Based on interviews at 22 QEIA schools over four months by an independent researcher, these 10 “lessons learned” are education reform insights that all schools might learn from:
- School goals for QEIA were consistent with the purpose and intent of the legislation.
- School implementation plans were largely focused on class size reduction (CSR), professional development, collaboration time, and the adoption of curricular interventions.
- Although somewhat challenging to implement and maintain, class size reduction enabled teachers to focus on classroom instruction.
- Professional development decisions in higher API growth schools were made in collaborative teams with teacher input, leading to greater satisfaction among stakeholders.
- Higher API growth schools had more focused professional development in core content areas.
- Higher API growth schools used student data to guide professional development decisions.
- Higher API growth schools engaged in more teacher collaboration to develop lesson plans, create common assessments, and analyze student data.
- School site councils in QEIA schools are approving school budgets; influence on other decisions and stakeholder involvement varies considerably by school.
- The exemplary administrator requirement has not been fully realized in QEIA schools.
- QEIA has provided valuable resources during the state budget crisis, but schools are still facing financial challenges.