DistrictsMovingUp: A Service of WestEd, Custom achievement solutions for districts
About Us
Who Directs DistrictsMovingUp?
Ruth McKenna, Director of Field Services
Under Ruth McKenna's leadership, WestEd initiated the Local Accountability Professional Development Series (LAPDS) in early 2003 to help school districts meet the tough accountability requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Through LAPDS, McKenna has helped districts throughout the United States blend research-based instructional support with data-management technology to create a customized local assessment and accountability system. District educators, through LAPDS, learn how to accurately guide and track learnin, demonstrably using student data to improve their schools. In 2007 the work was expanded to bring together all of the service projects in WestEd that support district improvement under an umbrella project. DistrictsMovingUp was launched in Fall 2007 to provide comprehensive district improvement services grounded in the research on best practices of high performing districts and lessons learned from WestEd's experience in low performing schools and districts serving as an external entity. DistrictsMovingUp provides district improvement services in CA, AZ, WA, and CO. McKenna's work has been a key component in WestEd's successful collaboration with Assessment Technology, Inc. Software such as that developed by ATI helps streamline and customize much of the effort of a local accountability system and accelerates and improves the testing-reporting, results-adjusting instruction process. Prior to joining WestEd, McKenna served as Superintendent of New Haven (California) Unified School District, where she led the district to adopt graduation requirements that guaranteed the eligibility of every student to the California State University and University of California systems. Specifically, McKenna helped the district implement the California Content Standards, establish multiple measures for student performance evaluation, open preschool programs at every district elementary school, and establish school-level accountability for students at risk of failure.
Under McKenna's leadership, the district's students surged well above the state average in the following areas:
- participation in high school courses required to be admitted to the University of California: 11 percent higher than state average;
- percentage of eighth graders proficient or advanced in Algebra: 14 percent higher than state average;
- participation rate in biology and chemistry courses: 17 percent higher; and
- closed gap between lowest- and highest-performing schools on API 2000-2003: 46-point reduction.
In addition, the lowest scoring school on API 2003 was 100 points higher than in 2000. Earlier, as Associate Superintendent in the New Haven School District, McKenna helped move New Haven to the forefront in technology integration in the classroom and the workplace. During 1995-1998, McKenna served as Chief Deputy Superintendent for the California Department of Education, where she helped implement strategies for education reform. As part of the Challenge Initiative, McKenna assembled representatives from school districts statewide to draft the first set of academic standards for the state, known as the Challenge Standards. McKenna founded the New Haven Schools Foundation and led the Citizen's Advisory Committee on Race and Ethnic Relations, which later became a model program in Alameda County, California. She has been a member of both the Board of the Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center and Education Committee of the Alameda County Economic Development Advisory Board. Through the years, she has represented the school district to the Union City Chamber of Commerce. McKenna received a BA in English from the University of California, Davis, and an MS in human resources from Golden Gate University.
Who are the DistrictsMovingUp team leaders?
Huck Fitterer, Director, Field Services
Huck Fitterer oversees technical assistance services to schools participating in the School Assistance Intervention Team (SAIT) and High Priority School Grants (HPSG) programs in California; the Reading First program and Yuma Professional Learning and Networking project in Arizona; External Facilitator program in Nevada; and school improvement services to schools in Hawaii. From 2001-2003, he directed WestEd's school improvement services for the Calexico (CA) Unified School District, and saw the average Academic Performance Index for all of the district's 10 schools increased 124 points. In addition, Fitterer directs WestEd's Teach and Coach for Success project and supports activities of WestEd's Southwest Comprehensive Center. Previous experience includes elementary school principal, staff development teacher trainer, and classroom teacher.
Jonathan Frank, Senior Program Associate
Jon Frank works with WestEd’s Comprehensive School Assistance Program (CSAP) to assist schools in developing accountability systems that result in improved instructional practices and increased student learning. His work with the Local Accountability Professional Development Series (LAPDS) has been with districts in Mississippi, Arizona, Tennessee and California. He also works with districts in creating long-term strategic plans. Frank has over 35 years experience, having served as a classroom teacher, a principal, an assistant superintendent, and a superintendent. He also teaches graduate-level preservice courses in mathematics and science instruction.
Joseph Sassone, Senior Program Associate
Joe Sassone joined WestEd's Local Accountability Professional Development Series (LAPDS) in 2006, bringing his comprehensive expertise in building effective school intervention systems. As Assistant Superintendent of Vail (Arizona) Unified School District, he led a district-wide accountability reform initiative that resulted in statewide awards for improved student achievement. Under Sassone’s leadership, the district established essential standards K-12 in reading, math, writing, science, social studies, and technology; developed proficiency levels to measure student progress; implemented benchmark assessments in reading, math, science, and writing for grades 2 through 10; established school-wide common formative assessments in reading and math for grades K through 12; implemented re-teach and enrichment programs at the elementary, middle and high school level; developed school-level accountability for students at risk of failure; developed model products in reading and language arts aligned with NAEP; created an Achievement Teacher position for every school in the district to facilitate data team meetings; and implemented a district-wide Response To Intervention (RTI) model aligned to essential standards with the special education department. He has held additional positions in multiple districts nationwide, including assistant principal, school counselor, special education teacher, and district director of human resources.
Sharon Tucker, Senior Program Associate
Sharon Tucker specializes in school wide and district wide improvements that increase educational opportunities for students. Tucker develops workshops and provides technical assistance on curriculum standards, assessment, and accountability for WestEd's California Comprehensive Center. She also serves as an external entity for the No Child Left Behind Act District Improvement process. Her work helps district and school leaders establish systems that increase educational opportunities for students, particularly English learners and other students with special needs. Prior to joining WestEd, she was Superintendent of the Fairfield-Suisun, California Unified School District, a K-adult school district with an enrollment of 25,000 students in an urban setting. She has held several leadership positions in rural and suburban settings, including serving as deputy superintendent and assistant superintendent positions as well as elementary and middle school principal. Tucker began her education career as a classroom teacher, serving in many capacities including special education, bilingual immersion, and general education classrooms. She also served as a reading specialist under the Miller-Unruh Basic Reading Act.