Services
Typical engagements last between 6 and 18 months, though we are open to shorter or longer if we think we can spur catalytic change. We offer three types of services:
Targeted Systems Support
Helps systems solve specific needs related to the students failed the most (e.g., SPED, alternative schools, court-involved kids)
Facilitates a deep dive on student discipline, and coach systems and schools to radically rethink school culture and decriminalization
Collective Action
Convenes school system leaders to promote collective learning and change (e.g., The Houston Rethink Discipline Community of Practice)
Builds multi-agency ecosystems (e.g., police, advocates, child welfare, juvenile justice, activists, higher education and/or schools) to solve community-based problems
Special Projects
Solves specific issues related to racial equity and social justice in diverse sectors
Helps organizations define explicit ABAR values and close gaps between espoused and enacted values by examining people, practices, and power dynamics
Provides executive coaching for CEOs at the intersection of technical and adaptive change
Five Phases of Work
While each engagement is different, typically there are four or five phases of the work.
Phase One – Context and relationship-building
Create conditions for success, build teams, finalize year-long calendar.
- Interviews, document review, context
- Launch work teams
- Solidify goals, approach, calendar
Phase Two – Norming
Norm frameworks and tools, ensure common understanding of goals.
- In-person and online training
- Case studies, readings, discussion
- “Micro content” — just-right information
Phase Three – Self-assessment and emerging plan
Provide technical assistance, facilitate self-assessment, and start emerging action plan
- Some remote, some in person
- Team images in self-assessment, with triangulation
- TWS team supports process of shared assessment of assets and need for change
Phase Four – Implementation Planning
Complete action plan and solidify a collective action team
- Invest stakeholders
- Sequence the work
- Ensure clear ownership with right skill and will
Phase Five – Implementation Support
Identify areas of action plan where TWS can kickstart the work.
Levels of Support
We customize our approach to meet the needs of our clients, whether it’s a light touch or a deep dive.
