Table Of ContentA Roadmap for
Quality
Transformation
Education
in
Andy Frazier
---Sponsoredby--
6/axoWe//come
North C arolina
Quality IR,adershlp
Foundation
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CRC Press
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Table of Contents
Foreword .................................................................................................... tx
Acknowledgments ..................................................................................... xi
Preface ......................................................... ............................................ xiii
Introduction-A Means for Managing Systemic Change ................. 1
1. In the Eye of the Beholder .............................................................................. l
2. A Means, Not an End ...................................................................................... 2
3. The Goal: A Beginning Resource for Exploration ......................................... 3
4. The "Quality Innovators" ................................................................................ 4
SECTION 1-A NEW WAY OF THINKING
Chapter 1-What Is Continuous Quality Improvement? .................. 7
1. Basic Values of Continuous Quality Improvement ........................................ 7
a) Systems Thinking ..................................................................................... 8
b) Customer Focus ...................................................................................... 11
c) Continuous Process Improvement .......................................................... 15
d) Management by Fact .............................................................................. 17
e) Participatory Management ...................................................................... 19
f) Human Resource Development .............................................................. 21
g) Teamwork ............................................................................................... 23
h) Leadership ............................................................................................... 25
i) Long-Term Planning ............................................................................... 26
2. The Cost of Quality .......................................................................•............... 29
Chapter II-Transformational Leadership ......................................... 31
1. A No-Win Scenario for Change: Tinkering with an Outdated Paradigm ..... 31
2. The Importance of Transfonnational Leadership ......................................... 33
a) Creating Great Vision: Beginning with the End in Mind ..................... 34
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vi • A Roadmap for Quality Transformation in Education
b) Modeling the Values of the Vision: Walking the Talk ........................ 37
c) Trusting and Enabling the Talents of Followers: Becoming
"Vulnerable" to the Strength of Others ................................................. 39
d) Driving Out Fear: Creating an Environment for Learning ................... 41
e) Maintaining Constancy of Purpose: An Unwavering Commitment
to Change ................................................................................................ 44
Chapter Ill-Planning the Transformation ........................................ 47
1. The Fear of Change ....................................................................................... 47
2. Sudden Versus Gradual Change .................................................................... 49
3. The Keys to Planning a Successful Transformation .................................... 50
a) Researching the Organization's History and Culture for Change ........ 50
b) Assessing Potential Resistance and Support for Overcoming
Barriers to Change .................................................................................. 51
c) Explaining Why the Change Is Necessary ............................................ 52
d) Involving Everyone at Every Step to Create "Ownership" of the
Change .................................................................................................... 53
e) Building Confidence and Trust in the Change ...................................... 54
f) Monitoring the Change for Results ........................................................ 54
Chapter IV-Commitment at the Top ............................................... 57
1. The Superintendent's Role ............................................................................ 58
2. The School Board's Role .............................................................................. 60
3. Patience Will Be a Virtue ............................................................................. 62
4. Warning: No "One" Right Way .................................................................... 64
SECTION 2-A ROADMAP TO THE QUALITY TRANSFORMATION
Chapter V-Phase 1: Preparing for Change ..................................... 71
1. Senior Leadership Explores CQI ................................................................... 72
2. Superintendent Communicates Commitment District-Wide .......................... 73
3. Train the Leadership ...................................................................................... 73
4. Adopt a CQI Policy ....................................................................................... 73
S. Recruit and Develop Champions ................................................................... 74
6. Appoint the District Quality Council ............................................................ 75
7. Select Quality Coordinator ............................................................................ 81
Chapter VI-Phase 2: Assessing School System Performance ....... 85
I. Identify Internal and External Customers ..................................... ................ 86
2. Survey Customers for Valid Requirements and Satisfaction ....................... 87
3. Scan the Environment for Current and Future Trends ................................. 90
4. Use a Conceptual Framework to Establish a Baseline ................................ 92
S. Benchmark for Comparative Analysis ........................................................ 102
Table of Contents • vii
Chapter VII-Phase 3: Planning for CQI ........................................ 105
1. Develop a District-Wide Strategic Plan ...................................................... 106
2. Develop a District-Wide CQI Implementation Strategy for Managing
the Transformation ....................................................................................... 115
3. Permeate the Vision System-Wide ............................................................... 124
Chapter VIII-Phase 4: Deploying CQI .......................................... 127
1. Begin Delivery ofCQI Training ................................................................. 127
2. Demonstrate the Philosophy through Pilot Projects ................................... 132
3. Charter District-Level Teams ...................................................................... 133
4. Organize School-Level Quality Councils ................................................... 135
5. Charter School Improvement Teams ........................................................... 136
6. Integrate Quality Concepts and Tools into Classroom Instruction ............ 137
Chapter IX-Phase 5: Sustaining the Quality Transformation ...... 143
l. Communicate and Celebrate Success ..... .. . .. ...... .. .. ... . .. .. .. ............ ...... . .. . ... ... 144
2. Align Performance Evaluation with CQI .............. ...................................... 146
3. Build and In-House Training Capacity ....................................................... 147
4. "A Relentless Willingness to Examine 'What Is' in Light of Our Vision" ... 149
5. A Continuous, Unending Cycle of Improvements ..................................... 153
6. An Aggressive Community Outreach Program to Build Public Support
for the Quality Transformation ................................................................... 155
7. Continual Renewal and Revitalization through Champion
Development and Growth ............................................................................ 158
Appendix A-Total Quality in Education
Partnership Agreement ........................................................................ 165
Appendix 8-Total Quality Education Process Plan ..................... 169
Appendix C1-Johnston County Schools Total Quality in
Education Assessment Instrument ..................................................... 173
Appendix C2-New Hanover County Schools School
Improvement Practice Self-Assessment ............................................ 179
Appendix C3-New Hanover County Schools Principal
Performance Appraisal .................... ....... .. ...... ... ...... .. .. .... ......... .. .. ... .. . 183
Appendix C4-New Hanover County Schools Teacher
Performance Self-Assessment ............................................................. 191
Appendix C5-School System Self-Assessment Guide ................. 195
Appendix D-New Hanover County Schools Strategic and
Operational Planning .......................................................................... 205
viii • A Roadmap for Quality Transformation in Education
Appendix E-Resource Directory ..................................................... 217
Appendix F-Giossary ........................................................................ 219
Appendix G-References .................................................................. 233
Index ...................................................................................................... 241
Foreword
NQuality is never an accident: it is always the result of high intention,
sincere effort, intelligent and skillful execution; quality represents the
wise choice of many alternatives.
H -Willa A. Foster
From the perspective of a school superintendent, what will using quality
principles and systemic change do for a school system?
Imagine ...
A school system that has determined what employers, col
leges, parents and community will want from high school gradu
ates in the future.
A school system that regularly surveys parents, employers,
taxpayers and community groups ... a system that receives well
over a 50% +response rate ... and one that uses teams of students,
staff and teachers to analyze the results and communicate them to
the community.
A school system where every employee shares a common
goal-customer service--far exceeding the expectations of stu
dents, parents, local and national employers and colleges.
A school system where 100% of the students will succeed at
the graduation standards and will experience joy and excitement
in learning.
A school system where bus drivers have a clear picture from
parents, students and administrators of what quality bus driving
is-helping students arrive safely to and from school ready to
learn.
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x • A Roadmap for Quality Transformation in Education
A school system where students, teachers and administrators
all have quality goals for the year-based on knowledge of their
performance last year on indicators their customers care about
and tied to process improvements they believe will achieve the
goal.
A school system where trust and respect of all people, employ
ees and customers occurs on a daily basis.
A school system where the development of all employees is
valued as critical to the system's future success.
A system where teams of teachers and students regularly in
vestigate other schools to benchmark their performance against
the best schools they can fmd.
A system where everyone knows how the system is perform
ing compared to world leaders in learning.
These are just a few examples of what using quality principles and the
Baldrige criteria can do for a school system. After thirty-two years in edu
cation, I am convinced that aligning systemic quality changes and principles
is the only way to provide quality education for all children.
Education and our schools are everybody's business. Nothing is more
important than the quality education of all our children. Business, working
in partnership with schools, working in partnership with families and com
munity must reach out and meet the challenge-to provide quality education
for all our children. The future of our communities, our nation and the world
depend on it. Quality principles and systemic change are the right steps to
making this happen.
Dale F. Martin
Superintendent
New Hanover County Schools
Acknowledgments
A number of people have contributed invaluable assistance to this publica
tion and deserve special recognition from the author.
Dr. William A. Smith, Chairman of the North Carolina Quality Leader
ship Foundation, has exemplified the spirit of Total Quality Management in
the leadership of this project. His "lead management" style (as opposed to
"boss management") has encouraged others to share their ideas without fear
of ridicule. Dr. Smith deserves special recognition for his patience and un
tiring counsel in the preparation of this document.
Special acknowledgments are due to GlaxoWellcome, NationsBank,
Branch Banking and Trust Company and First Union Foundation for their
support of the preparation of this publication and making it available as a
guide for school systems interested in incremental and dramatic performance
improvement in North Carolina.
Several people took time from their busy schedules to review a draft of
this document and provide the author constructive criticism. They are: Jim
Lunsford, Vocational Education Director, Cabarrus County Schools; Mary
Jo Utley, Superintendent, Alamance County Schools; Judy Phillips, Assis
tant Superintendent, Alamance County Schools; Beth Hardin, Sara Lee
Hosiery; Karl Y ena, Director of Organizational Development and Training,
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.; Gene Godwin, Employee Involvement Man
ager, Carolina Telephone & Telegraph; Dr. Michael Vasu, Associate Profes
sor, North Carolina State University; and Dr. Jim Pressley, Associate Profes
sor, East Carolina University.
Four groups deserve special thanks for their help with this publication:
The NCQLF Information Services Review Panel provided direction, consist
ing of Glenn Dennison, Michael Thomas, Dallas Navolt, Carol Clark and
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