© C

CS

R

Research-practice partnerships: Working with school principals

around research findings

Elaine Allensworth

© C

CS

R

Large-scale research studies - Help people think about a problem in a new way

School-by-school breakdowns/comparisons- Make the research personal

Individual school strategy reports- Show how schools are doing on key indicators/mechanisms

identified in research – enable analysis and strategy-building

Real-time data reports- Allow for quick feedback

Different phases of work, different dissemination mechanisms

© C

CS

R

Improving student outcomes requires changing perspectives

& practices Natural reaction of school leaders will be:- Miscomprehension- Disbelief- Defensiveness- Fear about changing current practices

Natural reaction of researchers to this feedback will be:- Frustration- Defensiveness- Fear that we got it wrong

© C

CS

R

To focus research on the right questions in a way that’s meaningful to people in schools

To allow people time to process the findings, understand them, and believe them

To develop new strategies

Working with principals requires an iterative process

© C

CS

R

Focus on key message- Address unsupported assumptions - Point to high-leverage points

Provide easy-to-understand evidence- Keep revising displays/messages until they

resonate- Simple bar graphs, charts - Visuals and key pieces of information that can be

spread around easily- No jargon, caveats, words with multiple meanings

Miscomprehension Understanding

© C

CS

R

© C

CS

R

Get reactions as soon as possible in research process

Listen and take reactions seriously- Be prepared to do more research, dig in further

Have findings ready for different subgroups Show results for schools serving similar populations

Ask people what they need to know to work on the problem- Next phase of work builds the buy-in and

partnership

Disbelief Acceptance, Advocacy

© C

CS

R

Data on key indicators allows for local innovation- Individual school reports, real-time data - District support, without high-profile pressure

Purposeful work with a small number of schools- Shared learning community among schools

• Network for College Success- Feedback on progress on key indicators

Follow-up research - Laying down track to keep up ahead of the train

Fear about change safe place for innovation

© C

CS

R