We also will address equity issues, such as expectations for students, through our professional development program. In addition to clear goals, good action plans designate clear responsibilities, timelines, concrete steps to reach the goals, and ways to document actions taken. Once the team swings into action, it is easy to become consumed by the implementation frenzy. Yet it is important to monitor progress. To answer these questions, the team needs to select a set of indicators by which to measure progress toward learning goals.
Different stakeholders are likely to disagree about what constitutes evidence of success.
For some, standardized tests tell it all. For others, they are worse than useless. Having these tough conversations can help build common goals. In the end, given the limitation of any one data source, it is wise to agree on multiple indicators. Based on the plan, the team needs to convene periodically to discuss what it is learning.