Just for the Kids
Best Practice Studies:
Findings from Texas Schools

Just for the Kids—Texas, the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA), National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA), and The Broad Foundation are pleased to release NCEA’s Executive Summary of the 2005 Just for the Kids Best Practice Study featuring the successful practices of Texas public high schools.

Texas was among 20 states that participated in 2005 Just for the Kids (JFTK) Best Practice Studies and Institutes designed to inform improvement efforts based on the exemplary practices found in higher performing schools and systems. Through this report of the practices of high schools that are successful in raising student achievement, schools in need of improvement can gain direct and practical insight from schools in Texas and other states.

"This report describes the best practices of consistently higher performing high schools and highlights school performance that, at times, goes unnoticed, providing an extraordinary resource for school leaders who are serious about school improvement," said Johnny L. Veslelka, TASA Executive Director. "With a focus on Staff Selection, Leadership, and Capacity Building, the study offers an in-depth view of the critical tasks of selecting and developing teachers and leaders. We are indebted to NCEA, Just for the Kids, the Rockefeller Foundation and The Broad Foundation for their support of school improvement efforts in Texas public schools."

Goals and Uses for Study Results

Some schools are more successful at raising student achievement and reaching higher standards than others. We wanted to know what these schools were doing and how their practices could help other schools. The goal of this study is to reaffirm that high academic achievement for all students is possible and to examine the principles and practices that lead to success. Toward that end, a team of researchers spoke with district leaders, principals, and teachers at schools in Texas and examined the practices of educators in those schools. Those practices are the subject of this summary report.

JFTK Best Practice Studies and Institutes cover specific strategies being used to build leadership capacity, offer intervention to students, make research-based selections of instructional programs, and much more. In addition to NCEA’s Executive Summary of individual state best practices, comprehensive studies for schools with diverse demographics are organized around an interactive JFTK Framework of Best Practices that is accessible at www.just4kids.org. Additionally, www.just4kids.org offers tools that allow schools and districts to conduct self-audits to see how their current practices align with The Framework.

Just for the Kids Study Process

Since 2001, NCEA as national sponsor of Just for the Kids, has been focused on finding and sharing excellence in educational practices through the study of consistently higher performing schools in partnership with state-based research and education organizations.

The structure of the JFTK Best Practice Framework is used to examine the successful practices of higher performing schools in each state.

The Framework is not a theoretical creation; it is based on the study of nearly 500 schools and systems across the nation. The Framework only includes the activities and practices that distinguish higher performing schools from average performing schools.

In The Framework, quality instruction is supported systemically by district and school practices, as well as by those in the classroom. It is also important to remember that the big picture helps us make sense of individual pieces.

Interconnectedness of practices is critical in The Framework. However, these programs and practices are presented as examples of what is working in some school systems and should not be interpreted as a prescriptive list of programs or strategies.

About the Texas Study

The 2005 JFTK-Texas Best Practice Study was made possible through a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation and in part through national funding from the National Center for Educational Achievement and The Broad Foundation.

To learn more about higher performing high schools studied in Texas, click on the following links:

• Texas Study Executive Summary
• www.Just4kids.org/TX
• Just for the Kids-Texas: Susan Bonesteel
• NCEA Institute Coordinator: Susan Whisenant

The National Center for Educational Achievement is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 01-0577238) whose founding organizations include Just for the Kids, The University of Texas at Austin, and the Education Commission of the States.

www.just4kids.org