School Improvement Life Cycle

Our goal at AdvancED is to provide guiding principles and effective practices for school improvement that help schools advance the level of education they provide.  Perspectives vary on what the life cycle of school improvement looks like; however, we realize that school improvement is both strategic and operational and essential components must be in place for a school to truly address comprehensive school improvement. A school must be able to collect and analyze data, set goals, plan, implement, and evaluate. The realization that none of these components are independent of each other along with the continuous review and evaluation of activities leading to improved results is what leads to authentic school improvement.

Each component of the life cycle contains several activities. To be successful, a school must commit to a disciplined process for tackling the various activities that define continuous improvement.  This includes assigning staff to accomplish the tasks, establishing timelines, and allocating equitable resources.

Whatever process a school employs for its continuous improvement cycle, it’s important that the whole school is engaged in the discussion and is accountable for the results. School improvement isn’t the sole responsibility of the principal or the School Improvement Team. It is an initiative and a process that is owned by everyone involved in the life of the school.