Coaches' voices bring 6 lessons to light

January 2007

In 1996, the Kansas City (Kan.) Public Schools, a largely poor, urban system, was facing a crisis. Graduation rates hovered around 50%. Students across the grades were behind in reading. Talk at local and state levels was about closing a number of poor-performing schools. The district took matters in hand to make significant changes. Partnering with the local National Education Association leadership, administrators adopted a school reform model in which school-based staff development was a core component. Every school in the district would have at least one staff developer, with two in each high school, who would work on a daily basis with principals, teachers, and other school staff to improve outcomes for students. The district’s overall staff development program was based on these key assumptions: