Improving Schools in Difficulty

For the last few years there has been wave after wave of reform aimed atimproving the lot of the schools struggling at the bottom of the ladder ofperformance, and despite what can be interpreted as best intentions, theproblem persists. As a social problem it draws down significant sums ofpublic money, it exercises many talented people, and yet, time after time wefind that three, four, maybe five years down the road after extended effortsthe impact of the work diffuses and the challenges remain, doggedly evidentin people's daily lives. It suggests that perhaps something is wrong in ourinterpretation, in our analysis, in our approach and our consequent measureof effect of our activity with difficult schools.Improving Schools in Difficulty is structured around two parts, part oneexamines the principles of engagement with schools in difficulty and parttwo looks at ways of improving the process of supporting schools in difficulty.