Prosser School District’s Superintendent, Matthew Ellis, is committed to improving academic programs and increasing student achievement. Recently, he implemented a new approach to school improvement planning, emphasizing the importance of data-driven decision-making and collective ownership for achievement.
Ellis recognizes that planning can be a unifying force. By partnering with teachers and creating avenues for students’ voices, buildings can narrow their focus and maximize their chances of success. To achieve this, he worked with Education Equity Partners NW to implement school improvement software to streamline leadership actions and make the school improvement plans to work and living documents rather than an act of compliance.
The software allows principals to create adult learning plans and monitoring plans within the school improvement plan, enabling them to monitor the plans’ progress and submit evidence. These powerful conversations generated by the programs are about equity, inclusion, and support.
The school improvement planning approach emphasizes data review, goal-setting, and integration. Data-driven decision-making should be at the heart of the work, starting with multiple measures to define the organization’s current state and provide a clear picture of what is taking place. SMART goals are then set, and the plans are integrated to achieve the desired outcomes.
According to the principal, the planning efforts have become more detailed and are no longer an act of compliance. They are now living documents, and the principals are more involved in planning.
Ellis has committed approximately $20,000 to this approach and believes that it is essential for teachers and administrators to have access to quality data sources to develop simple and effective strategies. In doing so, they can cast a vision for their work and inspire the next generation of educational leaders.
Matthew Ellis’s passion for education and his commitment to positively impacting young people’s lives have been evident throughout his career. As Superintendent of Prosser School District, he has continued to make a difference in the lives of the students and the community. His data-driven planning approach is just one example of his dedication to improving academic programs and increasing student achievement.
For more information about Matthew Ellis and Prosser School District, visit https://www.mattellisprosser.com
