A daily dose of continuous improvement.

The thought that what we do today may not be enough to solve tomorrow's problems is not easy for many educators to accept. It is indeed an "aha" moment when we realize that success is more a measure of growth and effort than of performance.

Five years ago, the Maryland State Department of Education offered grants to school systems willing to work with a consulting organization to use the Baldrige Criteria for Excellence in Education to study and implement systems thinking. I didn't know much about systems thinking but understood that we needed a process to guide us through the maze of challenges confronting public education and to ensure that all of our students were receiving a quality education.

The beginning was a bit rocky. About a year and a half into the process we still had not articulated how we were going to use the Baldrige criteria to implement a systems thinking process. Two things happened to change that situation:

First, the grant ran out and our consultant withdrew. We hired a new consultant who helped us focus on what we needed and wanted, not on what someone else thought we needed.

Second, we decided if the system were to incorporate a consistent improvement process, it must be an expectation in every school, department and classroom, not a choice.

Today, we are well on our way to implementing the systems thinking approach.

Every Way, Every Day

The theme for the Cecil County Public Schools is "Continuous Improvement: Everyone Every Way Every Day." We expect all employees to learn and develop their capacity to address the challenges they face daily. Two major initiatives are associated with systems thinking in our district.

* Systems thinking for leadership. All mid- and top-level leaders received for mal training in systems thinking using the Baldrige criteria. A Systems Thinking for Leadership Committee monitors school leaders' implementation of the improvement process, and the school and department improvement plans now rely on data to set goals, implement strategies and provide ongoing evaluation to determine effectiveness through performance or productivity.

Every principal, assistant principal and department supervisor self-assesses his or her understanding and degree of implementation of systems thinking with the school or department improvement process and identifies additional training needs.

* Classroom systems for learning. Over the past two years, approximately 25 percent of our 1,300 teachers have been trained in the use of classroom learning systems. The training helps teachers understand that systems can enhance the classroom learning environment and increase the performance of all students. In classroom learning systems students are the primary component, and their performance is influenced by their degree of active participation in their own learning.

The majority of the classroom teachers are trained during voluntary summer staff development sessions for which they receive a stipend for participating. These teachers are expected to use classroom learning systems and share successes and challenges in follow-up training. Because the training is in such demand, school faculties now sign up for on-site programs. The entire school faculty and staff must commit to implementing the classroom-learning systems approach.

In addition, each of the 29 schools has two coaches trained in using the classroom learning systems. These coaches are teachers who provide ongoing support for teachers who have completed the training.

Next Steps

We have come a long way in the past three years. The training and tools associated with implementing the Baldrige criteria and the systems thinking process have led to more efficient and effective problem solving districtwide. Walking into a classroom where students can articulate the classroom mission, goals and strategies they will use to achieve personal and class learning goals is exhilarating. The classrooms where students take responsibility for their own learning are alive with activity.

The Center for System Leadership at AASA is working with us to continue to develop our system improvement plan. In addition, we plan to:

* Continue training classroom teachers so that 100 percent are equipped to incorporate learning systems focused on using data to drive instruction and motivate students to accept responsibility for their learning;

* Continue to assess the effectiveness of school system leaders in using systems thinking in the improvement processes, identify learning needs and design training programs that result in better understanding and increased skill; and

* Seek help from outside experts who can evaluate the effectiveness of our district in using systems thinking and the Baldrige criteria so we can grow and learn as an organization.

What advice would I give district leaders who are beginning this process?

First, you must go slowly in order to go fast, but you must go!

Second, the process must be both top down and bottom up.

Third, visit and learn from others who have ventured before you.

Fourth, you will have to spend the time and money necessary to learn about and implement systems thinking.

Fifth, as with other initiatives, support those who take risks. You do not want them looking over their shoulders.

Sixth, change brings challenges. You cannot stop striving for excellence.

Seventh, as superintendent, you must model systems thinking every day.

Carl Roberts is superintendent of the Cecil County School District, 201 Booth St., Elkton, MD 21921. E-mail: [e-mail]