BPI has piloted the Chicago use of Practice-Based Inquiry® (PBI) School Visits, used for the past eleven years in Rhode Island as part of the
state's support and accountability system. Using a
rigorous protocol, a team of experienced teachers and administrators immerses itself in a school for one week of intense observation and
interviews that culminates in a thorough, practical report on the quality of learning, teaching and the school's support for both.
Within a week after the Visit, schools receive a written analysis of their practice along with concrete
recommendations for future improvements. PBI Visits also provide team members with unique professional development.
Since 2004, BPI has coordinated PBI School Visits for five members of the Chicago Schools Alliance. In 2006-07, BPI expanded the use
of Visits to two additional groups of Chicago Public Schools: AMPS (CPS' Autonomous Management and Performance Schools) and the Network for
College Success. Expanding the use of PBI Visits in networks other than the Chicago Schools Alliance is the first step in BPI's strategy
to increase the visibility of the PBI methodology and lay the groundwork for its future large-scale use by the Chicago Public Schools as
an effective, innovative tool for school assessment and improvement.
More information on School Visits/Reviews:
