McKinney, Texas – McKinney ISD is pleased to announce that Burks, Minshew, Slaughter, Walker and Wilmeth Elementary Schools have achieved Level 3 certification in Marzano High Reliability Schools.

Level 3 certification means that these schools have provided evidence of a “Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum,” which requires schools to show evidence that everything being taught to students is aligned with state standards, that every student is receiving it and that it can viably be taught in the school year.

The high reliability school (HRS) program was created by Marzano Resources to help transform schools into organizations that take proactive steps to ensure student success. Using a research-based five-level hierarchy, along with leading and lagging indicators, educators learn to assess, monitor and confirm the effectiveness of their schools.

All McKinney ISD schools are certified on HRS Levels 1 and 2. Over the course of the 2023-2024 school year, each school is working toward Level 3 certification which also requires that each school must provide evidence that it has sustained a safe and collaborative environment and effective instruction in every classroom.

Burks, Minshew, Slaughter, Walker and Wilmeth are the first to complete the Level 3 certification, and the district looks forward to celebrating all of its schools as they complete the process.

This framework, based on 50 years of educational research, defines five progressive levels of performance that a school must master to become a High Reliability School—where all students learn the content and skills they need for success in college, careers and beyond.

“As you move through the levels, it represents a complete transformation in how schools are run,” says CEO Robert J. Marzano.

Schools must collect data and validate their performance to climb each level of the hierarchy. Certification is determined by Marzano Resources analysts in cooperation with school data teams.

Using the HRS framework and indicators, schools can drive sustained, positive and significant impacts on student achievement by synthesizing multiple complex initiatives into one harmonious system.

About Marzano Resources
Built on the foundation of Dr. Robert J. Marzano’s 50 years of education research, Marzano Resources supports teachers and administrators through customizable on-site professional development, educator events, virtual coaching, books, videos and online courses. Our associates and authors are thought leaders in the field of education and deliver research-backed guidance for all major areas of schooling, including curriculum development, instruction, assessment, student engagement and personalized competency-based education.

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