US/Global 
CAN
You feel the urgency to reach every student; there’s never been a better time to start.
Activate PEOPLE
Engage students, teachers, and teacher teams in a learning-focused culture
Align PROCESSES
Connect all actions in this cycle to one or more of the four critical questions of PLC at Work®
Create ROUTINES
Work within a consistent routine of preparation, instruction, and analysis
Why Priority Schools in a PLC at Work®?
As an educator, you are an integral part of students’ lives. Your time with each child will impact their future, no matter what school or district you serve. Schools labeled as low-performing or high-priority struggle with many challenges, but we can help your staff work together to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of student success. Transform your existing culture of failure to a culture that believes learning is required.
Get better faster
Our experts will work with you to assess the current reality of your school or district and determine what actions you can take to improve student achievement. In addition, we can help you prepare a school improvement plan for the structural changes needed to create a learning-focused culture.
Work quickly to diagnose challenges with our 10-day student-learning cycle
3 Phases of Learning
Pre-Instruction
Instruction
Post-Instruction
PLC Critical Question Addressed
- What do we expect students to learn?
- How will we know students are learning?
- How will we respond when students don’t learn?
- How will we respond if students already know it?
Activity Performed by
Teacher Teams
Teachers
Students
Solution Tree helps leaders:
- Build the capacity of certified and emergency certified educators to improve the quality of instruction
- Create the processes and routines to accelerate essential learning
- Leverage the strengths of staff and students to abandon deficit thinking
- Sustain a learning-focused school
Solution Tree helps teachers:
- Accelerate learning rather than rely on remediation
- Implement research-affirmed strategies in their classrooms
- Engage students in owning their learning
- Believe all students can learn
- Build student self-efficacy
Solution Tree helps students:
- Become partners in learning
- Learn that feedback is valued
- Embrace voice and choice in learning
- Belong to the community of learners
Solution Tree helps parents and communities:
- Celebrate success in learning
- Collaborate with teacher teams focused on learning
- Shift the narrative to positive outcomes
From turmoil and survival to a focus on student achievement
Huntsville Elementary School realized a 21% gain in writing over three years.
Huntsville Elementary School, Huntsville, Texas
Before beginning their work with Solution Tree, the campus had experienced five different principals in six years, an 80% turnover rate of staff, no systems for planning, interventions or behavior, and an “improvement required” rating from the state of Texas. Huntsville Elementary was in critical need of serious change. Once leadership tackled the obstacle of filling numerous vacant positions, the heavy work started
- Year One: Critical areas of support were established and systems began to take shape. A climate and culture of trust and ownership began to emerge.
- Year Two: The school achieved a campus rating of “C” and received two distinctions for growth in math.
- Year Three: Retained 98% of school staff which helped to continue to strengthen the culture of learning, shared understandings and continuous student achievement. A campus needs assessment revealed that Huntsville was well on the way to embracing school improvement practices that would lead to student learning and achievement.
- Year Four: Solid systems remained in place despite disruptions due to COVID-19, and the school still retained 98% of its staff. All grade levels continue to track data, paying close attention to deficits that have been caused by constant educational disruptions from COVID.
Meet the Creator of Priority Schools in a PLC at Work
Led by Sharon V. Kramer, our Priority Schools in a PLC at Work experts have proven success with the unique challenges of priority schools—both as practitioners in their own schools and through their work in helping others achieve success.
Sharon V. Kramer
As an author and a leader in the field, Sharon V. Kramer, PhD, emphasizes the importance of creating and using quality assessments as a continual part of the learning process. Dr. Kramer served as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction of Kildeer Countryside School District 96 in Illinois. She has done priority schools work with schools across the nation utilizing the PLC continuous improvement model to raise student achievement levels in under-performing schools and districts
