About DCI
District Continuous Improvement (DCI) is a project supported by the 5-year State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG), with a goal of improving the educational outcomes for all students, especially students with disabilities, through an evidence-based professional development approach. DCI is a continuation and enhancement of a SPDG that began in 2012.
With an emphasis on professional development, the DCI provides resources for bridging professional development to practice, including:
- high quality professional development content and framework for delivery;
- support for implementation fidelity at state, regional, district, and local levels;
- data for informing continuous quality improvement; and
- technology support for enhancing and supplementing professional development experiences for educators.
District-Level Approach to Improving Student Outcomes
The DCI project relies on a systems approach to implement a framework of effective educational practices in buildings and classrooms throughout a district. When a district decides to participate in DCI, an important collaboration begins. The district, DESE, and regional professional development centers work together to establish a state-wide coordinated system that supports effective teaching and learning and achieves exceptional student outcomes.
What Are The Goals Of DCI?
For districts and buildings to:
- establish an environment supportive of instructional change through the enhancement of structures and processes.
- implement an evidence-based framework for instruction, which includes components that have a demonstrated positive impact on teaching and learning outcomes.
- improve student outcomes through incremental, yet impactful changes at the district, building, and classroom levels.
Coordinated Professional Development
The DCI approach to professional development relies on a coordinated system that includes the following elements.