Cracking the Innovation Code

Case Study: Parkway School District, Chesterfield, Missouri

How a large district cultivated, systematized, and protects a true culture of innovation.

For years, the Parkway School District was known among the best in the state of Missouri. So much so that there was little need to peek under the hood to validate this perception. That is until federal and state regulations required district leaders to do so. When they did, what they discovered was not as impressive as they thought.

They found some disconcerting indicators that revealed a failure to connect with entire segments of the district’s population. They found a lack of consistent curriculum, disparate instructional practices, and a district that functioned like a series of separate entities working towards their own goals.

Thanks to a sound strategic plan, sophisticated systems thinking, encouragement to take risks, and a commitment to shrewd resource allocation, this large district was able to unify around shared goals and unlock a true culture of innovation.