Education Initiatives:
Who We Are and How We Became What We Are Today

The table below speaks for itself in all of the eras depicted in it, but there are three facts of importance for context. First, prior to Mr. Ball’s death, the foundation board committed to a “sunset” date of 2012. The EI team and foundation board want the current work to live on beyond the sunset. Second, the current work of Education Initiatives (EI) is focused on one major partnership located in Rowland (CA) Unified School District and the simultaneous build-out of The Ball Design for Sustaining Literacy Improvement for Every Student Through Whole Systems Change. Rowland as the place where EI is implementing and testing various components of the design. Third, the EI team is working on a number of exploratory projects, including a collaboration with Targeted Leadership Consulting to provide professional development for school instructional leadership teams in New Haven (CA) Unified School District in Alameda County.

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Timeframe Summary of Key Developments
Pre-Charter Schools
Early and mid 1990's
  • G. Carl Ball leads the work of EI with intent to have a major impact on public education
  • In response to “A Nation at Risk,” Consortium on Productivity in the Schools attempts to translate a productivity perspective to schooling
  • Individual schools are the focus of the work and are seen as the unit of change
  • Goal of the work is to improve student literacy in measurable ways
  • Major Sustainable Reforms (MSR)s and School Design Collaborative (SDC) are made operational through school partnerships
  • MSRs and SDC embody intent to empower and de-isolate teachers
Charter Schools Era
Mid 1990's to 2000
  • G. Carl Ball leads the work of EI
  • Development and branding of Ball Charter Schools in which MSRs would be tested
  • Partnerships formed with schools willing to implement MSRs                         
  • Report of Consortium on Renewing Education suggests that emphasis on individual schools may not be as powerful as focusing on school systems as the unit of change but reform efforts continue to focus on individual schools
  • Exploration of the feasibility of charter districts
Focus on School Districts
2000 - 2003
  • Mr. Ball’s direct involvement and leadership diminishes and leadership of EI’s work is in flux
  • Ball leaves the charter school business and staff committed to charter schools leave
  • School systems become the focus for the work while No Child Left Behind (NCLB) retains focus on schools as the unit of change
  • Partnerships formed with mid-sized urban school districts: Springfield (IL) expands, Chula Vista (CA), Kent County (MI)
  • Connection of MSRs, productivity framework and Focus on Results (FoR)
  • Formation of Partnership Learning Network (PLN) for partner districts and charter schools
  • Engagement of consultants as service providers (FoR and evaluation)
2003 - 2006
2006 - Early 2008
  • Stable EI leadership continues
  • Literacy expert joins EI team
  • Full implementation of Ball Approach in Rowland (CA) Unified School District (RUSD)
  • Ongoing development and refinement of the Ball Approach
  • Melding of Cambridge Model for Strategic Planning with early phase of Ball Approach in RUSD
  • Engagement of external consultants as thought partners and advocates for EI work
  • Exploration of EI providing services on a fee basis
  • Focus on creating a bridge for EI’s work into the future
  • Getting the word out (Family Literacy Symposium, conference presentations)
Late 2008 to present
  • Foundation board engages Stephanie Pace Marshall and Michael Fullan to provide feedback regarding the current work of EI and possibilities for the its future work
  • Ball Approach modified with name change to The Ball Design: Sustainable Literacy Improvement for Every Student Through Whole Systems Change
  • Draft of Field Guide developed to codify The Ball Design
  • Partnership work in RUSD expands to include working with executive leadership, school instructional leadership teams, literacy instruction communities of practice, and the RUSD instructional cabinet.
  • Exploratory projects (e.g. professional development for New Haven Unified School District with Targeted Leadership Consulting, convening a conversation about transforming education in California)
  • Publication of Bringing Literacy Home (KaiLonnie Dunsmore and Douglas Fisher, Editors), book that originated from the Family Literacy Symposium; other books about EI’s work are forthcoming

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