School Quality Review (SQR)
Throughout the implementation of our School Quality Review programs, we build a culture that is focused on self-reflection and the analysis of results and actions. Implemented in this way, our programs serve as a powerful tool that can promote efforts to improve at the district, school, and classroom levels.
Specifically, an SQR informs teaching and learning and assists educators as they set goals for improvement. SQR Reviews provide critical tools to help schools build on their successes to improve teaching and promote student achievement. Through self-evaluation, schools build the capacity to engage in a program of continuous improvement.
Purpose
The SQR Review process is designed to:
Enable the leadership and staff at the school to gain a clear understanding of the quality of education currently being provided in relation to clearly articulated school quality standards that define a quality school.
Guide schools through a process of self-reflection and directed practice.
Develop a shared understanding within the school community of the areas that promote effective student learning and the priorities for improving student learning.
Identify needs with reference to a clear rubric using a structured process. Enable the district to identify common patterns of professional practice across schools so that they can better support school improvement.
SQR Reviews are designed to be a positive and constructive process that helps the school staff and community know their school better and enables them to implement improvement plans with purpose and fidelity.
SQR Standards and Rubric
The SQR Review process requires reviewers to collect evidence to support findings about the school’s effectiveness in relation to quality standards that define an effective school. A rubric is then used to assess if the school meets or exceeds the agreed upon standards, and where it does not.
The school quality standards cover five domains which are as follows:
Quality of Learning and Teaching
Curriculum and Assessment
Leadership, Management, and Accountability
The Culture of Learning
Family and Community Engagement
In the complex context of an SQR Review, it is important that there are consistent and transparent processes, clearly understood procedures, and unambiguous and consistent terminology. Agreed rubrics and descriptors guide the assessment of findings, based on an objective evidence base assembled by the team during the review process.
The Three Phases of the SQR process
Phase 1: Pre-visit preparation
School preparation meetings for principals and key staff
Contact by the Freedom Ink Team
Documents required prior to the review
School Self-evaluation
Analysis of the data
Phase 2: School visit
Scheduling and structure of review
Documents required during the review
Collection of evidence
Class visits
Reviewing evidence
Verbal feedback to the school leader
Phase 3: The Final SQR Review Report
Internal Quality Assurance (QA) 1 protocol
Fact check version sent within 20 days
QA review 2
Final report submitted
SQR Review as an element of the school improvement process
SQR Review is a key component of a comprehensive continuous improvement process since it is a third party, evidence-based, objective validation of the school's work and qualities.
The SQR Review process aids schools in their development by modeling a process that identifies strengths and improvement needs in key areas of the school’s work and using strategies that schools can develop to encourage sustained development and improvement. These include, for example, lesson observation, student work analysis and monitoring, through discussion with teachers, students, and parents.