Presented at the 2013 NPEA Conference by: Aim High and The Steppingstone Foundation http://www.educational-access.org/npea_conference_speakers2013.php

1. Proving it to Ourselves:
Building an Organizational
Learning Culture
2013 NPEA Conference
April 12, 2013
Alec Lee, Aim High
Sarah Conrad, The Steppingstone Foundation
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2. Agenda
1.Definition
1.Self-Assessment: Where are you on the
organizational learning journey?
1.Two stories: Bright spots & construction
zones
1.Next Steps
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3. Goals of the Session
By the end of the session we hope you will:
1. Not be afraid of numbers!
1. Commit to using data to build a culture of
organizational learning
1. Use data to track progress toward your
organization’s strategic plan, including
organizational and individual goals
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4. Defining Organizational Learning
Torres & Preskill (2001) “A process of continuous
growth and improvement through the use of evaluation,
embedded in the organization’s culture, systems,
structure, and leadership, leading to alignment of values,
attitudes, and perceptions”
Milway & Saxton (2011) “developing organizational
knowledge and integrating that knowledge into everyday
practice”
Use data to get clear.
Use data for improvement.
Use data for professional growth.
1.
Torres, R.T. & Preskill, H. (2001). Evaluation and organizational learning: past, present, ad future. American Journal of
Evaluation, 22(3), 387-395
2.
Milway, K.S. & Saxton, A. (2011). The Challenge of Organizational Learning. Stanford Social Innovation Review, Summer
2011
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5. Components
Steps to Organizational Learning
Buy In
Buy In Robust
Robust Set
Set
Strategic Plan
Strategic Plan Benchmarks
Benchmarks
Prioritize and
Prioritize and
Implement
Implement
Analyze;
Analyze;
Set NEW
Set NEW Collect
Collect
Interpret;
Interpret;
Goals
Goals Information
Information
Share
Share
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6. Self-Assessment
Buy In Robust Set
Strategic Plan Benchmarks • Where are
you in the
process?
Prioritize and • How well are
Implement
you doing?
• What are
some barriers
Analyze;
Set NEW Interpret;
Collect to progress?
Goals Information
Share
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7. Aim High’s Journey – 10 years
Not on
Spectru
m
Buy In
Buy In Robust
Robust Set
Set
Strategic Plan
Strategic Plan Benchmarks
Benchmarks
Prioritize and
Prioritize and
Implement
Implement
Analyze;
Analyze;
Set NEW
Set NEW Collect
Collect
Interpret;
Interpret;
Goals
Goals Information
Information
Share
Share | 7

8. Aim High’s Journey – 20 years
Robust
Robust
Buy In
Buy In Strategic Set
Set
Strategic
Plan Benchmarks
Benchmarks
Plan
Prioritize and
Prioritize and
Implement
Implement
Analyze;
Analyze;
Set NEW
Set NEW Collect
Collect
Interpret;
Interpret;
Goals
Goals Information
Information
Share
Share
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9. Aim High’s Journey – 20 years
BUY IN
•Board Expertise
•Commitment to necessary resources
•Leadership Commitment
• Board
• Executive Director
•Investment of time
 Willingness TO GET BETTER
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10. Aim High’s Journey – 27 years
Robust
Robust
Buy In
Buy In Strategic Set
Set
Strategic
Plan Benchmarks
Benchmarks
Plan
Prioritize and
Prioritize and
Implement
Implement
Analyze;
Analyze;
Set NEW
Set NEW Collect
Collect
Interpret;
Interpret;
Goals
Goals Information
Information
Share
Share
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11. Multi-year summer program focused on academic
Aim High Strategy enrichment for under-resourced middle school youth
What Research Says What We Do Our Goals How We Gauge Success Impact on Kids
Instill positive attitude Positive attitude towards learning (90%)
towards learning
GPA improvement or maintaining at least a 3.0 in
middle school (70%)
Learning Develop confident,
Rigorous, interactive, & motivated & engaged
Middle school is a students with strong Developed/strengthened academic skills (90%)
relevant curriculum
pivotal time learning skills & habits and
emphasizing project- content knowledge
based learning Students are prepared for the school year (90%)
Students’ social &
Enriching activities &
emotional well-being Student retention (80% 2+ yrs)
supports learning out-of-classroom Positioned for success
learning in school and life:
Students are part of a community where they feel safe
Build students’ sense of and respected (90%) Love of learning
Summer learning is community belonging &
critical Environment healthy, valued Sense of community &
relationships with peers & 1+ young adult role model who sets an example for opportunity
Small & diverse learning being college-bound (90%)
adults Success in high school
communities that foster a
Strong transition to culture of respect,
high school combats 1+ adult who cares about their wellbeing (90%)
On track for college
opportunity, & high
dropout and is
expectation
essential to being
Strong 9th grade year (high attendance,
college-bound appropriate grade-level course enrollment, high
Team teaching model homework completion rate)
Support successful On-time high school graduation rate for each
ethnic group is at least 5% higher than their
Teachers transition to high school and district's rate
Diverse, passionate, & on-time graduation
skilled instructors & Alums credit Aim High with contributing to their on-
leaders time graduation from high school (75%)
Promote increased
understanding of the path Better understand path to college (90%)
to college
Bold text= priority measurement | 11

12. WHAT HAPPENED between year 20-27?
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13. Ah – Ha Moment?
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14. Key Decisions and Investments
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15. Steppingstone’s Journey - 2009
Our starting point…a bright spot!
Buy In
Buy In Robust
Robust Set
Set
Strategic Plan
Strategic Plan Benchmarks
Benchmarks
Prioritize and
Prioritize and
Implement
Implement
Analyze;
Analyze;
Set NEW
Set NEW Collect
Collect
Interpret;
Interpret;
Goals
Goals Information
Information
Share
Share
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16. The Steppingstone Academy Strategy
What Research Says What We Do Our Goals How We Gauge Success Impact on Kids
Foster, beginning in middle
school, a college-bound
Admission community of peers
Recruit motivated urban
students with high potential Retention in Prep component (83%) Scholars are:
Middle-grade years are and limited opportunities
crucial for college from low- to moderate- Prepare Scholars
-Able to get into selective
degree attainment income households. academically, socially, and 4-yr college at which they
emotionally to get into, and Placement (90%)
have the greatest chance
Preparation & Placement succeed at, some of the for success
Summer learning is 14-month rigorous most selective middle and
critical academic component high schools in Boston -Prepared to be
taught by professional area. successful at the college
Retention at Placement Schools of their choice
teachers. Support families
(92%)
High schools matter through all aspects of the -Able to graduate from 4-
and can guide students independent and public Ensure Scholars receive yr college within 6 years
into the application exam school admission college readiness services 4-yr high school graduation (95%) ready to enter the job
pool for competitive process. at appropriate time (ex. market
colleges. middle school: connect
Support Services career and college; 11th Overall high school graduation
Scholars are provided grade: understand nuts and (99%)
Can increase likelihood college readiness bolts of college application
of college degree programming and general process; throughout:
attainment when support through middle and college affordability and 4-yr college enrollment (90%)
students receive high school financial aid)
robust college
readiness services College Services
Support offered while in
college with a focus on the
transition to college, Support Scholars in the
Graduate from 4-yr college within
financial literacy, and transition to college and at
4 years (63%)
career development. college with plan of
graduating within 4 – 6
years Graduate from 4-yr college within
6 years (80%)
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17. Steppingstone’s Journey - 2010
Construction Zone: Moving Backward to go Forward
Buy In
Buy In Robust
Robust Set
Set
Strategic Plan
Strategic Plan Benchmarks
Benchmarks
Prioritize and
Prioritize and
Implement
Implement
Analyze;
Analyze;
Set NEW
Set NEW Collect
Collect
Interpret;
Interpret;
Goals
Goals Information
Information
Share
Share
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18. Steppingstone’s start
1. Commitment to improving our performance
management system, allowing it to maximize
organizational effectiveness through providing a basis
for learning, growth, and evaluation
2. Clear on our organizational goals/benchmarks
1. Brought on Commongood Careers to work with us
1. They provided our guiding principles, we needed a
system that was (among other things): linked,
integrated, and goal-oriented
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19. What happened? Where are we now?
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20. What does this mean for you?
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21. Rules of the Road (How to be Successful)
• Flexible
− Implementation plan
− Δs
• Transparent
• Personal Commitment
• Accept the bad with the good
• No one gets a free pass
• Invest in evaluation
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22. Wrapping Up
•One idea/concept you’ll bring back
to your board/staff
•One area of progress you think you
can make
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