What is the Coherence Framework?

The Coherence Framework is about developing a shared understanding of the purpose and the nature of the work of transforming learning and student success. By focusing on a small number of ambitious goals, creating connections between stakeholders, understanding how teachers teach and students learn and reinforcing accountability through shared understanding, the Coherence Framework fosters a continuous learning process that leads to improvement in students and schools.

How does the framework apply to the LCAP?

The LCAP is the standardized planning tool for the district. The Coherence Framework is not meant to replace it, but is one tool that can be used to help integrate input and secure stakeholder buy-in for the LCAP through increasing understanding of its goals.

How can a district or county office of education use the Coherence Framework?

The Coherence Framework consists of four “lenses”: focusing direction, cultivating collaborative cultures, deepening learning and securing accountability. Each lens allows a local educational agency to continually evaluate the teaching and learning that is needed to meet each of the goals, determine the resources needed to support the effort and identify the metrics used to determine success. By addressing each of the lenses, the LEA can effectively communicate its plans and activities, and also reassess its direction and evaluate whether they have been successful.

How can school board members support this process?

School board members can support this process in a number of ways:

Understand their role as leaders. School governing board members play a vital leadership role in focusing direction based upon the shared values and beliefs of the LEA and community. Specifically, governing boards have the ability to build and support a collaborative approach to continuous improvement and maximize conditions for effective internal accountability. By maximizing their role and fully engaging their responsibilities as education leaders, school board members can “lead by example” and illuminate the way for others who want to transform student outcomes.

Master the Framework. Board members who want to use the framework effectively need to understand how it works. To begin, they need to review our policy brief. Then, they need to read Michael Fullan’s book Coherence and utilize the resources contained in it to begin the process of learning how the Coherence Framework serves to guide learning and focus attention.

Commit to developing leadership at all levels. Board members should make the commitment to invest in leadership development —for themselves and for other key stakeholders — by supporting robust stakeholder engagement and collaboration. Additionally, prioritizing leadership training and professional development (both formal and informal) throughout the district empowers every stakeholder and makes engagement more meaningful and powerful.