Sustaining student achievement: Six Sigma strategies and successful urban school district superintendents

Increased accountability from state and federal governments as well as increased quality demands of the public has forced many urban school district superintendents to re-think what it means to be successful and how it is they measure academic success. Increased pressure from the corporate sector has lead many superintendents to borrow practices from high performing corporations and successful business leaders in an effort to raise the effectiveness of their school districts in raising student achievement. Many school district administrators are reading books like The World is Flat, Good to Great and the work of Peter Senge on creating learning organizations. We also see the influence of quality improvement strategies like TQM and the Malcolm Baldridge Award for Quality in school districts as they use data to drive decision making and monitor the effectiveness of their instructional programs.;More specifically this study will identify opportunities for urban school district superintendents to implement Six Sigma in their districts as a means to improve and sustain student achievement. Six Sigma is a comprehensive and flexible system for achieving, sustaining and maximizing success. Six Sigma is driven by a close understanding of customer (student) needs, disciplined use of facts, data and statistical analysis, and diligent attention to managing, improving and reinventing processes.;The study participants are successful school district superintendents from various regions throughout the United States. They all serve or served large urban school districts and were able to increase student achievement in English and mathematics for all students. By using a survey and follow up interviews the study found there is significant similarities between the strategies of successful superintendents and Six Sigma; furthermore, that potential exists for Six Sigma (if fully implemented) to assist superintendents in raising and sustaining improved student achievement.