NEA's Keys to Excellence: KEY 2

Open Communication and Collaborative Problem Solving

High performing schools tend to promote collaborative cultures, support professional
communities and exchanges among all staff and cultivate strong ties among the school, parents, and community. The indicators under this Key focus on how the critical curricular, pedagogical, and organizational decisions that benefit teaching and learning in the school are made, and who is involved in making those decisions. Moving collectively on school-wide priorities fosters innovation and increases the school's capacity to engage in whole school improvement efforts.

Indicator 1: In a climate of non-threatening, two-way communication, school administrators and staff collaborate in problem solving.
This indicator focuses on the nature of interaction between the school staff and administrators in decision making. There should be deliberate efforts to build a school environment that provides collaborative opportunities-one that enriches school staff and expands student achievement and growth.

Indicator 2: Parents are involved in improving education.
This indicator examines the level of parental support for the school in a variety of ways-from parent participation in special events to fundraising, volunteerism, school-based decision counsels, task forces, and training teams. It also encourages a school team to look at the level of parent involvement in the learning environment.

Indicator 3: Teachers and staff collaborate to remove barriers to student learnings.
This indicator measures the extent to which teachers cooperate across grade levels, subject areas, and departments to solve students' problems. The indicator also measures whether staff feel prepared to address individual student differences and use staff meetings to solve problems.

Indicator 4: Teachers work closely with parents to help students learn and to improve education.
Parents to help students learn and improve education. This indicator looks at the working relationship between school staff and parents in understanding and meeting students' needs. It also measures whether or not real communication exists between school staff and parents.

Indicator 5: Teachers discuss standards and approaches for curriculum and instruction.
Using this indicator, a team can discern if the school curriculum is aligned with school district and state-defined standards and assessment. This indicator encourages teams to look at teacher involvement in implementing curriculum standards and in the development of new curricula.

Indicator 6: Teachers are involved in decisions about student learning.
This indicator focuses on how curriculum materials are selected at your school and who is involved in the process.

Indicator 7: Teachers are involved in decisions about school operations.
This indicator spotlights issues such as hiring practices and funding.

Indicator 8: Parents, community, and staff other than teachers are involved in decisions about school goals.
This indicator measures the level of business and community participation in the school. It also addresses parent involvement and possible changes in current practices to ensure a participatory process for all stakeholders.

Indicator 9: Teachers communicate regularly with each other about effective teaching and learning strategies.
This indicator documents how often teachers talk about student learning. It focuses on how often and where they meet to discuss teaching techniques and what can be done to encourage more interaction among teachers.

Go to KEY 3.