About FISO
The Framework for Improving Student Outcomes uses the latest research on student learning and global best practice to assist schools to focus their efforts on key areas that are known to have the greatest impact on school improvement.
The Framework has four components: an Improvement Model with four state-wide priorities, six evidence-based initiatives to focus improvement efforts, performance measures aligned with the Education State targets, and a cycle for continuous improvement. It has been developed to dramatically increase the focus on student learning in schools in Victoria.
The Improvement Model
With access to expert guidance and coaching, schools will select a small number of initiatives that best match the needs of their students, families and communities, and work to implement the initiatives over time to lift student outcomes.
Schools will be supported and encouraged to focus the majority of their improvement activity on one or more of the six evidence-based initiatives as these will be prioritised over other possible improvement initiatives.
Each of the initiatives – with its guidance, advice, suite of actions, resources and professional learning, when implemented with the fidelity and intensity required, has a significant impact on school performance. Informed by the school Improvement Model, each school will determine which of the six high-impact initiatives it will focus on in the year ahead, based on the school's context, circumstances and needs. A key lesson from school improvement research is that each school needs to respond to its own unique circumstances when determining where to focus its effort.
The Improvement Cycle
The Improvement Cycle uses an evidence-based model that will help schools to implement a more effective cycle of continuous improvement. This will allow teachers, school leadership teams and school improvement teams to focus more on better outcomes for our students.
Schools will use the Improvement Cycle to:
- self-evaluate
- review and diagnose areas that require attention
- plan for improvement
- report to their communities on their activities, outcomes and plan for improvement.
The Improvement Cycle will help guide principals and school leaders to:
- combine robust evidence with effective inquiry processes and external 'challenge partners' (where principals and teachers collaborate and share successful practice)
- highlight the school's areas of strength and the areas of existing practice that need improving
- plan the right improvement strategies.
Find out more about the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes.
