INTRODUCTION

With support from a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, The Education Alliance at Brown University developed a research-based set of supports, strategies and processes to build and support collective leadership capacity, foster cross-stakeholder problem-solving, and mobilize and facilitate collaborative learning. With this as our aim, from 2006–2008, we engaged in a multitude of activities with several states and districts along the eastern seaboard, as well as convened national and regional meetings with state and district leaders, and other educational stakeholders to discuss state systems of support.

Examples of the activities and supports we have engaged in include:

• Intensive leadership capacity building with state education agencies and districts to support district and school improvement.
• Using a Strategic Mapping Process with states and districts to identify and prioritize needs, address those needs with existing supports, and develop a systems-based approach to impact student achievement.
• Partnering with states and districts to develop effective district and school improvement tools, supports, and strategies.
• Implementing a state and district organizational assessment to help state and district leadership refine and improve their school and district improvement efforts.
• Providing professional development modules to assist districts and schools to plan and implement systemic and coherent school improvement efforts.
• Analyzing a particular school's use of resources and strategies to better support the needs of their diverse student populations, with a particular emphasis on the integrated support of English language learners.

Products & Services:

How Can State Education Agencies Support District Improvement? A Conversation Amongst Educational Leaders, Researchers, and Policy Actors
Full Symposium Proceedings and Synthesis
Executive Summary

Developing and Implementing Statewide Systems of Support for Low-Performing Schools
Design Elements of State Systems of Support

Overview of Services and Supports to Districts and Schools
Overview of Services Provided