Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
1. Introduction
Selection of Five Title 1 Schools
Focus Areas for Structured Interviews
The Five Sustaining Schools
2. Sylvan Elementary School, Modesto, California: A Culture of Effective Instruction
Building a High-Achieving Culture
Sylvan′s Non-Negotiable Core Values
Empowering Staff to Do Their Best Work
Using Student Data to Guide Curriculum and Instruction
Ongoing Improvement of Instruction
Strategic Intervention With Students
Sylvan’s Sustaining Elements
Lessons Learned From Sylvan Elementary School
3. Camellia Elementary School, Sacramento, California: A Culture of Order and Discipline
Developing a Culture of Order and Discipline
The Right Staff Stays at the School
Using Student Data to Guide Curriculum and Instruction
The Role of the Leadership Team and Governance
Camellia’s Non-Negotiable Core Values and Sustaining Elements
Lessons Learned From Camellia Elementary School
4. Jefferson Elementary School, Carlsbad, California: A Culture of Collaboration
Developing a Culture of Collaboration
Jefferson’s Non-Negotiable Core Values
Using Benchmark Data to Target Instruction
Using Data to Intervene With Students
Jefferson’s Sustaining Elements
Lessons Learned From Jefferson Elementary School
5. Rosita Elementary School, Garden Grove, California: A Culture of Clarity
Building a High-Achieving Culture
Empowering Staff to Do Their Best Work
Rosita′s Non-Negotiable Core Values
Advice to Principals
Sustaining Processes at Rosita
Lessons Learned From Rosita Elementary School
6. Baldwin Elementary School, Alhambra, California: A Culture of High Expectations
Building a High-Achieving Culture
Baldwin’s Non-Negotiable Core Values
Empowering the Right People
Mastery of Standards
Using Student Achievement Data
Baldwin’s Sustaining Elements
Lessons Learned From Baldwin Elementary School
7. Five Schools That Got the Job Done
A Crisis Point Forces Change
Developing a High-Achieving Culture
Non-Negotiable Core Values
The Essential Sustaining Elements
A Final Word
References
Index

Linda E. Reksten has been an educator for 25 years: 23 years in the public school system and two years as a college professor at Point Loma Nazarene University. Reksten began her public teaching career in the Burbank Unified School District in 1982 as a middle school science teacher and high school chemistry teacher. During the summers, she taught elementary science for gifted students in Grades 4 and 5. In 1986, she became principal of Disney Elementary School. During Reksten’s 17 years as principal, Disney Elementary became a Title 1 school and the most ethnically diverse school in the Burbank Unified School District, with 12 languages and 44 percent of the student population speaking only limited English. Disney became a California Distinguished School in 1997 largely due to the school’s technology program. As a result of her leadership and a dedicated, hard-working staff, Disney students’ Academic Performance Index (API) grew from 603 to 790 in three years, ranking the third highest-performing school in the Burbank Unified School District. Because of this success with students, Reksten and her staff were recognized by President Bush on June 10, 2003 in The Rose Garden at the first anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act.After serving two years as Professor of Education at Point Loma Nazarene University, Reksten transitioned back into public education to become the director of assessment and evaluation for Mountain View School District in El Monte, where she was responsible for assessment and technology. As of August 2007, she was promoted to assistant superintendent of educational services for the Mountain View School District, assisting 12 schools in improving their student achievement.Reksten is the author of Using Technology to Increase Student Learning (Corwin Press 2000). A native of Montana, she graduated from Montana State University, Billings, in 1973 with a secondary education degree in biology and chemistry. Immediately after graduating, she went on to earn a master’s degree in Christian education from George Fox University in 1976 and served four years as a director of Christian education. While still a teacher, she began her second master’s degree at Point Loma Nazarene University, where she graduated in curriculum and administration during the summer of 1985. She completed her doctoral studies at UCLA in teaching studies in June 1995 while she was a principal.