QUICK WINS & SCHOOL TURNAROUND:
STRATEGIES FOR BRINGING OUT THE
BEST IN STAFF & STUDENTS
2015 National Title I Conference
February 7, 2015 2:00-3:00
Room 355BC
Scott Neil, PhD Paul Gavoni, Ed.D.
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D
Scott Neil, PhD
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Session Outcomes
By the end of the session participants will…
• Develop a shared understanding of how Quick Wins impact
the school turnaround process
• Learn specific strategies to build momentum for change and
the self-efficacy of staff and students through Quick Wins
• Understand the role data and social networks play in
creating Quick Wins
• Learn the importance of Intrinsic Motivation through the
Quick Wins process
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
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WHAT ARE QUICK WINS?
“Change can exist without renewal, but renewal cannot
exist without change.”
~Raymond Calabrese
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
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What are Quick Wins?
• Successful turnaround leaders choose a few high-priority
goals with visible payoffs and use early success to gain
momentum.
• While these “wins” are limited in scope, they are high-
priority, not peripheral, elements of organization
performance.
• Early wins are critical for motivating staff and
disempowering naysayers.
Hassel & Hassel (2009)
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
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Why are Quick Wins important?
• Successful turnaround leaders first concentrate on a very
limited number of changes to achieve early, visible wins
for the school
• This achievement in an important area, motivates staff for
further change, and reduces resistance by those who
oppose change
• Silences the critics with quick, visible results and reduces
the leader’s time spent addressing “politics” and increases
time spent leading for results
Center on Innovation and Improvement (2008)
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
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School Highlights
• Student poverty rates of 84% and 94%
• Both schools moved from a C to an A with the Florida
•
•
•
•
School Accountability Report Card in two years or less
Double digit gain across all grades in all subject areas
and the highest achievement scores in 28 year history of
the school
Increased percent proficient by an average of 24% across
all subgroups in two years or less
Reduced teacher turnover from 28% to 7% with zero
teacher transfers in two separate schools
Reduced the percentage of student discipline referrals by
67% in less than two years and decreased out-of-school
suspension rate from 6.4% to 0.5% in one year.
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
GETTING THINGS
STARTED
“To respond is positive, to react is negative.”
~Zig Ziglar
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Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
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The Big Bang Theory…
(and then a whimper)
• Principals make great speeches at the beginning
about the new vision and direction
• Teachers & staff go to training and hear about
what they should do
• Schools & districts spend a lot of money on new
technology
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
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Surprise!
Staff Don’t Always Do What You Tell Them to!!
• Longer
Louder
Meaner
Daniels & Daniels, 2004
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
What should the path of school
turnaround look like?
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Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
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Getting started…
• Share an inspiring vision of what the change and success
will look like when the school gets there
• Leverage “Hard and Soft” data
• Be transparent about setbacks and implementation dips
• Listening is leading
• Get the “biggest bang for your buck” in the shortest
amount of time
• Creating a “want” vs. “want to avoid”
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
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Avoid the “all talk…no action” dilemma!
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
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Pinpoint Behavior and Results
Leading Indicators
Lagging Indicators
• Student behavior
• Mid or end of Year or
• Staff behavior
referral data
• Staff retention
• Staff perception
• Union Grievances
• Attendance
• Parent Complaints
• Formative assessments
• Summative assessments
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
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Leading Indicators
I just wanted to let you know that this has been the BEST first week of
school that I have ever had! There has been such a positive vibe
around SLE. I see it not only in the teachers, but the students as well!
Thank you so much for all that you have done to make this all happen.
This is going to be a great year for SLE!!!
St. Lucie Elementary Teacher
I just really want to say thank you for such a great week. I feel more
valued as a teacher than I ever have and I know it will make for a great
year.
The PBS and CHAMPS training was extremely meaningful.
I am hoping this doesn't sound too gushy...but , I really do feel this way
and wanted you guys to know.
St. Lucie Elementary Teacher
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
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Leading Indicators-cont.
I just wanted to say Thank You so much for such a wonderful start to a
school year!!!!! Both of you have been absolutely AMAZING! It means
the world to us to know how much support we have and how you make
the time to come around and be with the students.
Thank you also for thinking of us yesterday with the goodies in our
mailbox....you know the way to a pregnant girl's heart (peanut butter
M&M's)!!! :) I already see a huge difference in the attitude of our staff
and how positive everything is and how smooth the school is running!
Thank you again for all you've done! I'm looking forward to a terrific
school year!
2nd Grade Teacher
St. Lucie Elementary
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
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GAINING MOMENTUM
FOR CHANGE
“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached,
don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.”
-Confucius
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
Where you
currently are
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Where you
want to be
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School turnaround:
one step at a time
Annual
Goal
Milestone
Milestone
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Things change!
What’s The Function?
90
WTF?
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
Reinforcement:
The fuel that drives behavior
When the reinforcement (fuel) runs out,
the behavior will stop (extinction)
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Creating “want-to-do” staff vs “have-to-do” staff
Laipple, 2012
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Positive Feedback Brain Research
Adapted from materials provided by Leiden University.
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Strategies for Gaining Momentum
• Put the "stick away" Positive vs. Negative reinforcement
• Getting people in touch with positive change through
verbal feedback
• It’s not what you say, but how and when you say it!
• Align meaningful change with staff behavior
• Graphic feedback (data) as a reinforcer
• Errors in feedback
• the "big but" error
• the "gimmee more" error
• The "sandwich" error
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
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Having a system for good systems
Good systems…
• Pinpoint targets
• Measure success
• Provide ongoing feedback
• Utilize Positive Reinforcement
(Daniels & Daniels, 2004)
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Communicating Learning Goals with Formative Assessment
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Students tracking their own Progress
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Celebrating Student and Teacher Success
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70
64
60
50
40
38
34
30
32
24
20
10
0
6
TS
LR
EA
JL
EM
JA
READING 3rd Grade Q1 Benchmark Percent 70 or Higher
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Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
90
87
80
81
77
76
70
75
75
64
60
60
56
50
40
38
38
34
30
32
31
24
20
10
0
6
TS
LR
EA
JL
EM
JA
District LWP- 3
READING 3rd Grade Q1-Q2 Benchmark Percent 70 or Higher
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INFLUENCE OF QUICK WINS
ON THE MOTIVATION AND
SELF ESTEEM
“Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are
right.”
~Henry Ford
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Building Self-Efficacy with Quick Wins
• Psychologist Albert Bandura has
defined self-efficacy as one's belief in
one's ability to succeed in specific
situations.
• One's sense of self-efficacy can play a
major role in how one approaches goals,
tasks, and challenges.
Bandura, A. (1977)
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Sources the Determine Self-Efficacy
Mastery Experience
(Experiences that
influence goal
attainment)
Vicarious Experience
(Modeling by others)
Social Influences
(Coaching & Feedback)
Individual Emotional &
Physical Well Being
Bandura, A. (1977)
Self-Efficacy
(Judgments)
Individual
Behavior/Performance
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
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Strategies for Building
Collective School Efficacy
Utilize data to develop
cause-effect relationships
Set goals with teachers that
will increase the likelihood
of mastery experiences
Provide professional
development for teachers
that will help them obtain
their goals
Provide feedback to
teachers that will help them
improve their skills
Establish a school culture
that provides flexibility of
time, structures, and
resources to allow teachers
time to collaborate and
solve problems amongst
themselves
Mastery Experiences
based on the
needs of the individual
student.
Students as
Social
Influences
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Steps to Achieving Quick Wins
• Set clear and incremental goals
• Allowed staff and students autonomy of how to reach the
goals (Tight-Loose Principle)
• Provided support and resources (PD) needed to achieve
the goals
• Allowed realistic amount of time to achieve the goals
• LOTS of FEEDBACK!! (Learned from setbacks)
• Recognized and celebrated successes (small and large)
Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
Questions?
schoolleadershipsolutions.com @sleadsolutions
Scott Neil
sneil@schoolleadershipsolutions.com
772-240-2464 @scottmneil
Paul Gavoni
pgavoni@schoolleadershipsolutions.com
954-829-8882 @paulfgavoni
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Paul Gavoni, Ed.D Scott Neil, PhD
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Sources
Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. General Learning
Press.
Center on Innovation & Improvement (2008). School turnarounds:
Action and results. Academic Development Institute.
Daniels, A., & Daniels, D. (2004). In Performance management:
Changing behavior that drives organizational
effectiveness. GA:
Performance Management Publications.
Hassel and Hassel, The big u-turn: How to bring schools back
from the bring of doom to stellar success, Education
Next, Winter, 2009
Laipple, J. (2012). Immediate change: Rapid change for the
impatient leader. [Kindle DX]. Retrieved from
www.PManagementPubs.com.