SIPR Strategy 4: Sustain An Open And Collaborative Culture

Districts shape their organizational cultures in ways that make those cultures collaborative, caring, ethical, equitable, and amenable to positive change.

Characteristics of Effective Practice by Districts and Their Schools Acceptable Implementation Acceptable Scale

1. Build a collaborative culture that values the contributions of all members, however diverse
  • The district elicits ideas and feedback from all stakeholders.
  • District leaders celebrate the mission-related accomplishments of individuals and groups.
  • The district uses structures and protocols that enable all members of leadership teams to contribute to the work of the teams.
  • The district provides on-going, job-embedded PD focusing on diversity (e.g., cultural competence, implicit bias, anti- racist practice, and/or microaggressions).
  • The district incorporates strategies for reducing disproportionality in the allocation of benefits, restrictions, and punishments.
  • The principal of each school ensures the all stakeholders have ample opportunities to contribute ideas and feedback.
  • Principals in each school celebrate the mission-related accomplishments of individuals and groups.
  • The principal monitors leadership teams to ensure that they use structures and protocols that enable all members to contribute.
  • The principal of each school provides school-level follow up to district-sponsored PD focusing on diversity.
  • The principal of each school monitors school-level proportionality data and discusses patterns showing inequities with the BLT and with district leadership.

2. Extend care to all individuals and groups that interact with the district and its schools
  • District leaders model openness to stakeholders from all the diverse groups within the district.
  • District leaders communicate the expectation to all personnel that they need to assume the positive intent of stakeholders who interact with the district and its schools.
  • District leaders establish procedures and enforce norms for treating family members, community members, and visitors to the district with respect.
  • All school leaders model openness to stakeholders from all the diverse groups within the community served by the schools.
  • All school leaders communicate the expectation to all school personnel that they need to assume the positive intent of stakeholders who interact with the district and its schools.
  • All school leaders follow procedures and enforce norms for treating family members, community members, and visitors to the district with respect.

3. Develop, maintain, and enforce high standards of ethical conduct
  • District leaders engage diverse stakeholders in developing a code of conduct for all personnel.
  • The district’s code of conduct enforces behavior that is sanctioned by federal, state, and local law as well as by the standards of professional associations for educators.
  • The district adopts a code of conduct for students that fits with its non-negotiables and other core values.
  • The district administers its codes of conduct fairly across all schools.
  • Personnel at all schools endorse the district code of conduct and abide by its rules.
  • Personnel at all schools use the district’s code of conduct for students as the basis for school rules and discipline practices.

4. Establish and implement rules and norms promoting inclusion, equity, and social justice
  • The district’s code of conduct incorporates rules that promote inclusion, equity, and social justice.
  • The district adopts, communicates, and applies non- negotiables that require the district to use practices that are inclusive, equitable, and just.
  • All schools use the district’s code of conduct and non-negotiables as the basis for instruction and PD focusing on inclusion, equity, and social justice.

5. Welcome opportunities to improve
  • The district adopts protocols the encourage all personnel to engage in self-reflection and critique.
  • The district adopts protocols requiring leadership teams to use inquiry processes as the basis for improvement work.
  • District leadership encourages feedback from stakeholders and other external sources.
  • District leadership makes improvements in response to stakeholder feedback.
  • The district selects improvement goals and strategies that respond to evidence (from both internal and external sources) of current strengths and weaknesses.
  • Personnel in all schools use district-developed protocols for self-reflection and critique.
  • All school-level leadership teams use district-sponsored protocols to guide improvement work.
  • All school leaders are responsive to feedback from stakeholders and other external sources.
  • By aligning their improvement goals and strategies with district goals and strategies, all schools position their improvement efforts to be responsive to evidence (from both internal and external sources) of current strengths and weaknesses.