William H. Parrett

Director, Center for School Improvement & Policy Studies

William H. Parrett has received international recognition for his work in school improvement related to children and adolescents who live in poverty. He has co-authored eleven books, the past three being best-sellers. His most recent, a new edition of the award-winning Turning High-Poverty Schools Into High-Performing Schools (2020, with Kathleen Budge), honored as an ASCD member book and distributed to over 50,000 educators worldwide, provides an internationally validated Framework For Action that has been widely adopted to guide lasting improvement and student success in high-poverty schools.

Bill and Kathleen’s other recent book, Disrupting Poverty: 5 Powerful Classroom Practices, was also honored as an ASCD Member book and provided to over 58,000 educational leaders and classroom teachers worldwide as a part of its official release in January of 2018.

As Director of the Boise State University Center for School Improvement & Policy Studies for the past 25 years, Bill coordinates funded projects and school improvement initiatives that currently exceed $5 million annually. He is a frequent speaker at international and national events. His work with state and regional educational organizations, districts, and schools, spans 46 states and 15 nations.

Throughout his career, Parrett has worked to improve the educational achievement of all children and youth, particularly those less advantaged. These efforts have positively impacted the lives of thousands of young people, many of whom live in poverty.

Awards

Media production, Heart of the Country

The Award of Commendation from the American Anthropological Association

Gold Apple Award for best of category at the National Education Media Network Festival

National CINE Golden Eagle Award, and a Judges’ Award at the 24th Northwest Film Festival.

Dallas, TX • Learning Forward 2013 Annual Conference • December 10, 2013 • “Leveraging High-Poverty Schools Into High-Performance” – PDF – Learning Forward High Performance
Mason County • August 2013 • “Mason County Poverty Project” – PDF – Mason County Poverty Project
MSU • Priority School Institute Statewide System of Support • July 9-10/24-25, 2013 • “Turning High-Poverty Schools Into High-Performing Schools” – PDF – Priority School Institute 1 – PDF – Priority School Institute 2
San Antonio, TX • North East ISD Summer Conference • June 18, 2013 • “Turning High-Poverty Schools Into High-Performing Schools” – PDF High-Performing Schools 1 – PDF – High Performing Schools 2 – PDF – High Performing Schools 3 – Handouts – High Performing Schools
Houston, TX • CFISD Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships Leadership Conference • June 13, 2013 • “Turning High-Poverty Schools Into High-Performing Schools” – PDF CFISD High-Performing Schools 1 – PDF CFISD High-Performing Schools 2 – Handouts
ASCD Whole Child Virtual Conference • May 7, 2013 • “Turning High-Poverty Schools Into High-Performing Schools” – PDF ASCD High-Performing Schools 1 – PDF ASCD High-Perfoming Schools 2 – PDF ASCD High-Performing Schools 3
National Harbor, MD • ASCD Conference on Teaching Excellence • June 29, 2013 • “Enhancing Instruction to Improve Outcomes for Underachieving Students Living in Poverty” – PDF ASCD MD Enhancing Instruction 1 – PDF ASCD MD Enhancing Instruction 2 – PDF ASCD MD Enhancing Instruction 3
San Diego, CA • 73rd Annual NSBA Conference • April 13, 2013 • “Turning High-Poverty Schools Into High-Performing Schools” – PDF NSBA High-Performing Schools 1 – PDF NSBA High-Performing Schools 2 – Handouts – NSBA High-performing Schools – Learning Lounge – NSBA High-performing Schools
Columbus, OH • 2013 OAASFEP Spring Conference • March 21, 2013 • “Turning High-Poverty Schools Into High-Performing Schools” – PDF OAASFEP High-Performing Schools 1 – PDF OAASFEP High-performing Schools 2 – Handouts OOASFEP High-Performing Schools
Columbus, OH • 2013 OAASFEP Spring Conference • March 21, 2013 • “High-Poverty, Low-Performing Schools Can Improve” – PDF OOASFEP Schools can improve 1 – PDF OOASFEP Schools can improve 2
Chicago, IL • 2013 ASCD Annual Conference • March 16, 2013 • “Enhancing Instruction to Improve Outcomes of Underachieving Students Living in Poverty” – PDF ASCD Chicago Enhancing Instruction 1 – PDF ASCD Chicago Enhancing Instruction 2 – Handouts – ASCD Chicago
Hoquiam High School • February 20, 2013 • “Turning High-Poverty Schools Into High-Performing Schools” – PDF – Hoquiam HS High-Performing Skills 1 – Handouts – Hoquiam High School
McAllen, Texas • Region One Education Service Center • February 12, 2013 • “Turning High-Poverty Schools Into High-Performing Schools” – PDF Region One High-Performing Schools 1 – Handouts – Region One
Nashville, TN • 2013 National Title I Conference • January 23, 2013 • “Turning High-Poverty Schools Into High-Performing Schools” – PDF Title I Conference High-Performing Schools 1 – Handouts – National Title I Conference
Milwaukee, WI • 2013 Wisconsin State Education Convention • January 22, 2013 • “Turning High-Poverty Schools Into High-Performing Schools” – PDF – Wisconsin State Education Convention 1 – Handouts – Wisconsin State Education Convention
Genesse, ID • Genesse School District • February, 2014 • “Turning High-Poverty Schools into High-Performing Schools” – PDF Genesse School District High-performing Schools
Mason County • Leadership Academy • April, 2014 • “Turning High-Poverty Schools into High-Performing Schools” – PDF – Mason County High-Performing Schools
New Orleans, LA • NSBA Conference • April 5, 2014 • “Turning High-Poverty Schools into High-Performing Schools” – PDF – NSBA New Orleans High Performing Schools
Houston, TX • ASCD Annual Conference • March 21-23, 2015 • “Turning High-Poverty Schools into High-Performing Schools” – PDF – ASCD Houston High-Performing Schools
Provo, UT • 8th Biennial Conference • April 16 & 17, 2015 • “Turning High-Poverty Schools into High-Performing Schools” – PDF – 8th Biennal Conference High Performing Schools

Director, Center for School Improvement & Policy Studies

Awards

Dr. Parrett's Work

Center for School Improvement and Policy Studies