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Fixing Education Initiatives in Crisis

24 Go-to Strategies

By: James Marshall

Foreword by Jody Spiro

Including 24 unique tools to positively impact challenges and two case studies, this guide supports education leaders to rescue struggling initiatives and to prevent crises before they arise.

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Product Details

Grade Level: PreK-12
ISBN: 9781071942444
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2024
Page Count: 160
Publication date: June 21, 2024

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Review copies may be requested by individuals planning to purchase 10 or more copies for a team or considering a book for adoption in a higher ed course. To request a review copy, contact sales@corwin.com.

Description

Proven practices to rescue struggling education initiatives... or prevent a crisis before it starts.

Insufficient planning, unclear outcomes, missing data--for leaders overseeing education initiatives, it can often seem like there's a crisis around every corner. Drawing on decades of experience in assessment, evaluation, and data-driven decision-making, author and Professor of Educational Leadership James Marshall offers a combination of evidence-based practices and real-life experiences that provide practical solutions to the diverse challenges school leaders encounter as they implement new initiatives.

Exploring oft-encountered challenges such as poor outcomes, waning interest or support from leadership, public relations issues, scaling and sustainability roadblocks, and other implementation-related obstacles--the book identifies six types of crises confronted by education leaders and offers valuable insights and solutions for each. Features include:

Guidance to recognize the six types of education initiative crises and strategies for resolution tailored to each type
24 unique tools to positively impact challenges, such as the “Triage Tool” to prioritize crisis intervention and the “Don’t Swamp the Boat” tool to explore the complement of initiatives in your school
Two case studies and real world examples illustrating the application of selected tools across a range of crisis types

Whether you’re an education leader dealing with a program or initiative in crisis or proactively looking to prevent a crisis, Fixing Education Initiatives in Crisis provides practical solutions to navigate troubled initiatives and guidance for the design and implementation of healthy initiatives that yield predictable results.

Author(s)

James Marshall

James Marshall’s lifelong work lies at the intersection of people and the organizations in which they work—and optimizing the synergy that fertile convergence holds. His scholarship, teaching, and consulting combine our understanding of human performance and organization development to assess strengths, devise strategy, and improve even the most vexing of challenges. Engagements have found him doing everything from evaluating virtual reality delivered training for active shooter containment, to devising strategy that improved the community-focused impacts realized by the national network of over 150 public television stations. He is currently Professor of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University, in the #1 ranked California State University College of Education. In his private practice, he serves as a thought partner to leaders seeking to hasten the collective impact of their organization’s investments—especially their human resources. From assessing strengths and needs to conceptualizing strategy and initiatives and then
measuring return on investment, Dr. Marshall’s unique approach relies on a proven mix of assessment and evaluation, appreciative inquiry, and empathic understanding that predictably yields quantifiable results. Clients particularly note his ability to use data—with novelty and persuasion—to drive change.

With over 200 publications to his credit, Dr. Marshall’s scholarship encompasses a diverse range of works that includes empirical research, program evaluation efforts, and policy development. His program evaluation endeavors are particularly significant and include over 250 individual studies of funded projects and program investments totaling more than $120 million dollars. This work has been funded by diverse agencies that include the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute for Library and Museum Services, the Public Broadcasting Service, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, as well as the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of the Interior, and the Transportation Security Administration. His work with state and local education agencies, school systems, and regional offices of education encompasses forty of the fifty United States.

Internationally, Dr. Marshall has influenced human and organization performance through his service on the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance, and Instruction (IBSTPI) board of directors. Here, his needs assessment-focused research assisted the organization in better understanding its audiences and their needs, as IBSTPI reformulated its long-term strategy and support of learning leaders worldwide.

He can be reached at marshall@sdsu.edu.

Table of Contents

List of Tools and Templates

Foreword

Preface

When Crisis Strikes

Crisis Overview

Crisis Fix #1: Failing to "Get Smart" Crisis

Crisis Fix #2: Outcomes Crisis

Crisis Fix #3: Attention Span Crisis

Crisis Fix #4: Data Crisis

Crisis Fix #5: When Things Don't Go As Planned (D-GAP) Crisis

Crisis Fix #6: Sustaining & Scaling Crises

Final Fix: Evaluative Thinking

Appendix 1: Implementation Tools and Templates

Reviews

We've all seen good ideas, programs, and initiatives fail. What if the problem was not the program, but our skill in dealing with the crises that occurred as the program was implemented? I wish I had had this book years ago to learn the skills necessary to address the realities and challenges of implementation.

Douglas Fisher
Professor, San Diego State University

When it comes to school initiatives there is no lack of good ideas. What is lacking is quality implementation. Too often we don’t realize this until we’re well into the program and not getting the results we expected. If that’s your situation, this is the book for you. Jim Marshall tells you what to do when implementation isn’t working, so you can quickly turn things around and achieve the positive impact you seek.

Jim Knight
Author, Instructional Coaching: A Partnership Approach to Improving Instruction, Co-Founder, Instructional Coaching Group

Jim Marshall’s extensive experience and deep wisdom take the lead in this powerful book. With helpful research and theory Marshall has created a singular handbook that leads us to the clear analysis and practical action steps we need in those sometimes shaky, critical mid-initiative or mid-project moments that we all experience.

Peggy O'Brien
Director of Education, Folger Shakespeare Library

Educational leaders have the benefit and the burden of leading change that will positively impact our scholars. Fortunately, Dr. Jim Marshall provides the foundational concepts we need to boldly tackle the multi-faceted demands of our work. Creatively written in a how-to format, this is a must-add to the school leaders’ toolbox. It will revolutionize your practice and transform your organizational outcomes.

Helen V. Griffith
Superintendent, The Preuss School UC San Diego

Marshall offers a refreshing perspective born from real-world experiences. This book isn't just for those in crisis mode; it's a guide for all educational leaders seeking to understand, anticipate, and mitigate the challenges inherent in any initiative. Emphasizing the power of leveraging strengths amidst challenges, Marshall provides a practical and valuable roadmap for overcoming obstacles and achieving impact.

Jamie Annunzio Myers
Chief Operating officer/SVP, Education, PBS SoCal

Working in education is complex and often unpredictable. When surprises happen and things go awry, Jim Marshall’s practical guidance provides a path forward. With it, you’ll be able to navigate from a position of strength, not defense, leveraging your data and expertise with confidence.

Laura G Hunter
Chief Operating Officer & Kuen Station Manager, Utah Education Network

Fixing Education Initiatives in Crisis is a powerful guide for anyone seeking practical solutions to the challenges facing education today. Dr. Marshall’s wealth of experience shines through as he provides actionable tools to tackle complex problems. His strategic approach, grounded in measurable outcomes, is a beacon for leaders navigating the ever-evolving educational landscape to drive meaningful change and foster student success.

Sean Hauze
Senior Director, Instructional Technology Services

Other Titles in: Administration & Leadership | Program Development & Evaluation | School Change, Reform, & Restructuring

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Related Resources

This Year, Commit to Measuring Initiative Impact [Blog]
Tools to Ensure Your Education Initiative Succeeds [Checklists and Assessments]