solved Improvement requires change, but in education change rarely brings any

Improvement requires change, but in education change rarely brings any improvements for many reasons and regardless of the provided resources.  The Plan-Do-Study-Act Inquiry Cycle is a method for testing a change by planning it, trying it, observing the results, and acting on what is learned on a small scale before large-scale implementation. 
Hypothetical scenario: You have been granted unlimited resources, and your job is to tackle one of the many complex U.S. education system problems by introducing a change idea on a small scale using PDSA cycle method. Please refer to Figure 5.3 “Learning to Improve” in the Bryke reading to introduce your plan, implementation, data analysis, and expectations.

Reply:
First one:
Thank you for this prompt, it definitely got me thinking! If I had unlimited resources, I would be interested in tackling issues surrounding online learning. I find this topic really interesting, especially as the pandemic continues. In regards to the PDSA cycle, I would start with a driver diagram, such as Bryk’s Figure 5.4. My “goal” would be to improve engagement of students via online learning. Some of the related drivers may be: access to technology, teacher training and preparation, online resources/systems, understanding of student demographics and needs, and student/teacher feedback.
If I could start with a small scale idea using the PDSA cycle, I might would focus on the driver of access to technology as my beginning point. I realize that schools and districts nationwide have already implemented 1:! chromebooks to some extent. Since this prompt says I have unlimited resources, I’m going to go out on a limb and claim there’s the potential for a nationwide technology partnership with the government to automatically provide a usable bandwidth upgrade directly to every family with a student in TK though higher education. But, before the nationwide roll out, it would start small scale.

Second one:
The Problem: First-generation students’ sense of belonging and confidence (regarding both academics and campus resources and support).
Plan: Pilot test an opt-in, credit-based semester-long orientation course and corresponding peer mentorship program for incoming first-generation students. Perhaps a course that meets twice a week – once as a group with a first-generation faculty member and/or administrator to discuss available resources and talk through challenges, and once as a one-on-one or small group meeting between students and their upper-class peer mentor to help foster community and connections.
Implementation: Develop a Non-Equivalent Groups Design (NEGD) with our enrolled students (target population) and a control group of first-year, first-generation students who did not enroll in the pilot course. Ideally, we would be able to identify control group members with backgrounds similar to our target population. We would also have to consider the possible influence of factors like selection bias since this is an opt-in program.
Data Analysis: Develop measures to test sense of belonging and academic confidence (perhaps scales would be valuable here?). Administer a pre-test to both the target population and the control group after first-year orientation for all students has taken place. Administer a post-test to both groups at the end of the first semester. After analyzing the results of the pre- and post-tests, hold focus groups with both the target population and the control group to discuss what specific aspects of the pilot program may have contributed to the results. A textual analysis of focus group transcripts can help provide insights.

Expectations/Hypothesis/Next Steps: The hopes and expectations are that the target population will report a greater sense of belonging and a greater sense of academic confidence and knowledge of campus resources than the control group. If this proves the case, the next step would be to scale the program up to include more or all first-year first-generation students (incorporating any feedback from our focus groups). If this is not the case, the next step would be to redesign the pilot program incorporating focus group feedback and do another small-group test.
Plan: All students should have access to a solid bandwidth connection to take part in online learning. The change idea would be to provide each student with an upgraded internet connection. A school would start with one grade, and identify all students that require internet.
Predictions: Some students’ bandwidth will be sufficient, others will not. Factors of # of students in a home could affect this. But at minimum, all students would be on a similar starting point with their technology and ability to sign into virtual learning. Other predictions could relate to living conditions and communication.
Test the Change: Perhaps track student attendance, video camera abilities, and ability to open up zoom, software, and screen share.
Do: Roll out the new bandwidth levels for each student in the selected grade. Collect information on student attendance. Also create a survey to understand how families, students, and teachers feel about the new connection, thus providing feedback.
Analysis: What did the surveys say? Were there consistencies or variations between the teacher, student, and guardian perspective?
Next Steps: If the access to increased bandwidth worked over a period of time, a school could consider expanding this to more grades. Creating a feedback system for immediate help, concerns, or person to go out and address a tech issue would need to be implemented. This would be a step that takes place after several iterations of the cycle as it continues to expand.

Third one:
Problem: Lack of parent engagement in regular communication with teachers

Plan: Improve communication and engagement between parents and teachers in PreK-2 classrooms. Teachers will…

Send out weekly updates on student behavior, participation, and concerns/praises along with additional comments
Send bi-monthly class newsletter highlighting learning objectives and any important details for the upcoming month (e.g. days off, school or classroom activities, etc.)
Link notifications for weekly and bi-monthly communications to parent emails for mobile access

Implementation: Implement weekly student updates and bi-monthly class newsletter via student LMS (e.g. Seesaw or Dojo) to encourage and document the flow of parent engagement/communication with teachers
Analysis: Survey parents at back-to-school night to see if they are interacting with the LMS, are familiar with updates and newsletters, and receiving communications via email (I’m not sure about this)
Expectation: Parents receive communications however they’re more likely to read child’s weekly updates than bi-monthly newsletters. This expectation is based on common parent questions received via email about classroom/school activities that were explicitly mentioned in newsletters.

Next steps: How can we get parents to actively read through an entire bi-monthly newsletter?

Shorten newsletter and decrease cognitive load by making it more visually appealing and digestible (bullet points, important details highlighted, etc.)