The effectiveness of the IDEAS project in Sydney CEO: a research report

The IDEAS Project has been implemented in more than 400 schools worldwide, including about 60 in the Sydney Catholic School System (Sydney CEO). The implementation of IDEAS in Sydney CEO in the period 2006-11 emphasised the four central IDEAS constructs (namely, the ideas process of school revitalisation; organisational 'alignment'; schoolwide pedagogy; and 'parallel' leadership between principals and teacher leaders). It also involved schools in six separate cohorts. While preliminary feedback regarding the impact of IDEAS in Sydney has been largely affirming, no formal inquiry has previously been undertaken into its effects, if any, enhancing impacts on student achievement. Given the scope of the project in Sydney CEO, detailed exploration of possible school outcomes, particularly in relation to student achievement in the 22 schools that have completed IDEAS to the Sustaining stage, would seem warranted.