KEY Two

Open Communication and Collaborative Problem Solving

High-performing schools tend to promote collaborative cultures and cultivate strong ties among staff, parents, and members of the community. Indicators:

• Administrators and staff communicate and collaborate.  
• Parents show support by participating in school activities — for example, attending special events and performances, joining task forces, fundraising, and helping with classroom activities. 
• Teachers and staff cooperate across grade levels, subject areas, and departments.
• Teachers work closely with parents.
• Teachers help set standards and develop the curriculum.
• Teachers are involved in decisions about student learning. 
• Teachers contribute to decisions about school operations.
• Parents, community members, and non-teaching staff help set goals for the school. 
• Teachers meet regularly to discuss teaching and learning strategies. 

For more about these indicators, click here.
For recommended reading materials, click here.