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Abstract
School districts experience considerable pressure to continuously improve, and the pursuit of improvement typically leads to the adoption of new — and purportedly more effective — initiatives. Often districts engage consultants to help navigate the selection and implementation of an initiative, and while these partnerships can prove fruitful, they present a set of challenges that are often underestimated by districts. Districts can increase the likelihood of an initiative’s effectiveness by asking a few key questions before embarking (or not) on the initiative. In particular, districts need to attend to issues of coherence, capacity, and commitment.
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