Why the District Transformation Team Matters

Equitable, impactful, and lasting high school transformation starts with putting schools and students at the center of the change. While this may sound simple, it requires a fundamental rethinking of how change happens in a district, who needs to be involved, and how people will work together.

Putting schools at the heart of transformation means grounding any change in the unique qualities of each school, the specific needs of students, and the ambitions of local communities. Unlike more traditional, top-down change efforts that tend to yield more uniform, generalized solutions, this process drives transformation that is nuanced, participatory, meaningful, and holistic.

To enable this transformation process, the district will reimagine its ways of working with schools. The cornerstone of this new relationship is the district transformation team. This agile team will work closely with schools on the day-to-day work of transformation and help school leaders navigate the district to get what they need along the way. The district transformation team itself is a working group of individuals drawn from the central office with diverse expertise and influence to foster a new way of thinking and working in a district. Throughout the design journey, the district transformation team will be responsible for:

• Leading the day-to-day implementation of the transformation strategy
• Connecting central offices cross-functionally to execute transformation efforts
• Advocating for schools by working to streamline processes, remove barriers, and influence policy
• Making decisions about time, money, and collaboration
• Engaging, activating, and aligning stakeholders including executive leadership and central offices, schools and school teams, facilitation partners, unions, and the broader community

A strong district transformation team, composed of 5-6 champions, expediters, communicators, and facilitators, is critical to driving the design journey. Empowered by the district’s leadership, they have strong influence in the district and independence in making key decisions. This unique position enables them to effectively spearhead change.

High School Transformation Requires Building New Relationships Between Districts and Schools

Embarking on the journey of high school transformation requires a different mode of organization and operation—one that positions high schools and their students at the center of the change.

From

A Traditional Model of District and School Relationships

To

A New Relationship Model for
High School Transformation

From a top-down approach where decisions are made at the executive leadership level and passed down through the district's central offices to schools—one that is rigid and slow to adapt to change.

To a multifaceted approach where decisions are made iteratively and customized to meet the needs of individual high schools. This approach encourages experimentation and allows for swift adjustments to new changes or insights within the transformation process.

From a siloed model where a district’s different departments work in isolation, without much collaboration or communication about how to support schools.

To a cross-functional model where the district transformation team includes representatives of key district departments, who collaborate across functions to foster communication and integration and break down the silos to work more cohesively. 

From engaging in multiple, fragmented conversations with different central offices.

To a centralized and supportive relationship with the district transformation team, which advocates for the school's needs and helps in navigating the district’s structure.

From a school system where schools are supported with a one-size-fits-all approach.

To a system of schools where the district ensures equity and accountability, and each individual school receives support tailored to its needs.