Key Action II.1

Set goals, roles, and monitoring plan

What is the goal?

The goal of this key action is to set your implementation goals, organize roles and responsibilities, and determine how you will monitor progress and step back to adjust your plans. We recommend this be done in two parts—at the beginning of Phase II and then finished after all other Phase II planning. The work described takes place at two levels—district/charter network and school. Implementation Support Teams can be school-based or include multiple schools. While the work of the district/charter network and school isn’t always exactly the same, the resources and guidance that support planning for both teams have substantive overlap. Refer to the notes and resources throughout Phase II for considerations on what decisions should be school versus district/charter network level.

Why this key action is important

Naming the team that is responsible for supporting implementation and the goals creates focus and a clear aim for the implementation effort. This key action is important because it sets the conditions for all the planning and implementation support to follow.

Explanation of language

We use the phrase Implementation Support Team to refer to the team that will work together to plan for curriculum implementation. Implementation includes all plans for use and instructional support. We use the phrase progress monitoring plan to refer to the work you will need to do in order to know how things are going.  

steps

guiding questions

notes & resources

  • 1.
    What perspectives do we need on the Implementation Support Team?
  • 2.
    Who will serve on the Implementation Support Team?
  • The Implementation Support Team will engage across all implementation work (Phases II and III). This team will ultimately be accountable for the success of the implementation effort.
  • Some of the decisions in Phase II are district-/charter network-level decisions, but many are school-level decisions. This team will vary based on the size of the district/charter network, but should always include school perspectives and teacher perspectives in addition to central district/charter network leaders.
  • The resource Implementation Support Team Roles and Responsibilities contains notes on how you might think about this team. It includes the types of roles that should have representation on the team, as well as some specific responsibilities for the members.
  • 3.
    Who will lead the Implementation Support Team?
  • The work of this phase will include assessment implications, grading, pacing, scheduling, coaching, planning support, and training. The person leading this team should have the scope of authority to navigate decisions across these instructional systems.
  • 1.
    What are the decisions we will need to make before teachers start using the materials?
  • 2.
    When can we launch our work as an Implementation Support Team?
  • 3.
    How often will we need to meet as an Implementation Support Team?
  • 4.
    How will we track decisions and plans?
  • Based on the decisions you need to make and who will be involved, go back to your Implementation Plan template and determine how you will take notes and track next steps. There will likely be a version of the Implementation Plan at the district/charter network level and school level. Districts/charter networks and schools should determine the best way to organize and align the work.
  • 5.
    What do we need to do to train any new members that were not part of the selection process?
  • 1.
    How will we work as a team?
  • 2.
    What are the norms we will operate with in our work together?
  • 3.
    What are our goals for effective implementation?
  • 4.
    How do these goals connect to our district’s/charter network’s mission, values, and goals?
  • 5.
    What are the core beliefs that underpin our goals?
  • 6.
    What will success look like over time?
  • 7.
    What will success look like in year one?

 

  • 1.
    What, if any, adjustments do we need to make to our draft goals for implementation?
  • 2.
    How will we know if we reach our goals?
  • 3.
    For each goal, when will we know if we are on track?
  • 4.
    What data will we review?
  • 5.
    Operationally, what needs to happen to get this data? Who is responsible?
  • 6.
    In addition to monitoring progress, how will we collect stakeholder feedback?
  • 7.
    When will we step back to review our progress toward our goals holistically? Who will be part of these stepbacks?
  • 8.
    What are our systems for sharing best practices and handling emerging challenges?
  • 9.
    Who should each group of stakeholders go to with questions?
  • Early implementers benefited from regular opportunities to bring the team together to look at how things were going and adjust course. Progress Monitoring Practices shares some best practices around progress monitoring and frequency suggestions. Essential Actions 5.1-3 from the Effective Schools Framework includes information on supporting effective classroom routines, building observation and feedback cycles, and data-driven instruction. The resource Challenge Solving Protocols outlines some effective protocols to share emerging challenges.
  • Refer to Key Action III.2: Step back and adjust the plan to see sample agendas and the process for leading quarterly stepbacks. Setting these dates now will help ensure the implementation team has dedicated time to reflect.
  • 1.
    Go back to the roles and responsibilities list. Does anything need to change?
  • 2.
    Are the roles and responsibilities clear? Are there places of potential overlap or confusion?
  • 3.
    Does any group or one person have an unreasonable workload? What can we do to prioritize and reassign?
  • Your team originally set the roles and responsibilities in Step II.1.A: Identify the Implementation Support Team and Leader and you have been able to adjust across Phase II.
  • Step back from this list and make sure the distribution of work makes sense.
  • Just like in Phase I, setting up decision-making protocols in advance will make things easier down the road.
  • 4.
    For each workstream, what are the key activities and deadlines?
  • 5.
    How will we check in to ensure that all of the work gets done?

 

  • Go back to your Implementation Plan and be sure that everyone involved knows their key work and deadlines.
  • 6.
    Are our systems for planning, coaching, and training aligned and coherent?
  • Review the plans you developed for supporting planning, coaching, and training in Key Actions II.3-II.5. These represent your Three Pillars of Teacher Support. Make sure that these systems work together to support teachers and ensure that teachers are getting consistent messages and feedback about how to utilize materials.
  • 7.
    What are we going to do as an Implementation Support Team to celebrate finishing this important planning work?
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Workbook

This workbook is designed to help a school or system leadership team work through the implementation process together. Assemble your team, print or download the workbook, find your starting point, and dig in together.

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