{"id":9004,"date":"2024-09-18T05:00:08","date_gmt":"2024-09-18T05:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/learnercentered.org\/?p=9004"},"modified":"2025-03-03T13:15:20","modified_gmt":"2025-03-03T21:15:20","slug":"measuring-what-matters-our-journey-with-logan-county-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/learnercentered.org\/blog\/measuring-what-matters-our-journey-with-logan-county-schools\/","title":{"rendered":"Measuring What Matters: Our Journey with Logan County Schools"},"content":{"rendered":"

Contributions from Katie Martin, Learner-Centered Collaborative<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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At Learner-Centered Collaborative, we believe that meaningful change in education begins with a clear vision and community engagement. Our partnership with Logan County Schools exemplifies this approach, as we\u2019ve work together to redefine success for their students and empower the entire learning community.<\/span><\/p>\n

Serving over 3,400 students across five PK-8 schools, one high school, and one Career and Technology Center in rural Kentucky, Logan County approached us in 2019 with a challenge: their newly launched Profile of a Graduate lacked community buy-in. Together, we set out to transform their approach to education and create a shared vision of success that resonated throughout the district.<\/span><\/p>\n

Creating a Learner-Centered Foundation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Our collaboration with Logan County began by laying a strong foundation for learner-centered education. We worked closely with the district to form the LC Innovators, a guiding coalition of educators, administrators, and support staff passionate about learner-centered education. This team collaboratively revised the Profile of Graduate into a Profile of Success, ensuring it reflected the community’s aspirations for its students.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“We aren’t just creating students. We are creating better citizens” <\/b><\/p>\n

– Logan County Schools Leadership<\/b><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The LC Innovators didn’t stop there. They developed grade-band progressions to illustrate what success looks like at different stages of a student’s journey, making the profile tangible and actionable for educators across the district.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Building Community Ownership<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Key to the success of this initiative has been empowering the LC Innovators to become change agents within their schools. Each team member took ownership of sharing the vision and gathering input from their school communities.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The district also engaged broader stakeholders, including alumni and industry partners, to ensure the Profile of Success aligned with the community’s goals. This approach has fostered a sense of shared ownership and purpose that extends far beyond the initial group of innovators.<\/span><\/p>\n

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From Profile to Practice<\/strong><\/h3>\n

With a strong foundation in place, Logan County turned its attention to bringing the Profile of Success to life in classrooms. We implemented Learning Walks, allowing educators to observe and share best practices across schools.<\/span><\/p>\n

The district also developed <\/span>Success Indicators<\/span><\/a> and a <\/span>Learning Model,<\/span><\/a> providing a framework for both student and educator competencies. This alignment ensures that everyone in the district continues to work towards the same goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

A significant milestone was the introduction of Defenses of Learning for grades 5, 8, and 12. These presentations allow students to demonstrate their growth and achievement in relation to the Profile of Success.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Measuring What Matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Our partnership with Logan County has led to a fundamental shift in how they approach assessment. Moving beyond traditional testing, they’ve embraced performance-based assessment through Defenses of Learning, exhibitions, and showcases.<\/span><\/p>\n

This new approach has broadened the definition of success, culminating in the development of Pillars of Success. These pillars provide a holistic view of student achievement, encompassing academic, personal, and community-oriented growth. To ensure ongoing progress and transparency, Logan County Schools created a <\/span>dedicated page<\/span><\/a> detailing success metrics for each pillar. This platform serves as a dynamic tool for the district, allowing them to continually revisit and refine these metrics. Importantly, it also functions as a communication hub, enabling the district to regularly share updates, achievements, and areas for growth with the broader community. This commitment to clear definition, continuous improvement, and open communication has been instrumental in maintaining momentum and fostering sustained community engagement.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Impact and Results<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

The results of this transformation have been remarkable:<\/span><\/p>\n