THE QUEST FOR QUALITY: THE CLOVIS CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS

PRESENTED TO DR. MAHR MUHAMMAD SAEED AKHTAR

Presented byMamoona ShahzadMP/2012-27

Clovis schools

Clovis schools Name of the district Near Fresno, California Clovis current enrollment is 23,000 and

has increased 43% over the last five years. A measure of Excellence (Strother 1991)

In the context of this book, Clovis schools present a paradox in that they resemble and at times seem to deviate from Deming’s principles.

14 points of W .Edward Deming

1. Create constancy of purpose towards improvement.

2. Adopt the new philosophy.

3. Cease dependence on inspection.

4. Move towards a single supplier for any one item.

Continued 5."Improve constantly and forever

6."Institute training on the job

7."Institute leadership

8."Drive out fear

9."Break down barriers between departments".

Continued 10. Eliminate slogans.

11. Eliminate management by objectives

12. Remove barriers to pride of workmanship.

13. Institute education and self-improvement.

14. The transformation is everyone's job.

Floyd Buchanan Superintendent of Clovis Schools ( 1969-1991).

Although he was never directly influenced by Deming, one of his principals enjoys referring to him as Floyd “Deming” Buchanan.

Accountability with a human face

“A measure of Excellence” states that Clovis’ emphasis on measurement and accountability provide the “co-ordination, teamwork and communication.

Measurement, then, is a glue that sustains unity and constancy of purpose amidst the fraying inevitabilities of unbridled autonomy.

Accountability is at the heart of the Clovis program.

Deborah Strother

Virginia Boris assistant

superintendent of instructional leadership

An essential aspect of sustaining “constancy of purpose”(Deming, point1) is vision.

But vision is meaningless without commitment.

Real vision must be acted on.

Continued

Measurement establishes priorities and keep the efforts on the track.

Ongoing measurement also guides the effort by giving the workers indicators of progress and information that can help them to adjust their strategy.

Fostering a culture of Trust

Insistence on measurement requires a new kind of management, not one that blames or punishes but one that has its focus on progress.

This requires trust and trust must be cultivated carefully.

“Trust is where people feel like their ideas will be taken seriously.” ( Virginia Boris)

Service and Support

According to Bishop, the biggest thing Floyed Buchanan did was to create a support system.

Clovis administrators go to great lengths to provide support when teachers encounter barriers.

When teachers having problems achieving targeted goals, administrators ask, “How can we support you?”

Bishop calls it “discrepancy model”.

This approach keeps the focus on accomplishments and concentration on gaps between “what is and what should be”.

To “drive out fear” (Deming’s point 8) and real support is essential in an accountability system.

This support is management’s way of removing “barriers to pride of workmanship”. (Deming’s point 12)

Here we can see real similarities between Clovis and Toyota in their assumption that setting high expectations and providing ample support can help almost anyone to become a good employee.

Assessment system In traditional assessment system, the only basis for judging the performance was the observation of the classroom and occasional parent comments.

But effectiveness at Clovis is very clearly defined by the criteria by which each student, class and school is judged.

The using of this data for improving the quality of instruction is equally important.

Anne Lindsey Principal of Dry Creek Elementary School

Introduces a process for the assessment of the system, which is called› Diagnose-Prescribe-Plan-Teach-EvaluationResembles to Deming’s PDSA CycleWith its emphasis on gathering precise

indicators of effectiveness and using them first to plan, then to solve problems and then again using the same precise evidence for further planning.

Quality and costs Clovis saves money by buying the very best equipment rather than the least expensive.

According to Buchanan, “it only costs about 10% more to buy high-quality equipment that lasts twice as long as lower-priced equipment.”(Deming’s point 4,about buying from quality suppliers rather than from the lowest priced vendor).

Conclusion

Clovis has succeeded because measurement is central to everything it does. The data they routinely collect is at the heart of their success. It promotes team work, informs their staff training efforts and enables them to recognize and reinforce excellence. Clovis demonstrated that where educational processes are carefully monitored, adjusted and where employee feel secure and supported in their efforts to improve, they can meet the highest expectations.

Thanks a lot and ALLAH HAFIZ