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This case is developed for use in a policy-centered course on systemic improvement in underperforming districts and schools. The narrative details the complexity that arose in the context of one such reform initiative, a framework for analyzing that complexity, and a set of leadership decisions that follow. Course instructors can use the case to: motivate students’ interest in district-driven systemic improvement, examine issues that often complicate such work, review emerging research on school turnaround efforts, and frame further inquiry into actual cases of district-driven systemic improvement.

Urban school reform is only effective to the degree to which change occurs in the classroom. Oak Park Schools implemented the Sixteen-step Strategic Planning Process designed to improve school performance and increase student achievement. This paper presents a case study of how the school district used feedback on student achievement patterns to frame a process of reflection and subsequent action to improve performance. The qualitative analysis of grouped data organized in relation to district standards is one of the unique aspects of this approach. The article describes achieved results and concludes with recommendations for others interested in adopting the process.