This is an example of Gardner Institute's driver diagram from their participation in the equity working group. This example outlines their aim, outcome measures, subsystems and causal factors. Improvement teams may use this example to understand the grain size of each section and gain insight into how a driver diagram can be used to clarify improvement work in a variety of contexts.
This document, created by the Gardner Institute, shared a series of steps and associated tools that enable improvement teams to drive change using the continuous improvement process. It outlines a brief description, purpose, and key questions for each step.
This worksheet can be used by improvement teams to answer questions to key questions that will help them understand the system and prompt the development of a problem statement.
This video, from the Sense of Belonging Conversation Series featured on Mighty Networks, captures a conversation between Jessica Jackson from Digital Promise, Tyrone Johnson from Partners in School Innovation, and Ms. Raneri, a 7th/8th-grade math teacher on how her implementation of think-pair-share supported student engagement and fostered a sense of belonging for her students. Improvement teams may use this idea to learn more about the implementation of change ideas with a focus on student agency.
Improvement Collective's website features insight into their continuous improvement (CI) approach, information about opportunities for growth through training, advising, and fellowship, and a knowledge base of resources for coaching and CI implementation.
This tool, from Improvement Collective, clarifies the purpose and elements of an effective aim statement in improvement work. It also provides a clear description of the process required to refine an aim and provides examples to support improvement teams at the beginning of their aim development journey.
This Cause and Effect Diagram helps improvement teams to understand the system and visualize the contributing factors in any given observed challenge. This tool defines the purpose of this practice, process for conducting this exercise with your improvement team, and provides an example.
This protocol can be used by improvement teams as part of the inquiry cycle process. It provides structure to team meetings for teams to ground themselves within the big picture, review data and change ideas, and determine next steps.
As you continue to test out new ideas through CI, check out these resources to ensure equity is the core of every idea.
The resources in this collection will help your team explore different approaches used by schools and districts with 9th grade on-track goals. You will be able to access protocols, research, tools, and exemplars that offer evidence-based approaches to improvement in this area.
