Foundations

Before any school could be redesigned, the Initiative needed a shared way of describing what change would actually look like. That shared language came from the School Change Rubric, and it outlasted the Initiative itself.

The School Change Rubric

The Rubric gave partner schools a structured way to judge how ready they were for change and where to focus next. It was built around four strands that stayed constant whether a school was converting an existing campus or opening as a new start.

• Structure and culture

  How a school organises time, space and relationships so that students are known and supported.

• Teaching and learning

  The quality of instruction, the design of curriculum, and the use of assessment to improve learning.

• Leadership development

  How leadership is grown and shared, from the principal's office to the classroom.

• Community engagement

  The strength of the relationship between the school and the families and community it serves.

The Rubric was used as a planning tool from the very start, and its influence travelled well beyond Oregon. It informed school reform criteria in Maine and, further afield, in Australia. Closer to home, its four strands were reflected in the guidance Oregon developed for middle and high school improvement.

Coaching, equity and leadership

The Rubric did not stand alone. Beyond it, the Initiative assembled material on leadership coaching, instructional coaching, and a deliberate approach to equity across its portfolio of schools. These resources were designed to be used by real teams in real buildings, and they are gathered together in the Initiative Toolkit.