Collective Vision: Igniting District and School Improvement describes a school district’s ten-year journey of transformation and how research was leveraged to help achieve improved educational outcomes for learners. The journey began with the creation of a district-wide shared vision, mission and values, using a unique appreciative inquiry process that engaged all stakeholders in the school district, thus establishing shared ownership and responsibility for the outcomes.

The book demonstrates how the power of a collective vision and collaborative inquiry across a system helps establish a district-wide culture of collective efficacy, leading to improved learning. All too often in the field of education promising practices are discarded before improvements can be noted. Additionally, schools are often charged with the responsibility of improvement without enough support or guidance from district leaders and governance. This story describes how a ten-year process of continuous inquiry and support led to significant district improvement and transformation.

This story will inspire educators at all levels of the system to take steps toward district and school improvement. The book is unique in that it is written through the experience of practitioners who actioned educational research to achieve results. The book serves as a practical guide that provides useful “lessons learned” and questions for self-reflectionthroughout.