Frank DeSensi is the founder and C.I.O. of Educational Directions, LLC. and consults with schools and school districts.
A retired educator, Frank spent 35 years in a variety of teaching and administrative positions. He taught at the university, college, middle school and secondary levels, worked in central office as a curriculum specialist and held both principal and assistant principal positions.
From 1993 to 1998, Frank served as a Kentucky Distinguished Educator (DE) assisting schools that had been labeled “in decline” or “in crisis” under the provisions of the Kentucky Education Reform Act. Frank helped develop the STAR training program for new DE’s and served as a trainer in the Kentucky Leadership Academy. He has, with 2 others, developed two and one-half data management systems for schools (patent pending).
Turning Around Turnaround Schools Volume 1 – What to do When Conventional Wisdom and Best Practice Aren’t Enough
Turning Around Turnaround Schools, now in its 2nd edition, is the go-to resource for leaders working in or with turnaround schools. In a practical “what to do” format – rich with concrete examples and tools to implement at your school – this book helps schools find relevant and targeted best practices for improving student achievement in an era of high-stakes accountability. Turning Around Turnaround Schools explores the idea of “student as learner” vs. “student as performer,” and helps educators to capture and use the right data. Written by a team of educators from Educational Directions, LLC, this book shares lessons learned, as well as proven strategies and processes implemented with struggling schools, both urban and rural, in several states.
Turning Around Turnaround Schools, Volume 2 – Embracing the Rhythm of the Learner Year
In the second volume in the Turning Around Turnaround Schools series, called Embracing the Rhythm of the Learner Year, the authors explore the neuroscience of how students learn and then use those insights to recommend a powerful and proven methodology for planning the school year around student need.
Teachers don’t take state tests or college readiness tests — students do. Therefore, our metric of success in K-12 education cannot be how much is taught, but rather, how much is learned.
Academic rigor has been identified in state standards as a cornerstone of effective education. It is seen as an essential part of preparing students for
In classrooms across the world, the word “test” often conjures images of high-stakes, anxiety-inducing events where students regurgitate facts and teachers meticulously mark right or
Since the early 90’s states have been requiring schools to “monitor student progress” and provide “targeted assistance.” The theory is that schools need to use
In the 1990s the Kentucky education Reform Act (KE RA) establish a cohort of “distinguished educators” (DE) who were assigned to underperforming schools to assist
Introduction: The Importance of Questioning in the Classroom Questioning is one of the most powerful tools in a teacher’s toolkit. Well-crafted questions not only check
Fostering a literate classroom is essential in today’s educational landscape. The ability to read, write, and communicate effectively forms the foundation of all learning. Below
