The Good Schools Resource Center, currently housed at Marygrove College, manages the Good Schools application process as well as provides technical assistance and resources to help schools to improve. The Center’s activities are divided in five major components 1) school improvement, 2) professional development 3) Good Schools Application Process, 4) community outreach, and the 5) media campaign.

Professional Development

The services provided by the Center include: coaching to help schools identify their strengths as “lessons learned” as well as apply “best practices” to their areas in need of improvement; bringing in national school reform experts; teaming aspiring schools with high performing schools; and encouraging and assisting schools in attaining business and community partners. 

Staff has created a Results-Based School Improvement Initiative. Through this initiative staff provides collaboration, assistance, support and consultation to schools related to school improvement.  Specifically, the use of data to drive and direct the instructional process is the focus of this school improvement initiative.  The Results-Based School Improvement Initiative examines various data sources and then assists schools in identifying strategies to improve teaching and learning.  A major outcome of this effort is a Results-Based Portfolio containing expansive data on the nine indicators as well as general background and demographic information.  These data strengthen the decision-making process and thereby help schools to make better decisions.

Additionally, professional development opportunities are designed to meet identified needs and priorities.  Professional development is delivered through comprehensive workshops help at the local school or ongoing institutes designed by the Resource Center’s staff, in collaboration with all partners, to strengthen learning communities.   

The Center annually hosts a Best Practices conference as well as other events throughout the year such as the High School Summit, featuring Tavis Smiley as the luncheon speaker, and A Conversation with the State Superintendent, featuring Michael Flanagan Michigan’s Superintendent.

Application Process

The Good Schools Making the Grade application process is quite comprehensive.  Staff are constantly reviewing the applications to ensure that the language is clear and easy to understand.  Applications are routinely updated to include the most current information regarding Indicators of Student and School Success.  Staff hold meetings and conduct workshops with principals and others interested in applying for the Good Schools’ grants.  The primary purpose of these workshops is to assist schools in understanding the criteria for each Good Schools classification and completing the application correctly.

A significant component of the application process is the site visit to schools.  Center staffs randomly select students, teachers, parents, and support staff to be interviewed during the one day visit.  The site visit team uses formal protocols, developed by the Center, to conduct their visits.

 The application process (link to resources) is a comprehensive self-study designed to help schools analyze their strengths and weaknesses. 

Community Outreach

Community Outreach is an important component of the Good Schools Resource Center.  Staff works closely with its business and community partners to ensure that everyone knows about Good Schools in the city of Detroit.  Staff attends meetings, answers questions and collaborates on initiatives of similar interests. Staff are available to meet with any individual or organization. 

The Resource Center’s staff have arranged for community/business leaders to visit Good Schools, interact with principals and their staffs, and to form long-term relationships.  The center has also worked with its partners to host a Principal for a Day initiative.

The Community Outreach program is closely aligned with the Good Schools Campaign. 

Good Schools Campaign

As part of the management of the Good Schools: Making the Grade Initiative, the center also develops and manages the Good Schools Campaign.  The campaign was initiated and developed to make sure everyone in Detroit gets involved in helping all schools in Detroit to become Good Schools.  Partnerships with local media and businesses have helped to involve residents in Detroit in promoting and advocating for good schools.

With Comcast Cable, a weekly, live talk, call-in Good Schools show was launched in March 2005.  Through 39 half-hour shows, a broad range of guests including grandparents, students, business owners and probation officers were all engaged in lively discussions about the criteria of Good Schools and how they help the community at large.
     
Detroit News jointly produced and distributed the first consumers guide to Good Schools in Detroit in the fall of 2005.  The Good Schools Guides were distributed to 22,000 members of the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, as well as to neighborhoods in Detroit.  The Good Schools Guide will be produced annually for parents, students and residents to help them identify Good Schools in their neighborhoods.

The Good Schools Rap Contest was launched in the first year, 2005, as a way to involve elementary school students in expressing their thoughts about good schools.  With Clear Channel’s Detroit station, WJLB, three winners were selected and a Good Schools Rap CD produced and distributed.  The Good Schools rappers have been performing at schools and neighborhood meetings and events.  The Detroit City Council awarded all three Good Schools Rap winners the Spirit of Detroit Award in 2005.

Parents, caregivers and neighborhood residents are encouraged to use and apply the criteria of good schools for selecting schools, as well as advocating for change in schools