Continuous Improvement Resources

The following is a curated list of resources selected by CASEL staff that focuses on social and emotional learning and continuous improvement.

Continuous improvement refers to a deliberate and structured process to address problems or improve outcomes. High-quality SEL implementation is driven by a process of continuous improvement. CASEL has several resources that provide guidance on implementation and assessment of SEL with a focus on continuous improvement, the including SEL District Resource Center, CASEL’s Schoolwide Guide to SEL, and the SEL Assessment Guide.

Articles

Bryk, A. S. (2010). Organizing schools for improvement. Phi Delta Kappan, 91(7), 23-30.
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Devaney, E., Smith, C., & Wong, K. (2012). Understanding the “how” of quality improvement. Afterschool Matters, 16, 1-10.
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Flowers, N., & Carpenter, D. M. (2009). You don’t have to be a statistician to use data: A process for data-based decision making in schools. Phi Delta Kappan, 91(2), 64-67.
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Lewis, C. (2015). What is improvement science? Do we need it in education? Educational Researcher, 44(1), 54-61.
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Little, P. M. (2014). Evaluating afterschool programs. New Directions for Youth Development, 144, 119-132.
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Marsh, J. A. (2012). Interventions promoting educators’ use of data: Research insights and gaps. Teachers College Record, 114(11), 1-48.
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Wayman, J. C., & Stringfield, S. (2006). Data use for school improvement: School practices and research perspectives. American Journal of Education, 112(4), 463-468.
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Books

Bernhardt, V. L. (2017). Measuring what we do in schools: How to know if what we are doing is making a difference. ASCD.
Available for purchase

Bernhardt, V. L. (2017). Data analysis for continuous school improvement (4th edition). Routledge.
Available for purchase

Bryk, A. S., Gomez, L. M., Grunow, A., & LeMahieu, P. G. (2015). Learning to improve: How America’s schools can get better at getting better. Harvard Education Press.
Available for purchase

Zmuda, A., Kuklis, R., & Kline, E. (2004). Transforming schools: Creating a culture of continuous improvement. ASCD.
Available for purchase

Briefs and Reports

Louis, K. S., Leithwood, K., Wahlstrom, K. L., Anderson, S. E., Michlin, M., & Mascall, B. (2010). Learning from leadership: Investigating the links to improved student learning. Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement/University of Minnesota and Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/University of Toronto, 42, 50.
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Melnick, H., Cook-Harvey, C., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2017). Encouraging social and emotional learning in the context of new accountability. Washington DC: Learning Policy Institute.
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Moeller, E., Seeskin, A. & Nagaoka, J. (2018). Practice-driven data: Lessons from Chicago’s approach to research, data, and practice in education. Chicago, IL: UChicago Consortium on School Research.
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Park, S., Hironaka, S., Carver, P., & Nordstrum, L. (2013). Continuous improvement in education. Advancing teaching–improving learning. White Paper. Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
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Park, S., & Takahashi, S. (2013). 90-day cycle handbook. Stanford, CA: Carnegie Foundation.
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Rowland, C., Feygin, A., Lee, F., Gomez, S., & Rasmussen, C. (2018). Improving the use of information to support teaching and learning through continuous improvement cycles. Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research.
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Sebring, P. B., Allensworth, E., Bryk, A. S., Easton, J. Q., & Luppescu, S. (2006). The essential supports for school improvement. Chicago, IL: UChicago Consortium on School Research.
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Shakman, K., Bailey, J., Breslow, N., & Education Development Center (2017). A primer for continuous improvement in schools and districts. Waltham, MA: Education Development Center.
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Smith, C., Akiva, T., Sugar, S. A., Lo, Y. J., Frank, K. A., Peck, S. C., Cortina, K. S. & Devaney, T. (2012). Continuous quality improvement in afterschool settings: Impact findings from the Youth Program Quality Intervention study. Washington, DC: Forum for Youth Investment.
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Yeager, D., Bryk, A., Muhich, J., Hausman, H., & Morales, L. (2013). Practical measurement. Standford, CA: Carnegie Foundation.
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Websites

Act for Youth (2019). Youth participatory evaluation. Retrieved from: http://actforyouth.net/youth_development/evaluation/ype.cfm
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American Institutes for Research (2015). Are you ready to assess social and emotional learning? Retrieved from https://www.air.org/resource/are-you-ready-assess-social-and-emotional-development
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American Institutes for Research (2019). District and school improvement center. Retrieved from https://www.air.org/center/district-and-school-improvement-center
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CALSCHLS (2019). California school climate, health, and learning surveys. Retrieved from https://calschls.org/
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Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (2019). Resource and tools. Retrieved from https://www.carnegiefoundation.org/resources/
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Carnegie Institute, High Tech High Graduate School of Education Center for Research on Equity and Innovation (2019). Protocols and tools for supporting improvement science. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/document/d/1REtfTpiTUh0rY6BFoqGBCQjmo9khxiXUmJ13zoNYoBg/edit
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National Center on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments (2019). School climate survey compendium. Retrieved from https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/topic-research/school-climate-measurement/school-climate-survey-compendium
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Rand Corporation (2019). RAND education and assessment finder: Measuring social, emotional, and academic competencies. Retrieved from https://www.rand.org/education-and-labor/projects/assessments.html
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Transforming Education (2019). CORE case study tools. Retrieved from https://www.transformingeducation.org/core-case-study-tools/
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Transforming Education (2019). Measuring MESH. Retrieved from https://www.transformingeducation.org/measuring-mesh/
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