An Introduction to the New Jersey Professional

Development Initiative for School Leaders

A Guide to Getting StartedRich Ten Eyck - NJDOE

Jay Doolan, Ed.D. - NJDOE Hank Cram Ed.D.- NJASA

Anthony Scannella Ed.D.- NJPSA/FEAArt Firestone - NJPSA/FEA

New Jersey’s Standard-based reforms

and the expectations of NCLB require a new vision of school

administratorsFrom managers… …to instructional

leaders

The policy and regulatory reforms necessary for strong instructional leadership required revisiting …

PreparationLicensureProfessionalDevelopmentConditions of Work

The state’s course of action to strengthen school leadership involved…

Collaboration

Recommendations

New Regulations

Align Preparation and Professional Development to

Professional Standards for School Leaders

The Intent of the Professional Development Regulation:• to strengthen school

leadership through high quality, embedded and sustained professional learning that is focused on improving teaching, learning and student achievement in all NJ schools and districts.

Key Concepts About Timing:

• Regulations go into effect during this 2004-2005 school year.

• This is a developmental year.

• Your feedback will prompt refinements.

To whom do the new regulations apply:

– Chief school administrators;

– Assistant superintendents;

– Principals; – Assistant

principals; – Supervisors, and – Directors.

Purpose of Today’s Orientation Session

•Building Blocks

•Step-by-Step Perspective

•Process•Message of the Model

•Resources

The Message of the Model

Mutual support for school leaders allows you to:• Build your professional learning around nationally

recognized professional standards, • Embrace authentic challenges of administrative

and leadership practice, and • Engage in constructive and collaborative learning

with your colleagues.

A collaborative model of professional learningallows leaders to:• Generate and share professional Generate and share professional

knowledge; knowledge; • Inquire into practice on a deeper level; Inquire into practice on a deeper level;

and and • Examine with peers the results of their Examine with peers the results of their

efforts to improve teaching and learning. efforts to improve teaching and learning.

Support Tools

• Orientation document titled, An Introduction to the New Jersey Professional Development Initiative for School Leaders: A Guide to Getting Started

• Copy of PowerPoint presentation• Question and Answer Session• Implementation assistance document titled, New Jersey

Professional Learning Guide for School Leaders: A Guide for the Developmental Year

• Websites:DOE - http://www.nj.gov/njded/profdev/pd/leader/

Why We Are Doing What We Are Doing Changing Conditions

The work of schools has never been more complex and demanding and the challenges school leaders face to improve student achievement has never been greater.

Greater Expectations

As a result expectations for principals and superintendents have moved well beyond efficient management and administration.

Research on School Improvement

The key function of school leadership is improving teaching and learning and a significant improvement in student achievement can result from effective school leadership.

NJ SAELP New Jersey State Action for Educational Leadership Project

The Building Blocks of The Building Blocks of Professional Professional Learning Learning for School Leadersfor School Leaders

NJ SAELP New Jersey State Action for Educational Leadership Project

• Since May 2000, New Jersey has been part of SAELP, a national project administered and funded by the Wallace Foundation.

• As one of fifteen states New Jersey has been working over the past three years to strengthen its school leadership policies on the preparation, licensure, development and conditions of work for school leaders.

• The Professional Learning Requirement for School Leaders is one of the key recommendations.

NJ SAELP New Jersey State Action for Educational Leadership ProjectProfessional Development for School Leader Regulations

(N.J.A.C. 16 6A:9-16)

The Building Blocks of The Building Blocks of Professional Professional Learning Learning for School Leadersfor School Leaders

The New Jersey Professional Development

for School Leader Regulations • Develop a multi-year professional

learning plan that will enhance their knowledge and skills as instructional leaders.

• Make district and school improvement needs the foundation of their efforts utilizing district /school data in the development of the plan.

• Get input on their plan from their peers.• Take advantage of a variety of informal

and formal learning opportunities in fulfilling their plan; and

• Demonstrate new knowledge and skills gained in the plan execution through evidence of that learning.

NJ SAELP New Jersey State Action for Educational Leadership ProjectProfessional Development for School Leader Regulations

(N.J.A.C. 16 6A:9-16)

The Building Blocks of The Building Blocks of Professional Professional Learning Learning for School Leadersfor School Leaders

Interstate School Leader Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Standards for Professional Standards and Professional Development

Interstate School Leader Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Standards for Professional Standards

and Professional Development As part of the overall reform the State

Board of Education adopted the Interstate School Leader Consortium (ISLLC) Standards as the professional standards for School Leaders.

The standards shift the focus of the school leaders role from management to teaching and learning.

The Interstate School Leader Licensure Consortium Professional development Propositions serve as the guidance on both the content and process for the professional learning experience.

The New Jersey Professional Standards for School Leaders

Standard One – Creating and Implementing a shared vision of learning.

Standard Two- Sustaining a school culture of student learning and professional growth.

Standard Three- Ensuring the management of the organization in a safe effective and efficient manner.

Standard Four- Collaborating with families and the community.

Standard Five- Acting with integrity, fairness and in an ethical manner.

Standard Six- Understanding and responding to the influences of the larger political, social, legal and cultural context.

School Administrators shall be educational leaders who promote the success of all students by…

Continuous Improvement

Through

Ongoing Professional Learning

New Jersey’s Professional Development for School Leader Regulations

Quality Professional Development

New Jersey State Action Educational Leadership Project Consortium

New Jersey’s Professional Standards for School leaders

Ongoing Professional Learning

Three PhasesContemplatiContemplationon

CollaboratiCollaborationon

ImplementatImplementationion

ContemplatioContemplationnSteps 1,2,3Steps 1,2,3

•Assessing your individual Assessing your individual professional development professional development needs, readiness and needs, readiness and commitment.commitment.

•Assessing District, School, Assessing District, School, or Department Needs and or Department Needs and Linking professional Linking professional development to development to improvement objectives.improvement objectives.

•Proposing your Professional Proposing your Professional Growth Plan (PGP).Growth Plan (PGP).

STEP #1 Getting Focused: Assessing Your Individual Professional Development Needs,

Readiness and Commitment

• Review the Standards for New Jersey School Leaders

• Complete a self-assessment

• Analyze your self-assessment and prioritize your goals

• Choose your personal professional growth targets

STEP #2 Assessing District/School/Department Needs: Linking Professional Development To Improvement

Objectives• Examine district

and school needs• Identify areas where

your personal professional growth will address school improvement areas.

• Choose a school improvement goal

• Establish linkages between your personal goals and district goals

STEP #3 Preparing Your Professional Growth Plan (PGP)

• Develop a Preliminary Professional Growth Plan (PGP)

• Consider the activities you will engage in to achieve your goals.

• Think about the evidence you might collect to document progress towards achieving your goals

CollaborationCollaborationSteps 4,5,6Steps 4,5,6

•Consulting with your Consulting with your superintendentsuperintendent

•Selecting Your Peer Selecting Your Peer Review Committee (PRC).Review Committee (PRC).

•Convening and Convening and structuring your PRC.structuring your PRC.

STEP #4 Consulting with Your Superintendent

• Prepare and present a draft of your PGP for discussion with your superintendent.

• The meeting should be a collaborative discussion about individual goals and linkages to school improvement.

• The meeting should conclude with a written understanding of what has been mutually agreed to.

STEP #5 Select Your Peer Review Committee (PRC)

• Think about the role of your PRC and how it can be most helpful to you.

• Consider the composition of your committee.

• Remember the quality of individuals you select will be critical to the quality of the collaborative experience.

STEP #6 Convene and Structure Your Peer Review Committee

• Develop an understanding of how the committee will function.

• Present the draft of your PGP for review and feedback.

• Incorporate into your plan the suggestions of your PRC. ( and if needed reconfirm your mutual agreement with your superintendent)

• Maintain contact and schedule meetings as needed.

ImplementationImplementationSteps 7,8,9Steps 7,8,9

•Collecting and Collecting and Organizing Evidence of Organizing Evidence of Professional Growth.Professional Growth.

•Presenting Evidence of Presenting Evidence of Professional Growth.Professional Growth.

•Preparing for the Next Preparing for the Next Professional Growth Professional Growth Cycle.Cycle.

STEP #7 Collecting and Organizing Evidence STEP #7 Collecting and Organizing Evidence of Professional Growthof Professional Growth

• Collect the evidence Collect the evidence that will best that will best demonstrate your demonstrate your professional growth- professional growth- i.e. i.e. logs of activities, job-logs of activities, job-embedded experiences, embedded experiences, critiques of work with others, critiques of work with others, memoranda, memoranda, reports ,artifacts, reflective reports ,artifacts, reflective commentaries, journalscommentaries, journals

• Organize the evidence Organize the evidence in a manageable way in a manageable way for presentation- i.e. for presentation- i.e. file folder, binders, electronic file folder, binders, electronic formats, portfoliosformats, portfolios

• Keep it manageableKeep it manageable

STEP #8 Presenting Evidence of Professional STEP #8 Presenting Evidence of Professional GrowthGrowth

• Presenting evidence to: ----Presenting evidence to: ----your Peer Review your Peer Review Committee Committee (CSAs)(CSAs)

OROR--- Your superintendent--- Your superintendent(Principals and Supervisors)(Principals and Supervisors)

•Preparing your narrative of progress toward your goals for your superintendent or NJASA for certification

STEP #9 Preparing for the Next Professional STEP #9 Preparing for the Next Professional Development CycleDevelopment Cycle

• At the end of each 3-At the end of each 3-5 year cycle reflect 5 year cycle reflect on your progress and on your progress and reassess your priority reassess your priority areas to determine areas to determine where you may want where you may want to focus next.to focus next.

• Continue the process Continue the process of collaborative of collaborative professional professional development by development by developing a new developing a new Professional Growth Professional Growth PlanPlan

Statewide Implementation Plan

The Developmental Year 2004-2005Training on the Professional Learning Initiative

Developing Resources and Implementation Tools

Study SitesLocal District Implementation 2005-2006

The Department’s Website will feature useful resources and links including:

Introductory Guide

Implementation Guide to School Leader Professional Learning Initiative

The New Jersey Professional Standards for School Leaders

FAQ’s

Links to Useful Websites

www.state.nj.us/education

Implementing the new regulations in a way that is consistent with our associations’ goals will require a new level of commitment and a deeper understanding of the professional development process. It will require a re-thinking of our roles and responsibilities as school leaders and as educational professionals.

Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts

Simply complying with the new requirement will not be enough. We should use this opportunity to genuinely enhance our leadership skills and improve our schools by committing to the types of self-selected, collaborative, job-embedded continuous professional learning encouraged by the new regulations.

An Introduction to the New Jersey Professional

Development Initiative for School Leaders

A Guide to Getting StartedHank Cram Ed.D.- NJASAArt Firestone-NJPSA/FEA

Rich Ten Eyck Ed.D.-NJDOEAnthony Scannella Ed.D. NJPSA/FEA