The change process in education can be a great deterrent to widely accepted innovations and applying exemplary practice. While individuals may change on a personal choice basis, schools find it very difficult to get entire faculties to adopt new strategies as a group. Therefore, when trying to achieve change for entire buildings or districts, successful schools/districts found using a phased-in cycle approach to staff development worked best for the change process. This process links to the restructuring plan and allows for "state-of-the-art" staff development that includes:

• Awareness sessions
• Workshop and workplace applications for "trying it out."
• Follow-up sessions and extending/refining sessions, using:
  • standard workshops
  • teachers as mentors and coaches
  • information highway
• Piloting strategies in small groups.
• Small and large group "learning evaluation" both during and after implementation.

It is important to target staff development toward our knowledge of the change process. The Learning-Focused Schools Model takes into account four processes of adult learning -

1. readiness for change;
2. resistance to change;
3. accountability; and
4. administrative and teacher leadership.

Districts in many states have already successfully implemented their state and local initiatives by developing comprehensive plans using exemplary practice. The Learning-Focused Schools Model can be implemented successfully in one school, in a school district, or in a regional consortium of schools and districts.