Impact Case Studies

Teachers and school administrators in Thornton High School District 205, a low-income district in Chicago’s south suburbs, were desperate to provide effective education to students. However, a toxic culture of misunderstanding and mistrust had taken hold among the school board, district administration, and the teachers’ union. Teachers were without a contract, the district had four superintendents in 18 months, and the school board couldn’t pass a motion on any single substantive issue. CEC knew that creating a collaborative culture was an essential first step to improving student achievement.

Over the past 20 years, the Santa Clara Unified School District experienced a series of challenges in maintaining positive communications and relationships between its school board, district leaders, union leaders, and classroom teachers. CEC was brought in as a third party to offer a structured approach to the issue that could involve and encourage leaders from all constituencies to rebuild and reframe existing relationships.