Improvement Science
"The process helped me visualize the systems, goals, and objectives for professional improvement to help students grow."
California's System of Support
The California System of Support aims to provide a complete picture of how schools are meeting the needs of all students.
There are three important advantages to California's approach:
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Multiple Measures of student success define a quality education more broadly than a single test score.
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Equity: There is an increased focus on identifying and addressing disparities among student groups.
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Local Planning and Decision Making is supported around improving student performance.
California has been intentional in using Improvement Science as the framework for helping districts improve outcomes for all students across the multiple measures displayed on the California Dashboard. This approach allows districts to engage in the work to identify their own strengths and weaknesses within their system and then include their practitioners in the decision making process on how to go about improving their weaknesses.
What is Improvement Science?
Improvement Science is a systematic approach to making changes that draws on the efforts of everyone to collectively learn their way into stronger system performance and better outcomes for students.
“Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets” (Batalden, P). Therefore, if undesirable results exist, the system must be evaluated and adjusted.
Improvement Science is evidence-based and encourages the voices of all stakeholders across a system to be involved in creating solutions to problems through engaging in activities such as data dives, empathy interviews, causal analysis, theory development, and PDSA cycles.
As teams engage with Improvement Science, they will learn fast to implement well.
"The most valuable part has been the time that this group has taken to understand the root of the problem. In addition, how that problem has other effects on different causes."
"I felt that this was the first time in my 20 years in this district that we have an outcome to a problem that is based on thoughtful planning from all stakeholders from many areas throughout the district. This process kept us thoughtfully moving forward."
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Meet the Team:
Annie Sharp
As the Director of Differentiated Assistance, Dr. Annie Sharp helps districts build capacity for solving complex problems within their system. She comes alongside teams as they engage in continuous improvement work to help them move the needle towards more equitable student outcomes as measured by the CA Dashboard. She has coached over 13 improvement projects.
Annie has K-12 experience as a high school math and AVID teacher, high school Learning Director, elementary Principal and district Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. She earned her Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies, Masters in Administrative Services and Doctorate in Organizational Leadership. Her favorite job, however, is being a mom of two toddlers and she loves watching them both follow their curiosities and engage with the world around them.
Heather Gomez
As an Executive Leadership Coach on the Differentiated Assistance team with Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, Heather supports various districts to eliminate inequities using improvement science. Through a collaborative partnership, districts shift mindsets and systems that place frontline staff and students at the forefront, and learn by doing. She has supported numerous change projects that proved starting small and fast can make positive system-wide changes.
With over 18 years in education, Heather’s experience includes serving as a K-8 Principal, Director of Educational Supports, School Social Worker and Counselor in both schools and with juvenile probation. She earned a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Brandman University and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Fresno State. Before moving to Fresno, Heather earned a Masters in Social Work from San Diego State University, and Bachelors in Ethnic Studies from University of San Diego. Heather is a proud soccer mom of two teenage boys and loves traveling the world with her family.
Abby Petropulos:
As an Executive Leadership Coach, Abby spends most of her time working in partnership with district teams to gain a greater level of system-awareness so that adaptive problems may be explored and improved at deeper levels. Using an improvement science approach, she supports teams in co-designing improvement efforts and systemic change.
Her career of over 20 years has centered around serving students who have become disengaged from the educational process to help them find their identities and voices as learners. Her experience has been as a teacher, administrator, and regional director for K-12 programs that span traditional, charter, online, and hybrid models. She has earned her Bachelor’s degree in English Language Arts and Theater, holds a Master’s in Educational Leadership, and is currently working towards a doctorate in Organizational Leadership. Education is a passion for her, but her greatest love is her family and the little big town of Fresno where she grew up.