TOM RUSK VICKERY

ODDM:
A Workable Model for
Total School Improvement
New York's Johnson City Central School District
found a way to coordinate decisions so that
new policies could be incorporated without
nullifying or conflicting with those already in place.
The .result: more thoughtful policies,
based on research and consensus rather than the
expediencies of the moment.

F
rom birth we arc faced with a the National Diffusion Network, and its have received training in ODDM. The
succession - of developmental success has been established by a num Utah State Education Department has
tasks as we leam to coordinate ber of research reports and articles on produced a videotape about the
our different body systems. Hand-eye the Johnson City School District.2 model and the experiences of districts
coordination, focusing our eyes, walk Schools in 17 states, ranging from in that state which are using it.3
ing, and riding a bicycle all involve District 1 in New York City to small
fairly simple physical skills, but learn rural districts in Texas and Vermont, Misalignment in Schools
ing to integrate those skills into a As the following real-life cases demon
coordinated whole is a major learning strate, lack of coordination or mis
accomplishment alignment in schools can be subtle but
Similarly, many of the serious prob quite damaging. People can get so
lems facing organizations are those of caught up in their own roles that they
coordination. While individual people fail to anticipate how their decisions
may be doing their jobs as they under It is not enough to will fall out and whether they will
stand them, all too often their efforts, for adopt effective make sense compared to the goals of
one reason or another, are not aligned. the school. At one middle school, for
Designed to coordinate and align all teaching practices; example, the faculty and administra
aspects of the life of the school in pur rather, one must tion's plans for their new facility
suit of its desired outcomes, the Out
comes-Driven Developmental Modfel
adopt effective placed the highest priority on a build^
ing that would promote team teaching.
(ODDM), 1 is the creation of Albert Ma- teaching practices Later, the school board decided to
mary, superintendent of the Johnson
City, New York, Central School District
congruent with make a one-rime saving of several
thousand dollars by concentrating all
ODDM is the only total school curricu district objectives. the science and home economics class
lum improvement model validated by rooms and their necessary plumbing
APRIL 1990 67
in one end of the building, thus mak and inclusive framework for assessing parent and to ease tension between
ing team teaching problematical for as the impact of choices at all decision teachers, it became necessary to con
long as the building is used points, educators have little hope of struct a clear policy that all teachers
In another school system, a high successfully coordinating the many ac would abide by Whether or not the
school librarian decided that the only tivities of schooling. policy was wise became secondary to
people who could come to the library the need to alleviate friction among
during homeroom period were stu Realignment with ODDM the staff and between the principal and
dents who had overdue books or who In contrast, ODDM provides a com parents.
had lost books. Consequently, the out prehensive and clear way to evaluate Questions concerning the amount
standing students who had classes ev whether policies, practices, and pro of homework a child should have and
ery period of the day lost their only posals are aligned with the district's when it should be assigned are valid.
time to use the library. This policy goals. It combines what we know But with ODDM other questions arise,
worked to the convenience of the li about good teaching, learning, and based on the district's system of
brarian and those who abused the administration into a single model that shared beliefs and on relevant re
library, but it worked against the can be used in the quest for outstand search: What is the function of home
school's efforts to help its highest ing student achievement For example, work? Does homework promote stu
achieving students. the task of creating a policy on home dent achievement when it requires the
In each of these cases, decision work illustrates the fundamental dif independent learning of new material,
makers took actions that were reason ference between decision making un or is homework more effective when it
able—except that they conflicted with der ODDM and more fragmented requires successful practice of what
what the school was trying to do. practices. In a non-ODDM school, the child has already mastered?4 The
Misalignment can also occur when when parents complained about too school using the ODDM model de
educators interpret a call to adopt one much homework or weekend home cided, after reviewing the available
program as a requirement that they work, the principal had to go to indi research, that homework would be
abandon another in which they have vidual teachers to get their side of the more effective if the child practiced
already made an investment. All too story Even then, there were almost no the already mastered material Is the
often, such decisions are made on the criteria for deciding whether the purpose of homework to add more
basis of who has the power to impose teacher's assignments were reason grades to the gradebook or to monitor
his or her will on others, rather than able or not. This situation also created the child's learning and the extent to
by a careful analysis of whether either friction among teachers with differing which he or she is accepting respon
or both of the programs actually hold views on the subject In order to help sibility for that learning? The ODDM
promise for contributing to the put the administrator in a more com school decided that its purpose should
school's purposes. Without a broad fortable position when facing an irate be to monitor the child's learning and

Fig. 1. Outcomes-Driven Developmental Model

Morion: All Students Will Leam Well

Research Base

I Psychological Base 1 J Transformational Leader L Philosophical Base

I Administrative Support I Community Support Teacher Support

Change Process Instructional Processes

Staff Development School Board Policy Support Curriculum Organization
Communications Public Support School Practices
Problem Solving Networking Classroom Practices
Climate Improvement Organizational Structures

Desired Student Exit Behaviors

(1) Self-esteem as learner and person (4) Concern for others
(2) Cognitive levels—tow to high (5) Process skills: problem solving, communication,
(3) Self-directed learner decision making, accountability, group process

Created in 1987 by Albert Mamary, lohnson City Central School District.

68 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
his or her sense of responsibility for other aspects of the life of the school. to try out new programs. Training and
that learning The use of the ODDM They must also agree to make profes curriculum development usually take
model helped the school keep sight of sional decisions on the basis of appro place during the school day. and when
these considerations instead of drop priate research literature and relevant that is not possible, staif members are
ping them in the press of events theory. paid for their extra time.
As seen in Figure 1, the district's As seen in Figure 1, ODDM deci
system of shared beliefs is ODDM's sion making falls into three main Community Support
philosophical base—arrived at through categories: administrative support, The community support aspect of the
discussion, deliberation, and participa community support, and teacher sup program delineates the school board's
tion by all members of the professional port. Each area requires careful plan responsibilities for helping the district
staff This is the base upon which deci ning and consideration so that all achieve its goals This includes estab
sions are made All can contribute to the three groups are aligned and mutu lishing clear policies that are consis
process of consensus, but every effort is ally supportive tent with the mission. For instance, the
made to see that these opinions rest on Johnson City board formally adopted a
the research base built from examina Administrative Support policy that decisions must, whenever
tion of the professional literature To The administrative support aspect of possible, be based on the best avail
gether, these lead to a mission statement the program includes five elements: able research. The board of education
for the district and desired exit behav 1. A process for change is needed should also develop a plan for secur
iors for the district which assumes that people will ing community support for their ef
ODDM is participatory in every change, takes into consideration how forts and endeavor to network with
sense of the term; it cannot be man people and organizations change, and other districts so that it can draw upon
dated It is incompatible with top- which supports change. This process the resources of others working in
down management However, it does should recognize that people change outcomes-based education
require transformational leadership at different rates and that it is not
by a person or persons with a compel necessary for everyone to change in Teacher Support
ling vision of what can and ought to the same way or at the same rate. For The third aspect of the program—
be, who can inspire action, secure example, some Johnson City teachers teacher support—includes five areas
resources, and remove obstacles If work on reading in the content areas that directly affect instruction
aligned organizational change is to be while others work on Talents Unlim 1 The instructional process must be
achieved, administrative leaders must ited or cooperative learning groups. one that the entire staff agrees on. The
have a deep commitment to help the The assumption is that everyone will basic instructional process must be
staff develop individually and collec eventually become proficient in all consistent with district goals and be
tively into a cadre of competent pro programs but not necessarily in the liefs, so that teachers and administra
fessionals who can work successfully same order or at the same time tors can use it in planning, teaching,
to achieve the school's mission, in 2. The staff development model and evaluation It is not enough to
other words, to transform the profes should provide for continual renewal, adopt effective teaching practices;
sional sphere of influence in their recognizing the stages of development rather, one must adopt effective teach
districts that people and organizations go ing practices congruent with district
Under ODDM, policies and actions through in the process of change objectives. Johnson City's detailed,
are evaluated by the district's specifi Thus a staff member might be a re group-based mastery learning model
cally stated desired student outcomes. source person helping others learn is based on research demonstrating
Whenever a problem is identified, the one innovation but a neophyte in an that cooperation is superior to compe
first question is "What policy would other aspect of the program tition in promoting student learning
reinforce our efforts to achieve the 3- A communications network and that students learn by different
school's desired outcomes?" In the should permit the easy flow of infor means and at different rates.'
case of Johnson City, these are defined mation and ideas in all directions so 2 Organization of the curriculum
by a public mission stalement—"All that everyone knows what is going on should be consistent with the instruc
students will learn well"—and by the and so that people can contribute their tional process and should support dis
five desired exit behaviors shown in expertise regardless of their positions trict goals. For example, if students are
Figure 1 4 A problem-solving procedure to become self-directed learners who
While nothing within the ODDM must make sure that problems are function at both higher and lower
model requires that a district select quickly identified and resolved in a cognitive levels, then the curriculum
this mission or desire these exit be way that is most helpful to students should provide for them to investigate
haviors, most schools that adopt and teachers. significant topics that are not pan of
ODDM wind up with these or similar 5 Climate monitoring policies typical classroom instruction. This
goal statements The important thing is should function to improve climate means, further, that all students need
that the faculty and adm'nistration col and so help teachers and administra to be taught to do such independent
lectively examine their own beliefs to tors maximize their efforts to achieve investigations
produce such a set of goal statements, organizational goals. In Johnson City 3. School practices should be agreed
which will then guide decisions in all they are given risk-free opportunities upon by teachers and administrators.
APRIL 1990 69
These include important practices like corrective instruction, attendance, re gies being pressed upon them as the
grouping, the certification of student view, and enrichment. In Johnson City, solution to their problems And many
learning, and the allotment of time for students who have not done their schools appear to operate like a sys
learning. If one of the school's goals is homework, for example, cannot take tem of traffic lights in which the traffic
for all students to learn well, then the formative tests. To teach students engineer solves the problem at each
students should not be placed in to take responsibility for their own intersection without regard to the
groups that limit their opportunities to behavior, teachers use Glasser's reality problems that this solution creates at
learn. And, because students leam at therapy for attendance and discipline the other intersections; the result is a
different rates, they should have dif problems and for students who do not lifetime of continual change without
ferent amounts of time to learn. They complete their work.6 much progress.
should understand that achievement at 5 Organization structure should In contrast, ODDM offers the
less than a mastery level is unaccept reflect district goals. If all students are school district a framework for oper
able and incomplete—but not failure. to learn well, then all students must ating as a fully functioning organiza
For example, suppose a student has have the opportunity to learn; there tion—one capable of evaluating inno
90s on all units in his geometry course fore they are not placed in classrooms vations and adopting appropriate ones
except for two on which he did not or programs that do not lead to high rapidly and effectively.7 The promise of
achieve mastery. In Johnson City, he achievement, and they do not bear the ODDM is that of a well-coordinated and
does not receive a lowered grade stigma of labels that are, after all, irrel smoothly flowing transportation plan in
based on averaging in those two low evant. In Johnson City, teachers do not a busy city: all the elements work well
grades. Instead, he will receive an practice homogeneous grouping or together, hassles and snafus are few and
"incomplete" until he masters the two tracking, and they avoid labeling stu far between, and people arrive safely at
incomplete units in the district's two- dents Mainstreaming is the norm— their destinations.O
week summer school and has been for years!
4. Classroom practices should be 'ODDM is usually pronounced "Oh-
Evaluating Innovations Durn."
developed, agreed to, and followed in 2jor example, see T.R. Vickery, (1988),
10 areas: testing, grading, retesting, Educators are often overwhelmed by "Learning From an Outcomes-Driven
homework, incompletes, discipline, the number of innovations and strate- School," Educational Leadership 4 5 52-
56; (1987-88), "Evaluating a Mastery Learn
ing High School," Person en Gemeenscbap

Ph.D.oREd.D.
40: 795-804; (September 1985), "Excel
lence in an Outcomes-Driven School Dis
trict: A Validation Study of the Schools of
Johnson City, New York"; and (1985)
"Changes in Variance Under Mastery
Programs Learning" (with Maritza Moreno de
Suarez), report presented at the annual
For the Active Professional meeting of American Educational Research
Association, Chicago The last two are avail
i Earn your doctorate in the field 01 Education.
able from the author
i Our innovative approach enables you to complete your doctorate in a self-paced, personalized
program wtiile addressing significant issues in conjunction with your professional responsibilities. '(1989). "Thresholds: Good Schools Get
You can participate in dynamic and intensive teaming sessions combined with guided independent ting Better," Utah State Board of Education.
learning. In Johnson City they distinguish between
• Build upon your professional experience wtiile working with nationally recognized faculty toward mystery learning and mastery learning
your doctorate. Accreditation: Candidacy Status granted by the North Central Association of Colleges sSee B S Bloom, (1976), Human Char
and Schools. acteristics and School Learning (NY Mc-
i Other programs available in Administration/Management Health Services and Human Services, Graw Hill); and R.H. Anderson, (1988),
i Prerequisite: Masters or equivalent. "Pressures on Supervisors." in Critical Is
WALOEN UNIVERSITY, Dept I
sues in Curriculum, Part I of the Yearbook
LU
KUDEN
• Main Office
415RrstAve. N.
of the National Society for the Study of
Education, edited by LN. Tanner (Chicago:
Minneapolis. MN 55401 1 -800-237-6434 1-612-338-2921 NSSE)
6See W Glasser. (1965), Reality Therapy:
A New Approach to Psychiatry ( NY:
D Please send further information on the Walden program.
Harper and Row).
7More information on ODDM can be
address obtained by contacting Frank V. Alessi.
Project Director, Johnson City Central
phone —!——L ( Schools, 666 Reynolds Rd , Johnson City,
New York 13790; (607) 770-9758
D Please have an Educational Counselor call me to provide additional
infonnstion.
Tom Rusk Vickery is Associate Professor,
Department of Cultural Foundations and
Return to: Walden University, 415 First Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55401
Curriculum, Syracuse University, 259 Hun-
tington Hall, Syracuse, NY 13210

70 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Copyright © 1990 by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development. All rights reserved.