Throughout my journey in education, I have seen first-hand how public schools have changed and adapted to students' growing needs. Now as the executive director of KASB, I hear from board members across the state about the challenges that public schools face and solutions to ensure the success of their students. Sometimes it can seem impossible to change processes and systems that have remained stagnant for a long time. Still, public education must evolve and adapt to continue supporting student success. 

Innovation in education isn't a specific term with fixed definitions. The spirit of innovation in education is an openness to looking at problems and addressing them in new ways. As a former science teacher, I look at school innovation in the same terms as a science experiment, something you may remember from high school. You can use these five steps to better understand school innovation. 

Make an Observation – Find an area in your school or district that needs improvement. 

School leaders who understand the students they serve and educate are better equipped to achieve their goals. Demographic shifts influence the types of instruction needed and shape the programming offered or support developed. Getting to know your body of students and staff can aid in finding the root of a broader issue. Open the conversation to include those closest to the problem, mainly teachers and students. They can see the everyday patterns that board members or other school leaders may miss. Look at what influences the people in your district, outside factors such as poverty, crime, race and special needs. Each district has a unique story, and having a deeper understanding of how that affects school performance can help determine where to place resources or shift current policies and procedures. 

Ask a Question - How can we improve or fix this situation? 

Now that you have identified an issue you want to focus on, you must dig deeper. This can be the most challenging part of this process. How can we improve this issue? What programs can we implement? Can we change specific policies? You can also learn and model your solution from other districts' success stories. But remember that each student has different needs, so how can you find a solution that works for everyone? The short answer – you can't. School is just one factor in a student's life. There will be no one-size-fits-all solution but try exercising flexibility in any steps you take. Take this time to think through each factor of your plan, from conception to execution. 

Form a Hypothesis – Visualize the desired outcome of this solution.

Now that you have a plan of action setting goals and expectations for your focus area is essential. Look at the data and make predictions on how it will change. Make sure your goals are realistic and attainable. Also, take this time to ensure that you communicate with your staff, students and community. Tell them why you are making changes, how it will affect them and what you hope to achieve. Lay it out in a way that is easy to understand and focus on how they will benefit from this change. 

Test the Solution – Put your solution into practice. 

You have identified your issue and developed a solution. Now, you are ready to put your hard work into practice. As you implement this change, monitor progress, gather data, and ask for feedback from all involved. Make sure to give this change time to take effect but stay flexible. Evolve and adapt to the individual needs of the people you are serving. 

Analyze your Findings – What was the effect of this solution, and can it improve?  

Finally, the most crucial step is to analyze the data and compare them to the set goals. Was your solution successful? Did you meet your goals? Were the students more successful? Was it better for the staff? Take all these things into consideration and makes changes. Never be afraid of failure. If you do not meet the desired outcomes, make changes, and continue until you find something that works for your district. 

Remember that sometimes positive change is hard to measure with test scores. Innovation and improvement do not always equal perfect grades or ivy league schools, but any step made to help students succeed is a step in the right direction. 

KASB has many resources, events and staff that can help you with any problems you may be having. Call the KASB office or visit our website for any information you may need.