Collaborative Schools for Innovation & Success Planning Grant

The Collaborative Schools for Innovation and Success Pilot Program (CSIS) offers Universities and School Districts in Washington the opportunity to come together and facilitate the organization and social arrangements between schools and universities, and within schools and universities that will create a new educational paradigm and yield more value for students. The vision of the University of Washington College of Education (UW COE) - Seattle Public Schools (SPS) Pilot Program is a dynamic network in which teachers, school and district leaders, university professors, novice teachers, residents, families and students are learning together from collective practice. The theory of action for this effort holds that taking a deeply clinical, problem-centered approach to creating networks of professional learning can build an effective model for developing skills and capacity among the wide range of participating educators and begin to erase the learning opportunity and achievement gap among students.

Partners will plan for innovation that not only improves student achievement, but also enhances the effectiveness of teacher preparation, builds capacity in practicing educators, and develops strong networked learning communities to support ongoing improvement. The School, District and University will spend the planning year surfacing the available resources; identifying the most applicable and promising research-based practices; conducting a needs assessment; developing and testing tools; and building the Innovation Plan.

The plan will focus on the establishment, expansion, and reconfiguration of learning networks in three primary areas:

1. Enhanced instructional quality through job embedded professional development;
2. Improved social and emotional wellness through deepened school-community partnerships; and
3. Strengthened educator preparation through innovative university-district collaboration.