about the project

This comprehensive districtwide reform initiative is designed to provide research-based technical assistance, build capacity, and improve student achievement in the Creighton Elementary School District (CESD) in Phoenix, Arizona. The project is funded by the Ellis Center for Educational Excellence, a local community philanthropy, which has partnered with WestEd's DistrictsMovingUp and CESD in a multiyear effort.

CESD's nine schools have high percentages of students from low-income families. In 2008, 48 percent of the district's students were English learners, and 91 percent were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

Several WestEd coaching, research, and technical assistance teams are collaborating in the initiative: our Teach for Success® service provides interactive professional development workshops and coaching on instructional strategies for teachers and principals in all of Creighton’s classrooms; trainers from our Local Accountability Professional Development Series are helping district leaders to align their curriculum with state standards and to develop continuous assessment systems that teachers use to improve school performance; and WestEd's English Learners and the Language Arts staff will help teachers target students who have not reached proficiency levels in English. Together, WestEd teams are working with CESD stakeholders to close the achievement gap and improve student performance throughout the district.

Initial Implementation

Launched in the summer of 2008, this project began with an extensive needs assessment of CESD framed around DistrictsMovingUp's 10 evidence-based guiding principles of high-performing districts. Project staff analyzed data based on observations in 82 percent of the district classrooms, as well as interviews, focus groups, surveys of stakeholders, and state and district documents. They presented the findings to the CESD leadership team in September 2008.

The CESD and DistrictsMovingUp teams then developed an action plan focused on improving instruction, aligning curriculum and standards, and creating common formative assessments. The Ellis Center-funded project is also documenting DistrictsMovingUp's planning sessions, training and coaching, and professional development.

The project will work toward full implementation of all DistrictsMovingUp guiding principles and aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of a long-term, research-based improvement initiative on student achievement, instructional quality, and building a culture of continuous improvement districtwide.