About Us

Who we are
The mission of the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning (CISL) is to review and share educational research, create instructional tools and develop policy recommendations that promote best practices to help educators, parents and community leaders build partnerships that improve schools, engage families and increase student learning and development.

CISL is a program within the Student Achievement Unit at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

CISL is directed to:
●  Serve as an information clearinghouse, including maintaining a website.
●  Provide best practices research.
●  Help inform educators regarding school boards’ powers.
●  Provide training and consultation services.
●  Identify strategies to improve success rates of students in certain ethnic and racial groups.
●  Establish a model procedure to notify parents when students have not attended class or missed a day of school.

Our work
In 2009, CISL will focus on two key areas:
●  Addressing the academic achievement gap for all ethnic groups
●  Continuing our work with family, school, community partnerships

We launched www.yourlearningcenter.org in February 2007 to serve as a clearinghouse of educational research, promising education practices and resources for teachers and parents. In November 2007, we established Washington Partners for Student Success, a statewide network to support family, community and school partnerships.

How we can help you
Professional Development and Training: 
CISL facilitators present at a variety of events, from state conferences to local parent meetings. We also offer phone consultation and training via videoconference. To contact one of our facilitators, call 360-725-6165 or email cisl@k12.wa.us.

The CISL Website (www.yourlearningcenter.org) offers tools and research that you can use:
●  Strategies on addressing the academic achievement gap
●  Current research about successful practices support the learning of all children
●  Articles, expert interviews, recent CISL presentations and learning activities anyone can use
●  Monthly book review of culturally appropriate children’s literature
Do you have story ideas for the CISL website? Email cisl@k12.wa.us.

Mandate and funding
The Washington State Legislature established the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning in 1993 as a public service center in the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to facilitate access to information and materials on educational improvement and research to improve the quality of student learning statewide. The Legislature funded CISL's work through 2000 and reactivated it in 2006.

Family and schools
The research and practice agrees that when we link student learning to family and community involvement, we create environments in which all students can meet and exceed our academic standards. This is at the heart of our work at CISL.

In 2006, the Washington State Legislature authorized the reinstatement of the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning (CISL) with funds to build a new outreach program -- a clearinghouse for information, promising practices and research that promotes and supports effective learning environments for all students, especially those in underserved communities. A key part of CISL’s mandate is to promote and facilitate family, school and community partnerships around the state.

In its findings, the Legislature recognized and acted upon these fundamentals:
●  Expanding activity in educational research, educational restructuring and educational improvement initiatives has produced and continues to produce valuable information. That information should be shared as widely as possible with the citizens and the educational community around the state.
●  Students and schools benefit from increased parental/guardian and community involvement in education.
●  Increased community involvement with knowledge of and input into the public education system is particularly needed in low-income and ethnic minority communities.
 

The legislation charters us to work in conjunction with parents, educational service districts, institutions of higher education, and education, parent, community and business organizations.

Written into law, our duties and responsibilities describe a comprehensive list of tactics that will engage educators, families, communities and the businesses that power our state economy.

Foremost, we are a clearinghouse that broadens access to:
●  Information regarding successful educational improvement and parental involvement programs in schools and districts
●  Information about efforts within institutions of higher education in the state to support educational improvement initiatives in Washington schools and districts;