by:Walter L. Burt, PhD & Patricia Reeves, EdD

Learning Centered Leadership Development ProgramLansing Community College 28 February 2014Lansing, Michigan

INTRODUCTIONNCLB and RTTT legislative fiats have placed

tremendous pressure on school staff to improved student achievement.

In an era of increased accountability, the role of the principal has evolved from that of a manager to an instructional leader (Hargraves, Moore, & Manning, 2001).

A body of research shows principals have a significant influence on improving student achievement (Hallinger & Leithwood, 1996; The Wallace Foundation, 2013).

INTRODUCTION

As instructional leader, the principal is responsible for behaviors and responsibilities that will lead to improved student achievement. (Marzano, Waters & McNulty, 2005; Shen, 2005).

Developing leadership capacity to improve school conditions is difficult work - few educators have the background and experience to do this important work (Fullan, 2001, 2005; Wayman, Midgley & Stringfield, 2006).

INTRODUCTION

An increasing number of studies suggest excellent schools have excellent principals (Hallinger & Leithwood, 1996; Leithwood, 2003).

Principals must not only focus on student achievement, they must also support the intellectual and emotional work of teachers (Hargraves, Moore, & Manning, 2001).

WMU LEARNING-CENTERED LEADERSHIP GRANT

In 2010, the USDE awarded a five-year grant to WMU’s Educational Leadership, Research and Technology (ELRT) Department

The grant purpose was to develop and implement a Learning-Centered Leadership Development Program for practicing and aspiring principals.

WMU LEARNING-CENTERED LEADERSHIP GRANT: Cohort A – 2012/13In the first round of the grant project, 25 school

teams comprised of a practicing and an aspiring principal, plus two teacher leaders, participated in a series of workshops on the seven dimensions of leadership that are empirically related to improving student achievement.

Next, the school teams engaged other stakeholders in examining the schools’ unique context, identifying renewal priorities, and developing renewal activities within the framework of the seven dimensions.

The teams, then, set about implementing the renewal work in their schools

WMU RESEARCH ON SUSTAINABILITYNow, with the combination of Cohort A and Cohort

B, we have approximately 50 school buildings from 15 school districts that are involved WMU’s Learning-Centered Leadership Program

As we began to work with Cohort B, the WMU

Project Team collected data from Cohort A to determine the extent to which the first round of schools have been able to sustain their renewal activities over time

We also collected data to determine what factors enhanced implementation and sustainability of the renewal activities and what factors created barriers

The Research DesignWe surveyed 22 of the 25 schools that were

involved in Cohort A from October 2010 to March 2013. Cohort A principals were surveyed in November 2013 –eight months after they had completed the Program

Of the 22 principal contacted, 16 (or 72.7%) completed and returned the questionnaire

In addition to the survey, we conducted a case study with one participating school. The purpose of the case study was to contextualize the findings from the survey

THE STUDY FINDINGS

First, we looked at responses regarding the implementation and sustainability of renewal activities that involve Data Informed Decision Making (DDIM)

FINDINGS OF STUDY – IMPLEMENTATION OF DIDM ACTIVITIES

FINDINGS OF STUDY – IMPLEMENTATION OF DIDM ACTIVITIESDIDM ACTIVITIES RENEWAL ACTIVITIES

EVOLVE

Data Discussions Modify the Use of Data Walls

PLCs Included more time for PLCs

Data Teams Changed Data Leadership Team to Instructional Leadership Team

Data Notebooks Use data Differently – Created “Power Hours”

Data, Assessment Focus Teams and Data Walls

Incorporate Renewal Activities into the School Improvement Process

FINDINGS: Sustaining means “continuing as is”

Responde

nt

Excerpts

#1 "... informed decision making based on DIBEL's data....“

#2 "Data discussions with all staff.“

#6 “Data informed decisions are made utilizing the systematic strategies developed through WMU.”

#8 “We incorporated all our renewal activities into our school quality plan along with the methods for measurement.”

FINDINGS: Sustaining means “continuing as is”

Responde

nt

Excerpts

#10 “All teachers participate in Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings. These meetings are scheduled to allow grade level and multi-grade level teachers to meet and plan instruction using data. These meetings are held once per week.”

#11 “Our school continues to use the Data Team process for units of instruction.”

#12 “Decisions are made based on student need. We use data notebooks w/intervention notes. All staff are using.”

#15 “Data, Assessment Focus Team, and Data Walls will start back-up for 2nd Semester . These strategies are embedded in our SIP, and is a consistent component of staff meetings.”

FINDINGS: Sustaining means “evolving given the changing context”

Responde

nt

Excerpts

#5 “We have decided to not push Data Walls as much as we have in the past. We do look at data monthly at Grade Level Meetings and have a clear overall picture which we use to drive our instruction for that month. We no longer feel the need to post the data in our classrooms.”

#9 “We are currently structuring our grade level PLC's to include more time allotted to at least an hour. Providing this extra time really allows our team to analyze the data and develop a plan of action.”

FINDINGS: Sustaining means “evolving given the changing context”

Responden

t

Excerpts

#10 “Last year our school had a data leadership team which met to discuss the various data that was used to plan for school improvement in reading, math and behavior. This year our leadership developed the idea of using an Instructional Leadership Team to help guide the best practices and teaching learning that would drive increased student achievement by using data. The ILT meets once per month and then filters the information to the PLC's. Administration monitors the progress and the ILT is in constant position to adjust best practices as needed to address any concerns as cited by the school data.”

FINDINGS: Sustaining means “evolving given the changing context”

Responde

nt

Excerpts

#11 “We are beginning to use our data in different ways now. Teachers and teams are creating "power hours" or "team time" to better meet the needs of our students based on what our data tell us.”

#13 “... we are now using data in different ways, including a new initiative called Power Hour. We also are deeply committed to Professional Learning Communities (or Critical Friends Groups) which is a big part of school improvement and professional growth.”

FINDINGS: Sustaining means “incorporating into the overall school improvement process”

Respondent #13: “EVERYTHING is based on data”

respondents #8: “We incorporated all our renewal activities into our school quality plan”

FINDINGS OF STUDY

FINDINGS: Changes attributed to the Grant Project by the respondents

61% mentioned that “we now decide school improvement goals based on student and school data” and they attributed the change to the grant project.

64.3% indicated “we now decide school improvement strategies based on student and school data.”

Additional Changes attributed to the Grant Project by the respondents60% indicated that they now engage stakeholders

more in school decisions

60 % indicated that their SIP process now builds upon previous efforts, rather than starting from scratch

53.3% indicated that their school improvement process is more focused on improving student achievement

53.3 % indicated that they now have a process in place to ensure that SIP work is continuous

Additional Changes attributed to the Grant Project by the respondents46.7 indicated that their school improvement

strategies are more coordinated and aligned with one another

40 % indicated that more of the impetus for change comes from teachers as well as external forces

40% indicated that they now monitor the progress of their school improvement initiatives more and adjust as needed

FINDINGS: Facilitators and Barriers for Sustaining Renewal Activities

Facilitators“Staff participation, collaboration and commitment”

“leadership effort to put a structure in place”

“coordinated and aligned (SIP) strategies”

FINDINGS: Facilitators and Barriers for Sustaining Renewal Activities

BarriersLeadership and staff turnoverTime availability to follow throughDistrict level factors, e.g. finances, support, and focus

“Re-allocating” or “micro-managing”Staff commitment – “not all on board”

SUSTAINABILITY – LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE LITERATURE AND WMU RESEARCH

Big Idea 1: Sustainability is a by-product of high fidelity implementation

SUSTAINABILITY – LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE LITERATURE AND WMU RESEARCH

Big Idea 2: High Fidelity Implementation requires ongoing monitoring and

adjusting

SUSTAINABILITY – LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE LITERATURE AND WMU RESEARCH

Ten Things That Support

Sustainability(From our findings and other Studies)

ELEMENTS TO SUSTAINABILITY

1. Clear and Compelling Vision2. Systems Alignment3. Development and Use of Capacity4. Sustained and Committed Leadership5. Clear Definitions of High Fidelity

Implementation6. Clear Indicators of Success7. Progress Monitoring8. Aligning Resources9. Communication and Transparency10.Culture of Safety and Innovation

TALK TOGETHER: Which of these have worked for you? How?

1. Clear and Compelling Vision

2. Systems Alignment

3. Development and Use of Capacity

4. Sustained and Committed Leadership

5. Clear Definitions of High Fidelity Implementation

TALK TOGETHER: Which of these have worked for you? How?

6. Clear Indicators of Success

7. Progress Monitoring

8. Aligning Resources

9. Communication and Transparency

10.Culture of Safety and Innovation

SHARE: 1-2 points from your conversation What insight about getting to full,

high fidelity implementation can you share?

What insight about sustaining an important school improvement initiative can you share?

NEXT: Two Cohort A Schools will share their story of implementing and sustaining renewal activities

While you listen to our guests from Cohort A:Listen for examples of the Ten Elements of Sustainability in their stories. While you may not hear all Ten Elements in each of their stories, you will hear some interesting examples of many elements. Make notes about what you hear.

THANKS: To our guests from Cohort A

We appreciate hearing your stories of renewal

THIS AFTERNOONAfter Lunch:

School Teams will have the time to Review your renewal activities

andHave conversation about how you will

achieve full implementation and sustainability