Restart is defined as closing one under-performing school and opening a new school to serve the same students under new management. Restarts represents a more dramatic intervention compared to internal school turnaround initiatives, and a preferable alternative to closing schools when students do not have access to other quality options.
Restarts have led to swift and dramatic improvements in low-performing schools when a high-performing organization leads the new school, and systems are in place to facilitate a smooth transition and strong community support.
The Restart Authorization Process Guide is designed to increase the success and sustainability of restart interventions. This Guide provides practical, step-by-step guidance about what authorizers, school operators, and support organizations should consider when designing or refining a process for implementing restart. The recommendations are informed by the experiences of authorizers, school operators, education support organizations, and community leaders that have participated in restart initiatives in communities throughout the country.
The Process Guide is complemented with the Restart Authorizer Resource database, with searchable tools and resources collected from authorizers and support organizations. These resources offer practical examples of the materials that support each step of the restart process.
The development of the Restart Process Guide was generously funded by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, in support of their commitment to helping underserved students improve academic performance and increasing access to quality education. The research and writing for the Guide was conducted by Public Impact and EdPlex Consulting. Learn More.