International Center for Leadership in Education - Closing the Achievement Gap Series

Closing the Achievement Gap Series

NEW ! - Parent Involvement Action Packets for K-12 Schools

Parent involvement in schools is imperative for increasing student achievement, but many schools find this difficult to accomplish, especially with hard-to-involve parents. This resource kit provides 20 activities that schools can easily implement to increase parent involvement. Every packet contains step-by-step instructions, flyers, and other forms, plus lists of personnel and materials needed.

In addition to the packets, the kit:

describes how to build a parent-friendly school environment
provides home-focused activities that benefit student learning at school
outlines the importance of using surveys to gauge parents' concerns and to connect them to the education process

The kit complements Reaching the Hardest-to-Involve Parents: Powerful Partnerships Under NCLB. That kit is the place to start if a school does not have a structure for parent involvement in place. This kit includes a CD and is available in the online store for $295.

NEW ! - Closing the ELL Achievement Gap — A Leader's Guide to Making Schools Effective for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

As communities across the US become more diverse, many school districts are experiencing unprecedented increases in English language learner (ELL) enrollment. This resource kit is designed to help district and school leaders use culturally responsive reform practices to support culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Topics covered include:

using assessments and education plans to identify and monitor the progress of CLD students
instruction and curriculum practices that help CLD students develop language proficiency and achieve academic goals
building capacity for rigorous and relevant teaching, differentiated instruction, and interactive learning
research and best practices
professional development

This kit includes a CD and DVD and is available in the online store for $295.

NEW ! - Strategies for K-8 Students with Disabilities in the General Education Curriculum

Responding effectively to students who consistently fail to meet academic and/or behavioral expectations is at the heart of a quality education. Many students with disabilities can succeed in the general education curriculum if they receive needed services and supports. This important kit:

highlights support systems that schools need to put in place to sustain improvements over the long run
focuses on schoolwide issues for administrators and strategies for classroom teachers, including descriptions of various co-teaching approaches
includes case studies from schools which demonstrate successful approaches to educating these students to high standards
offers professional development activities

This kit includes a CD and DVD and is available in the online store for $295.

Strategies for High School Students with Disabilities in the General Education Curriculum

Responding effectively to students who consistently fail to meet academic and/or behavioral expectations is at the heart of a quality education. Many students with disabilities can succeed in the general education curriculum if they receive needed services and supports. This important kit:

highlights support systems that schools need to put in place to sustain improvements over the long run
focuses on schoolwide issues for administrators and strategies for classroom teachers, including descriptions of various co-teaching approaches
includes case studies from schools which demonstrate successful approaches to educating these students to high standards
offers professional development activities

This kit includes a CD and is available in the online store for $295.

Reaching the Hardest-to-Involve Parents: Powerful Partnerships Under NCLB

Reaching the Hardest-to-Involve Parents can assist schools in improving student achievement by involving all parents in the education of their children at school and in the home. This turnkey training program shows educators and parents how to:

organize for action by creating a Parent Partnership Team
plan and implement strategies to remove the barriers parents face in being more involved with the school
evaluate the success of the efforts
help schools become "parent-friendly" institutions

This kit includes a CD and is available in the online store for $295.

Closing the Achievement Gap — A Practical Handbook for Teachers

The 75-page user-friendly handbook is based on best practices in high-poverty schools with diverse populations that consistently produce students who achieve at levels equal to or better than those in more affluent schools. What’s good educational practice for these students is good for all students.

Successful teachers reflect on what is important and what successful students say about their academic achievement.
The handbook provides essential information, strategies, and advice that have proved effective in closing the academic achievement gap among groups of students and in raising a school’s overall performance level.

This handbook is available in the online store for $45.