Does MRSH provide targeted assistance or a comprehensive package to schools?

MRSH provides both, depending on the needs of a school or district. We have worked with entire districts to help each school develop their own instructional plan that reflects their state standards. Similarly, we've helped schools focus on improving their reading program. In many instances, though, we work with schools to develop a comprehensive approach to school improvement.

How often are MRSH trainers available to a school's staff?

If MRSH is working on a comprehensive strategy for school improvement, then trainers are usually in a school 25 to 30 days a year.

With what types of schools has MRSH worked?

MRSH has worked with schools that serve all types of students—African-American, Latino, Anglo, high poverty, little poverty, high numbers of special needs children, elementary, middle, and high schools—in the Northeast, Midwest, South, and Southwest.

How does MRSH work with state academic standards?

MRSH customizes all of its work to support implementation of the applicable state academic standards. Having worked in over 30 states, MRSH is familiar with nearly all state standards in the nation.

If we are using a comprehensive approach, what will those trainers do at our school?

Some trainers will be there to work with the leadership team and principal; others will be there to help teachers develop new strategies for teaching specific subjects—such as reading and mathematics; others provide coaching to specific teachers; and others will work with all the staff in aligning instruction with their state standards, developing strategies for differentiating instruction, or improving classroom management. 

What does it cost to implement the MRSH design?  

MRSH is not the cheapest CSR design to implement. Nor is it the most expensive.

First, and foremost, MRSH is committed to providing the best support to each school we serve. We are also committed to bringing that support to your school, not just working off-site with a few educators from your school.

Those commitments lead to higher costs—particularly travel costs. Thus, the cost of implementing the full MRSH approach will vary depending on the number of other schools in the same region implementing MRSH.

Given that we think it is extremely important for our support team to work with ALL teachers implementing MRSH, costs vary depending on the size of the school and how many grade levels are included.

On average, though, costs vary between $45,000 and $75,000 per year for full implementation of a comprehensive school improvement plan.

Of course, costs may be considerably lower for schools that are receiving targeted assistance from MRSH rather than implementing a comprehensive school improvement plan.

What can we do to reduce costs of implementing MRSH?

We do everything possible to reduce the costs that schools encounter—implementing at a slower pace, providing training during planning periods or on weekends, etc.

Schools can reduce the costs for any given year by deciding to have a lower rate of implementation.

Does MRSH help with CSR applications to our state?

MRSH helps with your application for CSR funding. Not only will we help, but we have a strong track record of success. In 2003, 80 percent of the schools applying for CSR funding to implement the MRSH approach received funding from their state.

What major strands of research inform your approach to school improvement?

Research in sociology, psychology, neuroscience, and economics informed the development of the Modern Red SchoolHouse approach.      Summary of Research Base   |   MRSH in Depth

What independent evaluators have assessed the effectiveness of
your assistance to schools?

• RAND Corporation
  
• Center for Research in Educational Policy—University of Memphis
  
• Center for Research and Policy on Basic Skills—Tennessee State University
  
• Center for the Research on the Education of Students Placed At Risk—Johns Hopkins University
  
• Research and Evaluation Department—Jackson Public Schools
  
• Research and Evaluation Department—San Antonio Independent School District

What are the qualifications of the MRSH staff who work with schools? 

MRSH has been extremely fortunate in finding a number of senior educators who want to help struggling schools. On average, the consultants that provide support to schools implementing MRSH approach have over 20 years of experience in schools—as teachers and school administrators. More often than not, these experienced educators have had the opportunity to become experts in specific fields—such as classroom management, school leadership, instructional strategies, or working with students with disabilities or limited English skills. As needed, we have consultants that are knowledgeable about specific reading or mathematics programs—such as Open Court or Everyday Math—who can improve teachers' skills in using these programs. Many consultants have advanced degrees in the areas in which they provide support to schools. Learn more about the MRSH Team.

Will you provide us with trainers from our own district?

Providing schools with the trainer that is best qualified to meet a school's needs is our first priority—sometimes they are in the same region as the school, but often they are from other parts of the country.

How much additional work will teachers need to assume in order to
implement the MRSH approach?

MRSH should not be viewed as an additional program with additional responsibilities. Rather, it is an approach to school improvement that seeks to improve what you are already doing.

For some schools, it may require that educators restructure how they use their time in order to make time for more review of data on student learning or more time for teachers to collaborate in their analysis of what's working for their students and what isn't. When teachers discover that something isn't working, it is likely that some additional time to address those problems will be required.

That said, schools working to implement the comprehensive approach to school improvement prosper best if they have some time available in the summer to jump-start their review of how they can best address standards and to begin to make adjustments in their design of instruction.

What should teachers expect to experience if their school decides to implement fully the original MRSH design for school improvement?

First and foremost, MRSH respects the fact that many things (reading programs, mathematics texts, etc.) in any given school may serve students and educators quite well. So, teachers should expect respect for those things that work in your school. That said, MRSH also expects educators to be honest in their evaluation of what's working and what's not. If something is not working, then the MRSH team is ready to help school educators determine what's best for them.

Adopting new texts is a decision for school and district administrators. The role for MRSH is to make the implementation of any given text the very best it can be.

Does MRSH evaluate schools that partner with them?

MRSH is always anxious to learn if its support makes a difference in the lives of classrooms in a given school. We ask educators to evaluate every training session that we provide. Annually, we ask educators to tell us about their classroom practices and how MRSH has had an impact. We provide postcards to all educators at partnering schools to allow them to give us immediate feedback about what they need and what they like. We provide central office administrators with annual reports on the degree to which we find that anticipated changes in practices have actually occurred.

Can you guarantee that we'll get positive results if we adopt the MRSH approach to school improvement?

The results we have are fairly compelling: If educators approach changes in practice in the ways we recommend, 80 percent of them will see results in the first two years. However, where educators are more reluctant to adopt research-based changes, the results are much more mixed.

How does MRSH fit with the other programs already in our school?

MRSH does not expect, or even think desirable, schools to abandon programs already working in their schools. MRSH usually fits quite nicely with existing programs. MRSH does, however, expect school leaders to evaluate honestly what, in fact, existing programs are contributing to student learning. Where programs have failed to provide meaningful contributions to student learning, MRSH recommends careful reconsideration.

How does MRSH address the issues created by NCLB?