Steps to Creating a Teacher-Powered School

8/12/2019 Steps to Creating a Teacher-Powered School

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STEPS TO CREATINGA TEACHERPOWERED SCHOOL

T R U S T. C O L L A B O R AT E . T R A N S F O R M .

orming your team

and developing a

0,000-foot vision.

Storming to design

your school, rally

support, and secure

approval.

Norming to launch

your school and

refine how you

operate.

Performing like you

knew you would...

and working to get

even better.

Transforming teach

and teaching, scho

and schooling.

O R M I N G

S T O R M I N G

N O R M I N G

P E R F O R M I N G

T R A N S F O R M

T E A C H I N G Q U A L I T Y . O R G / T E A C H E R P O W E R E D
http://www.teachingquality.org/teacherpoweredhttp://www.teachingquality.org/teacherpowered


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ABOUT THIS GUIDE

O T O : T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

Teacher-powered schools are changing the eduscape. Did you know that more than 60 teams of

teachers in at least 15 stateshave secured collective autonomy from their school districts, charter

authorizers, and unions to design and run schools? A2014 surveyby Education Evolving revealed

that 54 percent of American teachers are very interested in launching or joining a teacher-powered

school (also known as teacher-led, teacher-run, and teacher partnership schools). Equally exciting:

78 percent of teachers and 8 in 10 Americans say they support the idea of teacher-powered schools.

Are you and your team among those teachers ready to change how students learn and teachers

work? If so, this guide, Steps to Creating a Teacher-Powered School, is for you.

This guides purposeIn greatly increasing numbers, teachers, union/association leaders, district administrators, and

policymakers are seeking information and resources to help them research, start up, and support

teacher-powered schools. This one-of-a-kind guide features an extensive collection of resources

and tools successfully used by teacher teams to design and run teacher-powered schools. It

acknowledges and describes the dierent work that teachers have done while setting reasonableexpectations about how collaborative teacher-powered teams develop over time.

The purpose of this guide is to help teachers and the broader education community reimagine the

possibilities for student learning and the teaching profession by providing information that has been

created and utilized by the pioneers who already design, run, and support teacher-powered schools.

With this focus in mind, we did not include a complete list of resources and tools for school start upsand conversions. There are already many guides of that nature. This guide will help individuals and

teams who are setting out to create or support teacher-powered schools build on the successes of

their predecessorsand learn from their mistakesas they set out on their own innovative journeys.

About the authorsWe are Lori Nazarenoand Kim Farris-Berg. We prepared this guide as members of the Center for

Teaching Quality (CTQ)School Redesign Team. CTQ is a national nonprot that seeks to create ahigh-quality education system for all studentsdriven by the bold ideas and expert practices of

teachers. CTQ connects, readies, and mobilizes teachers to transform the profession, including

advancing the ideas of teams who design and run teacher-powered schools.

Lori co-founded the Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy, a teacher-powered school

in Denver, Colorado. She is currently a CTQ Teacher Leader in Residence. Kim is lead author

of Trusting Teachers with School Success: What Happens WhenTeachers Call the Shots(R&L

Education, 2012). In her work with CTQ and Education Evolving, Kim continues to observe, learn

about, and report on teacher-powered schools.

Both Kim and Lori work nationally with teachers and the broader education community to inform and

support the exploration and pursuit of teacher-powered schools.
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/national-inventory-schools-teacher-autonomyhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/national-inventory-schools-teacher-autonomyhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teacher-powered-schools-generating-lasting-impact-through-common-sense-innovationhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teacher-powered-schools-generating-lasting-impact-through-common-sense-innovationhttp://www.teachingquality.org/about/who-we-are/staff-bios#LoriNazarenohttp://www.teachingquality.org/about/who-we-are/staff-bios#LoriNazarenohttp://www.teachingquality.org/about/who-we-are/staff-bios#KimFarrisBerghttp://www.teachingquality.org/http://www.teachingquality.org/http://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.educationevolving.org/http://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.educationevolving.org/http://www.educationevolving.org/http://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/http://www.teachingquality.org/http://www.teachingquality.org/about/who-we-are/staff-bios#KimFarrisBerghttp://www.teachingquality.org/about/who-we-are/staff-bios#LoriNazarenohttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teacher-powered-schools-generating-lasting-impact-through-common-sense-innovationhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/national-inventory-schools-teacher-autonomy


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The five stages of creating and running a teacher-powered schoolIn a teacher-powered school, teachers work collegiallywith shared responsibility and

accountabilityto design and run their school. Teacher teams may be formally or informally

organized depending on how far along they are in their journey of creating a teacher-powered

school. In this guide, we describe teacher teams work as it aligns with Bruce W. Tuckmans four

stages of team development:forming, storming, norming, and performing.

Working through these four stages, teacher teams will learn:

how to get started; what to expect from the school design and creation process; how to develop high-functioning teams; and what steps and tasks to consider as they design and manage their team and school.

We also added a fth stage to this guide: transforming. In this stage, teams learn how to connectwith other teacher-powered schools and see themselves as part of a larger, growing community.

We encourage all teacher-powered teams to see themselves not just as leaders of their own schoolsbut as transforming forcesof teaching and learning. Teacher-powered teams, using their collective

expertise from designing and managing schools, canand shouldcontribute to local, state, and

national discussions about innovative ways to address pressing education issues like teaching

quality and student achievement.

Following the five stagesTeachers will come to this guide at dierent stages in the school creation process. Perhaps yourecurious what designing and running a teacher-powered school entails and want more information.

Maybe you already have a team in place and are looking for strategies and advice for moving ahead.

Perhaps you already run a teacher-powered school and are seeking ways to strengthen your team,

modify your processes, or manage internal changes in leadership.

An Overview of Stages and Team Development

Forming stage:Teams in this stage are just getting started. Individuals will form a design

team, do background research, and discuss opportunities and challenges that they might

encounter.

Design team is formed. Roles and processes arent clearly dened.

Storming stage:In this stage, members of the design team establish the models andprocesses for leadership, teaching, learning, and management that will be used once

the school is running. The design team will also develop the school proposal and secure

autonomy agreements. The Storming stage is the most intense of all the stages, with

numerous steps and design considerations.

Design team develops further, following roles and processes established in theForming stage. The team also creates roles and processes for the school leadership

team that will run the school in the Norming, Performing, and Transforming stages.

Possible team roles: facilitator, school proposal coordinator, and politics navigator.
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/developmental-sequence-small-groupshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/developmental-sequence-small-groupshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/developmental-sequence-small-groupshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/developmental-sequence-small-groupshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/developmental-sequence-small-groupshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/developmental-sequence-small-groups


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An Overview of Stages and Teams (continued)

Norming stage:Teams in this stage are transitioning from the design team to the school

leadership team that will run the school. Not all members of the design team go on to be

members of the school leadership team. The school leadership team launches the school

and develops cultures and processes that reect decisions made by the design team in theStorming stage.

Design team transitions to the school leadership team. School leadership team embraces roles and processes created by the design team,

rening as needed. Possible team roles: leaders (lead teacher, principal, or head committee), committee

chairs, and parent liaisons.

Performing stage:School leadership teams in this stage know how to run their teacher-

powered school. Team members are motivated to achieve goals set by the team, and they

operate competently within established structures. In the Performing stage, teams learn

how to avoid cultural upheaval during organizational changes and recognize when changeis necessary to ensure continued success.

School leadership team is fully functional. Roles and processes from the Norming stage continue, with renements as needed.

Transforming stage:Teams in this stage have created, and are now sustaining, successful

teacher-powered schools. Team members are focusing on the task of transforming teachers

and teaching.

School leadership team takes on tasks to transform teachers and teaching. Roles and processes expand to include giving support to and learning more about

teacher-powered school community.

How to use this guide

Using the Table of Contents, readers can jump to any of the ve stages and their associated steps.Browsing this section will help you determine which areas of the guide address your current needs

and stage of development.

Once you choose a stage, you will be presented with a series of associated steps. You can work

through and read the steps in order, using navigation guides at the top and bottom of each page.

You can also use the Table of Contents on the main page of each stage to select steps that you wishto learn more about or skip around as you see t.

Resources

In each step, youll nd information about how to work through that step, as well as acollection of external resources. When you click on a resource, you will be brought to a

webpage that oers a full description of the resource and how to access it. These pagescan be bookmarked in your Internet browser for later use and reference.


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How to use this guide (continued)

Search Function This guide is searchable by clicking Control + F or Command + F and typing a word into the

search bar, followed by Enter.

Bookmarks

You can bookmark your place in this guide by clicking the Bookmark icon (a ribbon) in the left

margin. Create new bookmarks by clicking the bookmark icon with the gold star.

Connect with CTQ and other teacher-powered teams

Join the Collaboratory

The Collaboratoryis CTQs virtual community where teacher leaders connect, learn, and innovate.

Join the Collaboratory by clicking the orange Join the Community button at the top of the page.Once youve joined, nd the School Redesign Lab and register. After youve received access to thisLab via an email notication, you and your team can learn more about teacher-powered schools andshare resources and practices.

In the School Redesign Lab, youll nd teachers who have worked in teacher-powered schools andothers who are in the process of starting one. You can share your school design experiences, ideas,

and questionsand get support from members who will help you think through next steps.

Contact us (and help make this guide better)

Get in touch with CTQs School Redesign Team. Email us with questions or send us a

resourcewere here to help and share.

How to share and cite this guide

When sharing print or digital copies of this guide, excerpting, or citing it, please include the following

language:

Print:Reprinted with permission from the Center for Teaching Quality (http://www.teachingquality.org), home to the Collaboratory, a virtual community for all who value teacher leadership. Visit Steps

to Creating a Teacher-Powered School at http://www.teachingquality.org/teacherpowered.

Digital/online:Reprinted with permission from the Center for Teaching Quality, home to the

Collaboratory, a virtual community for all who value teacher leadership. Visit Steps to Creating a

Teacher-Powered School here.

Citation:Farris-Berg, Kim and Lori Nazareno. 2014. Steps to Creating a Teacher-Powered School.

Center for Teaching Quality. http://www.teachingquality.org/teacherpowered
http://www.teachingquality.org/collaboratoryhttp://www.teachingquality.org/collaboratorymailto:schoolredesign%40teachingquality.org?subject=Teacher-Powered%20Schoolshttp://www.teachingquality.org/http://www.teachingquality.org/teacherpoweredhttp://www.teachingquality.org/teacherpoweredhttp://www.teachingquality.org/teacherpoweredhttp://www.teachingquality.org/mailto:schoolredesign%40teachingquality.org?subject=Teacher-Powered%20Schoolshttp://www.teachingquality.org/collaboratory


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

O T O : A B O U T T H I S G U I D E

Stage One: Forming Learning about teacher-powered schools

Finding inspiration and motivation for the work

Building a team Developing a 30,000-foot vision

Stage Two: Storming Developing a design team

Determining a collaborative leadership model

Designing how students will learn

Deciding how teachers will collegially manage the school Seeking external support

Pursuing autonomy and approval for your teacher-powered school

Stage Three: Norming Developing personnel processes

Improving how your teams shared purpose is used

in decision making

Cultivating skills and dispositions for evaluating colleagues

Rening skills for working in a collaborative leadership model

Creating and rening a process for assessing school performance Learning skills for working unconventionally

Stage Four: Performing Bringing new team members into the existing culture Planning for changes in leadership Assessing whole school performance for continuous improvement

Stage Five: Transforming Seeing your team as part of a larger community of teacher-powered

schools

Growing the teacher-powered school community

Mobilizing the teacher-powered school community to transform

teachers and teaching

Conclusion Helping us improve this guide


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R E T U R N T O : M A I N

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

STAGE ONE: FORMING

N E X T : L E A R N I N G A B O U T

T E A C H E R - P OW E R E D S C H O O L S

Teams in the Forming stage are just getting started. Inthis stage, you will create a team, do research, and discussopportunities and challenges that your team might encounter.

Forming stage steps include:

Learning about teacher-powered schools

Must-read books and websites; a list, overview, and history of existingteacher-powered schools; supporting research, theory, and practices; andcurrent interest among teachers.

Finding inspiration and motivation for the work

Case studies, videos, and an online inventory of existing teacher-poweredschools.

Building a team

Team-building resources.

Developing a 30,000-foot vision

Bringing your teams vision to reality.


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LEARNING ABOUT TEACHER-POWERED SCHOOL

R E T U R N T O : F O R M I N G


The school you are creating will be designed and run by your team. But why not

learn from those who have come before you? Use these resources to explore thehistory, research, and theory behind teacher-powered schools. Discussing thesuccesses and challenges that previous teams have faced will help members decidewhether they want to commit to the journey and work ahead.

Resources

Must-read books and websites

Teacher-Powered SchoolsWebsite. Learn about this initiative to grow awareness, action, and support for teacher-powered

schools in schools and districts nationwide.

Teacherpreneurs: Innovative Teachers Who Lead But Dont Leave

Book. Barnett Berry, Ann Byrd, and Alan J. Weider explore a bold new brand of teacher leader-

ship, documenting the experiences of eight teacher leaders.

Teachers As Owners: A Key to Revitalizing Public Education

Book. Edward J. Dirkswager leads a series of investigations on how being owners, rather than

employees, can give teachers control of their professional activity.

Trusting Teachers with School Success: What Happens When Teachers Call the Shots

Book.Kim Farris-Berg, Edward J. Dirkswager, and Amy Junge answer the question: What would

teachers do if they had the autonomy to collectivelywith their colleaguesmake decisions

inuencing school success?

Who Controls Teachers Work?: Power and Accountability in Americas Public Schools

Book. Professor Richard Ingersoll asks: Are teachers more akin to professionals or factory

workers in the amount of control they have over their work? And, what dierence does it make?

List and overview of existing teacher-powered schools

Evolution of Schools with Collective Teacher Autonomy

Website. This timeline shows the history of teacher-powered schools in the United States.

Great Teachers Ensuring Great Teaching

Webinar. John Wright introduces the NEAs work supporting the growth of teacher-powered

schools and growing new strategies to sustain these teachers and their schools.
http://www.teacherpowered.org/http://www.teachingquality.org/teacherpreneurshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-owners-key-revitalizing-public-educationhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/who-controls-teachers-work-power-and-accountability-americas-public-schoolshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/evolution-schools-collective-teacher-autonomyhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/great-teachers-ensuring-great-teaching-teacher-leadership-and-teacher-led-schoolshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/great-teachers-ensuring-great-teaching-teacher-leadership-and-teacher-led-schoolshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/evolution-schools-collective-teacher-autonomyhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/who-controls-teachers-work-power-and-accountability-americas-public-schoolshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-owners-key-revitalizing-public-educationhttp://www.teachingquality.org/teacherpreneurshttp://www.teacherpowered.org/


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LEARNING ABOUT TEACHER-POWERED SCHOOL



Resources (continued)

History of teacher-powered schools (continued)

Online Inventory of Schools with Collective Teacher Autonomy

Website. This list features all the known K-12 public schools where teachers have collective

autonomy to make decisions inuencing school success.

Supporting research, theory, and practices

Can We Trust Teachers to Successfully Manage Whole Schools?

Commentary. Kim Farris-Berg explains how teachers with collective autonomy often createschools with cultures that emulate those of high-performing organizations.

Does Collective Teacher Autonomy Make Any Dierence for Student Achievement?Commentary. Kim Farris-Berg describes how teacher autonomy can positively impact student

achievement.

The Failure of Test-Based Accountability

Newspaper article. In this three-part blog, Marc Tucker explains the dangers of test-based

accountability and teacher evaluation systems.

A Global Network of Teachers and Their Professional Learning Systems

Report. Findings from this 2014 CTQ-Global TeacherSolutions report on professional learning

systems in six cities suggest that in non-U.S. cities where teacher-powered schools are the

norm, teachers collaboratively learn and lead for the benet of their whole school.

Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a Chaotic World

Book. Margaret J. Wheatley pulls from quantum physics, chaos theory, and molecular biology to

identify ways that organizations, including schools, can improve.

Minnesota and Wisconsin Teachers Tout Their Teacher-Powered Schools to Arne Duncan

Newspaper article. Beth Hawkins writes about two educators at teacher-powered schools whothink teachers should be in charge.

The Missing Link in School Reform

Journal article. Researcher C.R. Leana describes how the existence of trusting relationships

between teachers is a signicant predictor of improved student performance.

Short on Power, Long on Responsibility

Journal article. Professor Richard Ingersoll makes the case that, to improve teacher quality,

schools need to go beyond holding teachers more accountableby giving them more control.
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/national-inventory-schools-teacher-autonomyhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/can-we-trust-teachers-successfully-manage-whole-schoolshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/does-collective-teacher-autonomy-make-any-difference-student-achievementhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/failure-test-based-accountabilityhttp://teachingquality.org/globalprofessionallearninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/leadership-and-new-science-discovering-order-chaotic-worldhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teacher-gets-tout-st-pauls-avalon-co-op-school-nations-top-education-officialshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/missing-link-school-reformhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/short-power-long-responsibilityhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/short-power-long-responsibilityhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/missing-link-school-reformhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teacher-gets-tout-st-pauls-avalon-co-op-school-nations-top-education-officialshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/leadership-and-new-science-discovering-order-chaotic-worldhttp://teachingquality.org/globalprofessionallearninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/failure-test-based-accountabilityhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/does-collective-teacher-autonomy-make-any-difference-student-achievementhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/can-we-trust-teachers-successfully-manage-whole-schoolshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/national-inventory-schools-teacher-autonomy


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FINDING INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATION

FOR THE WORK



For many teachers, the motivation to start a teacher-powered school is inspired byhaving autonomy to develop and implement better ways to teach and learn. But willyour team be able to accomplish what it wants?

Visiting existing teacher-powered schools and using these resources will help yourteam start to answer this question. You can also use this step to explore individualand group motivations for forming a teacher-powered school, along with concernsabout the challenges ahead.

Resources

Case studies

Teachers in Partnership

Website. In this online forum, read teacher-powered teams discussions about their design and

management decisions.

TeachersStop Waiting, and Start Calling the Shots

Commentary. Kim Farris-Berg describes teacher leaders who found ways to create their ownschoolsand encourages other teachers to do the same.

Avalon School (St. Paul, MN)

Can Teachers Run Their Own Schools?

Case study. Charles Taylor Kerchner nds that teacher-powered schools should inform oureducation practices.

How a Teacher Partnership Manages a Public School

Discussion notes. Teacher Carrie Bakken explains how she and her colleagues manage a

public school using a teacher-powered partnership model.

Inside Avalon School

E-book and resource list. Learn about St. Pauls teacher-powered Avalon School through

this compilation of stories, studies, and other publications by its founders, current teachers

and advisors, former students, and national researchers.
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-partnership-websitehttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-stop-waiting-and-start-calling-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/can-teachers-run-their-own-schools-tales-islands-teacher-cooperativeshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/how-teacher-partnership-manages-public-schoolhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/inside-avalon-school-creating-and-sustaining-democratic-learning-communityhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/inside-avalon-school-creating-and-sustaining-democratic-learning-communityhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/how-teacher-partnership-manages-public-schoolhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/can-teachers-run-their-own-schools-tales-islands-teacher-cooperativeshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-stop-waiting-and-start-calling-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-partnership-website


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FOR THE WORK




Case studies (continued)

Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy (Denver, CO)

Math and Science Leadership Academy: Creating a Teacher-Led School for Diverse

Learners

Case study. An inside look at the Math and Science Leadership Academy in Denver,

Colorado.

Portrait of a Teacher-Led School

Journal article. An insiders view of how a teacher-powered school, the Mathematics and

Science Leadership Academy, operates.

Teacherpreneurs: Innovative Teachers Who Lead But Dont Leave(Chapter 6)

Book. Barnett Berry, Ann Byrd, and Alan J. Weider prole the Mathematics and ScienceLeadership Academy and one of its co-founders, Lori Nazareno.

Teachers Lead the Way in Denver

Journal article. A rationale for the creation of teacher-powered schools and an analysis

of factors that contributed to the success of the Mathematics and Science Leadership

Academy.

Minnesota New Country School (Henderson, MN)

The Coolest School in America: How Small Learning Communities Are Changing Everything

Book. Doug Thomas, Walter Enloe, and Ron Newell explore the Minnesota New Country

School, where teachers have control of the learning program, the hiring and retention of

personnel, and are responsible for the success of the school.

EdVisions Schools: Essential School Design Features

Video series. Learn about Minnesota New Country School, where teachers created small

learning communities, self-directed and project-based learning programs, and authentic

assessment.

Pilot Schools

Boston Pilot Schools

Report. Learn about a group of teachers who created a teacher-powered school in a district

setting.
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/math-and-science-leadership-academy-creating-teacher-powered-school-diverse-learnershttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/math-and-science-leadership-academy-creating-teacher-powered-school-diverse-learnershttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/portait-teacher-led-schoolhttp://www.teachingquality.org/teacherpreneurshttp://www.teachingquality.org/teacherpreneurshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-lead-way-denverhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/coolest-school-america-how-small-learning-communities-are-changing-everythinghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/edvisions-schools-essential-school-design-featureshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/boston-pilot-schoolshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/boston-pilot-schoolshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/edvisions-schools-essential-school-design-featureshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/coolest-school-america-how-small-learning-communities-are-changing-everythinghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-lead-way-denverhttp://www.teachingquality.org/teacherpreneurshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/portait-teacher-led-schoolhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/math-and-science-leadership-academy-creating-teacher-powered-school-diverse-learnershttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/math-and-science-leadership-academy-creating-teacher-powered-school-diverse-learners


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FOR THE WORK

N E X T : B U I L D I N G A T E A M


Videos

Denvers Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy: Teachers, Learners, Leaders

Video. NEA Priority Schools shows how teachers at one school use collaborative planning time

to meet with their peers, analyze data, and design instruction that meets student needs.

Good Morning Mission Hill/A Year at Mission Hill Video Series

Documentary. Tom and Amy Valens show what teaching and learning look like at the teacher-powered Mission Hill K-8 School in Boston, MA.

Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy

Video. This brief video describes the Math and Science Leadership Academy in Denver, CO.

Teaching and Learning in a Teacher-Powered School

Video series. Learn whats it like to teach and learn in a teacher-powered school.


http://www.teachingquality.org/content/nea-priority-schools-denvers-msla-teachers-learners-leadershttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/good-morning-mission-hill-freedom-teachhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/msla-denver-cohttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teaching-and-learning-teacher-powered-schoolhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teaching-and-learning-teacher-powered-schoolhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/msla-denver-cohttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/good-morning-mission-hill-freedom-teachhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/nea-priority-schools-denvers-msla-teachers-learners-leaders


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BUILDING A TEAM



Team building is both an art and a science, wrote Glenn Llopis. In this step, its

time to consider what it will take to build and sustain a successful design team.

In the Forming stage, your team probably wont be high functioning yet. Individualroles and processes may not be clearly defined. Its also possible that one or a fewpeople will be dominant and have most of the answers about your groups purposeand objectives.

Its important to get to know one another and learn how each team memberoperates. Most individuals will be self-focused at first, working parallel with team

members rather than together. Many members will also seek acceptance from thegroup and try to avoid controversy.

Questions that each team member should ask him/herself: Will starting a teacher-powered school work for me? Is this a team I want to work with? Wheres my niche?

Resources

Build a Tower, Build a TeamVideo. In this TED Talk, Tom Wujec provides insight into the conditions and behaviors that foster

team success.

Six Ways Successful Teams are Built to Last

Magazine article. Forbesidenties six strategies for building a successful team and maintainingthat success.

Strengths-based Leadership Team

Discussion guide. The Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy, a teacher-powered

school in Denver, CO, uses a strengths-based approach to leadership and provides a framework

for you to use in the design of your teacher-powered school.

N E X T : D E V E L O P I N G A

3 0 , 0 0 0 - F O O T V I S I O N
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/build-tower-build-teamhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/six-ways-successful-teams-are-built-lasthttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/strengths-based-leadership-teamhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/strengths-based-leadership-teamhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/six-ways-successful-teams-are-built-lasthttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/build-tower-build-team


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DEVELOPING A 30,000-FOOT VISION



In the Forming stage, its likely that your team is starting to shape a 30,000-foot,

big-picture vision of what your school will look and be like. Thinking about theschool from the perspective of students can help guide this vision.

Design questions to ask:

What are the specic needs of the students who will attend the school?

What will students experience during the school day?

What will the learning program and instructional approach be?

How does that approach align with student needs?

How will students experience teaching and learning? How will teachers work together to manage and lead the school?

How will these choices impact students and teachers?

Resources

Designing Schools for Students

Discussion guide. How the Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy in Denver, CO was

designed.

N E X T : S T A G E T W O

S T O R M I N G
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Teams in the Storming stage are ready to pursue concretesteps for making their teacher-powered school a reality. Theteam focus in this stage is design: establishing the models forleadership, teaching, learning, and management that the schoolleadership team will use once the school is running. Your designteam will also seek outside support and approval for the schooland governance model that you are designing.

This is a good time to remember that there is no perfect orderfor pursuing the steps in this stage. In fact, of all the stagesin this guide, Storming is the section that includes the mostinformation and resources. Since there are a number of steps,you can expect to go back and forth among them as your teamdesigns an effective plan.

Your team will quickly discover that, as one teacher put it, thedesign process is not for the faint of heart. Before you getstarted, peruse the entire section and form a strong yet flexibleplan that will help you stay on track. Rushing through this stageis not recommended. Take the time you need to design and setup your school for success.

STAGE TWO: STORMING


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Storming stage steps include:

Developing a design team

Design team facilitation resources.

Determining a collaborative leadership modelLeadership resources, sample organizational charts, and planning for leadership changes.

Designing how students will learn

Designing a learning program and instructional approach

Designing the physical learning environment

Designing assessment of student learning

Designing student engagement strategies Designing parent engagement strategies

Designing an approach to discipline and social needs

Deciding how teachers will collegially manage the school

Creating a high-performance culture

Developing a shared purpose

Deciding whether to formally organize the teacher team

Determing an approach to teacher evaluation and tenure

Ensuring the teacher-powered team is a community of learners

Dening budgeting processes and priorities

Creating a strategy for attracting families

STAGE TWO: STORMING


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Storming stage steps include:

Seeking external support

Identifying funding sources; nding time to design; connecting with a start-up coach;securing political support; and tools and ideas for potential supporters.

Pursuing autonomy and approval for your teacher-powered school

Review sample school proposals and write your own

Learn about securing collective teacher autonomy

Connect with teachers in existing teacher-powered schools and get feedback on

your proposal

STAGE TWO: STORMING

N E X T : D E V E L O P I N G A

D E S I G N T E A M


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DEVELOPING A DESIGN TEAM

R E T U R N T O : S T O R M I N G


The team that developed in the Forming stage will formally become a designteam in the Storming stage. The purpose of this team is to design a school andgovernance model. This team is distinct from the school leadership team that willeventually go on to run the school in the Norming stage.

As you formalize your design team, you might consider including people who arenot teachers, such as students, parents, learning program experts, and communitymembers.

Design team roles and facilitators

Questions your team should consider include:

What roles are needed? Possible team roles include facilitator, school proposal coordinator, orpolitics navigator.

What knowledge and skills should people have in order to be successful in those roles? How will your team communicate? What is your start-up schedule? Whats the line between facilitation and micromanagement? How will your team establish the

dierence?After your team outlines the roles it needs for the Storming stage, you should consider which

members are right for each role. You might allow dierent individuals to try out the same role and seehow they perform. Throughout this stage, your team will gain keen insight into individual members

strengths and vulnerabilities.

The knowledge and skills needed to design your school may be dierent from those that teammembers will need to launch and run it. All members of the design team should be made aware from

the start that participation, and even leadership, in the Storming stage does not necessarily ensure a

position on the school leadership team that will launch the school in the Norming stage.

Selecting team facilitators and leaders

At the beginning of the Storming stage, team facilitators or leaders might be those who were

dominant in the Forming stage. However, as the Storming stage progresses, start-up team

facilitators should be formally selected by team members. Teams should consider what qualities are

needed in a start-up leader(s) and decide on the leader selection process together.

Remember, the criteria for selecting a leader(s) to facilitate the schools design may be dierentfrom the criteria used to select a leader(s) once the school is running. Teams should take care not to

simply select the dominant leader from the Forming stage or allow the dominant leader to assume a

leadership role without careful consideration. If no one on the team matches the established criteria,

consider slowing down until you nd the right leader(s).


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DEVELOPING A DESIGN TEAM



Confrontation

Confrontationthe process of evaluating and questioning others ideas while tolerating them doing

the same to youis an important part of team development during the Storming stage. This process

will make your teams shared purpose clearer. Common challenges teams face during this stage

include tension, arguments, power struggles, and cliques.

These challenges are natural. However, if confrontations are too combative or unproductive, your

team might lose motivation and break up altogether. Some teams do not survive the Storming stage.

As unpleasant as it may be, its important for teams to learn how to move through confrontation in

a positive way before students, families, and new team members arrive at the school. If your teamchooses to avoid confrontation during this stage and members delay learning how to confront

one another until later, you risk putting the school in grave danger of failure during its rst years ofoperation.

Resources

Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When the Stakes are High

Book and video. Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler share strategies

for engaging in important conversations in ways that support organizational success.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable

Book and videos.Patrick Lencioni shares a leadership model and strategies that teams can use

to overcome hurdles and build strong, action-oriented teams.

Stomp the Elephant in the Ofce

Book.Steven Vannoy and Craig Ross provide everyday tools for leaders who want to eliminate

toxicity in the workplace and create a wellness culture that supports productivity and success.

Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow

Book.Tom Rath and Barry Conchie share research and strategies for building eective,strengths-based leadership teams.

Author tip

Revisit the Forming stage step Building a team on page 14 to help you form and develop a

strong design team.

N E X T : D E T E R M I N I N G A

C O L L A B O R A T I V E M O D E L
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/crucial-conversations-tools-talking-when-stakes-are-high-0http://www.teachingquality.org/content/five-dysfunctions-team-leadership-fablehttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/stomp-elephant-officehttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/strengths-based-leadership-great-leaders-teams-and-why-people-followhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/strengths-based-leadership-great-leaders-teams-and-why-people-followhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/stomp-elephant-officehttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/five-dysfunctions-team-leadership-fablehttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/crucial-conversations-tools-talking-when-stakes-are-high-0


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DETERMINING A COLLABORATIVE

LEADERSHIP MODEL



While practitioners at teacher-powered schools have collective autonomy to makedecisions influencing school success, this doesnt mean they come to consensuson every decision. They do have highly collaborative cultures in which teachers allwork together for the good of the whole school. Most teacher-powered teams makesome decisions as a group and then delegate some decisionmaking authority toone or more leaders (in addition to leadership committees expected to act on theteams established shared purpose and priorities). In this model, the traditional top-down leadership trianglein which teachers are accountable to a principal who is

then accountable to district administratorsis inverted.

There are many ways to make a collaborative leadership model successful.Whatever choices your team makes, consider whether, when securing yourautonomy agreement, you need to negotiate for the ability to implement thosechoices.

At this point in the Storming stage, your team does not need to select its schoolleaders. (These individuals will be active later in the process once your school is

running.) However, keep in mind that you might need to indicate who those leaderswill be when submitting your school proposal. You can continue to consider whichteam members are the right school leaders for your team as you work toward theNorming stage.

Planning for changes in leadership

Another element that your team should seriously consider including in your autonomy agreement is

the process your team will use to select new leaders when there is a change in internal leadership.

If teams associated with district schools do not include this process in their autonomy agreement,they risk having the district assign a new leader for them. This can become a problem if the assigned

leader wasnt planning to work at a teacher-powered school because it is likely that he or she will

expect to be in charge of teachers and use conventional leadership strategies. Teachers past

experience indicates that this can cause turmoil and eventually undermine a teams existing culture.


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LEADERSHIP MODEL



Resources

Collaborative leadership resources

Community Toolbox: Collaborative Leadership

Website.Learn how to bring people together in constructive ways and create strategies for

addressing team concerns.

Democratic Learning and Leading: Creating Collaborative School GovernanceBook.Ronald Newell and Irving Buchen assert that teachers must work intentionally to create a

collaborative culture.

Leadership Ensemble: Lessons in Collaborative Management from the Worlds Only

Conductorless Orchestra

Book.How one orchestra transitioned to collaborative management by dismantling top-heavy

hierarchies and developing exible, responsive strategies and decision-making procedures.

Teacher-Powered Teams Describe and Discuss How Collaborative Governance Works in Their

Schools

Online discussion.How does collaborative governance work in practice? How do teachersmake decisions? Do they choose leaders? Learn the answers to these and other questions by

reading this discussion.


Chapter 5

Book.Chapter 5 explains how teams running teacher-powered schools collaborate for the

good of the whole school. It also describes how teachers choose their leaders (individuals and

committees) and the organizational structures for ensuring those leaders are accountable.

Sample organizational charts from existing teacher-powered schools

Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy (MSLA)

Leadership Structure

School proposal excerpt. This excerpt from the MSLA proposal outlines how leadership

is organized within the school. It also oers information about teachers approach todiscipline, attendance, family engagement, and student recruitment.
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/community-toolbox-collaborative-leadershiphttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/democratic-learning-and-leading-creating-collaborative-school-governancehttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/leadership-ensemble-lessons-collaborative-management-worlds-only-conductorless-orchestrahttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/leadership-ensemble-lessons-collaborative-management-worlds-only-conductorless-orchestrahttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teacher-partnership-teams-discuss-leadership-and-decision-making-their-schools-0http://www.teachingquality.org/content/teacher-partnership-teams-discuss-leadership-and-decision-making-their-schools-0http://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/mathematics-and-science-leadership-academy-leadership-structureshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/mathematics-and-science-leadership-academy-leadership-structureshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teacher-partnership-teams-discuss-leadership-and-decision-making-their-schools-0http://www.teachingquality.org/content/teacher-partnership-teams-discuss-leadership-and-decision-making-their-schools-0http://www.teachingquality.org/content/leadership-ensemble-lessons-collaborative-management-worlds-only-conductorless-orchestrahttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/leadership-ensemble-lessons-collaborative-management-worlds-only-conductorless-orchestrahttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/democratic-learning-and-leading-creating-collaborative-school-governancehttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/community-toolbox-collaborative-leadership


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LEADERSHIP MODEL




Sample organizational charts from existing teacher-powered schools (continued)

San Francisco Community School (SFCS)

Decisionmaking Procedures

Procedural document. This document from SFCS highlights how, in a typical teacher-

powered school, whole teams make some decisions by consensus and delegate other

decisions to committees or individual leaders.

Governance Team Structure

Chart.This chart developed by teachers at SFCS (a teacher-powered school since 1972) is

one example of how sharing authority among teachers can work with a well-organized plan.

Support and Accountability Path

Chart.This chart clearly denes and communicates what team members can do when a

colleague is not living up to team or committee agreements or contractual obligations.

Author tip

Jump ahead to the Performing stage step Planning for Changes in Leadership on page 73 to

help you anticipate and develop appropriate procedures for addressing changes in leadership.

N E X T : D E S I G N I N G H O W

S T U D E N T S W I L L L E A R N
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DESIGNING HOW STUDENTS WILL LEARN



Your team has probably been looking forward to this set of steps more than anyothers in the Forming and Storming stages. Indeed, many teacher-powered teamsare highly motivated by their shared vision about how students will learn at theirschool.

Student learning design steps include:

Designing a learning program and instructional approach

Teaching and learning philosophies, roles of teachers and students, and existing teacher-

powered schools approaches to learning and instruction.

Designing the physical learning environment

School location choices, interior design, and dedicated spaces.

Designing assessment of student learning

Negotiating autonomy for assessment, dening student achievement, and assessment tools

designed for and used in teacher-powered schools.

Designing student engagement strategies

Nurturing students engagement and motivation.

Designing parent engagement strategies

Dening parents roles and encouraging their engagement.

Designing an approach to discipline and social needs

Addressing discipline and social needs; examples of specic disciplinary approaches.

N E X T : D E S I G N I N G A

L E A R N I N G P R O G R A M


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DESIGNING A LEARNING PROGRAM

AND INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH



Role of students (continued)

Will student voice be incorporated into the learning program? How? Will students have any responsibility for co-creating and co-enforcing community norms?How will that relate to their learning? (SeeDesigning an approach to discipline and meeting

social needsfor ideas. Many teacher-powered schools consider their disciplinary approach to

be part of their schools learning program and approach to instruction.)

Resources

Existing teacher-powered schools learning and instructional approaches

EdVisions Schools: Self-directed, Project-based Learning Program

Video series.EdVisions Schools breaks down how a self-directed, project-based learning

program works in practice.

Rethink: Planning and Designing for K-12 Next Generation Learning

Toolkit.Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC) and the International Association for

K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) created this resource for K-12 district, charter, and school

leaders to use in the very early stages of conceptualizing and designing a next generationlearning program, initiative, or whole school.

Teacher-Powered Teams Describe Their Creative Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Online discussion.Teachers discuss the rationale for their creative choices and whether

teacher-powered schools allow them to reach their capacity for innovation.


Chapter 6: on teachers roles (pp. 76-78)

Book.When teachers design and run schools, they tend to do so with an eye toward

accommodating students needs and interests. This requires teachers to expand their own

roles.


Chapter 6: on students means of learning (pp. 78-79)

Book.Teacher-powered schools accommodate varying levels of readiness, aptitudes,

interests, and rates of learning.


Chapter 7

Book.Chapter 7 discusses the learning programs teachers designed and selected in 11

teacher-powered schools, all of which personalize student learning to some extent.
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/edvisions-schools-self-directed-project-based-learning-programhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/rethink-planning-and-designing-k-12-next-generation-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teacher-powered-teams-discuss-their-creative-approaches-teaching-and-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-excerpt-expanding-teachers-roleshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-excerpt-expanding-teachers-roleshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-excerpt-expanding-students-means-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-excerpt-expanding-students-means-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-excerpt-expanding-students-means-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-excerpt-expanding-students-means-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-excerpt-expanding-teachers-roleshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-excerpt-expanding-teachers-roleshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teacher-powered-teams-discuss-their-creative-approaches-teaching-and-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/rethink-planning-and-designing-k-12-next-generation-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/edvisions-schools-self-directed-project-based-learning-program


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DESIGNING A LEARNING PROGRAM

AND INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH



Author tip

Revisit the Forming stage step Finding inspiration and motivation for the work on page 11 to

learn more about teacher-powered schools learning programs.

N E X T : D E S I G N I N G T H E

L E A R N I N G E N V I R O N M E N T


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DESIGNING THE PHYSICAL

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT



There are a number of factors your team should consider when designing thephysical learning environment for your school:

Location.Do you have a location in mind? (A specic area of town or a specic building?)How does this choice relate to the student population you intend to serve and the learning

program you will use? Be intentional here. One team in Minneapolis plannedand received

approval fora school in a neighborhood where there was little interest in their learning model

This aected enrollment, which in turn aected revenue, greatly jeopardizing their schoolsability to succeed. How will you avoid this kind of outcome? What will you do if the schools

location is decided for you?

Transportation for students.How will students get to and from the school? Will your schoolhave to deal with district policies or contracts that limit transportation exibility? Are thereways to gain autonomy so you can choose whether to comply with those policies?

School interior.How will the schools interior be designed? Colored walls or white ones?Will student work be displayed? Will you use inspirational quotations? How will the schools

shared purpose be demonstrated? Will the environment be set up for instruction, collaboration

or both? In what ways will the conguration of the learning environment reect the schoolsphilosophy and approach to learning?

School spaces outside the building.Will the physical learning space extend beyond theschool building into community spaces and nature? Homes?

Dedicated learning spaces.Will there be dedicated spaces for music, art, physicaleducation, shop, recess, or other activities? Can you partner with community organizations to

secure spaces? (For example, one team in St. Paul partnered with a YWCA across the street

and got students discounted gym memberships that they used during physical education

classes.)

Lounge spaces. Will teachers and students share the lounge, or will it be for teachers only?

Eating spaces.Where and when will students eat? What will they eat? Are you bound by anyexisting food contracts?

Ofce space.For teams planning online schools, will teachers work from home or in acollaborative oce space where students can occasionally gather?

Autonomy.Will your team need to arrange for autonomy to secure the space it wants anddesign it for success?


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DESIGNING THE PHYSICAL

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT



Resources

Denver Public Schools Exemplary Schools Case Study: Math and Science Leadership Academy

(MSLA)

Report. Researchers at the University of Colorado-Denver identify MSLA schoolwide practices

and structures that have been successful in supporting the achievement of English Language

Learners.

Trusting Teachers with School Success: What Happens When Teachers Call the ShotsChapter 6: on the learning environment (pp.74-76)

Book.When teachers design and run schools, they often change and expand the physical

learning environment beyond what most people think of as school.


Chapter 7

Book.Chapter 7 addresses how and why designing the physical environment is a vital part of

designing how students will learn in a teacher-powered school.

N E X T : A S S E S S I N G

S T U D E N T L E A R N I N G
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/denver-public-schools-exemplary-schools-case-study-math-and-science-leadership-academyhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/denver-public-schools-exemplary-schools-case-study-math-and-science-leadership-academyhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-excerpt-expanding-physical-learning-environmenthttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-excerpt-expanding-physical-learning-environmenthttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-excerpt-expanding-physical-learning-environmenthttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-excerpt-expanding-physical-learning-environmenthttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/denver-public-schools-exemplary-schools-case-study-math-and-science-leadership-academyhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/denver-public-schools-exemplary-schools-case-study-math-and-science-leadership-academy


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DESIGNING ASSESSMENT

OF STUDENT LEARNING



Your team can create a school that has a broader focus on what students shouldknow and be able to do. You can also choose and invent tools and processes thatassess student learning beyond traditional means.

Dening student achievementMany schools dene student achievement beyond their schools mean prociency score, studentsstandardized test scores, and students grades in reading, writing, and mathematics. Teams often

choose to focus on individual growth, emphasizing mastery over seat time. They may also measure

students development of cognitive and non-cognitive skills.

Sometimes a teams denition of achievement leads it to use a dierent assessment approach,adding new assessments to those already required. Keep in mind that taking on additional

assessments could impact your teams decisions about budget expenditures and teachers roles.

Learning whats required by your state, school district, or charter authorizerIts important to be clear about what assessments your team is required to give to students.

Ultimately, your state department, school district, or charter authorizer is the best resource for

learning what assessments are required.

Some teams have been able to arrange for autonomy regarding assessments required by districtsand/or charter authorizers. This gives teams freedom to decide whether or when to give tests and if

they should count toward students grades.

While negotiating autonomy from state assessments is not realistic, it might be possible for teams

to negotiate with states, districts, or charter authorizers to evaluate school and student performance

using multiple measures (not just a mean prociency score). For example, one charter authorizer inMinnesota (Innovative Quality Schools) negotiates with teacher-powered teams on this basis.

Resources

Negotiating assessment autonomy

Assessing What Really Matters in Schools: Creating Hope for the Future

Book. Ronald J. Newell and Mark J. Van Ryzin oer a fresh perspective on student learning,including one practical way to inform discussions about schools as learning environments.

Supporting Assessment Autonomy: How One Small School Articulated the Infrastructure

Needed to Own and Use Student Data

Journal article.Read about one teacher-powered schools eort to create a system of

student assessment data to capture their vision of what students should know and do.
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/assessing-what-really-matters-schools-creating-hope-futurehttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/supporting-assessment-autonomy-how-one-small-school-articulated-infrastructure-needed-ownhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/supporting-assessment-autonomy-how-one-small-school-articulated-infrastructure-needed-ownhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/supporting-assessment-autonomy-how-one-small-school-articulated-infrastructure-needed-ownhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/supporting-assessment-autonomy-how-one-small-school-articulated-infrastructure-needed-ownhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/assessing-what-really-matters-schools-creating-hope-future


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DESIGNING ASSESSMENT OF

STUDENT LEARNING




Negotiating assessment autonomy (continued)

A Year at Mission Hill: Chapter 10, The Freedom to Teach

Video.Watch Mission Hill teachers grapple with the news of changing assessment policy in

their state and their discussion about challenging the status quo to do what is best for their

students.

Dening student achievement

Blooms Taxonomy

Webpage.Pamela Armstrong from Vanderbilt Universitys Center for Teachers explains

Blooms famous framework for categorizing education goals across six major categories.

The Institute for Habits of Mind

Website.Some school designers choose to assess students for Habits of Mind,

dispositions that empower creative and critical thinking (such as thinking exibly and takingresponsible risks).

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity and Hidden Power of Character

Book.Paul Tough argues that the qualities that matter most for children have to do with

character, including perseverance, curiosity, optimism, and self-control.

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills

Website.The Partnership for 21st Century Skills suggests that students need a blend of

content knowledge, specic skills, expertise, and literacies to succeed in work and life.

Teacher-Powered Teams Discuss Their Struggle with the Nations Narrow Denition ofStudent Achievement

Online discussion.If teacher-powered teams had more authority, how would they deneand assess achievement?


Chapter 9

Book.Chapter 9 describes how and why teacher-powered schools broaden the denitionand scope of achievement and assessment.
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/year-mission-hill-chapter-10-freedom-teachhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/blooms-taxonomyhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/institute-habits-mindhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/institute-habits-mindhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/how-children-succeed-grit-curiosity-and-hidden-power-characterhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/how-children-succeed-grit-curiosity-and-hidden-power-characterhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-partnership-teams-discuss-their-struggle-nations-narrow-definition-studenthttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-partnership-teams-discuss-their-struggle-nations-narrow-definition-studenthttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-partnership-teams-discuss-their-struggle-nations-narrow-definition-studenthttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-partnership-teams-discuss-their-struggle-nations-narrow-definition-studenthttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/how-children-succeed-grit-curiosity-and-hidden-power-characterhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/how-children-succeed-grit-curiosity-and-hidden-power-characterhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/institute-habits-mindhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/blooms-taxonomyhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/year-mission-hill-chapter-10-freedom-teach


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DESIGNING ASSESSMENT

OF STUDENT LEARNING




Assessment tools chosen or invented by existing teacher-powered teams

EdVisions Schools: Authentic Assessment (Chapter 9)

Video series.EdVisions Schools describes their assessment approach, which includes

a focus on learning growth, public presentations, personal learning plans, electronic

portfolios, and value-added measures such as life skills and The Hope Survey.

The Hope Survey

Website.The Hope Survey assesses students non-academic outcomes, such as self-

ecacy, optimism, and problem solving ability.

Evaluation Rubric for Student Projects

Rubric.Some teacher-powered schools choose self-directed, project-based learning

programs. They use rubrics like this one to score students academic learning as well as

their skills in public presentation, writing, problem solving, time management, analysis,

teamwork, information retention, self advocacy, community interaction, and critical thinking.

Raised Responsibility RubricRubric. Teachers at TAGOS Leadership Academy developed this rubric to assess students

intrinsic motivation, which they believe is related to students ability to take on increased

responsibility and autonomy during dierent blocks of the school day.

Teachers Assess Dierently: Capstone Projects with Public Demonstrations of LearningWebsite and video.At the teacher-powered Minnesota New Country School, students must

complete capstone projects and participate in public demonstrations of learning.

The Tripod Project

Website.The Tripod Project oers survey assessments that capture key dimensions of

school life and teaching practice as students experience them.

A Year at Mission Hill: Chapter 9, Seeing the Learning

Video.Whats behind the phrase authentic assessment? Where do students and parents

t into assessment? At the teacher-powered Mission Hill K-8 school, teachers have made acommitment to the logic of assessment and to portfolio defenses.

N E X T : D E S I G N I N G S T U D E N T

E N G A G E M E N T S T R A T E G I E S
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/edvisions-schools-authentic-assessment-videoshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/hope-surveyhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/evaluation-rubric-student-projectshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/raised-responsibility-rubrichttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-assess-differently-capstone-projects-public-demonstrations-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/tripod-projecthttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/year-mission-hill-chapter-9-seeing-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/year-mission-hill-chapter-9-seeing-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/tripod-projecthttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-assess-differently-capstone-projects-public-demonstrations-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/raised-responsibility-rubrichttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/evaluation-rubric-student-projectshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/hope-surveyhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/edvisions-schools-authentic-assessment-videos


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DESIGNING STUDENT

ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES



Your team will need to develop a strategy for nurturing students engagementand motivation. Keep in mind that the strategy might be rooted in other learningprogram design choices. For example, curriculum and discipline choices can have amajor impact on students engagement and motivation.

Resources

Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us

Book and video.Drawing on four decades of scientic research, Daniel Pink asserts that thesecret to high performance and satisfaction is the need to direct our own lives, learn and create

new things, and do better by ourselves and our world.

Give Teachers Autonomy to Arrange Schools So Students Want to Learn

Commentary.Kim Farris-Berg writes that teacher-powered schools place a strong emphasis on

helping each student gure out their sources of motivation, and how to tap into those sources inorder to learn and graduate.

How to Bake Intrinsic Motivation

Commentary.Kim Farris-Berg explains how students develop intrinsic motivation when teacher-

powered schools focus on developing their sense of autonomy, mastery goal orientation,academic press, and belongingness.

Mindsets: The New Psychology of Success

Book.Drawing upon decades of research, psychologist Carol Dweck argues that its not just our

abilities and talent that bring us success, but whether we approach them with a xed or growthmindset.


Chapters 6 and 7

Book.Chapters 6 and 7 describe how teacher-powered schools nurture students motivation bychanging how they work. Teachers move from experts who impart information to unnishedlearners and position students to be active, ongoing learners as well.

N E X T : D E S I G N I N G PA R E N T

E N G A G E M E N T S T R A T E G I E S
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/drive-surprising-truth-about-what-motivates-ushttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/give-teachers-autonomy-arrange-schools-so-students-want-learnhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/how-bake-intrinsic-motivation-holiday-recipe-your-classroom-or-schoolhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/mindsets-new-psychology-successhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/mindsets-new-psychology-successhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/how-bake-intrinsic-motivation-holiday-recipe-your-classroom-or-schoolhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/give-teachers-autonomy-arrange-schools-so-students-want-learnhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/drive-surprising-truth-about-what-motivates-us


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DESIGNING PARENT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES



In addition to engaging students, your team should consider how to engage andinvolve parents and guardians.

Questions to ask:

How will your team encourage parents to be active in the classroom and throughout theschool?

What structures will be put in place to engage parents in meaningful, two-way interactionsabout student learning?

Will your team ask parents to participate meaningfully in teacher interviews and evaluationand/or to serve on the school governance council (as existing teams have done)?

Will your team reach out to parents through culturally inclusive activities? Some teams askparents to plan activities related to the cultures of their families in order to gain their trust. For

example, in one school with a high percentage of students whose families are immigrants from

Mexico, teams ask parents to plan celebrations for holidays like Day of the Dead.

Resources

Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships

Book and handout.Anne T. Henderson provides numerous strategies and resources for forming

strong relationships between families and schools.

Family-School-Community Partnerships 2.0: Collaborative Strategies to Advance Student

Learning

Report.The National Education Association identies strategies used in 16 dierentcommunities for engaging parents and other community members.

Trusting Teachers Is a Means to Authentic Parent Engagement

Commentary.Kim Farris-Berg writes, If the educators in our schools dont have the authority

to make decisions inuencing school success, then how could they share any authority withparents and students?

N E X T : A P P R O A C H E S T O

D I S C I P L I N E A N D S O C I A L N E E D S
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/beyond-bake-sale-essential-guide-family-school-partnerships-0http://www.teachingquality.org/content/family-school-community-partnerships-2-0-collaborative-strategies-advance-student-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/family-school-community-partnerships-2-0-collaborative-strategies-advance-student-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-means-authentic-parent-engagementhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-means-authentic-parent-engagementhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/family-school-community-partnerships-2-0-collaborative-strategies-advance-student-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/family-school-community-partnerships-2-0-collaborative-strategies-advance-student-learninghttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/beyond-bake-sale-essential-guide-family-school-partnerships-0


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DESIGNING AN APPROACH TO

DISCIPLINE AND SOCIAL NEEDS




Existing teacher-powered schools approaches to discipline (continued)

To Make Communities Safer, Trust Students

Commentary.Students suggest that trusting them may be the key to reducing bullying and

violence in school. Learn how many teacher-powered schools respond to this need.

Trusting Teachers with School Success: What Happens When Teachers Call the Shots,

Chapter 4 (pp. 56-67) and Chapter 8

Book. Chapters 4 and 8 explore how teacher-powered schools tend to address social and

discipline problems as part of student learning.

A Year at Mission Hill: Chapter 4, Love and Limits

Video.Filmmakers Tom and Amy Valens explore the relationship between social and

emotional well being and capacity for intellectual growth, in addition to examining

opportunities and obstacles associated with full-inclusion classrooms.

A Year at Mission Hill: Chapter 6, Like a Family

Video.Filmmakers Tom and Amy Valens explore the question: How can schools cultivatesafe, nurturing spaces for everyone involved in childrens lives?

Resources for specic approaches that contributed to teams choices

Black Ants and Buddhists: Thinking Critically and Teaching Differently in the Primary Grades

Book.Teacher Mary Cowhey demonstrates what schools would look like if understanding

and respecting dierences in race, culture, beliefs, and opinions were at their hearts.

Conscious Discipline

Book and videos.Becky A. Bailey integrates classroom management with social-emotional

learning that supports students in learning to manage their own behavior.

The Leader in Me

Book.Stephen R. Covey identies an approach to whole school transformation that appliesthe concepts from his 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Love and LogicSolutions for Educators

Website.Jim Fay, Foster Cline, and Charles Fay developed the Love and Logicmethod

of working with students to promote healthy teacher-student relationships and positive

schoolwide discipline.
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/make-communities-safer-trust-studentshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/year-mission-hill-chapter-4-love-and-limitshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/year-mission-hill-chapter-6-familyhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/black-ants-and-buddhists-thinking-critically-and-teaching-differently-primary-gradeshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/conscious-disciplinehttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/leader-me-how-schools-and-parents-around-world-are-inspiring-greatness-one-child-timehttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/love-and-logic-solutions-educatorshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/love-and-logic-solutions-educatorshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/love-and-logic-solutions-educatorshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/love-and-logic-solutions-educatorshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/leader-me-how-schools-and-parents-around-world-are-inspiring-greatness-one-child-timehttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/conscious-disciplinehttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/black-ants-and-buddhists-thinking-critically-and-teaching-differently-primary-gradeshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/year-mission-hill-chapter-6-familyhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/year-mission-hill-chapter-4-love-and-limitshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/trusting-teachers-school-success-what-happens-when-teachers-call-shotshttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/make-communities-safer-trust-students


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DECIDING WHETHER TO FORMALLY

ORGANIZE THE TEACHER TEAM



Some school leadership teams create formal organizations for themselves, suchas workers cooperatives, partnerships, and Limited Liability Corporations (LLCs).These formally organized teams then arrange service contracts with a school boardto run their schools. The school board pays these teams a fee (often in a lump sum)for their services.

Formally organized teams have other options as well. They could arrange a contract to run a

department or program within one or multiple schools. They could also contract with a homeschool

cooperative. There are many possibilities. A few teacher-powered teams have created separatenonprots during the design phase in order to apply for and receive grants that allow them to createnew teaching and learning resources or expand to serve more schools. These teams continue to

maintain the nonprot for this ongoing purpose, even after the school is open and running. Still otherteams never formally organize any aspect of their teacher partnership. Use the resources below to

decide which option will work best for your team.

Resources

Options for formally organizing a team

Teachers As Owners: A Key to Revitalizing Public Education

Book.Edited by Edward J. Dirkswager, this book oers insights into teacher-poweredteams ability to create formal organizations.

Worker Cooperatives in America

Book. Robert Jackall and Henry M. Levin address the history, dynamics, challenges, and

potential of worker cooperatives.

YES!: When Workers are Owners

Magazine.This issue about worker cooperatives can be useful for teachers designing andrunning schools, particularly as they think about their organizational structure.

Formally organized teacher-powered teams

EdVisions Cooperative

Website. Learn about EdVisions Cooperative, a professional association of teacher owners

that contracts with school boards to supply learning programs and school management.

N E X T : D E T E R M I N I N G T E A C H E R

E V A L UA T I O N A N D T E N U R E
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-owners-key-revitalizing-public-educationhttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/worker-cooperatives-americahttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/yes-magazine-featuring-cooperatives-when-workers-are-ownershttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/edvisions-cooperativehttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/edvisions-cooperativehttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/yes-magazine-featuring-cooperatives-when-workers-are-ownershttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/worker-cooperatives-americahttp://www.teachingquality.org/content/teachers-owners-key-revitalizing-public-education


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DETERMINING AN APPROACH TO

TEACHER EVALUATION AND TENURE

R E T U R N T O :

Documents

Steps to Creating a Teacher-Powered School