Dearborn School Improvement Model-Moving Beyond Compliance

Dearborn Schools implements an internal accountability system called the School Improvement Process.  This model is implemented in each of our thirty two schools. A team from the superintendent’s cabinet, school administrators, administrative interns, parents and teachers participate in the school visits and provide feedback.  This feedback is a formative metric that includes best practices or high impact strategies and district initiatives. During the two- hour visit, the team conducts a walkthrough to all classrooms and assess the level of implementation of each of those strategies/initiatives.  This process has evolved to include a tool that is used systematically and consistently across the district.  In addition to the walkthrough and feedback, this continues improvement process includes steps on incorporating multiple measures to drive the work of the school improvement plan and align this work with the district strategic plan. Local and state assessments, student attendance, mobility and and other demographic data sources are examined and used to drive next steps for the professional learning communities.  I am lucky to visit all schools as part of my practice in my new position where I observe first hand the tireless work our district staff do across the schools. Our students come in with different needs and learning barriers yet our staff beat the odds and keep our children moving forward- something the entire community of dearborn should be proud of.

I encourage our parents, community organizations, and local businesses to continue to be engaged in our school activities and to invest in our students-the future of our city.