The Schools Our Students Deserve

THE SCHOOLS OUR STUDENTS DESERVE

A Comprehensive Framework for Shaping Exceptional School Culture

MARIO I. ACOSTA

Foreword by Anthony Muhammad

Copyright © 2026 by Marzano Resources

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Names: Acosta, Mario I. author

Title: The schools our students deserve : a comprehensive framework for shaping exceptional school culture / Mario I. Acosta.

Description: Bloomington, IN : Marzano Resources, [2026] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2025005302 (print) | LCCN 2025005303 (ebook) | ISBN 9781943360963 paperback | ISBN 9781943360970 ebook

Subjects: LCSH: School environment | School management and organization | Educational sociology

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Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge Phil Warrick, who has had a profound impact on both my career path and professional life. You have been an incredible mentor who not only taught me how to be an effective leader and shape successful schools, but you have also been an even better friend. I would not have been able to accomplish my career goals without your guidance and support.

I would like to acknowledge Tina Boogren, Robert Marzano, and Julia Simms for their help with the writing process. With this book, I have attempted to follow the lead of these world-class authors. Furthermore, I would like to thank the entire Solution Tree publishing staff for their hard work processing this book.

I would also like to thank my mom, Cindy Acosta, and dad, Mario Acosta, for their love and support. You not only raised me to be a good human but a good educator as well. Having served as teachers, principals, and district leaders, you

have been the most influential role models in my life. To my kids, Karli, Elena, Kai, and Evalina—I love you with all my heart! I want to thank you for being so supportive of me while I spent countless hours writing this book. I have tried to model for you that anything in life is possible with hard work and dedication.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge my wife, Courtney Acosta. You are not only the love of my life and my best friend but also the single greatest educator I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Together, in our journey as educational leaders, we learned the lessons that I have shared in this book. I could not have written this book without you. Thank you for being the best and most supportive colleague, friend, and wife!

Marzano Resources would like to thank the following reviewers:

Lety Amalla

Former Principal

Midland Independent School District

Midland, Texas

Jeffrey Benson

Educational Consultant

Jeffrey Benson, LLC Brookline, Massachusetts

Courtney Burdick

Apprenticeship Mentor Teacher

Spradling Elementary School Fort Smith, Arkansas

Molly Capps

Principal McDeeds Creek Elementary School Southern Pines, North Carolina

Barbara W. Cirigliano

Former Principal

Willow Grove Kindergarten and Early Childhood Center

Buffalo Grove, Illinois

Doug Crowley

Assistant Principal DeForest Area High School DeForest, Wisconsin

Jenna Fanshier

Principal

Marion Elementary School Marion, Kansas

Visit MarzanoResources.com/reproducibles to download the free reproducibles in this book.

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

About the Author

Mario I. Acosta, EdD, is an award-winning educator, accomplished author, and highly regarded speaker and consultant. He spent twenty years of his educational career as a teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, academic director, and principal leading schools with diverse profiles in the state of Texas. He was named the 2022 Texas principal of the year while principal of Westwood High School, a U.S. News & World Report Top 50 campus and member of the High Reliability Schools network.

Acosta has had success in leading schools of all sizes, with students and teachers from a variety of backgrounds, communities, and socioeconomic statuses. He has led school turnarounds in high-poverty schools throughout Texas

at both the middle and high school levels, which yielded immediate and significant growth in student achievement. Further, under his leadership, Westwood High School was recognized as a top 1 percent campus in the United States for academic achievement and college and career readiness.

Acosta is the coauthor of several books, including Five Big Ideas for Leading a High Reliability School with Robert J. Marzano and Phil B. Warrick, and a contributor to the edited volumes Culture Champions: Teachers Supporting a Healthy Classroom Culture, Culture Keepers: Leaders Creating a Healthy School Culture, and Professional Learning Communities at Work and High-Reliability Schools: Cultures of Continuous Learning.

In 2022, Acosta joined the Marzano Resources and Solution Tree teams and works as an author and national presenter. He specializes in campus-level implementation of effective campus culture, High Reliability Schools (HRSs), professional learning communities (PLCs), instructional improvement, response to intervention, effective teaching strategies for English learners, and standardsreferenced reporting. As an HRS certifier, Acosta works with K–12 schools and districts across the United States as they progress through the levels of certification. He also serves as an adjunct professor in the educational leadership master’s program at the University of Texas at Austin.

Acosta earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. He also holds a doctorate in educational administration from the University of Texas at Austin and a superintendent certification in the state of Texas.

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To learn more about Mario I. Acosta’s work, follow him @marioacosta31 on X and mario.acosta.902266 on Instagram.

To book Mario I. Acosta for professional development, contact pd@Marzano Resources.com.

Foreword by Anthony Muhammad

When Dr. Acosta approached me about writing the foreword for his new book, I was both honored and thrilled. Upon learning the title of this book, I became fixated on its meaning: The Schools Our Students Deserve. This title affirms that there should be a correlation between students and quality education and that relationship should be viewed as a right for all, not the privilege of some. As I pondered these concepts, I wondered if the social, political, and professional climate of modern society would interpret these concepts in the same way. Sadly, the evidence would say no.

Is there a basis for the claim that students deserve a quality education? The answer would be simply, yes. Horace Mann, who is often referred to as The Father of Public (Common) Schools, sought to actualize a vision in the 1830s

in Massachusetts. That vision included three key components: (1) Every student has the right to attend a local, funded school and be taught a universal academic curriculum to advance the greater good; (2) every classroom should be led by a teacher who is trained in the vocation of teaching to deliver that curriculum; and (3) local boards of education should oversee these institutions to ensure quality at each school under its jurisdiction (Spring, 2022).

The United States has made schooling available to every child and invested billions of dollars, but it has yet to meet the standard of ensuring every student attends the school they deserve. In most cases, we can predict the quality of a student’s educational experience based on factors like race, gender, social class, and disability. This falls far short of Mann’s vision of excellence for all.

In this pursuit, Dr. Acosta leans into the power of an invisible influencer of school quality—its culture. He theorizes that there is a connection between a school’s culture and the quality of the student learning experience. Perhaps, if we could influence the culture of the school, we could influence the quality of student learning. He writes in the introduction:

When a school’s cultural values are in harmony with its goals, the culture itself becomes a catalyst for achievement. It shapes decisions, molds teaching practices, and inspires students. It creates an atmosphere where innovation is not just welcomed but expected, where diversity is not merely accepted but celebrated, and where challenges are viewed not as obstacles but as opportunities for growth. (p. 3)

I have been intrigued by the influence of school culture for more than twenty years. I often wonder why certain practices tend to thrive in one school environment yet flounder in another. This question has driven me to write several books on the topic of school culture in pursuit of fulfilling the vision of Horace Mann. I have discovered that culture is complex because human beings are complex. There is no panacea to creating an ideal culture. Instead, there is a mix of theories and hypotheses that, when woven together, can start to demystify culture and help us collectively walk towards excellence. You can add the name Dr. Mario Acosta to the list of scholars carving out another pathway toward cultural excellence.

At a time when studies tell us that educator morale is at a record low, Dr. Acosta reminds us about the power of our collective influence through professional culture. Nothing influences school quality more than the collective behaviors of adult professionals. This does not excuse the disruptive behaviors

of politicians, parents, and society at large, but no group of people has more influence over creating the schools our students deserve than the educators who dedicate themselves to that pursuit. Things like high expectations, collective optimism, relentless problem solving, and a desire to improve are tools at our disposal. Dr. Acosta challenges us to accept this responsibility and leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of the educational rights of children.

In many ways, this book is a wake-up call to the moral imperative that all educators signed up to pursue. As a child who grew up in a U.S. inner city, I was driven by the idea of being a change agent in creating better school systems for those who are underserved by the current system. Even as a veteran educator of more than thirty years, the cracks of pessimism and despair visit me from time to time, and this book was a wake-up call for me as well.

This book is comprehensive. Dr. Acosta has made the concept of culture more tangible and accessible. He explains its power and influence and provides tools educators can embrace to start the never-ending process of refining their culture. This book is written with a huge level of respect for the scholarship that preceded it but offers solutions that are unique and add value to the literature. This is the book I wish I had in my hands when I started my school leadership journey years ago. You have the opportunity to embrace this scholarship, apply the diagnostic tools, and implement the recommendations found in this book. Will you accept the challenge of producing the school system our students deserve?

Introduction In Pursuit of Excellence: Shaping the Future Through Exceptional School Culture

At the core of every school is an invisible yet undeniable force—one that breathes life into its classrooms, fuels its ambitions, and ultimately determines its triumphs or struggles. Imagine two schools, nearly identical in student demographics, funding, curricula, and instructional strategies. One is a beacon of success, while the other remains stuck in a cycle of mediocrity. Step into the thriving school: The hallways hum with energy, teachers collaborate with passion, students engage with curiosity, and every decision is anchored in a shared commitment to excellence. Yet just miles away, another school, armed with the same best practices, feels stifled. Administrators impose directives without buy-in, teachers operate in isolation, initiatives fall flat, and students drift through their education disengaged and uninspired. What separates them? It’s not policies, programs, or personnel but something deeper: culture.

Schools are expected to create an environment in which students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. The school’s culture has a significant impact on these outcomes. As the embodiment of beliefs, behaviors, and desired outcomes, the culture dictates whether a school truly thrives, merely survives, or even fails. It shapes mindsets and defines the level of commitment to a shared vision. This powerful energy manifests as a dynamic entity born out of the school’s history, directing what is allowed in its present and influencing what it will become in the future. Caring for a school’s culture requires effort from all staff members to perpetuate, mold, and, when necessary, change a school’s culture. All educators must be mindful of the status of their school’s culture to ensure their efforts to improve student outcomes are supported and not thwarted by the culture.

A strong, well-crafted cultural fabric prepares an organization to manage challenges and thrive in better times.

This book unpacks the essence of school culture—how it forms, how it drives or obstructs progress, and most importantly, how educators can intentionally harness it to create schools where both students and staff thrive. Kevin Oakes (2021), an international expert in the field of human capital management, equated culture to a fabric that supports the whole organization. A strong, well-crafted cultural fabric prepares an organization to manage challenges and thrive in better times. If this fabric is weak or damaged, the smallest issues can tear larger holes, affecting everyone in the organization. In schools, a robust culture is crucial for the success and effectiveness of its teachers and students. Thus, the effectiveness of a school’s culture is not merely an indicator but a determinant of its success, influencing outcomes as surely as curricula or pedagogy.

Schools face many challenges from within the educational system as well as increasingly complex societal changes. Educators therefore need to systematically and regularly revisit the status of their school’s culture to align with current and future demands. I aim to provide educators with the knowledge and resources to lead cultural renovation in our ever-changing society. The ideas I present will guide educators through identifying their school’s current culture to implementing the cultural evolution required to meet the demands of educational environments.

How to Leverage School Culture

Defining and translating school culture into tangible reform actions can be complex. My goal is to simplify the concept so schools can understand and

mobilize their culture in a manner that supports reform efforts and best practices. I make the case that culture represents the collective beliefs and behaviors that form the foundation of an institution’s identity. This discussion takes place within the framework proposed by university professors and culture researchers Terrence E. Deal and Kent D. Peterson (2016), who defined school culture as a school’s unwritten rules and traditions, customs, and expectations. These elements, often unspoken and invisible, serve as the compass to navigate the educational journey and direct the “daily dance” of interactions, decisions, and practices that occur within school walls.

In the narrative of a school’s journey, its culture is both the compass and the terrain over which it travels. It is not just a backdrop but an active participant, influencing every step toward the school’s ambitions. Leveraging this potent force requires a deep dive into the character of the school, understanding that everyone’s contributions are more than isolated inputs: They are the vital threads that weave together the fabric of the educational community. An effective school culture is a dynamic entity, evolving with the times while retaining its core identity. It is the silent yet powerful engine that drives the school toward excellence.

When a school’s cultural values are in harmony with its goals, the culture itself becomes a catalyst for achievement. It shapes decisions, molds teaching practices, and inspires students. It creates an atmosphere where innovation is not just welcomed but expected, where diversity is not merely accepted but celebrated, and where challenges are viewed not as obstacles but as opportunities for growth.

Consider a high school that sets the goal of increasing student engagement through personalized learning. The school’s existing cultural values emphasize innovation, flexibility, and student ownership of learning. Teachers work collaboratively to develop differentiated instruction, and students have voice and choice in their learning pathways. Because the culture’s values align with the goal, initiatives like competency-based grading and flexible scheduling are met with enthusiasm, and the school sees a rise in student achievement and motivation.

When the existing school culture is out of step with the school’s strategic direction, it becomes necessary to stretch the culture to expand its boundaries gently but firmly. Consider a district that mandates all middle schools transition

When the existing school culture is out of step with the school’s strategic direction, it becomes necessary to stretch the culture to expand its boundaries gently but firmly.

to project-based learning to enhance critical thinking and problem solving. However, the current school culture values strict adherence to pacing guides, standardized tests, and teacher-centered instruction. Leaders must skillfully create momentum for these changes by simultaneously honoring the school’s current values while introducing new practices in a way that allows teachers to feel safe and supported as they grow into the new practices.

This stretching requires leaders who are not only skillful in guiding change but also deeply respectful of the existing cultural values. These leaders must collaborate with staff, drawing on the collective wisdom and energy of students, parents, staff, and teachers. Together, they must navigate the delicate process of transformation, seeding new practices and beliefs without uprooting the core identity that gives the school its unique character.

The goal is to foster an adaptive, supportive, and forwardthinking culture.

Educators must weave the individual threads of experience, belief, and behavior into a cohesive cultural fabric that can support and withstand change. This calls for a collective effort to distill and refine the school’s shared beliefs, aligning them with a vision that speaks to every member of the school community. The goal is to foster an adaptive, supportive, and forward-thinking culture that not only reflects the school’s heritage but also its potential, ultimately resulting in a school environment that ensures the success of each individual student. When such a culture is actualized, the burden that educators carry is lightened. A healthy school culture, in essence, increases the school’s effectiveness, staff morale, and professional cohesion. When educators work in such an environment, doing the job feels better and is easier to do well.

High Reliability Schools, Professional Learning Communities, and School Culture

Fortunately, a wealth of educational research and proven practices provide clear guidance for schools working to shape a more hopeful future. Robert Marzano, Phillip Warrick, and Julia Simms (2014) developed a framework of effective school reform called High Reliability Schools (HRSs), which emphasizes five key elements.

1. A safe, supportive, and collaborative culture

2. Effective teaching in every classroom

3. A guaranteed and viable curriculum

4. A standards-based approach to tracking and reporting student progress

5. The use of competency-based educational practices

These five elements are not just theoretical ideals—they are fundamental conditions that schools must implement and measure to ensure educational success for all students.

In addition to the HRS elements that guide effective school practice, consider the important best practices Richard DuFour and Robert Eaker (1998) offered in Professional Learning Communities at Work: Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement. To achieve learning for all students, DuFour and Eaker (1998) declared that schools must work collaboratively as professional learning communities (PLCs) using three big ideas.

1. A focus on learning

2. A collaborative culture

3. A results orientation

Schools thrive when teachers collaborate on a shared objective of enhancing student learning.

Integrating HRS with PLC concepts offers a comprehensive approach for enhancing school performance. HRSs offer a tiered framework of conditions essential for school effectiveness and continuous improvement. Schools sustain these conditions when they follow the PLC strategies of collaborative professional development and continuous improvement, all with a focus on the success of every student. Together, HRSs and PLCs create a robust system in which trust, teaching excellence, and student-centric decision making are at the forefront. This union leverages the best practices from research and practical implementations, illustrating that schools that commit to these principles often witness substantial improvements in student learning.

HRSs and PLCs offer schools an approach to ensuring positive student outcomes; however, the congruence of a school’s culture with the principles of HRSs and PLCs becomes not just beneficial but required for success. When aligned with the foundational elements of the HRS and PLC literature, school culture has the power to bolster educational outcomes.

Author and thought leader Anthony Muhammad (2024) asserted, “The fundamental purpose of a school is to improve learning for students” (p. 104). Therefore, sculpting an environment where educators’ belief systems and the school’s cultural framework are in sync with these principles is essential. Such

alignment is key for overcoming present educational struggles and for realizing the full academic potential of each student. To weather the storm of educational tribulations and to truly enhance the academic potential of each student, a school must commit to a culture that is in concert with these essential HRS and PLC tenets of school reform.

What’s

in This Book

I wrote this book to support educators in working together to ensure their school’s culture aligns with its aspirational goals and outcomes. Teachers and staff members must actively partner with school leaders in fostering a successful school culture. Likewise, school leaders must understand and support teachers in manifesting effective classroom cultures. Fostering an effective school culture is critical to ensuring successful outcomes for each student. This book guides educators through tangible action steps to engage in their school’s culture, understand its nuances, and shape it deliberately. Throughout this book, we journey to the core of what constitutes school culture, unraveling its intricacies and charting a path toward its reinforcement and, if necessary, revitalization.

Each chapter is designed to create a cohesive and comprehensive practitioner’s guide. My intent is to ensure that the school’s cultural compass aligns with its reform efforts, focusing on student success that endures and testifying to the transformative power of a culture that is nurtured and strategically leveraged.

Chapter 1 establishes the foundational understanding of school culture, explaining its powerful influence on decision making, teacher-student interactions, and school priorities. It explores culture as the unwritten rules that dictate success or failure within schools. You will gain an understanding of how culture shapes behavior, why mutual respect alongside measurable results is important, and how school leaders can leverage culture to create a highperforming environment.

Chapter 2 explores the role of vision in shaping and sustaining school culture. It examines how clearly defined core values, beliefs, and an envisioned future align a school’s current actions with its purpose. The chapter provides practical strategies for articulating and reinforcing a shared vision, ensuring that cultural beliefs remain in harmony with educational goals. It also offers best practices for embedding cultural values into hiring decisions and providing meaningful onboarding experiences.

Chapter 3 discusses how schools can refine and adjust aspects of their culture without dismantling their foundational strengths. Through the culture stretch process, educators learn to identify necessary behavioral shifts, leverage subcultures to drive change, and implement leadership strategies to ensure new practices take root. The chapter highlights how strong cultures embrace change while preserving their core identity.

An effective culture is sustained by a healthy school climate. Chapter 4 examines the key factors that shape school climate, including trust, communication, validation, and staff wellness. It discusses how a positive climate fosters collaboration, reduces burnout, and enhances both recruitment and retention.

The core focus of an effective school culture is student success and family involvement. Chapter 5 outlines the conditions necessary to foster student achievement, including high expectations, trauma-informed practices, student motivation, and evidence-based teaching. Additionally, it highlights how family and community engagement strengthen school culture, ensuring students receive holistic support.

The book concludes with an appendix containing a collection of tools designed to help schools and school leaders move from insight to action. These practical resources include audits, diagnostic surveys, and mapping frameworks that support everything from culture identification to climate evaluation and organizational network analysis. Each tool is research-informed and field-tested, offering clear pathways for translating values into behavior and uncovering the hidden dynamics within a school community.

I invite teachers, staff, administrators, and policymakers to join in the vital mission of fostering a school culture that supports highly effective learning environments within schools that students rightly deserve. This book is not just a call to action for a cultural revolution in schools; it is also a profound recognition of the urgent need to recalibrate and cultivate a stronger, more resilient school culture that addresses the challenges of today’s educational realities and builds the expectation of excellence, equity, and enduring success within schools and districts to ensure success for the students we serve.

Behavior Alignment for Change: Refining School Culture

When a school’s cultural values align with its objectives, the culture itself drives success. However, when the culture is misaligned and needs to change for the good of the school, the staff, or its students, the success of the change initiative lies in the effectiveness of the school’s leaders and cultural caretakers. Research on successful organizations in both the educational and corporate sectors identifies the importance and complexity of establishing cultures that are willing to adapt and change practice as needed, while simultaneously being strong enough to hold to their core ideology (Costanza, Blacksmith, Coats, Severt, & DeCostanza, 2016; Kelly, 2018; Vargas-Halabi & Yagüe-Perales, 2024).

A willingness to embrace change is an important characteristic of an effective culture. According to Oakes (2021), “High-performance organizations are more likely to say change is normal, and in fact employees in these organizations describe regular change as an opportunity to boost productivity” (p. 17). Thus, cultivating a supportive, values-driven school culture is not a peripheral task but a strategic imperative that lays the groundwork for sustainable change, driving both individual and organizational transformation. Schools and districts must take intentional steps to ensure that their culture supports its members to respond effectively when change in practice is needed.

A willingness to embrace change is an important characteristic of an effective culture.

This chapter provides actions schools and districts can take to improve specific aspects of their culture, avoiding the common misconception that the culture can be changed holistically. The second component of the School Culture Framework— behavior alignment for change—describes the importance of understanding that changing school culture is accomplished by identifying specific aspects of the culture that need renovation as opposed to attempting a demolition of the entire culture.

According to Oakes (2021), companies that effectively changed their cultures were successful because they were renovating what they had, respecting their past and their core values, and not starting from scratch and completely rebuilding or transforming. Reinforcing this idea, Gruenert and Whitaker (2015) wrote the following:

When pursuing cultural change, leaders shouldn’t consider changing the culture entirely—even in the most toxic school cultures, some aspects are probably functioning quite well. School leaders need to understand the specific aspects of the culture that are interfering with the school’s goals. (pp. 108–109)

Even in the case of unhealthy, misaligned cultures, the research supports the notion that change must occur by impacting strategic slices of improvement instead of attempting to impact the whole organization all at once (Ashby, 1999).

This chapter provides a step-by-step process for supporting schools through effective culture change using the culture stretch process. This process reshapes the cultural boundaries by identifying areas of school culture that need improvement and aligning specific behaviors of individual staff and influential subcultures to the needed change. This process supports schools and districts through cultural renovation by providing concrete actions in leveraging the strengths of their current culture while also adjusting aspects in need of renovation.

Figure 3.1 shows how behavioral alignment for change fits into the overall School Culture Framework.

Shared Vision creates clarity on the core ideology of the school, focusing on the success of every student.

Behavior Alignment for Change focuses on how educators’ behaviors impact performance; implements effective change processes when needed; and models, measures, and celebrates educators whose mindsets align with desired behaviors.

School Climate provides people with a positive work environment centered around trust, communication, validation, growth, safety, wellness, collaboration, and autonomy; staff have the resources, support, and desire to meet personal and school goals.

Student Success and Family and Community Engagement place these goals at the center of reform efforts.

Foundation: An equal focus on mutual respect and a results orientation.

3.1: School Culture Framework—Behavior alignment for change

This chapter highlights the following urgent actions for educators.

FIGURE

• Confront potential negative contemporary challenges and their impact on the pre-existing culture.

• Support employee behavior alignment by providing clear expectations and consistent modeling of desired cultural shifts.

• Apply performance-value assessments to understand where staff members stand in both outcomes and alignment.

• Understand culture’s dual role in change—both in culture and of culture—to prioritize change initiatives while effectively leveraging the guardian to support necessary change.

• Identify areas in need of cultural refinement and engage in the cultural stretching process to change or improve.

• Leverage the role of effective leadership to facilitate cultural stretch by supporting school educators through the process.

• Promote distributed leadership by empowering others to influence culture change through shared responsibility and trust.

Confronting Challenges in the Educational Landscape

Unfortunately, the 21st century educational landscape is beset by an array of complex and interconnected challenges that impact every facet of the school experience. These challenges are not just systemic; they exert a significant influence on the personal and professional ideologies and practices of educators. The prevailing difficulties reshape educators’ beliefs about their roles and the nature of teaching. Additionally, the strain of adapting to these multifaceted pressures has tangible effects on educators’ behavior, leading to changes in classroom management, instructional methods, and even the ways they interact with students and colleagues.

Let’s revisit the definition of school culture proposed in chapter 1 (page 12):

The school’s culture encompasses beliefs and behaviors that are cultivated over time, honored by tradition, and validated by the shared experiences of educators, students, and the community alike. It reflects the school’s character and is a blueprint of its values, a defender of its present self, and a guide to its future. It is this character that creates the boundaries of safety, normalcy, and esteem for its members.

As a living, breathing entity, school culture is profoundly impacted by belief and behavior changes caused by the difficulties resulting from societal and global events.

Given the depth of challenges that schools face, educators must consider the impact that these changes have on the health of their school culture to ensure the culture’s willingness to address the challenges it faces. Let us consider the following urgent issues challenging schools: mental health and wellness, the widening achievement gap, state and federal accountability, political polarization, demographic changes, declining attendance, rapid technological advancements, and staffing shortages.

MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Schools are confronting a mental health crisis among students and staff. Anxiety, depression, and stress have become commonplace, affecting individuals and the educational process itself. In 2024, Compass Health Center reported that 42 percent of teens experience persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and 14 percent of LGBTQ teenagers attempted suicide, including one in five transgender and nonbinary youth. Furthermore, youth mental health hospitalizations increased by 124 percent since 2016.

Behavioral issues in students have intensified. These issues are often linked to, or exacerbate, mental health concerns, which in turn affect classroom dynamics and learning outcomes (Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2023). According to Madeline Will (2023), the Merrimack College and EdWeek Research Center found that 57 percent of teachers reported that students’ mental health and wellness issues were having a negative impact on academic learning, and 53 percent responded that these issues were negatively impacting classroom management.

WIDENING ACHIEVEMENT GAP

The ongoing achievement gap, referring to the disparity in academic performance between groups of students, is a persistent and familiar challenge for schools. As evidence of this achievement gap, we look to the U.S. Department of Education: Office for Civil Rights (2023) 2020–2021 data collection report, which found the following.

• Students have limited access to advanced mathematics, science, and computer science courses, particularly in schools with high enrollments of Black and Latino students.

• There are disparities in disciplinary actions in public preschools, with Black children being suspended at nearly twice their rate of enrollment, and boys representing a disproportionately high percentage of those receiving suspensions or expulsions.

• Black students, American Indian or Alaska Native students, and students with disabilities are overrepresented in justice facilities compared to their overall student enrollment percentages.

• A considerable number of students attend schools where less than half of the teachers meet all state certification requirements, with most of these students being Black and Latino.

High-poverty schools experience the highest rates of teacher turnover, which affects the continuity of education and contributes to the perpetuation of the socioeconomic achievement gap (Bradley, 2022). Additionally, the National Center for Education Statistics (2023) reported that, on average, 36 percent of students were behind grade level in at least one academic subject by the end of the year. This figure highlights the educational disruptions that have disproportionately affected students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, further emphasizing the need for targeted interventions and resources to bridge the educational divide.

Despite decades of efforts to close the gap, disparities persist. In fact, the gap widened further due to the disproportionate impact the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic had on non-White students and students from low-income households. The achievement gap continues to have profound implications for students, educators, schools, and communities.

STATE AND FEDERAL ACCOUNTABILITY

In an attempt to support schools with these learning gaps, state and federal governments have increased accountability pressures to aim for educational improvement, which often place undue stress on schools (Munyan-Penney, Jones, & Levitan, 2024). Emulating the efficiency and outcome orientation of businesses, state and federal accountability systems put pressure on schools to value quantifiable results over educational richness and diversity. The emphasis on standardized testing as a measure of school quality is one such example, where a narrow focus on test scores can marginalize other aspects of learning that are less measurable but no less important, such as critical thinking, creativity, and emotional development.

When schools become overly focused on narrowly defined outcomes, they may also overlook the importance of fostering an inclusive, supportive school culture that can cater to the emotional and social well-being of students. The pressure to perform can also lead to a culture of fear and stress rather than one of inspiration and growth. For educators, the additional administrative burdens of complying with these systems can detract from the time and energy they must devote to teaching and mentoring students.

POLITICAL POLARIZATION

School systems and educators in the United States are also navigating a highly polarized political landscape that deeply influences educational discourse and classroom dynamics. Heightened political polarization has increased pressure on educators to maintain neutrality, particularly on issues such as racial and social justice, which are intrinsically linked to education.

This has led to a challenging environment for teachers who strive to address these topics in their classrooms, often fearing backlash from administrators or parents for stepping away from perceived neutrality (Walker, 2018). These pressures are forcing educators to confront and often combat misinformation and politicized narratives to continue providing a comprehensive and inclusive education. Against this backdrop of political pressures, schools must not merely aspire to equity and excellence but actualize them.

DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES

In 2023 and 2024, U.S. schools faced significant challenges due to demographic changes, particularly concerning students from migrant families. Schools had to rapidly adapt to the needs of these students, many of whom come from low-income backgrounds and do not speak English. The influx has required schools to expand programs for English learners, increase class sizes, and, in some cases, hire more teachers and faculty to manage the additional students and their unique needs (Whelan, 2024).

According to the Migration Policy Institute, 2023 saw a historic high of 2.5 million migrants at the U.S. border (Putzel-Kavanaugh & Ruiz Soto, 2023). It then follows that the rise in migrant student populations across the United States has highlighted the urgent need for educational systems to accommodate learners from diverse backgrounds. With educational systems already under pressure, teachers and administrators must navigate new challenges, including providing tailored language, mental health, and educational services.

DECLINING ATTENDANCE

Compounding the demographic shifts are declining student attendance rates, symptomatic of deeper systemic problems and often a precursor to academic disengagement. According to a 2022 federal data analysis conducted by Attendance Works (2023), two out of three schools in the United States had high chronic absenteeism (defined as a student missing 10 percent or more school days), which was up from 25 percent in 2019. Further, the report explained that in eleven states, more than one in four students were chronically absent. Additionally, “kindergarten enrollment remained down 5.2% in the 2022–2023 school year compared with

the 2019–2020 school year, according to an Associated Press analysis of state-level data. Public school enrollment across all grades fell by 2.2%” (Mumphrey, Lurye, & Stavely, 2023).

These attendance issues raise red flags about students’ well-being, family dynamics, and the overall school experience. The impact of these changes is deep, with schools facing enrollment declines due to population aging and lower birth rates. This trend poses unique challenges to the financial stability and educational quality of school districts, compelling them to rethink their resource allocation and instructional designs to address varied student needs (Cook, 2023). These demographic shifts, enrollment declines, changes in family characteristics, and rising popularity of different educational formats such as virtual schools are reshaping the cultural composition of schools.

RAPID TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS

Simultaneously, rapid technological advancements, especially in artificial intelligence and ed tech tools, are transforming educational delivery and content. The integration of these technologies not only alters how students learn but also demands that educators adapt their teaching methods rapidly to effectively engage this new generation of learners. Educators are at the front line, needing to quickly shift their strategies to accommodate these seismic changes in student demographics and technological integration. This requires an adaptive mindset and a willingness to engage in continuous professional development to remain effective in their roles.

STAFFING SHORTAGES

At the writing of this book, school districts find themselves in an acute staffing crisis. Staff turnover has become a revolving door in many districts, with burnout and dissatisfaction driving educators away, leaving schools struggling to maintain continuity and quality. A 2023 survey conducted by the RAND Corporation found that 56 percent of K–12 public school teachers reported symptoms of burnout, while 58 percent of teachers in public schools reported experiencing frequent job-related stress (Diliberti, Steiner, Kaufman, Woo, & Schwartz, 2023).

According to 2023 data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, 2023), the statistical center of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES), 86 percent of American K–12 public schools faced difficulties in recruiting teachers for the 2023–2024 academic year. Additionally, 83 percent of these schools are experiencing obstacles in filling nonteaching roles, such as classroom aides, transportation staff, and mental health professionals (Nuland & Ewaida, 2023). This widespread educator shortage is leaving crucial gaps in the educational framework and placing additional strain on the remaining staff.

Leadership within schools is also facing its own hurdles, with inexperience at the helm sometimes leading to missteps in navigating these complex issues. According to 2022 data from the Superintendent Research Project, 49 percent of the five hundred largest school districts have faced superintendent changes since March 2020 (Ward, 2023). Experience in principalship is also dwindling, with over 20 percent of principals not returning after the 2022 school year (Ward, 2023). The lack of seasoned leaders can result in a deficiency in mentorship and support for both new and established teachers, undermining efforts to create a cohesive, effective educational environment.

FROM SURVIVING TO THRIVING

Schools must confront these challenges and understand how they are affected by the multitude of evolving issues. This demands that schools be proactive in acknowledging and addressing the impacts these challenges have had on their school cultures, incorporating strategies to support educators and students alike. A deliberate and thoughtful reshaping of school culture is therefore not only strategic but also necessary to empower schools to rise above these challenges and ensure every staff member and student thrives. The status quo can no longer stand!

The simple fact is that the only way to change outcomes for students is for educators to modify their behaviors in ways that will positively impact students.

School systems frequently focus improvement efforts in areas such as standardized testing, attendance rates, and graduation rates, but DuFour and Marzano (2011) asserted that school improvement begins with people improvement. Challenging the status quo in schools begins with a review and revision of educator behavior. School accountability systems force schools to focus on goal planning, goal accomplishment, exceeding performance expectations, missing performance expectations, and so on. Unfortunately, schools are not asked to address the human-centered elements of the workplace. Values, behaviors, and employee experience are seldom monitored and even more rarely measured (Edmonds & Babbitt, 2021). The simple fact is that the only way to change outcomes for students is for educators to modify their behaviors in ways that will positively impact students.

Supporting Behavior Alignment

Consider the following logic statement: School culture influences educator behavior; educator behavior determines strategy implementation; strategy implementation

drives student outcomes. The implementation of any strategy requires all employees to both accept and commit to a common course of action (Kaplan & Norton, 2001). Behaviors aligned with effective school culture contribute significantly to creating an environment conducive to student success. Put simply, educator behavior ultimately determines the effectiveness of schools.

Research indicates that when teachers are engaged and actively participating in the school’s vision, student outcomes improve (Goddard, Goddard, Kim, & Miller, 2015). For educators to align their behavior with the school’s culture, they must understand that their daily behavior should be informed by the content of the school’s written vision, encompassing both its values and envisioned future. Schools can support this alignment by pairing individual performance expectations with school values (U.S. General Accounting Office, 2003). Effectively aligned cultures are characterized by institutionalized systems (particularly measurement systems) that implicitly and explicitly direct the intentions and efforts of all involved (Ehrhart et al., 2014).

Put simply, educator behavior ultimately determines the effectiveness of schools.

Organizations should create robust measurement processes that assess faculty and staff behavior in relation to the institution’s written values. This alignment between values and behaviors can be monitored using metrics that track goal attainment as well as the degree faculty and staff embody the school’s core values in their day-to-day interactions (Dolan, Garcia, & Richley, 2006). For example, a school that prioritizes inclusivity might develop measures that evaluate how teachers foster an inclusive classroom environment or how administrators create policies that support diverse learners. These behavior-based evaluations allow schools to ensure their values are more than just words on paper but instead, become actionable standards that guide everyday practices.

By implementing systems that align staff behavior with organizational values, schools can foster a more consistent and intentional culture that contributes directly to their overarching educational goals. This alignment not only enhances school performance but also creates a more cohesive and motivating environment for educators and students alike. The following scenario provides a tangible example of how a school could measure educator behavior alignment to school values.

Consider a school whose core values include inclusivity, growth, and accountability. To ensure these values are consistently upheld, the school creates specific metrics and behaviors for teachers and administrators that align with these values, as table 3.1 (page 84) shows.

TABLE 3.1: Example Value-Behavior Metrics

Example Core Values

Example Behavior Metrics

Inclusivity Teachers are evaluated on how they foster inclusive classrooms. This could involve using tools like student surveys and peer observations to assess whether each teacher encourages diverse perspectives and creates an environment where all students feel valued. Administrators, in turn, might be evaluated based on policies they implement to support diverse learners, such as ensuring accessibility in classrooms or adapting curricula to address different cultural backgrounds. Regular feedback and reflection sessions allow educators to see how their daily interactions align with the school’s inclusion goals.

Growth To promote growth as a core value, the school might implement professional development goals tied to specific educational techniques or subject matter expertise. Teachers could track and discuss their progress in regular one-on-one meetings with mentors, focusing on both student achievement and self-improvement in their teaching practices.

Accountability To ensure accountability, the school could introduce a system in which both teachers and administrators set quarterly goals aligned with the school’s strategic objectives. Progress toward these goals is tracked through clear metrics, such as improvements in student engagement or achievement in classrooms. By incorporating accountability into behavior evaluations, the school promotes transparency and personal responsibility, encouraging all educators to align with school values in their actions.

By using these structured, value-aligned measures, the school ensures its values are not just aspirational but actively embodied in everyday practice. This approach aligns individual efforts with the school’s vision, which enhances both educator engagement and overall school performance (Kuntz, Malinen, & Näswall, 2017). Organizational theorist Karl E. Weick (1985) argued that it is difficult to distinguish strategy from culture in successful organizations, explaining that strategy is what the organization wants to do, and culture is the process by which it can happen. When strategy and culture align, they are indistinguishable. To create such alignment between strategy and culture, schools must build processes that assess faculty and staff behavior in relation to the written values of the institution, considering both performance and values when measuring success.

Applying Performance-Value Assessment

While traditional performance evaluations often focus solely on meeting jobrelated tasks and goals, they frequently overlook the critical component of values alignment. Leaders must have a structured approach to assess not only what employees achieve but also how they achieve it.

The performance-value matrix in figure 3.2 is a powerful tool designed to monitor and measure employee alignment in both performance and adherence to core values. It provides leaders with a visual framework to evaluate how well individuals are performing in their roles while also assessing their alignment with the organization’s core values. Each of the four quadrants shows a distinct combination of high or low performance and high or low values match, providing a comprehensive overview of employee behavior.

Low Values Match

High Performance

Low Performance

Sentinels (low values match, high performance): Sentinels demonstrate strong performance, have a deep understanding of the culture’s history, and prioritize preserving established practices, resisting changes that deviate from cultural traditions.

Shadows (low values match, low performance): Shadows include employees with weak cultural alignment and low performance, often feeling disconnected or disenfranchised.

Source: Adapted from Edmonds & Babbitt, 2021.

FIGURE 3.2: Performance-value matrix

High Values Match

Scouts (high values match, high performance): Scouts exceed performance standards, align strongly with the school’s values, and are forward thinkers who embrace change and improvement.

Sprouts (high values match, low performance: Sprouts align with the school’s values but may lack the skills or confidence to lead change.

Effective use of this tool requires that expectations for both performance and values are explicitly defined, communicated, and agreed on. As discussed in chapter 2 (page 34), when all systems within a school align with its core values, a cohesive and focused environment conducive to achieving educational goals develops. Schools can consistently gauge team member behavior using the matrix, gaining valuable insights into who is excelling, who may need additional support, and who might be better suited for a different role. This approach ensures a balanced focus on both results and cultural fit, which is essential for fostering high-performing, values-driven schools.

The categories of employee alignment and performance in the performance-value matrix from figure 3.2 illustrate distinct types of employee roles, each with unique strengths and challenges within an organizational culture. Each quadrant of the performance-value matrix, which I describe in detail in the following section, has practical applications in school environments, where varying levels of alignment and skill influence both individual and collective performance.

1. High values match–high performance (scouts): These employees and subcultures exceed performance standards and align strongly with the organization’s values. Scouts model the defined values and desired

behaviors (Edmonds & Babbitt, 2021). Scouts are forward thinkers who embrace change and improvement, often acting as early adopters without needing encouragement. In a school setting, scouts could be innovative teachers who adopt and champion new teaching methods, influencing others by example. They actively seek professional development and continuously improve their skills, creating an environment of growth for both students and peers. Research shows that employees with high engagement and high competence, like scouts, tend to foster continuous improvement (Kwon, Jeong, Park, & Yoon, 2024).

2. Low values match–high performance (sentinels): Sentinels have a deep understanding of the culture’s history and prioritize preserving established practices. These individuals and subcultures demonstrate strong performance but resist changes that deviate from cultural traditions. In schools, these employees might be senior teachers who ensure that traditional methods remain integral to teaching practices. They act as custodians of the school’s cultural guardian, standing watch to oversee cultural continuity, maintaining stability and making sure changes align with the school’s historical identity. Unfortunately, sentinels may resist new approaches, fearing they might disrupt the proven methods. They understand in the present what actions align with the developed culture, and they review all efforts to ensure that the future of the culture remains aligned with its past self. Studies on employee conservatism indicate that sentinels contribute stability but may require context and training to understand why changes are beneficial (Hurtz & Donovan, 2000).

3. High values match–low performance (sprouts): These employees and subcultures align with the organization’s values but may lack the skills or confidence to lead change. Sprouts in a school might be teachers who support new teaching strategies but lack the expertise to fully implement them independently. They are open to influence and may follow more confident peers if given the proper guidance and skillbuilding opportunities. Sprouts can be swayed to follow the scouts to new practices, but they can also be recruited by the sentinels to help maintain the status quo. New staff members are often in this category. Onboarding programs must take this fact into account consistently and provide mentoring and teaming with scouts. This category has the highest potential for growth since sprouts require skill development rather than cultural alignment (Criss, Konrad, Alber-Morgan, & Brock, 2024).

4. Low values match–low performance (shadows): Shadows include employees with weak cultural alignment and low performance; they often feel disconnected or disenfranchised. In schools, shadows might be those struggling with both instructional methods and value alignment, impacting their ability to engage students effectively. These employees can be challenging to integrate, as their lack of motivation and skills can negatively affect school performance. High levels of support and directive guidance are crucial for this group, as they often need both skills training and cultural alignment to become more effective contributors (Forson, Ofosu-Dwamena, Opoku, & Adjavon, 2021).

In every school or district, staff behaviors tend to align with these four key patterns. Sentinels guard the status quo, scouts lead the way forward, sprouts show promise and growth, and shadows remain disconnected or ineffective. Recognizing these patterns helps leaders develop specific strategies to tailor their support, build momentum, and move the school or district forward strategically and effectively with clarity and purpose.

The Neosho School District in Neosho, Missouri, uses the performance-value matrix (refer to figure 3.2, page 85) to structure support for staff and align coaching with the four different quadrants of the matrix. The school district leaders have used this approach to provide strategic and targeted action plans to ensure that all educators receive targeted support based on their performance-value needs (N. Manley, personal communication, October 15, 2024).

Figure 3.3 shows the performance-value action plan Neosho School District’s leaders use to support employees.

High Values Match–High Performance: Scouts

Support:

• Give permission and eliminate barriers to the desired changes.

• Create pathways for success while actively providing support.

• Provide personal validation and specific affirmation.

• Provide opportunities for collaborative grouping.

• Support when stressed; provide tools when needed.

• Offer active listening and walk alongside them.

Leadership:

• Encourage employees to bring their thoughts to the table.

• Offer self-reflection discussions.

• Provide leadership positions and invest in professional development opportunities for growth.

• Place a “carrot” before employees as a goal.

• Leverage influence.

• Recognize difficulties and challenges of the lead teacher position among colleagues.

3.3: Neosho School District performance-value action plan continued

FIGURE

Celebrate:

• Build up employees’ leadership desires.

• Promote self-confidence.

• Recognize qualities that make employees shine.

Modeling:

• Offer the following: + Peer coaching + Action research + Passion projects

Low Values Match–High Performance: Sentinels

Clarifying vision:

• Identify what is best for students and stretch their perspective.

• Create a timeline for check-in.

• Co-create goals and accountability measures.

• Focus on the why; also use support from an instructional coach.

• Limit influence (last resort).

Coaching:

• Ensure culturally aligned commitments.

• Review critical considerations.

• Mentor and demonstrate what is expected and how it’s done.

• Focus on effective student management.

• Direct clear conversations.

• Assign tasks to create behavior that eventually changes belief.

Values:

• Promote positivity in all situations.

• Provide more value-based professional development.

Collaboration:

• Build relationships within the PLC team.

• Team with people who value collaboration and strategic grouping.

• Plant seeds and allow them to arrive at their own “aha” moments.

• Provide video lessons.

• Come with solutions.

High Values Match–Low Performance: Sprouts

Immediate victories:

• Provide small, challenging tasks.

• Counteract impostor syndrome by assuring and empowering.

Coaching, connection cycles, toolbox:

• Focus on effective student management.

• Help with data analysis and next-best action steps.

• Provide instructional coach support and professional development.

• Observe and mentor scout teachers.

• Build strong, collaborative relationships.

• Offer clear, specific feedback.

• Celebrate!

Clarify next steps:

• Coach with effective instructional elements and professional development.

• Seek to understand employees’ needs.

• Encourage observations.

• Motivate, empower, and celebrate.

Hire well:

• Identify necessary skills to be effective in your district.

• Provide support and coaching.

• Offer mentorship with scout teacher.

• Call references to explore employee’s value alignment with your district.

Low

Values Match–Low Performance: Shadows

Coaching:

• Implement a personal improvement plan with clear timelines for goals and check-ins.

• Collaborate with scouts.

• Conduct peer observations and walkthroughs.

• Provide professional development.

• Coach with consistent instructional rounds.

• Provide clearly written expectations.

• Assume good intentions.

• Clarify skill set to be developed.

• Focus on effective student management.

Clear values:

• Broadcast happiness and do not allow toxicity to spread (limit influence to system).

• Start with values over performance.

• Have intentional conversations about teaching and learning.

• Set goals with focused and specific feedback.

• Clarify building goals and cultural alignment

Celebrate:

• Highlight positive experiences.

Team impact:

• Prioritize team building.

• Have hard conversations.

• Examine model classroom video and reflect on instruction.

• Complete personality type quizzes.

Source: © 2024 by Neosho School District. Adapted with permission.

Understanding the staff performance-value alignment is a necessary precursor to implementing culture change. By measuring employee performance and value alignment, the change process will leverage the abilities and beliefs of specific sets of employees as catalysts for change.

Understanding Culture’s Dual Role in Change

A school’s culture is the most influential and impactful variable when change is needed. The success or failure of a change effort depends on whether the change is supported by the existing cultural guardian. Therefore, schools engaging in reform or improvement efforts must have clarity regarding the alignment (or misalignment) of the proposed reform with their existing culture. When reform or change efforts align with the school’s culture, faculty and staff are likely to accept the proposed change strategies and align their practices with the changes. In this case, the culture itself is a catalyst for, and a champion of, the change needed. Conversely, if

the proposed changes do not align with the current culture, faculty and staff will likely resist adjusting their practices to the changes. The culture becomes a barrier to change, perceiving the change as a threat to its core identity. Understanding the alignment of employee behavior with change represents the first and potentially most important strategic decision in the change process.

As previously discussed in chapter 2 (page 34), the cultural guardian serves two main purposes: (1) protecting the organization and (2) resisting change. The guardian may find change difficult because it often perceives it as a threat to its established way of functioning. The unpredictability of the future forces the cultural guardian to confront the tension between tradition and progress.

To successfully overcome the cultural guardian’s propensity to resist change, schools must avoid the urge to thrust changes onto the entire culture and, instead, learn to leverage individuals and subcultures (specifically scouts and sprouts) who are willing to engage in the proposed changes. Once willing members of the culture have adopted and refined the changes, they can then become the influencers who lead the change process with the remaining staff. School leaders play a crucial role initiating and facilitating this change process through identifying, supporting, and celebrating the individuals and subcultures who adopt change while simultaneously challenging members who oppose it.

To successfully overcome the cultural guardian’s propensity to resist change, schools must avoid the urge to thrust changes onto the entire culture.

When a change effort in an organization fails, the cause of the failure can regularly be traced to the cultural guardian not supporting the change. Muhammad (2018) elaborated on this phenomenon, asserting that structural changes not supported by cultural change will always be overwhelmed by the existing culture. This cultural phenomenon creates a binary condition for schools and districts to consider. Either the proposed change is currently supported by the culture or it is not.

Whether the culture supports change requires leaders to understand that the change strategy is either first-order change or second-order change. First-order change involves small, manageable improvements within existing structures, while second-order change requires deep, transformative shifts in values, strategy, and operations (Bate, 1994). This distinction is crucial for understanding how organizations adapt to change, as first-order changes are often easier to implement but may not lead to significant transformation, whereas second-order changes can lead to profound organizational evolution but are more challenging to execute (Greenwood, & Hinings, 2023).

Figure 3.4 illustrates the roles that sentinels, scouts, sprouts, and shadows often play in the change process, as well as in adaptive or transformative change. Schools should first determine whether the proposed change is adaptive, first-order change that safely lies within the light, warmth, and order of the current culture’s boundaries (representing change in culture), or if the proposed change is transformative, second-order change that lies in the unknown danger of the darkness not currently protected by the cultural boundaries (representing change of culture).

Kelsey Miller (2020) described these change conditions as adaptive change versus transformational change. Adaptive changes are small, incremental, first-order changes in culture, supported by the cultural guardian and adopted to address the culture’s needs over time. Transformational changes of culture involve major second-order shifts in strategy, structure, performance, and process and represent mindsets and behaviors that exist outside of the guardian’s current cultural boundaries.

When change is needed in schools, understanding the type of change becomes the first step for school and district leaders. The determination as to whether the existing cultural guardian will support or resist the needed change will govern the outcomes of the change process. Consider the following two examples in figure 3.5 (page 92).

FIGURE 3.4: Change in (adaptive) versus change of (transformative) culture

Adaptive Change in Culture: Aligned With School’s Culture

• At Oakwood Middle School, the school culture is centered around collaboration, student-centered learning, and continuous improvement. The administration proposes a new initiative to introduce project-based learning, which allows students to work in groups, solve real-world problems, and showcase their work to the community. Since the staff already values teamwork, hands-on learning, and student engagement, the proposal is well received.

• Teachers enthusiastically embrace the change, aligning it with their shared belief that students learn best through active participation and collaboration. The implementation goes smoothly. The faculty accept professional development eagerly and work together to adjust their lesson plans and share strategies, making the transition seamless and successful.

Transformational Change of Culture: Not Aligned With School’s Culture

• At Maple Grove High School, the culture has a long history of strongly emphasizing standardized testing and lecture-based instruction. The administration proposes a shift to a more flexible, student-led learning model where students have greater autonomy in shaping their learning paths.

• However, most of the staff are uncomfortable with the idea, viewing it as too radical and out of step with the school’s focus on rigor and structure. Despite training sessions and meetings, teachers resist the change, questioning how it fits with the school’s longstanding values.

FIGURE 3.5: Adaptive and transformative change examples

These examples illustrate the point that adaptive changes that align with the cultural guardian will be more readily accepted, and implementation will spread throughout the school quickly and effectively. Transformational change will take time and strategic focus and requires creating buy-in from the guardian before these changes are accepted and supported.

When engaging in reform, schools should consider first implementing adaptive changes. However, schools and school leaders should not accept that they cannot implement critical transformational changes. When the guardian resists change, schools must employ a strategic approach aimed at stretching the school’s culture to adopt the necessary behaviors needed to support transformational change. The goal of cultural stretch is to expand the culture’s boundaries of light and safety to encompass the needed changes, allowing the culture to adopt the change into the light of its safety. The following sections explore strategies that support the change process in either condition.

ADAPTIVE CHANGE IN CULTURE

During adaptive change, “the focus is on evolutionary growth (more of the same, but better) with the aim of retaining and building on those established values, traditions, and working practices that have served the organization well over a period of years” (Mannion, 2022, p. 33). In the case of adaptive change, the school or district’s cultural values align with change goals and actions, and the culture itself becomes a catalyst for achievement. The guardian will support the aligned changes

by rallying the collective efforts and skills of its members to embrace the necessary changes, ensuring successful outcomes for both staff and students. When change aligns with the existing culture, school leaders would do well to proceed with schoolwide implementation. However, even aligned change needs a thoughtful approach to ensure it is executed effectively. The process for such a change would focus on communication, empowerment, building momentum, and leveraging the existing cultural strengths. When leaders identify the need for changes accepted by the guardian, they should apply the change process featured in figure 3.6.

Adaptive Change Process: Aligned With the Cultural Guardian

Steps

1. Assess current alignment. Begin by clearly identifying how the proposed change aligns with the organization’s cultural values and norms.

2. Communicate the change. Communicate the change in a way that reinforces its alignment with the culture, reducing resistance.

• Conduct a quick review of the organization’s vision and core values to confirm the alignment.

• Engage in discussions with key stakeholders, like leadership teams and cultural guardians, to ensure the proposed change is truly aligned with the current culture.

• Frame the change as an enhancement or natural extension of the existing values.

• Throughout the entire change process, use storytelling to show how the change supports the organization’s long-standing practices and norms.

• Throughout the entire change process, use both formal communication (memos, meetings) and informal communication channels (hallway conversations, staff huddles) to reinforce the message.

Outcome

The change results in a clear statement outlining the alignment between the change and the organization’s culture crafted in collaboration with key stakeholders and formal leaders.

The change results in constant communication regarding the change throughout the change process. The change is presented not as something new or disruptive but as a reinforcement of what already exists.

3. Empower stakeholders to lead.

Engage cultural sentinels and key influencers (scouts) within the organization to be champions of the change.

• Identify staff who are enthusiastic about the change and have a good reputation within the culture. Empower these individuals to lead discussions, workshops, or feedback sessions on the change.

• Offer leadership opportunities for employees to take ownership of aspects of the change, ensuring buy-in at all levels.

The change results in a distributed leadership model where staff members feel ownership of the change.

FIGURE 3.6: Adaptive change process—Aligned with the cultural guardian continued

4. Leverage existing practices and rituals. Build momentum by embedding the change into existing routines and practices.

5. Provide tools and resources. Ensure employees have the resources they need to support the change.

• Identify current processes, meetings, or traditions in which the change can be incorporated.

• If the organization already has regular check-ins, team meetings, or professional development sessions, use these to reinforce the aligned change.

• Celebrate existing behaviors that exemplify the change.

• Provide training or development courses that focus on how the change can be executed.

• Make sure staff have access to the tools or systems that make the change easy to implement.

• Offer continuous support, such as question-and-answer sessions or office hours, where employees can come and seek advice about incorporating the change.

The change becomes naturally embedded into the existing fabric of the organization.

Employees feel equipped and confident in making the aligned change work.

6. Monitor and adjust as needed. Track the progress of the change to ensure it stays aligned and on track.

7. Celebrate and recognize progress. Celebrate successes that reinforce the aligned culture and the change.

• Use informal check-ins and pulse surveys to get feedback from staff about how the change is being integrated.

• Be flexible and willing to make small adjustments based on this feedback. Since the change is aligned with the culture, any resistance should be minimal, but monitoring will allow for quick troubleshooting.

• Set clear benchmarks or indicators to measure the success of the change.

• Publicly recognize individuals or teams who have successfully implemented the change in a way that aligns with the organization’s values.

• Use both formal celebrations (awards, recognition at staff meetings) and informal acknowledgments (thank-you emails, personal notes).

• Tie the celebration to the organization’s broader cultural values to reinforce how the change aligns with those values.

Staff have a clear understanding of the change’s effectiveness, along with the ability to quickly pivot if necessary.

Staff maintain the momentum and view the change as a success.

8. Sustain the change with continuous feedback. Ensure that the change becomes part of the longterm culture.

• Throughout the entire change process, set up regular feedback loops where employees can provide their thoughts on how the change is working in practice.

• Continuously relate the change back to the organization’s core values to maintain alignment.

• Encourage leadership to model the change through their behavior and language, showing that the change is not a onetime event but a continuous effort.

Example Prompts for Leaders to Use in Discussions:

• How does this change reflect the core values we’ve always had?

• How can we use our current practices to make this change feel natural?

• In what ways can we empower staff to take ownership of this change?

• What resources or tools do we need to ensure the success of this change?

The change is not only implemented but also sustained as part of the organization’s long-term culture.

Source: Adapted from Hubbart, 2023; Kotter & Schlesinger, 1979; van Dijk & van Dick, 2009.

Visit MarzanoResources.com/reproducibles for a free reproducible version of this figure.

This protocol ensures that even aligned changes are implemented thoughtfully, communicated effectively, and sustained over time. Adaptive change in culture is a necessary and powerful aspect of a healthy school culture. When schools and districts can adapt practices regularly, making changes to meet the needs of staff and students, the school’s outcomes will be regularly improved. By following these steps, leaders can make sure change is embraced, embedded, and ultimately leads to improved outcomes.

The following example indicates the impact that change in culture can have on student outcomes. This real-life school success story illustrates the power that school culture can have on outcomes for staff and students alike.

SOUTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, TEXAS

South Elementary School, committed to fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment, realized that its traditional discipline practices were punitive and not aligned with its core values of empathy, community, and growth. Principal Cynthia Rodriguez and her leadership team of teachers and administrators decided to shift to a discipline approach focused on teaching clear behavioral expectations and building relationships addressing behavior through understanding rather than punishment. The change naturally aligned with the school’s existing culture, which emphasizes compassion and student development.

The leadership team began by reviewing the school’s vision and discussing the proposed change with key stakeholders, including teacher leaders and veteran staff (sentinels) to confirm alignment. Communication emphasized that these new discipline practices were not a new initiative but an enhancement of the school’s commitment to nurturing student relationships. Enthusiastic staff members, including counselors and teachers already practicing relational techniques, were empowered to lead workshops and model strategies for their colleagues, creating a distributed leadership approach. The change was embedded into existing staff meetings and morning check-ins, where teachers shared successes and challenges.

Principal Rodriguez provided ongoing training, restorative conversation guides, and access to student support resources to ensure teachers felt equipped. The leadership team gathered feedback through pulse surveys and informal conversations, allowing leaders to fine-tune the approach based on staff input. Early wins, like improved student behavior and stronger teacherstudent connections, were celebrated publicly, reinforcing the alignment with the school’s values. Continuous feedback loops ensured that these relational-based discipline practices became a lasting part of the school’s culture, supporting its vision for a compassionate and supportive educational environment (C. Rodriguez, personal communication, August 1, 2025).

TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE OF CULTURE

Unfortunately, due to the nature of school culture, change is not always supported by the guardian and, therefore, change strategies can fall prey to the oft-spoken phrase, “That’s not how we do it here.” This statement represents the boundaries of the school’s culture being tested. When the guardian resists change, transformation is needed. Transformational change “involves something that cannot be addressed adequately by a change in culture but rather demands a fundamental change of culture. The focus is on nurturing radically new behaviors and ways of working within the organization” (Mannion, 2022, p. 33).

Understanding why some staff and subcultures resist change is key to effectively managing the change process. When recognizing that some staff resist change, it is important to realize they seek to manage the present and ultimately the future of the organization through a lens of the past. Referencing pioneering education reformer John Dewey, Steve Gruenert, Ryan Donlan, and Mark Frederick (2018) wrote the following:

Dewey (1938) reminded us that we learn best from experience, even those experiences that are habitual. . . . Thus step 1 always impacts

step 2, which to some degree makes step 3 predictable. The Guardian helps make step 1 remain step 1 and helps step 3 become easier to take. The Guardian sees the present as an illusion, as a means for getting to the future, which will be easier to handle if it is predictable. For the Guardian, the future will always be connected to the past. The Guardian may insist that the past is the only connection to the future, with present only fleeting if not an illusion, and somewhat, if not profoundly resistant to change. That is the way of the Guardian. (p. 386)

Culture-keeping sentinels are often successful educators who have navigated the past and leveraged their experiences into generally successful practices. Logically, it follows that preserving the practices that have been successful for them would be a focus for sentinels. Muhammad (2018) pointed out that “change disrupts the organization’s natural flow and represents a realigning of values” (p. 78). This disruption to the organization’s operations, structures, and values rouses the sentinels to defend the culture’s future by rejecting the present in lieu of the practices of the past. Muhammad (2018) expanded on the nature of sentinels, commenting on work by sociologist Dan C. Lortie (2002): “It is irrational to expect people who benefited from a system to be the catalyst for changing that system. In fact, we should expect them to try to preserve a personally beneficial system” (p. 79). Change represents a threat to a sentinel’s way of conducting business.

To strengthen their protection of the cultural guardian against change, sentinels seek to rally support among those who share their opposition to the change, adhering to the adage that there is strength in numbers. Resisting change alone is difficult; sentinels resist in packs. Deal and Kennedy (1999) noted that “one of the strongest influences on people is the influence of their personal ties with others” (p. 164).

Sharing reflects a sense of connection within a culture, and few people in any culture wish to remain isolated for long. Schools must be aware of these alliances and understand that these often successful and typically well-meaning educators are acting in a way that they believe is best for the future of the school and the students it serves. Unfortunately, their efforts to preserve the past become a hinderance to the school’s ability to move forward with vital changes needed for the success of the school and its students.

The magnitude of the culture (the overall alignment of the subcultures; see chapter 2, page 34) becomes an important variable in the transformational process. The longer employees work together, the stronger their cultural magnitude. Staff who are relatively new to working together will have a lower cultural magnitude, like a flimsy rubber band, while long-standing, high-magnitude cultures are difficult to stretch, like an automobile timing belt.

When engaging in transformational change of culture, the magnitude impacts the speed of change. Patience, focus, and consistency will be required when attempting to transform cultures of high magnitude. As schools face increasingly complex and challenging hurdles to the future of effective education, it is inevitable that goals and strategies will manifest in the form of transformational change. Schools must equip themselves with the ability to successfully implement change even when the culture’s guardian is in opposition. To support schools with transformational change of their culture, the following section explores the concept of culture stretch.

Engaging in Culture Stretch

When a school or district’s culture no longer aligns with its strategic direction, the culture itself must be stretched to gently expand its boundaries while respecting its core values. The intended outcome of culture stretch is to energize enough members of the culture to expand the boundaries of the current culture by pulling on the rubber band, stretching it to the point where the new boundary includes the desired change.

Unfortunately, single leaders or individual members of the culture cannot create effective change alone. Gruenert and Whitaker (2015) wrote, “Cultural change must be a school-wide movement, not just an individual effort” (p. 127). Without widespread consensus and buy-in to the change, the culture will not change its boundaries. Stretch attempted by individuals, even formal leaders, is ultimately rejected, and the culture returns to the equilibrium of its current boundaries. Effective leaders guide this process collaboratively, working with staff and drawing on the insights of the entire school community.

Transformational change is a challenge for the cultural guardian, as it introduces new practices and beliefs. For this type of change to be successful, it must also preserve the school’s unique identity. By identifying and leveraging influential people in the culture, the behavior of these influential people causes others to mimic the new behavior. After enough time, the behavior becomes a value.

This change of culture can be achieved through the culture stretch process. The term emphasizes the deliberate and skillful act of expanding, reshaping, and realigning organizational culture to accommodate evolving goals, practices, and outcomes. Although change of culture can be slow, this does not mean that immediate improvement cannot occur. Using the culture stretch process described in the following section, schools and districts can successfully renovate portions of their culture to adopt needed transformational changes, which lead to improved staff performance that yields improved outcomes for all students.

THE CULTURE STRETCH PROCESS

If the cultural guardian does not align with needed changes, this step-by-step culture stretch process for transformational change ensures the organization’s vision is consistently supported by leveraging key members of the culture to normalize new beliefs and behaviors while simultaneously preserving and maintaining fundamental components of the current culture.

You can begin the culture stretch process when needed change lies in the unknown danger of the darkness not currently protected by the boundaries of the culture (refer to figure 3.4, page 91). The goal of this process is to leverage members of the culture to stretch cultural boundaries to the point that change becomes an accepted new part of the light, warmth, and order of the current culture’s boundaries.

Leaders facilitate the change process by determining change objectives and recruiting and training scouts who can pilot change practices and create new lampposts of safety for others to follow. As scouts become confident in the new practices, leaders then encourage influential sprouts to join the scouts outside of the culture’s boundaries in the safety of the new light, collaborating to implement the change practices and develop, refine, and normalize the change.

Simultaneously, leaders should not force sentinels to engage in change practices early in the process. Instead, sentinels should be empowered to continue to guard the fire of the culture’s past. It is critical leaders clearly communicate the purpose behind ongoing changes to sentinels, helping them understand how these changes align with the school’s vision so they prevent the cultural guardian from striking down the entire change process.

As momentum for the change builds, include value-matched employees in the change process occurring outside of the original culture’s boundaries, but in the new light of safety and order. Leaders must coach, reinforce, and celebrate the desired behaviors for staff engaged in the change process, protecting these employees from any resistance to the stretch process. With the change well vetted, full of momentum, and now a part of the cultural light, it is at this stage that leaders should encourage sentinels to join the implementation of the change process, solidifying the newly stretched beliefs and behaviors as accepted components of the culture. Finally, to maintain cultural integrity and long-term success, leaders should meet ongoing resistance from shadows or remaining sentinels head on.

FOUR PHASES OF THE CULTURE STRETCH PROCESS

Successfully shifting an established school culture requires a strategic, phased approach that respects the existing values while embracing necessary change. The culture stretch process consists of the following four phases.

1. Recognize the need for change.

2. Plan through engagement and collaboration.

3. Implement and build momentum.

4. Sustain momentum and ensure accountability.

The culture stretch process outlined in figure 3.7 offers a clear framework for guiding this transformation, ensuring leaders can align the current culture with the evolving needs of the organization.

Phase 1: Recognize the Need for Change

1. Identify performance gaps and need for transformation.

2. Set targeted cultural objectives.

• Begin by analyzing results and outcomes to pinpoint performance issues or unacceptable results that signal the need for a cultural shift.

• Conduct a cultural gap analysis to compare current practices against the school’s aspirational values, using tools such as surveys, focus groups, and leadership interviews.

• Once gaps are identified, establish clear, behavior-based objectives that align daily actions with school values, ensuring all staff have a concrete understanding of how their behaviors contribute to the organization’s vision.

Phase 2: Plan Through Engagement and Collaboration

1. Develop continuous listening channels.

2. Engage formal leaders in strategic planning.

• Establish consistent feedback loops with town hall meetings, engagement surveys, and organizational network analyses to capture input across all levels of the organization.

• Actively involve formal leaders, such as principals, department heads, teacher leaders, and senior administrators, in strategic planning sessions to ensure they can contribute insights from their areas of influence, helping to shape goals, action plans, and metrics for success.

• These leaders play a critical role in setting the tone, shaping expectations, and modeling behaviors that align with the school’s values. Their involvement reinforces accountability and ensures leaders are equipped to guide their teams through cultural change, fostering a unified approach across all levels of the organization.

3. Leverage sentinels and identify scouts.

• Engage long-standing staff (sentinels) to preserve essential aspects of the culture while recognizing areas for growth.

• Simultaneously, identify and prepare respected early adopters (scouts) who align with the vision and can model desired behaviors for others.

Phase 3: Implement and Build Momentum

1. Create safe opportunities for scouts to begin implementation.

• To build confidence and establish initial successes, provide scouts with low-stakes, supportive environments where they can begin implementing the new cultural practices without fear of failure. These controlled opportunities allow scouts to practice and refine their approach, receive feedback, and build visible momentum.

• By fostering an environment where scouts feel safe to take risks and innovate, leaders help them develop into confident role models who can inspire others to adopt the new practices across the school.

2. Unify scouts and recruit influential sprouts.

3. Define, coach, and reinforce desired behaviors for staff engaged in the change preprocess.

4. Provide the why for sentinels.

• Build momentum by recruiting and training influential sprouts, bringing them into alignment with scouts. By engaging sprouts with training and visible support, unify this critical group with the scouts.

• Encourage ongoing collaboration among scouts and sprouts to build a supportive network and accelerate the shift and spread new behaviors.

• Reiterate, model, and provide timely and targeted feedback on the specific behaviors expected of staff, linking them directly to school values.

• Clearly communicate the purpose behind the changes to the sentinels, helping them understand how these align with the school’s vision. Ensuring sentinels see the reasons for change is critical in this phase to prevent resistance and foster their support.

• Continually offer sentinels opportunities to join implementation of the change process.

Phase 4: Sustain Momentum and Ensure Accountability

1. Monitor progress, adjust, and celebrate wins.

2. Engage remaining resistors thoughtfully.

• Track the impact of changes using measurable metrics, make necessary adjustments during implementation, and celebrate small wins to reinforce progress and create a positive feedback loop.

• Use these successes to inspire remaining sprouts to align with the evolving culture.

• Once momentum has taken hold, address any ongoing resistance, providing sentinels and shadows with additional support and mentoring as needed.

• For those who consistently hinder progress, consider reassignment or removal to maintain cultural integrity and long-term success.

FIGURE 3.7: The culture stretch process

Visit MarzanoResources.com/reproducibles for a free reproducible version of this figure.

The following sections outline the four phases of the culture stretch process, providing a road map for school leaders to lead change effectively and create a cohesive, values-driven environment.

PHASE 1: RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR CHANGE

The culture stretch process begins with identifying the need for transformational change of the culture. As Gruenert and Whitaker (2015) noted, “Determining what’s wrong with your culture is the key to improving it” (p. 111). This need manifests when the cultural guardian resists mindsets or actions necessary for improved outcomes for staff and students. Leaders attempting to engage in cultural change must first rely on a deep understanding of the current culture and how it might be resistant to needed change. According to Deal and Peterson (2016),

“When school leaders feel that they understand a school’s current way of life, they can appraise the need to reshape or reinforce it” (p. 226).

Conducting a cultural gap analysis can help to compare the day-to-day practices with the aspirational culture set forth by the school’s purpose and values (Mankins & Litre, 2024). Methods such as employee surveys, focus groups, and leadership interviews can uncover key discrepancies. For example, if a school prides itself on innovation but teachers feel constrained by rigid procedures, a clear gap exists between cultural aspirations and reality. After establishing their gaps, schools should set targeted cultural objectives. These behavior-based objectives provide clarity for staff regarding expectations for the coming change and how these changes align with the school’s vision. Identifying such objectives early establishes a foundation for meaningful and lasting transformation.

PHASE 2: PLAN THROUGH ENGAGEMENT AND COLLABORATION

Once they have identified clear change objectives, leaders then engage staff in strategic planning to gain critical input and leverage shared leadership. The goal of these actions is determining how best to accomplish the needed change of culture without destroying or abandoning foundational and healthy components of the current culture. The realignment of school culture requires a careful balancing act. It demands an appreciation of the school’s historical context and an astute understanding of its current cultural climate (Levin & Gottlieb, 2009).

It is critical for leaders to develop a highly collaborative listening strategy. This strategy should include input from multiple levels of the organization, from leadership to frontline staff, ensuring that cultural change is seen as a collective effort. Methods such as town hall meetings, engagement surveys, and informal conversations provide valuable feedback from all stakeholders.

Conducting an organizational network analysis (ONA) is a key tool for understanding how informal relationships and communication flows impact the success of a school or district. While formal hierarchies often dictate official decision-making processes, it is the informal networks that frequently influence real behavior, knowledge sharing, and innovation. An ONA allows leaders to map out these relationships, identify influential individuals or groups, and strategically guide changes or improvements. Example ONA prompts include the following.

• Please identify colleagues in your group who are important to your ability to achieve your goals.

• Please indicate whether greater access to (for example, more time and attention from) each person below would help you be more effective at work.

• Please place a check next to the names of people below whom you consider to be important sources of open, energizing interactions for you at work. (Oakes, 2021, p. 92)

The ONA is vital to help identify and recruit early adopters, or scouts, to lead the change process. Schools and districts can use the “Organizational Network Analysis” tool (page 178) to map out their organizational networks to identify highly influential individuals. These individuals are the first to embody and implement the new cultural practices and generate momentum (Mankins & Litre, 2024). Scouts should be well-respected staff members who exemplify the organization’s vision and are trusted by their peers. These individuals act as change agents, modeling the new behaviors and encouraging others to follow.

A critical aspect of the input gathering strategy is to engage the culture-keeping sentinels, who have deep insights into past practices, successes, and failures. Sentinels can be extremely informative in identifying what a school needs to keep to preserve cultural continuity. These voices not only illuminate the current culture but also help determine the most positive aspects of the organization’s historical culture to carry forward (Oakes, 2021).

It is important not to confuse these voices with a sentiment to hold on to the past. These warnings should not be dismissed but carefully considered, as they often reflect valuable lessons learned through experience (Prichard, 2016). Sentinels understand what has been tried before and may know of hidden barriers to change. While their perspectives may not always align with the need for new transformation, they offer crucial insights into the potential risks that leaders must navigate.

PHASE 3: IMPLEMENT AND BUILD MOMENTUM

With clear objectives and plans, schools implement the stretch process by creating safety for scouts to implement the changes in low-risk environments while receiving high levels of feedback. To ensure the success of early adopters (or scouts), organizations must provide comprehensive training and support. According to Deal and Kennedy (1999), “Think of change as skill building and concentrate on training as part of the change process” (p. 165). Training programs should equip these individuals with the tools they need to navigate the new cultural landscape effectively. Additionally, collaboration opportunities among scouts should be encouraged so they can share experiences, ideas, and feedback (Mannion, 2022). Regular peer support groups and professional development sessions help solidify their roles as cultural champions and foster community among the early adopters.

Once scouts have become proficient, it is imperative to bring influential sprouts into alignment with the scouts, creating large-scale momentum supporting the

stretch. Employees categorized as sprouts are often hesitant to embrace cultural change immediately. Scouts play a pivotal role in encouraging these individuals by sharing their successes and modeling the benefits of the new culture. By engaging sprouts in informal discussions and offering support, scouts can foster a collaborative environment where change feels less daunting. Gradually, sprouts begin to participate in the transformation process as they observe its positive impact.

As momentum increases, foster support and minimize resistance from sentinels by helping them understand why these changes are manifesting in the culture and provide them with ongoing opportunities to participate in the implementation process. According to research by management consulting firm Bain & Company, cultural transformations are most successful when an organization places initial focus on scouts and sprouts, allowing momentum to build before engaging resistors (Mankins & Litre, 2024).

Once a critical mass is achieved, resistors can be gradually introduced to the new cultural practices. Leaders should carefully manage these individuals by providing clear explanations of how the changes align with the organization’s vision and offering opportunities for thoughtful engagement. At this point, leaders must engage sentinels in understanding that the cultural change is required, showing through data and concrete evidence that an adherence to the status quo will not yield improvement to the current data or evidence.

PHASE 4: SUSTAIN MOMENTUM AND ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY

Leaders should measure the implementation of culture stretch so they can make adjustments and celebrate successes. Measurement is a critical component of cultural transformation. Developing specific metrics is important for leaders to assess how well the new behaviors align with the organization’s vision. Researchers Basil K. C. Chen and Michael R. Manning (2017) emphasized that regular assessments of employee engagement, productivity, and alignment with organizational values are crucial for gauging the success of cultural transformation efforts. Tracking these metrics over time allows for course corrections and ensures that the transformation is moving in the right direction.

Celebrating small wins is an essential part of maintaining momentum during a cultural transformation. According to Ehrhart and colleagues (2014), public recognition of success reinforces new behaviors and fosters enthusiasm among employees. By highlighting the positive impacts of the transformation, whether through stories, performance metrics, or public acknowledgments, leaders create a positive feedback loop that motivates others to join in the process. These celebrations should be frequent and visible to maintain engagement and morale.

Staff members who continually resist should be mentored and supported by leaders and other staff members who have successfully adopted the changes. For those who consistently hinder progress, reassignment or removal becomes an option to maintain cultural integrity and long-term success. While many employees will eventually align with the new culture, some may remain resistant or disengaged entirely.

Management advisor Franklin C. Ashby (1999) noted that organizations must be prepared to make difficult decisions regarding skeptics and nonbelievers who hinder the transformation process. In extreme cases, it may be necessary to remove these individuals from the organization to preserve the integrity of the cultural shift. Low-skill educators pose a significant threat to student academic success and emotional well-being. If an employee chooses to remain a shadow, both low skill and low value aligned, leaders must prioritize rapidly improving their skills. Leaders should consider providing directive supports such as performance improvement plans and intensive coaching. If such intensive supports are not successful in their attempt to improve a shadow’s skills, leaders might consider formal reassignment or removal procedures. Retaining perpetually low-performing shadow employees not only poses a risk for students but can also deteriorate organizational culture by diminishing morale, reducing productivity, and driving away high-performing staff (Miller, 2016).

EXAMPLES OF THE CULTURE STRETCH PROCESS

Consider the following two examples of the culture stretch process. These examples demonstrate how leaders can apply the culture stretch process in various school and district scenarios.

EXAMPLE 1: A SCHOOL APPLIES THE CULTURE STRETCH PROCESS TO TRANSFORM ITS PLC PRACTICES

A school’s data reveals a trend of declining student achievement and decreased staff morale. Despite ongoing attempts to implement PLCs, the school has been unable to harness the effectiveness of educator collaboration to impact student success. Teachers have become disillusioned with PLCs, expressing frustration that team interactions are unproductive. The campus leadership recognizes the need to shift the school’s culture to embrace the principles of PLCs, utilizing the culture stretch process as a strategic approach to achieve this transformation.

PHASE 1: RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR CHANGE

The school takes the following steps in phase 1.

1. Identify performance gaps and need for transformation: The school leadership team reviews student achievement data and teacher feedback, revealing that while collaborative teams exist, they aren’t making a measurable impact on student outcomes. Teachers express frustration, viewing teams as unproductive and compliance driven. This feedback and data indicate a need to shift the PLC culture from obligatory meetings to collaborative, impactful sessions that focus on improving instructional practices.

2. Set targeted cultural objectives: Leadership establishes clear objectives for teams, such as fostering collaborative learning, regular data analysis, and solution-focused discussions. Leaders communicate these objectives to staff, explaining that participation should actively contribute to improving teaching practices and student learning outcomes. The goal is to have all staff understand that effective collaborative team engagement is essential for fulfilling the school’s vision of high-quality, equitable education.

PHASE 2: PLAN THROUGH ENGAGEMENT AND COLLABORATION

The school takes the following steps in phase 2.

1. Develop continuous listening channels: The school implements ongoing feedback loops, including regular surveys after collaborative team meetings, monthly town hall meetings, and one-on-one check-ins with teachers. Leadership also conducts an ONA to identify key influencers who communicate well with colleagues and can help foster a positive shift in PLC practices.

2. Engage formal leaders in strategic planning: Department heads, grade-level leaders, and senior administrators are involved in strategic planning sessions to discuss the vision for improved collaborative teams. These leaders share insights and concerns, helping to refine goals, establish measurable outcomes, and shape a realistic action plan. By involving formal leaders, the school ensures they can effectively guide their teams and model the collaborative behaviors needed for successful transformation.

3. Leverage sentinels and identify scouts: Leaders invite sentinels into initial discussions to provide insight into past practices and identify key traditions worth preserving. At the same time, they identify and prepare enthusiastic early-adopter scouts—teachers who already model collaboration and data-driven practices. These scouts are tasked with setting an example and leading by demonstrating the desired behaviors within their collaborative teams.

PHASE 3: IMPLEMENT AND BUILD MOMENTUM

The school takes the following steps in phase 3.

1. Create safe opportunities for scouts to begin implementation: To foster confidence, the school arranges low-stakes environments for scouts to try new PLC structures. Scouts lead small pilot groups focused on specific student needs, using new data analysis methods and discussion frameworks. This gives them a chance to refine their approach, gather feedback, and demonstrate the benefits of these practices without pressure, building early wins to encourage other teachers.

2. Unify scouts and recruit influential sprouts: Leaders identify respected teachers who are somewhat resistant (sprouts) but have influence among peers. They invite sprouts to participate in additional training sessions with scouts, bridging the gap between resistant and enthusiastic staff. Through joint planning and collaboration, scouts and sprouts create a supportive network, accelerating momentum and encouraging broader participation in the new PLC process.

3. Define, coach, and reinforce desired behaviors for staff engaged in the change process: Leadership clarifies expected PLC behaviors, such as using data to inform discussions, setting action-oriented goals, and sharing effective strategies. They offer regular coaching and feedback to help teachers stay aligned with these behaviors, linking them to school values like collaboration and accountability.

4. Provide the why for sentinels: Leaders meet with sentinels to explain the purpose of the new PLC practices, using data and real-world examples to show the positive impact on student learning. Leaders encourage sentinels to join implementation efforts and reinforce that the changes align with the school’s long-term goals and benefit students. This support helps prevent resistance and fosters a positive, open attitude toward the evolving PLC culture.

PHASE 4: SUSTAIN MOMENTUM AND ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY

The school takes the following steps in phase 4.

1. Monitor progress, adjust, and celebrate wins: Leaders track the effectiveness of the new PLC practices through measurable outcomes, such as improved student performance and positive teacher feedback. Small wins, such as increased student engagement in specific subjects, are celebrated in staff meetings and newsletters, creating a positive feedback loop that motivates teachers. Leaders make adjustments as needed to address challenges, reinforcing the shift toward effective PLC practices.

2. Engage remaining resistors thoughtfully: With momentum building, leadership addresses ongoing resistance by engaging hesitant teachers in additional mentoring sessions. Leaders support sentinels and shadows to understand the data-driven benefits of the new PLC practices. For those consistently hindering progress, leaders hold individual meetings to explore alternative ways to support their alignment with the school’s vision or consider their fit within the PLC initiative.

This example outlines how a school might use each phase and step in the culture stretch process to transform its PLC practices, shifting from a compliance-focused model to a collaborative, results-driven culture. Each phase provides a structured approach for leaders to support teachers throughout the transformation, ultimately aligning collaborative teams with the school’s commitment to improving student outcomes.

EXAMPLE 2: A SCHOOL DISTRICT ENGAGES CULTURE STRETCH TO IMPLEMENT THE HRS FRAMEWORK

A large school district decides to implement the HRS framework to enhance instructional consistency, build a collaborative culture, and ensure a safe, supportive learning environment across all its campuses. District leaders recognize the need for a districtwide cultural shift to embrace the principles of HRSs, and the culture stretch process provides a strategic approach to achieve this transformation.

PHASE 1: RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR CHANGE

The school takes the following steps in phase 1.

1. Identify performance gaps and need for transformation: District leaders analyze student achievement data, teacher surveys, and campus safety reports, which reveal significant disparities across schools. Although all campuses value student learning and safety, inconsistent instructional practices and varying safety protocols lead to unequal outcomes. A cultural gap analysis shows that while the district aspires to equity and high reliability, current practices are not aligned with these values. District leaders decide to implement the HRS framework to standardize practices and better meet the district’s vision for consistent, high-quality education.

2. Set targeted cultural objectives: Leaders establish clear objectives for the HRS implementation, focusing on creating uniform safety protocols, enhancing collaborative team structures, and using data-driven instructional practices. District leadership communicates these behaviorbased goals, ensuring every campus understands the expectations and

how these changes align with the district’s commitment to equity and excellence.

PHASE 2: PLAN THROUGH ENGAGEMENT AND COLLABORATION

The school takes the following steps in phase 2.

1. Develop continuous listening channels: The district initiates a series of town hall meetings, focus groups, and surveys to gather input from campus leaders, instructional coaches, and other key stakeholders. This inclusive approach ensures the voices of those implementing the changes are heard. District leaders conduct an ONA to identify influential leaders within the district’s administrative and campus leadership teams, mapping out key connections that could facilitate knowledge sharing and support for the HRS rollout.

2. Engage formal leaders in strategic planning: District leaders bring together principals, assistant principals, and instructional coaches for strategic planning sessions. These formal leaders contribute insights from their campuses, helping to refine goals and action plans. Their involvement is critical for shaping the districtwide implementation strategy, setting clear expectations and ensuring a consistent approach to the HRS framework across all schools.

3. Leverage sentinels and identify scouts: The district engages experienced campus administrators (sentinels) to provide context and historical insights into previous instructional initiatives, helping identify elements worth preserving. The district also identifies early adopters (scouts)—in this case, principals who are already aligned with HRS principles. These scouts are tasked with leading the change by modeling the new practices, setting the stage for broader adoption across the district.

PHASE 3: IMPLEMENT AND BUILD MOMENTUM

The school takes the following steps in phase 3.

1. Create safe opportunities for scouts to begin implementation: To build initial confidence, the district allows scouts to pilot HRS practices on select campuses, focusing on establishing safety protocols and datadriven PLCs in low-stakes environments. These pilots provide scouts with opportunities to refine their approach, gather feedback, and demonstrate early successes without the pressure of a districtwide rollout.

2. Unify scouts and recruit influential sprouts: As momentum grows, district leaders identify respected campus administrators who are initially hesitant (sprouts). By engaging these individuals in joint training sessions with the scouts, the district builds a unified network of leaders

who collectively support the HRS framework. This collaboration helps bridge gaps between early adopters and hesitant leaders, fostering a stronger, more cohesive approach to implementation.

3. Define, coach, and reinforce desired behaviors for staff engaged in the change process: District leaders clearly define specific behaviors expected under the HRS framework, such as consistent use of data in collaborative meetings and adherence to standardized safety protocols. Campus administrators receive regular coaching sessions and feedback, linking these behaviors to the district’s values of consistency, safety, and excellence.

4. Provide the why for sentinels: The district holds meetings with sentinels to explain the need for the HRS changes, using data and real-life examples to highlight the benefits of a standardized approach. Leaders share compelling evidence showing how new practices align with the district’s long-term vision for equitable student outcomes, encouraging sentinels to support the implementation actively.

PHASE 4: SUSTAIN MOMENTUM AND ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY

The school takes the following steps in phase 4.

1. Monitor progress, adjust, and celebrate wins: District leaders implement a comprehensive monitoring system, tracking key metrics such as student achievement, campus safety reports, and administrator feedback. Based on these data, they adjust and address any challenges that arise. Celebrations of small wins, like improved student engagement or enhanced collaboration in teacher teams, are shared publicly at district meetings, reinforcing the positive impacts of the HRS framework and motivating campuses to continue aligning their practices.

2. Engage remaining resistors thoughtfully: As the HRS framework gains traction, district leaders address ongoing resistance by providing additional mentoring and support for struggling campus administrators. Scouts play a crucial role in guiding these resistors, offering oneon-one coaching and sharing success stories. For those who remain disengaged despite support, the district considers reassigning them to roles better suited to their strengths and ensuring the integrity of the transformation effort.

In cases where campus administrators consistently fail to adopt HRS practices, district leaders make difficult decisions to either reassign them or consider alternative measures. This approach ensures every leader in the district aligns with the new

cultural expectations, preserving the integrity of the change process and reinforcing commitment to the HRS framework.

Through the structured approach of the culture stretch process, the district successfully embedded the HRS framework into its daily operations. This led to greater consistency in instructional quality, improved campus safety, and stronger collaboration among staff. District leaders, as the architects of change, played a critical role in guiding this transformation, leveraging their vision and strategic leadership to create a unified, reliable culture that supports continuous improvement and equitable outcomes for all students.

The culture stretch process provides a clear pathway for leaders to navigate the complexities of cultural transformation, ensuring change efforts do not disrupt the foundational elements that make the school or district unique. The effectiveness of this process hinges on the leader’s role as the primary architect of change. By engaging staff, leveraging existing strengths, and fostering collective ownership, the culture stretch process helps schools and districts evolve in a way that is intentional and sustainable rather than reactive and fragmented.

Leveraging the Role of School and District Leaders

Shaping school culture requires leaders to be visionaries, mentors, and architects, guiding the school community toward a shared vision while fostering an environment of trust, collaboration, and continuous growth. D. D. Warrick (2017), an expert in developing and coaching leaders, teams, and organizations, asserted, “Culture significantly affects how an organization is run, and leadership practices significantly affect organizational culture” (p. 397). The success of any cultural change effort hinges on the effectiveness and commitment of the leader guiding it. Oakes (2021) noted, “Almost 80 percent of organizations that successfully renovated their culture had a lead architect who made that change happen” (p. 124). This highlights the pivotal role of a strong leader in driving transformation.

The success of any cultural change effort hinges on the effectiveness and commitment of the leader guiding it.

By understanding and leveraging the elements of culture, school leaders set the tone by assessing and reinforcing the core elements of culture, maintaining an open and inclusive environment, establishing and enforcing standards of behavior, providing tools and resources, and acting as the bridge between students, families, and the community. I explore these actions in the following sections.

ASSESS AND REINFORCE THE CORE ELEMENTS OF CULTURE

The first step for any leader aiming to instigate change is to map the contours of the existing culture. This involves identifying and articulating the shared beliefs and behaviors that stakeholders have tacitly accepted as the norm and actively seeking to understand the heroes, symbols, stories, rituals, and ceremonies that define the culture. Deal and Peterson (2016) issued a stark warning to leaders attempting to engage their culture in the change process:

Leaders can unravel a culture in two ways: (1) by commission— pronouncing new values or damaging or destroying key symbols or rituals—and (2) by omission—neglecting core values, letting important rituals and ceremonies wither and ossify, allowing negativity to grow; or focusing exclusively on standards, rules, and test scores. (pp. 191–192)

Leaders must take on the dual roles of anthropologists and architects, studying the current cultural landscape to understand the past that shaped its current form while envisioning and laying the groundwork for future improvements. This process, referred to as cultural cartography, requires a deep understanding of the school’s ethos and the dynamics at play among its members. Leaders can use the following guiding questions to support this process.

1. How would you describe the current culture of the school, including its history, values, traditions, heroes, stories, ceremonies, assumptions, and practices?

2. What actions can we take to enhance parts of the school culture that align with the vision of our school?

3. How can we modify or reshape existing cultural values and practices when it becomes clear that we need a new direction?

School culture leadership involves setting a clear vision that aligns with the school’s values and goals. Leaders must communicate this vision effectively and inspire others to commit to it. They must also create rituals and ceremonies that reinforce the culture, celebrate successes, and foster a sense of community. Additionally, leaders should recognize and honor the school’s heroes—individuals who exemplify the school’s values and serve as role models. Leaders must embody the past, current, and desired future culture. As Deal and Peterson (2016) pointed out, “Values are communicated in everything a school leader does” (p. 271). Through their actions, school leaders have the power to support and grow their staff in efforts to ensure success for every student in their charge. Conversely, a leader’s actions, or lack thereof, can hinder improvement efforts. The leader’s expertise and strategic insight is the decisive element in achieving meaningful, lasting transformation.

MAINTAIN AN OPEN AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT

Another key aspect of leadership during transformation is maintaining an open and inclusive environment. Research indicates that empathetic communication, especially during times of organizational change, can mitigate employee turnover and strengthen employee-organization relationships (Yue, Thelen, & Walden, 2023). Additionally, leaders who adopt a communication style that aligns with engaging leadership principles, such as inspiring, empowering, and connecting with their employees, are more likely to increase engagement, job satisfaction, and overall team performance (Mazzetti & Schaufeli, 2022). By creating an open environment where employees feel heard and valued, leaders can ensure both personal and organizational goals are met.

ESTABLISH AND ENFORCE STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR

The culture of any organization, including schools, is fundamentally influenced by the standards set and tolerated by its leaders. As Gruenert and Whitaker (2015) wrote, “The culture of any organization is shaped by the worst behavior the leader is willing to tolerate” (p. 36). This underscores the leader’s responsibility to uphold high standards of behavior, especially during transformation, ensuring that negative actions do not become normalized within the school community. By doing so, leaders help sustain a positive and cohesive culture that supports change, addresses negative or counterproductive behavior, and fosters a sense of community.

The influence of a leader extends beyond setting standards and reinforcing traditions; it also involves guiding the group toward collective goals. Ehrhart and colleagues (2014) explained a leader’s impact as follows:

The leader’s influence gets the group moving in a certain direction, but it is only when the solutions offered by the leader are useful that the elements become implicitly and perhaps explicitly accepted by the group and ultimately part of the group’s culture. (p. 168)

This highlights the importance of leaders offering practical and effective solutions that schools can integrate into their culture, thereby gaining the acceptance and commitment of the school community.

PROVIDE TOOLS AND RESOURCES FOR SUCCESS

Furthermore, effective leaders provide the tools and resources necessary for teachers and staff to succeed (Chung & Espinoza, 2023). This includes professional development opportunities, access to technology, and a supportive infrastructure

that facilitates teaching and learning. By investing in their staff, leaders help to create an environment where continuous improvement is the norm.

ACT AS THE BRIDGE BETWEEN STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND THE COMMUNITY

Leaders play a critical role in shaping the culture of a school, and their responsibilities extend beyond administrative tasks. They are the bridge between students, parents, and the broader school community, ensuring that changes made to the school’s culture reflect the values and needs of those it serves. By engaging with these stakeholders, leaders can foster a sense of belonging and shared purpose, which is essential for a positive school environment. When leaders actively engage with parents, families, and community members, they create a partnership that supports student achievement and enhances the overall educational experience (Green, 2018). These relationships are crucial, as they allow leaders to gather input and feedback that can guide decision making and align changes to the school culture with community expectations.

Effective leaders assess and reinforce cultural elements that align with the community’s values while guiding the school toward shared goals. Leaders who prioritize community involvement and transparency can create a culture centered on trust and collaboration, where everyone feels invested in the success of the school (DeMatthews, Edwards, & Rincones, 2016). In doing so, leaders help build a school environment where students feel supported, parents and families feel heard, and the broader community feels connected to the school’s vision and goals.

Promoting Distributed Leadership

Teachers and other staff members are vital agents of change, playing a significant role in cultural shifts. This approach, known as distributed leadership, relies on the shared responsibility of all members of an school to lead and drive change. Teachers and other staff members can strategically share both formal and informal leadership roles, which fosters a collaborative environment that enhances decision making and supports the change process (Harris, 2008).

Teachers and other staff members are vital agents of change, playing a significant role in cultural shifts.

In schools where situations call for adaptive change and shifts are incremental and align closely with existing cultural values, teachers and staff can embed new practices that fit within the established culture, modeling these adjustments to their peers and encouraging gradual adoption across the school. On the other hand, when

transformational change is needed, teachers and staff can harness the power of existing subcultures within their schools to drive the culture stretch process. In addition to subcultures, other important strategies to facilitate the culture stretch process include mentorship, action research, and committees and task forces, all of which I explain in the following section.

SUBCULTURES

Subcultures serve as vital sources of influence and support. Teachers and other staff can influence change by actively collaborating with one another through their existing subcultures. Using the “Subculture Audit” tool (page 181), teams can identify the strengths and areas for improvement within their teams. By identifying and unifying subcultures, educators can build momentum for their change goals.

When teachers and other staff members work together in authentic and ongoing improvement efforts, the school continuously transforms itself by adopting scoutlike behaviors and collectively developing their capabilities, adapting to change, and creating desired outcomes. For example, educators who intentionally unify subcultures that value innovation can facilitate the adoption of new teaching methodologies, building momentum around change efforts. Uniting many subcultures around a shared vision can lead to transformational change, reshaping the school’s overall culture.

MENTORSHIP

Mentorship plays a crucial role in both adaptive and transformational change. Experienced educators can mentor their peers through the culture stretch process, providing guidance, modeling best practices, and fostering a growth mindset. During adaptive change, mentorship helps spread small, value-aligned adjustments throughout the school, reinforcing positive behaviors. Alternatively, during transformational change, mentors can help challenge ingrained beliefs and support the development of new skills to accelerate the cultural shift (Hobson, Ashby, Malderez, & Tomlinson, 2009).

ACTION RESEARCH

Action research is another powerful tool teachers can use to lead change. By systematically investigating their own practices, teachers engage in reflective inquiry, identifying areas for improvement and implementing evidence-based strategies. This approach aligns well with adaptive change, where educators can test and refine small-scale adjustments before scaling up. In the context of transformational change, action research allows educators to explore innovative practices that may

lead to scout-like behavior that can disrupt traditional norms and pave the way for a new cultural paradigm (Mertler, 2017).

COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES

Furthermore, teachers and staff can participate in decision-making processes by joining committees or task forces that address policy changes and strategic initiatives. This involvement ensures that diverse perspectives are considered and change efforts reflect the collective expertise of school staff. During adaptive change, teacher participation helps fine-tune initiatives to fit the current cultural context. During transformational change, this participation enables educators to co-create a new vision, driving a deep, organization-wide shift (Smylie, 1992).

By embracing distributed leadership, leveraging and unifying subcultures, mentoring peers, conducting action research, and participating in decision making, teachers and staff members can effectively guide both adaptive and transformational changes. These strategies empower educators to influence cultural shifts, ultimately ensuring the success of change initiatives and the long-term growth of the school’s culture.

CELEBRATING CHANGE IN PRACTICE

To sustain cultural change, both change in and change of culture must be reinforced through intentional celebration. Recognizing and honoring the individuals and subcultures who embrace and advance new cultural norms strengthens alignment and momentum. Meaningful celebrations affirm progress as well as signal that the evolving culture is valued, fostering commitment to sustained transformation. Drawing from the concepts in this chapter, the following are potential celebrations a school or district can implement.

• Acknowledge the impact of educator behavior: Implement a Champion of the Month award, highlighting teachers or staff members who have demonstrated behavior alignment with the school’s core values and positively influenced student outcomes.

• Highlight adaptive change success: Create a “growth wall” in a visible location where examples of adaptive changes are visually displayed, showing how small behavior adjustments have led to measurable improvements.

• Celebrate small wins in the culture stretch process: After each phase of the culture stretch process, celebrate progress with an all-staff update meeting that includes positive feedback, shout-outs to early adopters

(scouts), and shared success stories. Use these moments to build momentum and maintain enthusiasm for ongoing changes.

• Recognize transformational change milestones: When the school successfully completes a transformational change phase, host a celebration event (such as a themed lunch or staff social) to recognize the collective effort and resilience of the team. This event should highlight how the shift has expanded cultural boundaries and include testimonials from staff who have embraced the change.

• Offer feedback and reflection celebrations: Set up quarterly feedback sessions where staff can share their experiences, provide suggestions, and highlight successes in implementing behavior changes. Recognize contributions publicly and use this time to celebrate the iterative nature of the change process.

• Celebrate consistency and sustained change: Establish an Excellence in Consistency recognition program for staff who have consistently aligned their behaviors with the school’s values over time. Highlight these individuals during staff meetings or in newsletters to show appreciation for their long-term commitment.

• Recognize sentinel engagement: Host a Sentinel Appreciation Week to celebrate the role of long-standing staff members who have helped preserve essential aspects of the culture while supporting necessary changes. Use this opportunity to publicly thank them for their insights and ongoing contributions to the cultural transformation.

By embedding celebrations into the change process, schools can reinforce momentum, acknowledge progress, and solidify new cultural norms, ensuring that change is both embraced and sustained by the culture’s guardian.

ACTION SUMMARY

A school’s culture is the most influential and impactful variable when change is needed. The success or failure of change efforts depends on whether the change is supported by the existing cultural guardian. Leaders must assess both faculty and staff performance and value match to change initiatives to determine whether change efforts are adaptive changes in the culture or transformative changes of the culture. Effective leaders partnered with influential staff members create clarity and build momentum for needed change, propelling the entire school forward. The following are several strategies that can help behavior alignment for change.

• Understand the impact of the educational landscape: Monitor how the educational landscape influences staff perceptions and cultural readiness for change.

• Focus on behavior alignment rather than a complete overhaul: Instead of trying to change the entire culture, focus on aligning specific behaviors with the school’s core values to clearly communicate what the new culture looks like in daily practice.

• Implement robust measurement processes: Establish systems to evaluate both performance and alignment with core values. Behavior-based evaluations using the performance-value matrix (see figure 3.2, page 85) help verify that cultural expectations are being met consistently.

• Understand culture’s dual role in change: Determine whether adaptive or transformative change processes are needed. When proposed changes align with the cultural guardian, the culture itself is a catalyst for change (see figure 3.6, page 93). However, when change is at odds with the culture, the cultural boundaries must be stretched using targeted adjustments that respect existing traditions while embracing necessary changes for improvement.

• Apply the culture stretch process: Use the four-phase culture stretch process (recognize, plan, implement, and sustain) to guide transformational change efforts (see figure 3.7, page 100). Leaders initiate the process by assessing cultural gaps, engaging staff in planning, building momentum with early adopters, and ensuring sustained progress through continuous monitoring.

• Promote effective school and district leadership: The success of any cultural change effort depends on the effectiveness and commitment of the leaders guiding it. Leaders must be visionaries, mentors, and architects of change, guiding the community toward shared goals with practical solutions.

• Leverage distributed leadership and engage influential subcultures: In addition to formal leaders, other staff members, including influential teachers and subculture leaders, play a crucial role in guiding change. These individuals can unite the efforts of subcultures, mentor peers, facilitate action research, and participate in committees and task forces. Distributed leadership empowers the broader staff to share ownership of the change process.

Aligning the behaviors of leaders, teachers, and staff with the necessary change initiatives leverages the power of the cultural guardian so all school improvement efforts are implemented effectively with support of the culture. With the support of the cultural guardian, change efforts will have a meaningful impact on the success of staff and students alike.