The Improvement Science Collaborative: Calls to Action During COVID-19 and Civil Unrest

• In Event: Better Together: District-University Partnerships Responding to Educational Emergencies

Abstract

As the impact of COVID-19 persists, educational systems locally and globally experience an increase in disparities and staggering inequalities among minoritized groups. Now more than ever, institutions of higher learning (IHEs) and local education agencies (LEAs) must act on their commitments to a sustained effort designed not only to implement impactful research but to strengthen commitments to partner on the educational challenges facing our K-20 population. Recently, the Improvement Science Collaborative (hereafter referred to as the “Collaborative”), participants of the Carnegie Foundation’s Improvement Leadership Education and Development (iLEAD) initiative embarked on an effort to strengthen their partnership and to hold each other accountable for the education of their shared community of more than 175,000 students in K-12 and higher education.

Framework

Using an equity lens and the principles of Improvement Science (IS) as a framework the Collaborative leveraged their collective knowledge, skills, and resources to address significant problems related to social justice, student learning, and equity which particularly and consistently center on improving outcomes for racially and linguistically diverse learners. The partnership focuses on leadership development through several strategic initiatives and uses IS as its signature pedagogy.
Modes of inquiry/data

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in additional calls to action between the Collaborative to examine reflexive outcomes and address aims to equalize learning opportunities for all students. A combination of joint developments of shared, targeted problems of practice and addressing organizational priorities for both the LEA and IHE the following structures advanced the dialogue for addressing the challenges of the pandemic:

• The leadership and support of the Dean and a Center at the IHE which serves as the organizing hub of the Collaborative and leads planning and development efforts

• The leadership and support of the Superintendent as administrators in the LEA are integral to the Collaborative as well as career growth and pathway opportunities through their participation in leadership programs offered by the IHE

• Graduates from the LEA cohorts of the IHE EdD program are active leaders and participants in NICs and other collaborative improvement efforts.

Results

As IS calls for a networked approach and implementation of a common developmental framework, these methods enabled both partners to create a road map to their goals, both near-term and long-term. Preliminary results of the efforts of the Collaborative COVID-19 response include applying for funding to support remote teaching; a tutoring initiative to support students in the LEA, which also provides early experiences to IHE teacher candidates, and a virtual learning Professional development series for teachers in the LEA.

Scholarly Contribution

The partnership embodies an innovative design to plan, execute, research, and scale continuous improvement efforts and continues to legitimize the concerted work of improvement through an equity lens and shared accountability to build leadership and capacity. Joining a shared narrative and accepting educational responsibility to focus and implement improvement efforts on a comprehensive research-practice project to support the reduction of inequality in the achievement outcomes for diverse learners, remains at the core of our critical social justice efforts.

Author

• Ebony Terrell Shockley, University of Maryland - College Park