Improvement Efforts

Early Reform Efforts

Despite Massillon’s historical emphasis on athletics, district leaders have been concerned about the district’s academic performance for more than a decade. The change process began with meetings to discuss improvement back in 2004, which led to the initial establishment of Massillon’s District Leadership Team (DLT) approximately 10 years ago and district involvement in the Ohio Improvement Process (OIP). The process continues in ongoing efforts to empower teachers to use data and evidence-based instructional strategies to improve student learning. These initiatives show that Massillon has demonstrated a long-term tradition of academic reform.

Combating Financial Threats

While the district addressed academic concerns, it also needed to deal with fiscal issues. An unanticipated financial shortfall several years ago led district leaders to close three elementary schools, lay off 53 employees, and restructure district resources. Recently, Massillon undertook several levy campaigns to fund school system operations and succeeded in securing and renewing millions of dollars in emergency funding, enabling the district to make significant capital improvements. The financial difficulties also led the district to re-examine educational practices in order to create greater coherence across the system—an effort that set the stage for the improvement work that is currently underway.

Leadership Changes

Seven years ago, the Massillon Board of Education hired a new superintendent whose priorities included finding effective administrators. The superintendent’s new hires—which included the high school principal and assistant principal, all the middle school principals, one elementary principal, and several central office administrators—received widespread support district wide. The superintendent required all district principals and assistant principals to participate in professional development through the Ohio Leadership for Inclusion, Implementation, & Instructional Improvement (OLi4) program. The changes in leadership and the professional development helped school leaders move from a focus on school management to a focus on instructional leadership.

Shared Leadership

In addition to employing new leaders, Massillon expanded leadership functions to a widening network of professional educators. Key to the district’s goal of building broad-based leadership capacity was the engagement of teachers in OIP leadership teams: Teacher-based Teams (TBTs), Building Leadership Teams (BLTs), and the District Leadership Team (DLT). District administrators provided support to teachers as they took on new leadership roles and functions. Principals received support through participation in a Professional Learning Community (PLC) as they adjusted to the district’s new focus on instructional and shared leadership.