Networks for School Improvement (NSIs), are groups of middle or high schools funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and supported by organizations like the American Institutes for Research, who are working together to identify and solve common problems using approaches that best fit their needs, learning what works as they go, and refining their approaches.
Our network, at Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD), consists of 10 middle schools working together to reach a common aim of improving outcomes for students in LBUSD.
What is LBNSI
How will we do this work?
Beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, Long Beach USD agreed to participate in the NSI, supported by the American Institutes for Research and the Gates Foundation. AIR coaches are working with school teams of ELA and History teachers in grades 6, 7, and 8 to use the tools of improvement science and evidence-based strategies to improve student literacy outcomes and increase the number of students who are “on track” and high school ready. With the support of district administrators and content area specialists, teacher teams are engaging in this work to:
- Connect the work directly to student need
- Implement teacher-led instructional change
- Conduct short-cycle investigations (Plan, Do, Study, Act cycles)
- Build a body of evidence about what works