Meeting the Challenge of College and Career Readiness

In October 2015, Insight had the fantastic honor of sponsoring a District Administration Leadership Institute Summit (DALI) with MIND Research Institute and myON in New Orleans. We also had the pleasure of having GoalBook, Education Analytics and Audio Enhancement join us as well.

We shared two full and inspiring days with over 70 of the nation's most influential educational leaders discussing the greatest challenges schools face today when it comes to college- and career-readiness and how to overcome them.

In our general session presentation entitled "Supporting and Accelerating Educator Growth," the Insight leadership team explored what it's going to take to support and accelerate teacher growth in order to prepare college- and career-ready students, including the following:

1. The most successful districts and schools have traction.
   Most districts and schools have spent a lot of time and energy building powerful strategic plans. The challenge is that most of these plans fail—with research estimating the failure rate somewhere between 70-93% (for strategic plans in general). The reason? Execution.
   
   Here's what we know. The most successful schools execute on their strategic plans, including their bold beliefs about teaching and learning, on a daily basis with uncanny focus, discipline, and accountability. They take hold of not only a process for change and growth but adopt a transforming mindset similar to athletes. So what does this look like?
   
   
2. In the classroom, teachers need—and want—feedback.
   Research and experience tells us that teachers desire feedback that is regular, specific, positive and critical. How does feedback like this really move student achievement? Is there a role for video to play a role that can transform the way educators are receiving and giving feedback?