Continuous Improvement

Model for Improvement

Model for Improvement

The Cycle of Continuous Improvement is used for improving outcomes and creating a reflective mindset within the education system.  It is an iterative problem-solving method for making rapid, incremental improvements while gaining valuable learning and knowledge from the practice.

Educators use the cycle to study and reflect on current practice or to address a shared problem. This cycle allows us to produce evidence and informs us on how to lead organizational transformation.

The Model for Improvement serves as a guide to move you and your team through an improvement process.  These steps are outlined in four Improvement Moves: Understanding the Problem, Focus Efforts, Test the Change, and Consolidate Learning.

Our model is based on the Improvement Science work of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Associates in Process Improvement. 

Improvement Moves

The four Improvement Moves will guide you through each part of the Continuous Improvement process.
Understand the Problem, lightbulb above person's head

Understand the Problem

Understand the Problem will take you through the first part of the the Model for Improvement - the Theory.
Focus Efforts, person looking thru a magnifying glass

Focus Efforts

Focus Efforts will take you through the first part of the the Model for Improvement - the Theory.
Test the Change, person looking at test tubes

Testing the Change

Testing the Change is where we use Plan-Do-Study-Act (or PDSA) cycles to implement practices and study both the implementation and impact of that work.
Consolidate Learning, two people looking a paper with Ideas and Next steps

Consolidating Learning

Consolidating Learning is a critical step in the process in order to understand what's working and where the challenge areas are for you and your team as you move toward improvement.

This page was last updated on June 30, 2025