Proactive administrative support and strong commitment to success are prerequisites for developing outstanding school-wide Direct Instruction (DI) implementations.  When the school's principal and leadership team demonstrate that they are committed to implementing DI with high fidelity every day, and they communicate this commitment through words and deeds to the rest of the staff, the prospect of success with DI increases substantially throughout the school.  Isolated teachers may achieve considerable success implementing DI alone in an uncoordinated effort, but the effect of individual teachers implementing DI by themselves is usually far less than the effect of a schoolwide, coordinated implementation of DI.  Success with DI depends on many factors—schedules, assignment of paraprofessionals, professional development, data analysis—that cannot be controlled by individual teachers.  These factors are most effectively implemented through a coordinated and systematic effort, which requires consistent and forward-thinking leadership.

Successful school leaders take decisive action through all stages of a DI implementation.  They:

1. ensure initial support of all staff members for the DI implementation;
2. understand the major factors that lead to success with DI, including the purpose and function of NIFDI support services;
3. set up the structural components of a successful implementation, such as the schedule and assignment of paraprofessionals, before instruction begins;
4. arrange for initial program training and other professional development sessions;
5. ensure that staff members attend training and practice sessions;
6. identify student problems through data analysis and direct observation of instruction;
7. take appropriate actions to resolve student problems;
8. recognize and celebrate student achievement!

IMPORTANT:  A long-lasting commitment to implementing Direct Instruction (DI) with fidelity is a prerequisite to maximizing student achievement with DI.  Student achievement may surpass historical levels after just a couple of years of DI, especially in the lower grades.  Maximizing student achievement—especially in the upper grades—requires years of implementing DI with fidelity.  Teachers usually require thorough program training and several years of expert in-class coaching and professional development before they become highly effective with DI.  It takes several years for student performance in Kindergarten to reach its peak as Kindergarten teachers master DI techniques. It takes several more years for student performance in the upper grades to reach its peak as cohorts of students work their way up through the grades.  If an elementary school contains grades K-5, it can take more than six years before an implementation reaches its full potential in the upper grades.  Strong leadership must be in place for this time to maintain the school's commitment to implement the program with fidelity and maximize student performance for all students.