Produced by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, these tutorials are designed to address the needs of schools and districts planning to implement, and those in the midst of implementing, smaller learning communities. Tutorials are provided for the following six topics: (1) Measurable Goals and Objectives, (2) Evaluation, (3) Parent Engagement, (4) Building Staff Ownership, (5) Scheduling, and (6) Instructional Improvement Teams. These six topics can be accessed by users through four entry points, including: Getting Started, which matches the needs of the user with the most relevant resources; The Basics, which describes the process and principles of each tutorial; School Stories, which provide case studies of SLCs in practice and how they address common challenges; and Tools, which help SLC leaders apply the tutorial lessons. This is a good resource for states that want to help their schools and districts initiate and implement smaller learning communities.
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Background and Context
One key approach to improving instruction for high school students is redesigning the environment and structure in which they learn. Creating smaller learning communities is one way schools are fundamentally reshaping that environment. Guided by a belief that student achievement will improve in a more personalized environment, advocates of smaller learning communities hope that smaller class sizes, increased teacher collaboration, comprehensive advisory systems, and a more relevant and rigorous curriculum will reap substantial gains in academic achievement.
