The Nexus

About the Book

The “nexus” between best practices and student achievement is demonstrated from the GRASP Project, discovering how some California charter schools with higher academic achievement showed evidence of a greater number of best practices as measured by performance, governance, education program, human resources, business practices, and facilities—the education program infrastructure. Surprisingly, technology did not show a correlation for reasons explained in the nexus. Moreover, the nexus is bolstered by administrative, innovation, and competition theory serving as foundations for The Nexus. The Nexus also introduces strategies to implement best practices and process improvements through Lean Six Sigma methods and strategic and action planning. The search for the next practice designed to improve education programs is perpetual. The significance to accreditation is profound as student achievement measures will require metrics paced to reform movements such as Common Core Standards derived from international settings. By the same token, quality education will become clearer as edification through international benchmarks such as ISO 9000 will promote higher standards of excellence. The Nexus conclusions have relevance to all school systems since implementing best practices can elevate student achievement. The reason is clear: the more a school system operates efficiently through best practices and process improvements, the more time is available to the school leadership to devote attention to academic achievement as the ultimate product of education. And for those invested in school improvement, a higher value-added education with a higher return on investment.

About the Author

About the Authors Dr. D(avid). Edgar Guthrie has worked in government, nonprofit, and private sectors for over thirty years with a doctorate in public policy and administration from the University of Southern California. Dr. Guthrie’s association and experience in the school and nonprofit governance leadership fields has led him to conclude that if organizations employ best practices, it will naturally result in higher productivity, efficiency, and effective firms. When best practices are integrated into the strategic planning process, it engenders an enhanced service delivery venue as the GRASP Project revealed with implications for school systems. Janis Jablecki has been in the field of education for the last twenty-five years. Initially a teacher, she has worked in charter schools since 1993 and as an administrator since 1997. In 1998, she became the head administrator of Camptonville Academy, a personalized learning charter school with its roots in home school and independent study. She was instrumental in opening two other personalized learning charter schools and currently is the executive director of all three schools. She received her bachelor of fine arts from the University of Rhode Island, teaching certificate from National University, and administrative leadership credential form California State University, Sacramento. She has presented extensively at charter school conferences in California and abroad and has received the California Department of Education Independent Study Field Expert award twice, 2007 and 2008. She became team leader for a Pubic Charter School Dissemination Grant in 2009, leading the Governance, Renewal, Assessment, and Strategic Planning (GRASP) Project.