Ten years ago, the superintendents of 19 high-performing suburban Chicago school districts, determined not to rest on their laurels, banded together to form a consortium dedicated to pursuing a world-class education for their students. Today, although the consortium no longer exists, a number of those superintendents say they’re still using much of what they learned from the consortium experience as the impetus for continuous progress they insist is not only possible, but critical for districts already performing at high levels. The key ingredients to their approach: strong motivation to keep improving; high-quality, researchbased professional development that focuses on best practices; and leadership that inspires teachers and supports their work. “Never, ever can you sit on your laurels and say you can’t do better,” says Linda