The Journey to a Trusted Partner in School Improvement
The Center for School Turnaround and Improvement (CSTI) is a national leader in driving meaningful, sustainable change in education. Since its inception in 2014 as the federally funded Center for School Turnaround (CST), CSTI has developed over 50 essential resources to support school improvement. Today, we continue to build on this legacy, providing innovative tools, strategies, and resources that empower educators and transform underperforming schools.
Following the conclusion of CST’s federal funding in 2018,CSTI was created to sustain and expand the critical work around school improvement. Initially focused on preserving CST’s resources, CSTI soon broadened its mission to include professional school improvement services directly to SEAs, LEAs, and schools. A defining moment came in 2020, when CSTI facilitated a peer-to-peer conversation with state-level school improvement leaders at the national ESEA conference, reinforcing our commitment to collaboration and expanding our impact.
Since launching our first virtual SEA Convening in September 2020, CSTI has hosted 20 such events with more than 30 SEAs. These convenings, along with in-person gatherings, have strengthened CSTI’s reputation as a trusted partner in the school improvement ecosystem.
At the core of our work is the Four Domains for Rapid School Improvement, a research-based framework that informs our approach. CSTI has developed a suite of tools to operationalize these domains, including the Four Domains Comprehensive Assessment of Leadership for Learning (CALL), created in partnership with the Wisconsin Center for Education Products and Services. This innovative survey and feedback system enables SEAs, LEAs, and schools to assess, analyze, and enhance leadership practices.
Nearly all field-based support from CSTI begins with the Four Domains CALL survey, providing actionable data to inform training and support. Schools that do not receive direct CSTI support can still leverage the CALL system for strategies, suggestions, and reflection questions to guide leadership teams through improvement efforts. The introduction of “Quick CALL” now allows for quick and easy progress monitoring, serving as a leading indicator of student achievement gains.
Innovation is at the heart of CSTI’s work. Recently, we have piloted AI applications to help school leaders identify high-impact actions for their improvement goals. As we look ahead, we remain committed to empowering educators and fostering lasting change in schools and communities nationwide.
We invite you to explore our resources and join us in advancing school improvement. Let’s work together to tackle your most pressing challenges and create lasting, positive change.