Leadership magazine Sept/Oct 2014 V 44 No 1 | Page 24

Systems change to
build district capacity
The LCAP can be the catalyst for shifting from a compliance-oriented culture
to developing a strategic focus on what matters most: student achievement.

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ystems change in education has been brought to the
forefront through the research of experts such as
Michael Fullan, Andy Hargreaves, Sir Michael Barber, Linda Darling-Hammond, Richard Elmore and
Douglas Reeves. In the “Change Wars” anthology, Michael
Fullan (2009) conveyed a powerful formula for leading systems change: an inspirational vision with a small number
of public goals led by a guiding coalition that reallocates resources through flexible partnerships between schools and
districts.
Local Control Accountability Plans, if enacted based on
the theory of action proposed by Fullan, hold the potential
for California school districts to leverage local control of resources to define innovative solutions for closing student
achievement gaps. This redirection and revitalization of
school districts can be the catalyst for shifting from a compliance-oriented culture that creates fragmentation, resignation
and dependence to that of internal capacity-building, with
clarity of focus, directed empowerment and interdependence
(Westover, 2008).
Successful navigation of the path ahead will be forged by
school districts with a strategic focus aimed at improving
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Leadership

district-wide systems and creating a culture of continuous
improvement.
Through a partnership with the Association of California
School Administrators, InnovateEd had the unique opportunity of supporting more than 100 school districts across California in the design of LCAPs using a systems change process
grounded in Fullan’s theory of action. As part of this partnership, the LCAPca web-based tool powered by Progress Adviser
assisted school district leaders in the design and improvement
of LCAPs.
The following are lessons from the field that provided
school districts with action steps to consider as they endeavored to deliver the promise of their LCAPs.

Defining a strategic focus
Leaders can most influence school district results by defining goals and executing strategies that focus on what matters
most. A strategic focus creates clarity, improves collaboration,
increases commitment and promotes accountability for out-

By Jay Westover