That year, the 4th-grade scores rose high enough that they alone pulled the school off probation, School Board data show. Probation had a similarly disparate affect on schools that were hovering just above the test-score trigger. Some schools in that category raised reading scores by enriching their reading programs, adopting, for example, Junior Great Books or a reading emphasis in all content areas. Others narrowed their curriculum in the pursuit of ITBS gains. Those lessons are designed to meet state and city standards that encompass a broader range of skills and knowledge than the ITBS measures.
Many principals simply lack time to learn new skills.
Some principals refused to change their leadership style, reports Morris Williamson of North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. Al Bertani of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association holds a different view. Many external partners failed to engage principals in their programs, he says. Most external partners see that their primary focus in the schools is working with teachers. The School Board bears some responsibility for these shortcomings, Bertani says.