Chapter 5: Building A Scalable Model For Networked Improvement Across School: The Case of District Leadership Teams

Over the past 2 decades, many different networked improvement models have been advanced that hold promise for K-12 education (Bryk et al., 2015; Coburn &Penuel, 2016). Notably, research-practice partnerships (RPPs) have drawn considerable attention. However, research shows RPPs come in many shapes and sizes and do not work right out of the box (Coburn &Penuel, 2016). Meanwhile, little research has shown how RPPs function to improve discipline-specific education goals (Weddle et al., 2021). To this end, we analyze early findings from the Collaborating around Structures, Processes, and Instructional Routines (CASPIR) project. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), researchers and professional developers from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) have formed RPPs with four high-needs school districts just outside a large Midwestern city to improve math teaching and learning. The CASPIR team recruited all four districts based on having previously participated in math professional development activities with UIC. Focusing on two RPPs, we describe several district-level structures and routines that could serve as a scalable model for K-12 networked improvement around disciplined inquiry.