Sustain and Evolve
Transformation isn’t a one-time initiative—it’s a new way of operating.
In this final stage, institutions help cement long-term change by embedding equity and continuous improvement into everyday structures, systems, and decision-making. As teams monitor outcomes, refine strategies, and scale what works, transformation becomes more self-reinforcing and sustainable over time.
Success here isn’t just about staying the course. It’s about evolving with purpose, building institutional capacity, and holding the institution accountable to the students it serves.
This stage reinforces transformation as a lasting, institution-wide commitment—and often sets the stage for returning to Starting the Process or Sharpening the Focus to start another cycle.
Your Institution Could Benefit from Resources in this Stage if…
- You’ve implemented key reforms but aren’t sure how to evaluate or scale them.
- You want to assess whether transformation efforts are improving equity—and course correct if needed.
- Momentum is fading, and you need strategies to re-engage teams and reinforce purpose.
- You’re ready to build systems that sustain progress through leadership changes and external shifts.
- You need tools to institutionalize what’s working and evolve where needed.
Example Milestones of Institutions that are Sustaining and Evolving
- Learning, reflection, and refinement are routine. Disaggregated data and input from audiences across campus guide adjustments to sustain momentum and improve outcomes.
- What works gets scaled across the institution. Effective practices are no longer isolated—they're embedded across departments, units, and functions.
- Equity goals are embedded into institutional systems and processes. Strategic plans, budgets and budgeting processes, performance management processes and accountability structures all reflect a lasting commitment to equity.
- Professional learning reinforces a culture of improvement. Ongoing capacity-building helps leaders, staff, and faculty reflect, adapt, and continuously grow.
- Stories of progress are elevated and shared. Institutions celebrate success, highlight student and staff impact, and build shared ownership of the work.
Most Relevant Institutional Capacities when Sustaining and Evolving
Catalytic Leadership
Why it Matters
Transformation needs stewards who bridge short-term progress to long-term change. Leaders in this stage maintain urgency while aligning structures with vision and cultivate the next generation of institutional changemakers.
What it involves:
- Institutionalizing equity goals in policies, planning processes, and accountability structures
- Empowering internal leaders and investing in their ongoing development
- Communicating transparently and celebrating progress
- Instilling and reinforcing transformation as part of the institution’s identity
Strategic Data Use
Why it Matters
In this final stage, data becomes a tool for refinement and resilience. Institutions that sustain progress embed data into everyday decision making, continuously track short- and long-term impacts, and stay accountable to their equity goals.
What it involves:
- Embedding equity-focused KPIs in dashboards and reviews, and honing the ability to quickly identify and act on signals in early progress metrics
- Monitoring long-term outcomes and system-level performance
- Using data to guide scaling and resource decisions
- Encouraging and supporting shared data interpretation across teams
Catalytic Leadership
Why it Matters
Transformation needs stewards who bridge short-term progress to long-term change. Leaders in this stage maintain urgency while aligning structures with vision and cultivate the next generation of institutional changemakers.
What it involves:
- Institutionalizing equity goals in policies, planning processes, and accountability structures
- Empowering internal leaders and investing in their ongoing development
- Communicating transparently and celebrating progress
- Instilling and reinforcing transformation as part of the institution’s identity
Strategic Data Use
Why it Matters
In this final stage, data becomes a tool for refinement and resilience. Institutions that sustain progress embed data into everyday decision making, continuously track short- and long-term impacts, and stay accountable to their equity goals.
What it involves:
- Embedding equity-focused KPIs in dashboards and reviews, and honing the ability to quickly identify and act on signals in early progress metrics
- Monitoring long-term outcomes and system-level performance
- Using data to guide scaling and resource decisions
- Encouraging and supporting shared data interpretation across teams
Sustain and Evolve with Evidence-Based Practices
At this stage, institutions use data and feedback to monitor the long-term impact of reforms against stated priorities. They ask: What have we learned? What would we do differently next time? What routines did we have to develop, and how could we make those easier? What should we keep and what should we let go of?
Sustain and Evolve doesn’t mark an ending to transformation efforts —it marks the transition into the next cycle. This stage invites changemakers to lean into the cyclical nature of continuous improvement, using what they’ve learned as the input to the next cycle.
What to Do:
- Monitor progress using both early indicators and long-term success metrics.
- Share updates regularly with a broad range of stakeholders to build trust and alignment.
- Use insights to refine implementation or scale effective strategies.
- Celebrate outcomes and reinforce shared purpose through storytelling and recognition.
- Gauge the capacity and appetite for new projects related to the practice; when ready, return to earlier stages to integrate lessons into future cycles of transformation.
Advising Reform
Recommended resources related to Advising in Sustaining and Evolving:
Developmental Education Reform
Recommended resources related to Developmental Education Reform in Sustaining and Evolving:
Digital Learning Reform
Recommended resources related to Digital Learning in Sustaining and Evolving:
Continuous Improvement considerations when Sustaining and Evolving
Monitor
Track fidelity of implementation, analyze progress toward goals, and surface new challenges.
The Continuous Improvement Model (PRPAM)
These phases are connected—and continuous. Each cycle builds on the last, deepening impact and embedding equity-driven change over time.
Establish a shared vision. Define the challenge, build the team, and ground your work in equity and student success from the start.
Examine disaggregated data and student experiences to understand root causes. Identify what needs to change—and why it matters.
Focus your resources on what matters most. Target high-impact strategies that advance equity, improve student experience, and align with your mission.
Implement reforms through cross-functional coordination. Test strategies, support your teams, and adapt based on feedback and student outcomes.
Track results, gather insights, and assess progress. Use data and voice to refine strategy and ensure equity stays at the center.
Reflect
Engage faculty, staff, and students to reflect on what’s working and how needs are evolving, and iterate transformation efforts to stay aligned.
These phases are connected—and continuous. Each cycle builds on the last, deepening impact and embedding equity-driven change over time.
Establish a shared vision. Define the challenge, build the team, and ground your work in equity and student success from the start.
Examine disaggregated data and student experiences to understand root causes. Identify what needs to change—and why it matters.
Focus your resources on what matters most. Target high-impact strategies that advance equity, improve student experience, and align with your mission.
Implement reforms through cross-functional coordination. Test strategies, support your teams, and adapt based on feedback and student outcomes.
Track results, gather insights, and assess progress. Use data and voice to refine strategy and ensure equity stays at the center.
Cross-Functional Roles in This Stage
Senior Leaders
Celebrate wins, align transformation with long-term mission, and ensure continuity across leadership transitions.
Mid-Level Leaders
Monitor implementation fidelity, lead learning cycles, and support the scaling of effective strategies. Start new continuous improvement cycles as capacity allows.
Core Staff (IR, IT, Strategic Planning, Finance)
Maintain systems for data use, track progress, and provide insights to guide ongoing improvement. Help communicate the impact and value of transformation efforts.
Faculty
Participate in iterative learning, embed changes in curriculum and instruction, and reflect on how reforms shape learning outcomes.
Frontline Staff
Continue engaging students, surface implementation challenges, and share feedback that supports refinement and scaling.
