Overview
In 2014, Rockford Public Schools (RPS), a large urban district in northern Illinois, approached CEC looking for help with a few specific initiatives. The district was attempting to implement a Peer Assistance Review program, implement a SMART Goals process, and engage in a strategic planning process. During 2014-2015, CEC helped RPS achieve its goals by supporting the district to build true foundations for this work. With CEC leading its comprehensive strategic planning effort, RPS was able to develop a concise and coherent Mission, Vision, Motto, Set of Values, Long Range Goals, and Strategic Action Strategies. In addition, the district established a comprehensive communication and collaboration infrastructure, including a new District Leadership Team structure, facilitated by CEC.
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Client: Rockford School District 205
Partners: Illinois Education Association; SMART Learning Systems
Impact Area: Building capacity in a district to improve student and teacher success
Related Services: SMART goals; Strategic Planning; teacher evaluation; labor management collaboration; IBB; System Assessment
Watch the video to learn how CEC and Rockford Public Schools made positive impacts on the district’s culture and student outcomes through a comprehensive partnership. Rockford Public Schools and CEC partnered on new approaches to collaboration and collective bargaining, stakeholder engagement in major initiatives, and relationship building among the teacher union, administration and the Board of Education.
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The 11- year period between 2002-2013 saw eight superintendents pass through Rockford Public Schools (RPS), blurring the vision and direction for its schools and rattling the confidence of educators, staff, and their union leaders. Relationships between the Rockford Education (REA) and the district were also difficult and tumultuous. This tension culminated in a nearly year-long collective bargaining process and a two-day strike in March 2012.
RPS had an opportunity to move in a different direction in 2013 with a new superintendent, Dr. Ehren Jarrett, and new REA leaders, Dawn Granath and Paul Goddard. Together they quickly turned to CEC as an external partner for assistance in strengthening working relationships in the hope that building stronger ties among the union, school board, administration, and community partners would translate into a more consistent and quality education for Rockford’s children. Early assistance was provided by CEC for a Peer Assistance and Review Process (PAR) and a teacher evaluation process to meet the Illinois Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA). They were followed by broad initiatives with significant outcomes.