High-Performing Themes

This page serves as a dedicated exploration of how Fleming County Schools' accountability framework aligns seamlessly with the foundational Themes for High-Performing Schools and Systems identified by Cognia. These themes are not arbitrary; instead, they stem from a rigorous evaluation process conducted globally, encompassing some of the most exemplary schools and systems worldwide. The insights gathered from thousands of evaluations contribute to a comprehensive understanding of best practices and strategies that drive excellence in education, providing a solid foundation for the continuous enhancement of Fleming County Schools' accountability standards.

School Climate

The day-to-day interactions between and among stakeholders, including how stakeholders feel about their experiences within the organization. Summarized as the overall quality of “school life”, climate includes aspects of interpersonal relationships, support structures, and the role that overall stakeholder well-being plays in the decision-making processes of leaders.

Equity, Inclusivity, and Diversity

The extent to which the organization promotes a bias-free culture in which all individuals can establish a sense of place and purpose. This includes aspects of programming and processes to allocate resources based on needs, allowing students, for example, to reach their learning potential. It is especially important that the adopted curriculum emphasizes the value of diverse cultures, backgrounds, and abilities.

Stakeholder Agency

Individuals within the organization have ongoing opportunities to grow and develop toward maximizing their potential. For students, this includes how both academic and non-academic needs are addressed, such as interventions and services that extend beyond daily instruction. For teachers, staff, and leaders, this may include opportunities for needs-based professional learning, as well as the support structures that promote growth and improvement.

Leadership Capacity

Emphasis on the behaviors and practices of formal leaders within the organization, including the ability to grow and develop staff. Leader capacity also addresses processes and practices associated with improvement initiatives, such as leading professional staff members in an active inquiry process regarding institutional effectiveness and conducting a program evaluation to assess the efficacy of current work.

Strategy

How leaders position the organization for success in light of the current reality. Focus on the capacity of leaders to implement processes for activities associated with organizational strategy, including long-range planning, adapting to change, and allocating resources to meet defined needs. It is particularly important that leaders demonstrate the ability to build sustainable processes that are more likely to persist in the face or uncertainty and/or unanticipated disruptions such as personnel changes.

Shared Leadership

The extent to which leadership is a distributed behavior within the organization, which encompasses several aspects of leader behaviors: 1.) engagement of diverse stakeholders in support of institutional priorities; 2.) collaboration across levels of leadership (such as school board, superintendent, and building level); 3.) opportunities for individual and collective leadership growth across stakeholder groups (e.g., opportunities for teacher leadership).

Learning Environment

The nature of the environment in which teaching and learning take shape each day. This may include the physical space of classrooms, as well as virtual learning spaces that may engage learners synchronously or asynchronously. Most importantly, the learning environment should promote the development of so-called “lifelong skills” and should position students as owners and managers of the learning process by valuing student voice and promoting student responsibility for their learning.

Learning Experiences

The curriculum is enriched and supported through diverse tools and resources for learning, including digital technology that allows students to build 21st-century skillsets. Relevant experiences promote value for the learning experience and promote the development of key skills that result in higher levels of self-efficacy for students.

Instructional Effectiveness

The overall quality of the instructional program offered by the institution comprises several key factors. Instruction is delivered and supported by qualified personnel. Qualified professional staff deliver a curriculum that is aligned to standards and relevant to learners. Instructional norms set high expectations for learning, and educators implement learner-centered practices.

Assessment Practices

Educators use a variety of assessment instruments and strategies to monitor student progress toward learning goals. Students are engaged in self-assessment and other self-monitoring practices to support the development of metacognitive skills and promote agency.

Data Use

Stakeholders throughout the institution have access to and use a variety of data sources to support improvement goals. Leaders make use of diverse data sources to conduct program evaluation and assess progress toward institutional goals. Educators use data and information about student learning to modify and adjust curriculum and instruction to meet diverse learner needs. Professional development support is provided based on data and outcomes relevant to learners’ needs.

Background data used for triangulation of the High-Performing Themes: (click here)

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