On sustainability of project innovations as systemic change

Too many promising innovations disappear when project funding ends. As a result, interest in the problem of sustainability has increased markedly in recent years. This article explores this problem in terms of systemic change. Highlighted are basic ideas, phases, stages, steps, and lessons learned related to the planning, implementation, maintenance, and scale-up of school-based innovations. A particular emphasis is on efforts designed to enhance how schools address barriers to learning and teaching. The discussion is framed around the idea that the likelihood of sustaining any new approach is increased if it is integrated into the fabric of existing school improvement efforts.