Connecticut Accountability for Learning Initiative (CALI) is a statewide model of continuous school and district improvement with the goal of closing Connecticut’s achievement gaps.

This model is based on research by Reeves, Marzano McNulty, Pickering, Pollock, Waters, Elmore, Freiberg, Simpson, and others. Their work provides evidence that schools with student populations including high rates of poverty and high percentages of ethnic minorities can achieve high academic performance.

At Side By Side, we are in the implementation stage of this statewide model for school improvement. Throughout the 2009-2010 year, our school community will be focused on two important aspects of this initiative, Data Teams and Data Driven Decision Making, and Common Fomative Assessments.