Quality schools create an environment in which no child is lost, he said. In quality schools, people monitor their own work, judge their own work, and help others to improve as they improve,'' he said. With the help of a parent at the school, Ridgeview joined Koalaty Kid, a program started by the American Society for Quality to introduce quality concepts to schools. During the first two years, an ASQ consultant visited the school six times, spending several hours each time working with staff members to refine their application of the tools to the school's goals. These concerns became the focus of five action teams composed of the principal, teachers, parents, and community representatives.
Teams are relatively independent at identifying problems in their areas and devising solutions.
But they frequently overlap with the staff development team in determining how to help teachers develop the necessary knowledge and skills to implement new strategies. For example, by examining test scores, the proficiency team discovered fourth graders were doing very poorly in algebra and data analysis on state math exams. The proficiency team and the staff development team developed a strategy to address this and ensure that teachers had the skills to implement the strategy. Then, the teams devised a means for tracking those fourth graders through sixth grade. Students also are deeply involved in improvement efforts.