North Star is APQC's plan to transform the U.S. public K-12 education system. Using a proven approach that combines process management and performance management, North Star was designed to directly address the fundamental weaknesses in education reform efforts.

Already successfully piloted in leading school districts, North Star has generated system-wide results ranging from cost-savings and efficiency to student achievement. The North Star plan uses APQC's Process & Performance Management (PPM) Learning Collaborative a simple, powerful, and sustainable solution that can save our education system.

PPM is not based on ideology, politics, or theories, but on a practical methodology that has worked in other sectors - business, healthcare, and government to name a few. Since 1977, the American Productivity & Quality Center (APQC), a nonprofit research firm, has used this approach to help thousands of global organizations and hundreds of school districts increase productivity, quality, and effectiveness.

Dr. Jack Grayson has written extensively over the last couple of years in a series of white papers that have been featured in EdWeek that highlight the basic principles and goals of the North Star project. Download a free PDF copy of each white paper below.

• " What Lies Beneath: Waste"
• " North Star: The Road Less Traveled"
• " The Achilles Heel of Education and How to Fix It."
• " Why this could be the Best of Times for Education."
• " Hubs and Spokes: Transferring Education."

North Star's Goals:

• Efficiency and Effectiveness
• Continuous Improvement
• Empowerment
• Global Competitiveness
• Student Achievement

We invite you to learn more about how PPM works, and what leading district administrators say about the impact it has made in their school systems. Also, check out the most current list of LEAs participating in the North Star community.

Did you know?

Districts using the North Star approach have achieved dramatic results including:

• Energy costs reduced by $624,000/year
• Immediate dropout rates reduced by 3% with 6 year projection of 20%

Do you want more information on North Star? Download the overview : Part I,  Part II,  Part III, and  Part IV.

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 Find out how APQC's PPM plan could make a difference in your district. Email Fred at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   or call 800-776-9676, extension 4745 or 713-685-4745.