Dr. D. Edgar Guthrie & Janis Jablecki 
Nexus 
How Best Practices Provide an Answer to the Student Achievement Conundrum

The nexus between best practices and student achievement is demonstrated from the GRASP Project, discovering how some California charter schools with higher academic achievement showed evidence of a greater number of best practices as measured by performance, governance, education program, human resources, business practices, and facilitiesthe education program infrastructure. Surprisingly, technology did not show a correlation for reasons explained in the nexus. Moreover, the nexus is bolstered by administrative, innovation, and competition theory serving as foundations for The Nexus. The Nexus also introduces strategies to implement best practices and process improvements through Lean Six Sigma methods and strategic and action planning. The search for the next practice designed to improve education programs is perpetual. The significance to accreditation is profound as student achievement measures will require metrics paced to reform movements such as Common Core Standards derived from international settings. By the same token, quality education will become clearer as edification through international benchmarks such as ISO 9000 will promote higher standards of excellence. The Nexus conclusions have relevance to all school systems since implementing best practices can elevate student achievement. The reason is clear: the more a school system operates efficiently through best practices and process improvements, the more time is available to the school leadership to devote attention to academic achievement as the ultimate product of education. And for those invested in school improvement, a higher value-added education with a higher return on investment.