Change Management

Background

All too often, those who call for change in schools do so without any understanding of what it means to change and what it takes to make a change successfully and completely. Many critics of schools demand better scores, sweeping reforms, and immediate changes, but do not know or understand how to achieve these things. Many idealists and self-styled visionaries seek to implement change based on abstract models, half-baked theories, or sketchy notions of what is good for students and educators. The reality, however, is that, while change in the way schools are run is absolutely necessary, doing so takes planning, evaluation, passion, critical thinking, and, perhaps most importantly, time. Some changes can produce immediate results, but truly valuable changes produce results that remain for the long term for the better. Understanding how to implement, control, and sustain change of this sort is an art in and of itself which requires a great deal of attention and preparation, but, in the end is well worth the effort.

Benefits

The ability to understand change management is a skill that is absolutely mandatory for any educator, particularly for administrators, who are seeking to improve his or her school’s ability to effectively instruct students. Successful change management involves, among other things, understanding what exactly you are trying to achieve, for whom and with whom you are implementing change, what obstacles to change you are facing and how to overcome them, and, finally, understanding how to sustain and maintain that change in the long-term. The benefits of being familiar with each of these aspects of change management are immeasurable—failing to take any one of these things into account puts any reform effort at risk of becoming a titanic waste of money, time, and effort. Schools that are struggling cannot afford to lose any one of these things—no school can—so knowing what to do and how to do it is crucial.

Effective change management can also inspire confidence in students, faculty, and parents. Administrators who have well thought out plans with demonstrable results inspire confidence, calm, and hope. Any principal that has the ability to say “this is my vision, this is how we are going to attain it, and this is what will result” will automatically find his or her job that much easier.

Finally, the ability to implement and sustain change for the better is what, in the end, principals can and must do for their students. Knowing how to do this will create immense job satisfaction as well as helping students to learn and prosper.

Examples

Educators of Hudson High School and its district in Massachusetts successfully managed to change the school for the better by implementing a plan that built “the demand among faculty and community to improve the schools, and then create enabling structures for them to do so.” They created the “Hudson Leadership Team” which was designed to identify problems with Hudson schools and then share them with the community. The reform plan that was put in place was designed to increase “depth, not breadth,” i.e. it was focused on change that would remain and not short term gains. Though it took a long time due to Hudson Schools limited budget, the creation of four fulltime “curriculum directors” positions allowed Hudson Schools to maintain ongoing evaluation of instruction techniques and practices that were in place to ensure that they were actually successful. Finally, the culture of teachers and educators was changed for the better by increased enthusiasm for reform, increased demands on teaching performance, and a serious recruitment program directed at hiring the best teachers. The changes wrought in Hudson schools are a classical example of successful change management—the reforms had a vision that was made clear, was backed up by facts and research, and was provided with structures to keep it going over time.

Related Links

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What Is It?

Change Doesn’t Just Happen!

This brief article covers the who, what, where, and why of change management, focusing on its pitfalls as well as providing a few ideas for its implementation. (From Gross, Arthur. The School Improvement Knowledgebase, 2002)

Essential Leadership in the School Change Process

This article focuses solely on the importance of leadership in the change management process, focusing mostly on principals, but also on how teachers can lead change as well. (From Cushman, Kathleen. Horace, 1997)

Innovation and Change in Education

The award winning teacher/librarian from Australia, by whom this article was written, describes the need for change, the change process, and barriers to change with a case study based on her own experience in schools. Simple, direct, and well researched, the author deals effectively with the issue of change management as a problem in and of itself, noting that the implementation of change can even prevent change from happening. (From Credaro, Amanda, 1999)

Managing Change: The Importance of Teacher Culture

This article describes the importance of teacher culture in change management. It deals with the difficulty of getting faculty on board major change initiatives, teachers as the opponents of change, and how to overcome teacher resistance to change. Most importantly, the author demonstrates that true “change” is only accomplished when the psyche of those who are being asked to change embrace it. (From May, Cynthia. Technology Colleges Trust, Discussion Papers, 2002)

The Human Impact of Change

This in depth interview describes the necessity for understanding change as something that affects people in an organization and deals with how change can be both beneficial and hurtful. Three examples are given, one being a school superintendent who implemented change too rapidly in his district, ultimately alienating and losing valuable teachers and staff. The interviewee covers several barriers to change and discusses how one might overcome them within an organization. (From Tyler Wood, Irma: An Interview by Thoughtbridge. Thoughtbridge, 2002)
Tools & Resources

Asking the Right Questions: A School Change Toolkit

Designed for anyone undertaking a school improvement effort, this toolkit provides information about systems theory and offers an approach to better understanding complex school systems and how to manage change. The purpose of the site is to help educators maintain a "systems" view while undertaking school change. (From Mid-Continent Research for Educational Learning)

Education Leadership Toolkit

This web site is an online tool kit for implementing change through technology in public schools provided by the National School Boards Association. The tool kit explains how and why a school can use technology to better its students. (From National School Boards Association)

Implementing Schoolwide Programs-An Idea Book on Planning

This link leads to a blueprint for implementing “schoolwide program change.” The guidelines and recommendations are quite in depth, taking principals and educators through an in depth six step reform program. (From U.S. Department of Education, October 1998)

Reinventing Education Change Toolkit

The Change Toolkit is based upon Rosabeth Moss Kanter's proven frameworks, which have been developed over more than more than 30 years of research and practice with leading organizations around the world. These are comprehensive frameworks that will help you to understand and overcome the organizational barriers to change. The Change Toolkit helps people understand how culture, hierarchy, and roles and responsibilities in their organizations are helping or hindering change efforts, thereby allowing leaders to be more effective. The Change Toolkit will not help you find the "right answer" in a given situation. What it will help you do is to think systematically about change and help you create a dynamic, innovative, energized organization. The Change Toolkit consists of four major sections – the Change Wheel (a framework for managing change), the Seven Skills of Change Masters (key leadership skills), Change Fundamentals (the "basics"), and School Improvement (alignment, data-driven decision making, quality teaching, and community collaboration). Free registration is required. (From A Collaborative Effort of Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Goodmeasure, Inc., IBM's Reinventing Education project, together with CCSSO, NASSP, and NAESP.)

Title Index for Publication and Products

Every link on this web page leads to a publication or product that covers some valuable topic related to school change or improvement. While not every title may be applicable or useful, on the whole, this web page provides any educator with an incredible array of resources covering anything from community involvement, leadership strategies, and accountability measures to technology use, diversity, and the environment. (From WestEd )
Model Programs

Confronting and Managing Culture in a Changing Environment

This excellent article describes how one principal of a rural, predominantly Hispanic school district successfully managed and implemented change for the better of both students and parents. The plan this principal implemented is broken down, and its successes and failures are covered year-by-year. The author of this article describes it as an example of highly successful “top-down” change. Community and teacher testimonials are provided as well. (From Guerra, Patricia L. SEDL’s Issues…About Change, 1995.)

Hudson High School, Hudson Mass: A 2001 Vanguard Model

This profile of a school that managed to successfully change itself from underachieving to succeeding is interesting because the superintendent and principals who authored this change state that their schools’ success is based first and foremost on understanding the need for change and learning how to “design structures…needed to produce that change.” (From Profiles of Vanguard Models, Building Blocks 2001)

Leading an Inner City School to Overall Excellence

This article analyzes the reforms of principal Edward O. Jefferson in reforming Thurgood Marshall Elementary School in Seattle, Washington, attributing his success to increased parent and community involvement as well as ongoing staff development, among other things. This article is an excellent example of how one principal successfully managed to change his school for the better. (From Cotton, Kathleen. Northwest Regional Education Laboratory: School Improvement Research Series)

St. Cloud Middle School

This is an interview with a St. Cloud Middle School teacher revealing that the school’s success is based on its ability to change and adapt. “Our principal is a juggernaut for educational reform,”says the teacher. Assessment, community involvement, and shared-decision making practices are also given credit for success.

Student Success at Lehigh Elementary, Fort Myers, Florida

This report, written by a former assistant-principal of Lehigh Elementary in Fort Myers, Florida, is an excellent example of a school that was forced to change and managed to do so very well. While it is not a model every principal can use, it is an excellent example of the creativity, persistence, and adaptability needed to implement, manage, and sustain change. (From Smith, Beth. SERVE, 2001)
Selected Research & Articles

Comprehensive School Improvement: Addressing the Challenges

Though the author of this particular article is advocating “comprehensive schoolwide reform,” the pitfalls, challenges, and problems discussed herein are applicable to any administrator seeking to manage a major change in his or her own school. Moreover, the article places much emphasis on the importance of a principal in implementing, managing, and sustaining change. (From Morrissey, Melanie S. SEDL, Issues About Change, 2000)

Creating the Capacity to Support Innovations (Occasional Paper #2)

Schlechty defines and focuses on capacity building in schools. "Unless schools can be repositioned," writes Schlechty, "it is unlikely that they will have the capacity to support the kind of disruptive innovations that will be needed to ensure a healthy future for public education in America." (From Phillip C. Schlechty, Schlechty Center, Louisville, Ky.)

Making Good Change Happen

These excerpts from chapter one of Jamie McKenzie’s book, “Making Good Change Happen,” provide some basic guidelines for implementing change in technology use in schools that can be applied to any type of change in schools in general. A link to the purchase of McKenzie’s book is provided as well. (From McKenzie, Jamie. From Now On: The Technology Information Journal, 2000)

Managing Change in Education in the 21st Century: Repositioning State Schools in Challenging Times

This speech given at a conference of principals in Australia focuses on the need for better change management in schools. Change “myths” are broken down and recommendations and ideas for successful change are suggested. It is a very valuable text for any administrator seeking to avoid mistakes when implementing change. (From Scott, Geoff. NSW Secondary Principals’ Conference, Leura, Australia, 2000)

Meeting of Minds Along the Merrimack: Principals Networking to Enhance Instruction

Two minds, it is said, are better than one. This is especially true when we are trying to break out of old patterns and ways of doing things to create ways of doing things that are better fitted to the present and its needs. The efforts of the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), the Northeast and Islands Regional Laboratory at Brown University (LAB) and a group of serving principals in old industrial New England were focused on the creation of a collaboration-driven initiative to find practical solutions to the fundamental questions of the practice of education in the third millennium for the benefit of their most vulnerable children. (From Cheryl Riggins Newby, NAESP, in collaboration with the Education Alliance at Brown University)

Pulling Together: The Rural Circumstance

This is a brief synthesis that covers the pitfalls and common misconceptions with a little advice for administrators in rural school districts concerning successful change management. Though fairly brief, this web page highlights very well some of the challenges facing a principal seeking to implement change in his or her school. (From AEL, Inc.)

The Role of Leadership in Sustaining School Reform

The U.S. Department of Education has provided here a collection of testimonials from principals who have implemented change in their schools successfully. Importantly, this short on-line “book” focuses on pitfalls as well as successes, difficulties with managing change, and how to maintain short-term successes in the long run. (From Leighton, Mary S. U.S. Department of Education, 1996)