Continuous Improvement Cycle Model for lackluster Schools: Adaptive Diagnosis, Systematic Planning and Teacher Development
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56368/Entresaberes1123Keywords:
continuous improvement, academic lag, systematic planning, adaptive diagnosis, teacher developmentAbstract
This study addresses the lack of pedagogical structures that respond in real time to students' needs by validating the Continuous Improvement Cycle Model (MCMC). The objective was to propose and validate this model as a transformative tool for improving academic performance in critically underachieving schools. A mixed-methods approach with a longitudinal case study design was used over 12 months in a Texas elementary school. The census population consisted of 296 students in grades 3 through 5 and 14 teachers. Data collection instruments included iReady adaptive diagnostics, structured surveys, and classroom observations using KickUp software. Technical validity was confirmed with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient between 0.832 and 0.883. The initial assessment showed that more than 60% of the students demonstrated a level of proficiency below that of their grade level. Following the implementation of the model, 85.7% of teachers reported confidence in the design of data-driven lessons. By the end of the cycle, academic growth had increased by 47.28% in reading and 55.79% in mathematics, enabling the school to raise its state rating from F (unacceptable) to C (satisfactory). The findings confirm that the synergy between objective diagnosis, systematic planning, and teacher development generates a greater impact than isolated interventions. The MCMC is validated as a replicable contribution that allows for a shift from pedagogical intuition to an evidence-based culture of schoolwork.
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