By using the strategies presented, school leaders will be able to clearly define their specific restructuring problems, identify what they need to learn from other schools and adapt the solutions to their unique contexts.

"If there is one obvious opportunity to use benchmarking to provide some substantial value to our society, it is in the area of public education."
From the preface of Robert Boxwell, Jr.
Author, Benchmarking for Competitive Advantage

This book contains real-world strategies that show you how to make continuous improvement part of your school′s plan. You already know what isn′t working; what you need now is an infusion of ideas and documented practices that will work.

Tucker shows how to enhance your school′s teaching and learning by using benchmarking, a team research and data-driven process for increasing effectiveness. She gives you the information you need to begin a benchmarking project at your school. You′ll learn techniques to help you involve everyone—especially those who will actually implement the changes.

Contains step-by-step guidelines and examples to help you:

• Clearly define the problem you must resolve
• Decide if this problem can be solved through benchmarking
• Identify what you need to learn from other organizations
• Characterize your ideal benchmarking partner school or organization
• Find the organizations that best exemplify your ideal
• Develop questionnaires and guidelines for an on-site visit
• Summarize your research
• Adapt the solutions to your school

You can accomplish the real, comprehensive restructuring you′re looking for. Use the benchmarking techniques in this new book to transform your school into the authentic learning community you′ve always known it could be. Tucker leads you from planning through completion and gives you practical tips you can use right now.