In addition they address issues related to each of the six action points of the Best Schools Initiative. Teams are composed of a combination of educators and others in the community who are interested in improving the quality of their local schools and student achievement. However, for some communities, a team that focuses on district-wide issues may make the most sense. In either case, teams must be able to show a link between improvements that will be made at the school level, district improvement goals, and community needs. Applications may be initiated by any interested individual, but the application process is to involve all prospective members of the participating team.
Applications are available in the fall with an application deadline before the end of the year.
Teams are selected prior to March. Each newly accepted team is matched to a skilled facilitator who will support and guide their work over the next three years. Teams interested in working on locally identified issues that relate to one or more of the six action points of the Best Schools Initiative are sought. Many communities are already working on improvement efforts related to these areas. The Best Schools Leadership Institute is designed to support and enhance such efforts that are already underway.