Achieving results in challenging times: how hardwired improvement practices increased student performance post-COVID

Abstract

Student learning loss during the Covid-19 Pandemic became an issue nationally. When school systems were thrown into hybrid and virtual learning environments, some schools still saw success due to their culture and hard-wired improvement practices. This article will illustrate how those practices at one particular school led to an actual improvement in learning during the pandemic.

Keywords:

• Deming
• continuous improvement
• improvement
• literacy
• school culture

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Correction

Correction Statement

This article was originally published with errors, which have now been corrected in the online version. Please see Correction (http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1045988X.2023.2219526)

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Scott Walter

Scott Walter holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a master’s degree in Administrative Leadership from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Scott has served as an elementary teacher, assistant principal and elementary principal. He has been named the Wisconsin State Principal of the Year as well as a National Distinguished Principal.

Casey Blochowiak

Casey Blochowiak holds a bachelor’s degree from Marquette University and a master’s degree in literacy from Concordia University Wisconsin. She completed her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research interest is the value of improvement science to K-12 education, specifically the positive deviance methodology. Casey served as a high school social studies teacher, reading specialist, associate principal, elementary school principal, high school principal, and director of curriculum and learning. Currently, Casey is a Leader Coach for Huron Studer Education.

Amany Habib

Amany Habib holds a PhD in Education with emphasis on TESOL and a master’s degree in TESOL. She has been teaching at the School of Education in UWF since 2001. Amany’s research focuses on teacher education, refugees, crosscultural communication, and teaching diverse learners. She teaches diversity courses for pre-service and in-service teachers.