Restructuring Partnership--Central Office and School Site Collaboration for School Improvement

Located within the Navajo Nation, Ganado Public Schools are committed to improving educational services through a long-term district restructuring process. This process involves: (1) strategic planning and envisioning sessions that generate concrete details of future schools; (2) reorganization of personnel to support curriculum development and implementation; (3) school-based improvement projects; and (4) the Career Ladder Program. This paper focuses on elements of the restructuring process that promote improvement through collaboration between the central administration and the schools. One element, the Career Ladder Program, is an Arizona state pilot project that compensates teachers based on performance and student outcomes. The Career Ladder Program emphasizes collaboration and collegiality among teachers, improvement of instructional strategies, and development of teacher leadership skills relevant to site-based improvement projects. The Foundations of Learning is a culturally relevant curriculum model based on Navajo beliefs and traditions. The Career Ladder Program is collaborating with curriculum support staff to complete alignment of the Foundations of Learning with culturally relevant assessments and interactive instructional strategies. At Ganado High School, the faculty council manages the budget through a collaborative planning process. (SV)