Evaluation of Dynamic Impact in Worcester County Public Schools [2022]

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the implementation of Dynamic Impact (DI) in Worcester County Public Schools (WCPS) by Johns Hopkins' Center for Technology in Education (CTE). As described by CTE, DI builds the capacity of school districts to form and sustain high-performing teams using several protocols to guide their work together as they implement school improvement plans. This descriptive study collected and analyzed quantitative and qualitative data to document perceptions of DI as implemented in WCPS, including regarding the experience of being on a DI team, fidelity of implementation, and perceived impact. All members of DI teams were asked to complete a survey that included closed- and open-response questions, and a selection of teachers, school administrators, and district personnel participated in focus groups. Data collection took place during the spring semester of 2022. Overall, findings suggest that educators on DI teams were faithfully implementing DI and believed that DI was strengthening their school improvement efforts. They saw clear DI protocols giving focus to team members' work and ensuring attention to student outcomes, root causes, relevant data, evidence-based interventions, and continuous monitoring of activity and progress toward goals.