Active Learning Consultants, Richard Bernato Ed.D.

Take Your High Involvement Pulse!

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Shared Decision Making for High Involvement
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Shared decision making has only recently begun to show a relationship with student achievement.

Pricilla Wohlstetter’s research (1997) has demonstrated that shared decision making in schools can NOT be locked into a cause / effect syllogism. Rather, shared decision making is only effective when it is a part of an array of school improvement efforts.

The time is right to use shared planning teams to really shape our schools' future.

Schools or school systems that create shared decision making teams, but which NEGLECT the High Involvement factors necessary for them to be effective have wasted their time and corrupted the expectation of shared decision making.

High Involvement Elements

The extent to which the group;

Power - the group or its members has real authority to plan, change, decide and implement.

Knowledge - has been trained to work collaboratively and has the skills and knowledge of the organization to identify plans and needs.

Information - has the data it needs to make good decisions and has sought input and communication from its stakeholders.

Goals - has clear and SMART goals to target.

Leadership - has dispersed responsibility among the stakeholders to move toward appropriate goals.

Resources - has what it needs to meet its goals, or has striven to overcome obstacles to obtain resources.

Rewards - receives intrinsic or extrinsic recognition and / or satisfaction for having worked together for their common goals.

Shared Planning

When these elements are present and actively promoted shared decision making teams can get PAST the business of deciding and into active planning for meaningful CHANGE.

Active Learning will help your shared decision making team make the transition from deciding in a vacuum to successful operational and strategic planning.

Active Learning Consultants can help you:

Identify the strengths and weaknesses of your shared decision making teams.

Determine who has the authority to meet the goals that you identify and assess how it is used.

Identify what skills it takes to know how to work together.

Obtain the data you need to make informed plans.

Analyze the real meaning behind the data you have.

Communicate your school’s needs to your stakeholders and to gather meaningful input from them.

Build leadership skills among stakeholders according to your plans’ needs.

Generate a strong sense of a common instructional mission.

Identify ways to obtain the resources you need.

Train your shared decision making teams with the knowledge and skills to be truly effective by

Mastering the skills of group and team collaboration

Using data to establish the real needs of children and the school

Developing operational plans within a strategic vision

For more information, contact us at richber1@optonline.net

	Identify the strengths and weaknesses of your shared decision making teams.
	Determine who has the authority to meet the goals that you identify and assess how it is used.
	Identify what skills it takes to know how to work together.
	Obtain the data you need to make informed plans.
	Analyze the real meaning behind the data you have.
	Communicate your school’s needs to your stakeholders and to gather meaningful input from them.
	Build leadership skills among stakeholders according to your plans’ needs.
	Generate a strong sense of a common instructional mission.
	Identify ways to obtain the resources you need.
	Train your shared decision making teams with the knowledge and skills to be truly effective by
	Mastering the skills of group and team collaboration Using data to establish the real needs of children and the school Developing operational plans within a strategic vision