The document discusses factors that contribute to successful schools based on research. It notes that high-performing schools plan instruction starting with their special education and English as a second language students, unlike most schools that mold curriculum to above-average students. It identifies 9 central factors in education planning, including teaching essential content, understanding each student, integrating research, and breaking learning into small parts. Additionally, it states that high-performing schools believe all children can learn, focus first on the needs of hardest-to-serve students, and are placing special education and ESL educators in leadership roles.

1. Successful Schools:
From Research to
Action Plans
Willard R. Daggett, Ed. D
International Center for Leadership in Education
Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships for ALL Students

2. While most schools MOLD the curriculum to
above-average students and then try to fit it to
the special education, English as a second
language, and talented or gifted students…
HIGH-PERFORMING schools do the
OPPOSITE
and start with Special Education and English as a
Second Language students when planning
instruction.

3. 9 Central Factors in planning education and
instruction:
1. Teach essential vs. nice to know content
2. Fully understand the interests, learning style, and aptitude
of each student
3. Engage parents
4. Use proven methodologies
5. Monitor successes and failures
6. Integrate current research and data on learning
7. Focus on the end result: work, college, family, community
participation
8. Use technology to improve learning opportunities for
students
9. Break learning into smallest incremental parts to GUIDE
instruction

4. High performing schools
Begin by determining the needs of the hardest
to serve students then apply the same
principals to the other students.
Create a culture that supports the belief that
ALL children can learn and a BIG majority can
meet the standards.

5. Reason to focus on Special Education
and English as a Second Language
 Both of these groups will grow dramatically in number( due
to immigration and medical advances)
 More will enter general education programs
 Elementary, special and ESL educators focus MORE on
students and LESS on content while high school teachers
tend to focus on content and NOT individual students
 It is this attention to students that improves the
performance of ALL students because it replaces a focus on
teaching with a focus on learning

6. High-performing schools are
placing special education, ESL and
elementary educators in leadership
roles in both individual buildings
and across the district at the
principal level and at curriculum
leadership levels