With more than a decade of experience in school reform, WestEd’s Fred Tempes knows how challenging it is for chronically low-performing schools to improve, but he also knows that almost any can accomplish dramatic turnaround.

What it takes is “hard work around a core set of principles over an extended period of time,” says Tempes, Director of WestEd’s Comprehensive School Assistance Program.

Sounds simple, but a basic challenge is that no one can make the improvement happen for a school. Rather, the entire school community must pull together collectively and do the work for themselves.

Key Points Discussed:

  • Local Support and Collaboration
  • Effective Implementation
  • Mutual Accountability