprehensive subject-area reform models. They were curricula, textbook series, district-level programs, or something other than models focused on ongoing school-level change. Therefore, these two categories have been removed from the catalog, leaving only whole-school reform models and reading models. The review process was completed in August 2002. Including models reviewed earlier and those accepted for continued inclusion, there are now 26 whole-school models and 10 reading models in the catalog. Ongoing Review Process Starting in September 2002, NWREL and NCCSR initiated a new process to review additional models for inclusion in the Catalog of School Reform Models. This process involves whole-school models only. If you are interested in learning more, go to http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/catalog/about/reviewprocess.shtml |