Students Are Stakeholders, Too!

"Gives hope to those trying to implement a student-focused culture and offers practical advice on what steps to take."
—Donald Poplau, Principal, Mankato East High School, MN

"Profound, yet simple and easy to implement. A timely book with great implications for schools trying to meet NCLB."
—Gina Marx, Assistant Superintendent, Augusta Public Schools, KS

Including students in schoolwide decisions helps them shape their future!

Based on real events that have yielded positive results for both school culture and student achievement, this inspiring story introduces the students and staff of Knownwell High School and involves you in their journey of school improvement.

Students Are Stakeholders Too! captures students′ uncanny insights in their own words and illustrates how a responsive principal involves all student segments, creates an audience for their ideas and suggestions, and engages their authentic participation with staff in decision making. Using only existing resources, educators can practice real democracy within their school community by inviting students to discuss their interests, needs, and preferences about school matters.

This resource outlines eight levels of student participation, provides questions for reflection, and introduces "Content for Consideration" sections drawn from research on high school reform, challenging the beliefs and practices of individual readers and collaborative groups of educators.

Edie L. Holcomb provides school leaders with practical strategies for promoting greater interaction between adults and students through every phase of the school improvement process.

Edie L. Holcomb is executive director of curriculum and instructional services for Kenosha Unified School District No. 1 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She has experienced the challenges of improving student achievement from many perspectives: From classroom teacher to university professor From gifted education coordinator to mainstream teacher of children with multiple disabilities From school- and district-level administration to national and international consulting From small rural districts to the challenges of urban education She is highly regarded for her ability to link research and practice on issues related to instructional leadership and school and district change—including standards-based curriculum, instruction, assessment, supervision, and accountability. She has taught at all grade levels, served as a building principal and central office administrator, and assisted districts as an external facilitator for accreditation and implementation of school reform designs. As associate director of the National Center for Effective Schools, she developed a training program for site-based teams and provided technical support for implementation of school improvement efforts throughout the United States and in Canada, Guam, St. Lucia, and Hong Kong. She developed a comprehensive standards-based learning system for the staff and 47,000 students of the Seattle, Washington, city district and has supervised K–12 clusters of schools and evaluated principals. Her work received the Excellence in Staff Development Award from the Iowa Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development in 1988. In 1990, her study of the needs of beginning principals was recognized by the American Association of School Administrators with the Paul F. Salmon Award for Outstanding Education Leadership Research. She served as an elected member-at-large on the Leadership Council for ASCD International, played an active role in Washington State’s School Improvement Assistance Program, and contributed to development of the new School System Improvement Resource Guide. Holcomb is the author of four previous books and numerous articles and reviews.