District leaders need to collaborate with state policymakers, teachers unions, their school boards, and their local communities to make sure that the types of conditions that enable resource shifts are in place. Then, being strategic about which resources to shift (and how to shift them) will make it possible to improve some of the traditional underlying cost structures that can stifle a district’s ability to “build toward” better, more equitable approaches to teaching and learning. For example, revisiting requirements around students’ schedules and educators’ roles can enhance leaders’ ability to support individual students’ needs and leverage the strengths of individual educators.

Explore our Schools Start Here series of guides for more information on how addressing system-level enabling conditions, policies, and practices can make implementation of your district's "big bets" -- from effective tutoring programs to credit recovery -- more successful.

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