SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND STATES
Arkansas Department of Education
Cross & Joftus worked with the Arkansas Department of Education and a consortium of six Arkansas districts to improve the use of data and technology in fostering whole-system improvement. Our firm conducted an evaluation of district and state implementation of and satisfaction with the statewide data system and provided recommendations to all stakeholders for improvements, including how to use data more effectively to inform the teaching and learning process. www.arkansased.org
California Department of Education
Cross & Joftus consultants are helping the California Department of Education, and its key partners, create a cutting-edge web portal that will put high quality, innovative standards, as well as research-based materials and resources, at the finger tips of the state's educators. This tool will enable teachers, principals, and, eventually, all education stakeholders to communicate, share, and network with their peers in other buildings and districts across the state and, later, across the nation. Our consultants are coordinating the project from the research and development phase through pilot implementation. This includes providing expertise and leadership in project management, fundraising, and strategic planning and curriculum development. It also includes facilitating and building relationships among multiple stakeholder groups and partners statewide. www.cde.ca.gov
The California Department of Education has selected Cross & Joftus to provide services for districts in the state that have been identified for improvement.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg (NC) Schools
On behalf of the Foundation for the Carolinas, Cross & Joftus analyzed the district’s governance and management systems and provided recommendations for improvement. www.cms.k12.nc.us
City of Philadelphia
On behalf of the mayor's office, our firm analyzed governance and management systems of the School District of Philadelphia and provided recommendations for improvement to a city task force. www.phila.gov
Creighton (AZ) School District
On behalf of the Ellis Center for Educational Excellence, we are conducting, with support from WestED, an evaluation of the district’s effort to implement comprehensive, systemic reform that will result in increased student achievement and a narrowing of achievement gaps. www.creightonschools.org
Dallas Independent School District
Cross & Joftus is conducting a comprehensive needs assessment of the school district and facilitating the development of a five-year strategic plan with the goal of helping to make the school district one of the best in the country. www.dallasisd.org
District of Columbia Public Schools
Cross & Joftus helped the district develop a number of documents that describe the purpose and components of its accountability system to communicate with a variety of stakeholders. We evaluated effectiveness of school-based programs, including planning, formative assessment programs, and reading initiatives. Scott Joftus also serves on the district's Assessment Technical Advisory Committee. www.k12.dc.us
District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Under a major contract from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we are providing operational support to the state superintendent as she implements her strategic initiatives. We also conducted an evaluation of the state’s Supplemental Education Services program that is mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act. www.osse.dc.gov
Kansas Department of Education
In 2008-09, Cross & Joftus worked with the state education agency (SEA) and five low-performing school districts through the Kansas Learning Network, a collaborative, systemic effort to improve the support the SEA provides to districts and the quality of districts and schools and, ultimately, to increase student achievement. Based on the success of that work, the SEA awarded Cross & Joftus a two-year contract to provide services to all 17 districts and 33 schools in the state that have been identified for improvement. www.ksde.org
Los Angeles County Office of Education
(1) Training staff on using Cross & Joftus' research-based classroom-walkthrough model. (2) Participating in a program review of a juvenile facility to determine the educational needs and to make recommendations for improvement. www.lacoe.edu
Pittsburgh Public Schools
On behalf of the Broad Foundation, we advised the district's new superintendent and senior staff on how to use the No Child Left Behind Act to leverage educational improvement. www.pghboe.net
Rogers School District (Ark.)
On behalf of the Rogers Development Foundation, Cross & Joftus conducted a comprehensive needs analysis and developed a strategic plan for Rogers School District, a rapidly growing and increasingly diverse school district serving 13,000 students. The needs analysis engaged district administrators and community leaders in a process of inquiry that modeled a process of continuous improvement and resulted in the identification of strengths and weaknesses related to the district's management and governance systems. The strategic planning process used the results of the needs analysis and to develop short- and long-term goals, measurable objectives, and actionable strategies that should result in systemic improvement. We will be working with the school system and foundation to help implement the strategic plan during the next few years. www.rogers.k12.ar.us
Sacramento County Office of Education
Cross & Joftus is providing the Juvenile Court and Community school programs and special education departments with the following services: (a) review and confer on State and Federal compliance within Juvenile Court schools, Community schools, and special education department; (b) evaluate effectiveness of current database systems and the impact of data on instructional programs; (c) provide a protocol of best practices in serving high-risk youth that could be utilized as a template with other county offices of education; (d) provide training to staff on using classroom observations to evaluate past professional development efforts and plan for future ones. www.scoe.net
Arkansas Department of Education
Cross & Joftus worked with the Arkansas Department of Education and a consortium of six Arkansas districts to improve the use of data and technology in fostering whole-system improvement. Our firm conducted an evaluation of district and state implementation of and satisfaction with the statewide data system and provided recommendations to all stakeholders for improvements, including how to use data more effectively to inform the teaching and learning process. www.arkansased.org
California Department of Education
Cross & Joftus consultants are helping the California Department of Education, and its key partners, create a cutting-edge web portal that will put high quality, innovative standards, as well as research-based materials and resources, at the finger tips of the state's educators. This tool will enable teachers, principals, and, eventually, all education stakeholders to communicate, share, and network with their peers in other buildings and districts across the state and, later, across the nation. Our consultants are coordinating the project from the research and development phase through pilot implementation. This includes providing expertise and leadership in project management, fundraising, and strategic planning and curriculum development. It also includes facilitating and building relationships among multiple stakeholder groups and partners statewide. www.cde.ca.gov
The California Department of Education has selected Cross & Joftus to provide services for districts in the state that have been identified for improvement.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg (NC) Schools
On behalf of the Foundation for the Carolinas, Cross & Joftus analyzed the district’s governance and management systems and provided recommendations for improvement. www.cms.k12.nc.us
City of Philadelphia
On behalf of the mayor's office, our firm analyzed governance and management systems of the School District of Philadelphia and provided recommendations for improvement to a city task force. www.phila.gov
Creighton (AZ) School District
On behalf of the Ellis Center for Educational Excellence, we are conducting, with support from WestED, an evaluation of the district’s effort to implement comprehensive, systemic reform that will result in increased student achievement and a narrowing of achievement gaps. www.creightonschools.org
Dallas Independent School District
Cross & Joftus is conducting a comprehensive needs assessment of the school district and facilitating the development of a five-year strategic plan with the goal of helping to make the school district one of the best in the country. www.dallasisd.org
District of Columbia Public Schools
Cross & Joftus helped the district develop a number of documents that describe the purpose and components of its accountability system to communicate with a variety of stakeholders. We evaluated effectiveness of school-based programs, including planning, formative assessment programs, and reading initiatives. Scott Joftus also serves on the district's Assessment Technical Advisory Committee. www.k12.dc.us
District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Under a major contract from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we are providing operational support to the state superintendent as she implements her strategic initiatives. We also conducted an evaluation of the state’s Supplemental Education Services program that is mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act. www.osse.dc.gov
Kansas Department of Education
In 2008-09, Cross & Joftus worked with the state education agency (SEA) and five low-performing school districts through the Kansas Learning Network, a collaborative, systemic effort to improve the support the SEA provides to districts and the quality of districts and schools and, ultimately, to increase student achievement. Based on the success of that work, the SEA awarded Cross & Joftus a two-year contract to provide services to all 17 districts and 33 schools in the state that have been identified for improvement. www.ksde.org
Los Angeles County Office of Education
(1) Training staff on using Cross & Joftus' research-based classroom-walkthrough model. (2) Participating in a program review of a juvenile facility to determine the educational needs and to make recommendations for improvement. www.lacoe.edu
Pittsburgh Public Schools
On behalf of the Broad Foundation, we advised the district's new superintendent and senior staff on how to use the No Child Left Behind Act to leverage educational improvement. www.pghboe.net
Rogers School District (Ark.)
On behalf of the Rogers Development Foundation, Cross & Joftus conducted a comprehensive needs analysis and developed a strategic plan for Rogers School District, a rapidly growing and increasingly diverse school district serving 13,000 students. The needs analysis engaged district administrators and community leaders in a process of inquiry that modeled a process of continuous improvement and resulted in the identification of strengths and weaknesses related to the district's management and governance systems. The strategic planning process used the results of the needs analysis and to develop short- and long-term goals, measurable objectives, and actionable strategies that should result in systemic improvement. We will be working with the school system and foundation to help implement the strategic plan during the next few years. www.rogers.k12.ar.us
Sacramento County Office of Education
Cross & Joftus is providing the Juvenile Court and Community school programs and special education departments with the following services: (a) review and confer on State and Federal compliance within Juvenile Court schools, Community schools, and special education department; (b) evaluate effectiveness of current database systems and the impact of data on instructional programs; (c) provide a protocol of best practices in serving high-risk youth that could be utilized as a template with other county offices of education; (d) provide training to staff on using classroom observations to evaluate past professional development efforts and plan for future ones. www.scoe.net