Building Leadership Teams
Academy 2: Gauging Your Systemic Change Effort Participant Handouts
© 2004 National Institute for Urban School Improvement™ Arizona State University P.O.Box 872011 Tempe
Arizona 85287-2011 Phone 480.965.0391 Fax 480.727.7012
www.urbanschools.org
MODULE
1
© 2004 NIUSI www.urbanschools.org
Academy 2: Gauging Your Systemic Change Efforts
sing a validated needs assessment, the BLT learns to gather, analyze, and develop plans for systemic change within a school. Participants gain skills in change management: discovering the value in identifying systemic levels and key stakeholders within the levels
to approach with change proposals, and use tools to implement change and identify their roles in the change process.
Module Outcomes As a result of the activities and information shared in this Leadership Academy, module participants will
• Identify levels of systemic change
• Explore and edit a survey tool for gathering evidence for current status at their site
• Identify targets within the levels of systemic change
• Develop strategies for leveraging change
• Analyze the structural and human side of leading change efforts
Agenda We constructed this Leadership Academy to occur within a 3‐hour timeframe with 15 minutes or so for breaks and other time adjustments. The times listed below are approximate but reflect the time these activities and lecturettes have previously taken. Facilitators should be flexible, read their audience, and work to achieve the overall purpose and outcomes.
TIME EVENT 15 min Introductions and Overview 40 min Activity 1: Systemic Change 20 min Lecturette 1: Leveraging Change through Strategic Planning 30 min Activity 2: Leveraging Change 10 min Break 20 min Lecturette 2: Planning Change 25 min Activity 3: Planning and Surveying Change 30 min Leave‐taking and Feedback
U
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Module 1: Building Leadership Teams ‐ Academy 2: Gauging Systemic Change Efforts
Systemic Change Framework
You have been provided with a “hot topic” that your team must attempt to implement in your school within 6 months. You may not personally agree with the change, but your task is to support the team and proceed with implementation. Using the Systemic Change Framework below, your team must decide at what level and with whom you have the best chance of carrying out this change. What issues will you bring to those people?
Lecturette 1: Leveraging Change through Strategic Planning
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Lecturette 1:Leveraging Change through
Strategic Planning
Preparation
ImplementationSustainability
The Planned Change Process
1. Exploring
6. Assessing Progress
7. Growing
2. Assessment & Planning
3. Commitment Building
4. Implementing Change
5. IntegratingChange
The Planned Change Process
Step 1: Exploring:
• Identify a need or opportunity for improvement or change
• Involve Change Champions, Change Agents, or a Change Team
• Clearly identify the key stakeholders
• Build support and seed the organization for change
• Contract for change by involving appropriate people
The Planned Change Process
Step 2: Assessment and Planning:
• Develop a plan to gather the necessary data and information
• Apply the diagnosis
• Use the results for problem solving, action planning, and to modify the change strategy
The Planned Change Process
Step 3: Commitment Building:
• Clarify roles of key players in the change process
• Communicate the change vision to people who can influence, or will be affected by the changes.
The Planned Change Process
Lecturette 1: Leveraging Change through Strategic Planning
Copyright 2004 NIUSI www.urbanschools.org 2
Step 4: Implementing Change
• Educate and train key players in paradigms and skills
• Select and implement strategies and changes
• Manage resistance to change
• Build in reliable feedback mechanisms
• Keep people focused on the vision
The Planned Change Process
Step 5: Integrating Change:
• Institutionalize changes
• Follow‐through on commitments
• Reinforce, reward, and communicate successes
• Learn from mistakes, make needed adjustments, keep people informed about progress, and integrate and culturize the changes
The Planned Change Process
Step 6: Assessing Progress
• Conduct a follow‐up diagnosis and use the results to:
o Evaluate the program
o Improve the program
o Find opportunities for further development
o Discover what can be learned from the change process
The Planned Change Process
Step 7: Growing
• Develop a renewal plan
The Planned Change Process
Questions
© 2004 NIUSI www.urbanschools.org
Module 1: Building Leadership Teams ‐ Academy 2: Gauging Systemic Change Efforts
Change Management Checklist STEP 1: EXPLORING
Identify a need or opportunity for improvement or change.
Involveme of one or more Change Champions, Change Agents, a Change Team, or some combination of each in a preliminary needs assessment and consideration of alternatives for change.
Clearly identify the key stakeholders, and explore ways to involve them in planning and managing the change process.
Build support and seed the organization for change (develop advocates, share information and ideas, etc).
Contract for change by involving appropriate people in the design, and negotiation of a change strategy that provides a clear vision of what needs to be done.
STEP 2: ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING
Develop a plan to gather the necessary data and information needed to clarify present realities, future ideals, and how to achieve the ideals.
Apply the diagnosis. Use the results of the diagnosis for problem
solving, action planning, and to modify the change strategy.
STEP 3: COMMITMENT BUILDING Clarify roles of the key players in the change
process (Change Leaders, Change Agents, Change Champions, and Change Teams). Involve each as much as is appropriate in the design and implementation of the change program.
Communicate the change vision to people who can impact, or will be impacted by the changes. Educate them on the change process, involve them when appropriate, and address their concerns and suggestions.
STEP 4: IMPLEMENTING CHANGE
Educate and train key players in the paradigms (thinking patterns and models) and skills needed to start the changes.
Select and implement the appropriate strategies and changes.
Manage resistance to change. Build in reliable feedback mechanisms to
monitor and manage the change process, and to make needed adjustments.
Keep people focused on the vision.
STEP 5: INTEGRATING CHANGE
Institutionalize changes by ensuring structures are aligned to facilitate and reinforce the desired changes. A team can be appointed to carry-out this important task.
Follow-through on commitments made in Implementing Change.
Reinforce, reward, and communicate successes. Learn from mistakes, make needed adjustments,
keep people informed about program progress, and integrate and culturize the changes.
STEP 6: ASSESSING PROGRESS
Conduct a follow-up diagnosis and use the results to: evaluate the program; improve the program; find opportunities for further development; and discover what can be learned from the change process.
STEP 7: GROWING
Develop a Renewal Plan to maintain gains, plan for future actions and improvements, share what has been learned with other parts of the organization, monitor progress, and prepare to respond quickly to needs for new directions.
NOTES
© 2004 NIUSI www.urbanschools.org
The Planned Change Process
1. Exploring1. Exploring
6. Assessing Progress6. Assessing Progress
7. Growing7. Growing
2. Assessment & Planning2. Assessment & Planning
3. Commitment Building3. Commitment Building
4. Implementing Change4. Implementing Change
5. Integrating5. IntegratingChangeChange
Module 1: Building Leadership Teams ‐ Academy 2: Gauging Your Systemic Change Efforts
Lecturette 2: Planning Change
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Lecturette 2:Planning Change
• Effective change efforts begin with an assessment of the goals of a school to identify areas that need change.
• What will the school look like when the goal is met?
Needs Assessment
Goals to Outcomes
Increase teachers’understanding of culturally
responsive systems
Increased teacher capacity so that kids
become their own best resources
Synergistic partnership
Outside groups should be invited in to have
conversations with school personnel
•Teachers need increased practical understanding about developmental stages of learners
•Students own and operate their own learning to a high level; teachers facilitate that learning
Goals to Outcomes
Planning for Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH) is a process for planning for the future. Begin with the end in mind.
PATH Planning Process
Step 1: Ideal Outcome
• Dream Big! If everything goes as planned, what will the outcome be?
• Describe the outcome, and keep it as your vision.
PATH Planning Process
Lecturette 2: Planning Change
Copyright 2004 NIUSI www.urbanschools.org 2
Step 2: What Change Needs to Happen?
• Brainstorm ideas about changes that must occur to achieve your vision.
• After identifying some potential changes, ask questions about each idea to narrow the focus of the change effort
PATH Planning Process
ImpactBig Picture
ScopeUrgency
PracticalityTrend
PriorityControl
Ask Questions to Focus the Change
Step 3: Who Do We Enlist?
• Identify and explore opportunities for collaboration
• Who in your school should be involved?
• Are other people or organizations working on the same issue?
• Are you aware of other organizations that should be involved in implementing this change?
PATH Planning ProcessStep 4: What Resources Do We Need?
• Resources might include material, supplies, financial support, personnel, time, organizational support, access to people.
PATH Planning Process
Step 5: Planning Next Steps
• Next week
• In three months
• In six months
PATH Planning Process
Questions
© 2004 NIUSI www.urbanschools.org
School Improvement Diversity
Change Parents and Community
Acceptance And
Excellence
6 Months
Who Do We Enlist?
Next Week
3 Months
What Change Should Occur?
Ideal Outcome…
The School’s North Star
What Resources Do
We Need?
1
2
3
4
5
Module 1: Building Leadership Teams ‐ Academy 2: Gauging Your Systemic Change Efforts
PATH Process
© 2004 NIUSI www.urbanschools.org
BLT Target Are we meeting this goal? (If no, move on)
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
What change should occur? Ideal Outcome
Module 1: Building Leadership Teams ‐ Academy 2: Gauging Your Systemic Change Efforts
Change Action
© 2004 NIUSI www.urbanschools.org
Module 1: Building Leadership Teams ‐ Academy 2 Gauging Your Systemic Change Framework
Self Assessment
This is a non‐graded, anonymous self‐assessment. You have 10 minutes to complete the following questions taken from the content of this academy. After that time the group will have the opportunity to share answers. Note that occasionally we collect these self‐assessments to measure the effectiveness of the academy.
1. Describe the best way to leverage change and explain how that relates to different systemic levels. (Hint: You may want to use the Systemic Change Framework.)
2. Why use a planning tool and relate that to systemic change?
© 2004 NIUSI www.urbanschools.org
Resources
Anderson, B. T., Brown, C., & Lopez‐Ferrao, J. (2003). Systemic reform: Good educational practice with positive impacts and unresolved problems and issues. Review of Policy Research, 20(4), 617‐628.
This article describes the National Science Foundationʹs systemic reform programming, including major accomplishments and barriers to systemic reform. The challenges of systemic reform and new directions for education reform are discussed. The focus is on the results and challenges of policies implemented by the systemic initiatives, namely the mandate for the alignment of standards, curriculum, instruction, and assessment with the implementation of a standards‐based K‐12 mathematics and science education program; increased science and mathematics requirements for high school graduation; the delivery of intensive, high‐quality professional development; and improvement in student achievement after three years of funding. A broader view of education reform in the future will require policymakers and educators to pay more attention to formulating mutually supportive policies across education, health, and social services; establishing fiscal policies that provide sufficient funding to ensure equitable outcomes; and revising accountability policies to facilitate rather than impede the reform efforts. Bernhardt, V. L, (1998). Data analysis for comprehensive schoolwide improvement. Larchmont, NY: Eye
on Education. With clear and concrete examples from elementary and high schools, this book helps you effectively gather, analyze, and use data to improve student learning. It demonstrates how to make better decisions, identify root causes of problems, and communicate and report results. Bernhardt, V. L, (2000). Designing and using databases for school improvement. Larchmont, NY:
Eye on Education. Written in a conversational style, Designing and Using Databases provides an easy‐to‐follow guide to help school personnel work through the processes of using data to improve student learning. This book shows you how to design a database that fits your school or district. The advice in this book applies to a wide range of approaches ‐‐ from the simple and inexpensive to the high‐end. Bernhardt, V. L, (1999). The school portfolio. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education. A school portfolio is the most effective way to ensure your schoolʹs success at systemic reform. Extensively tested, it is a non‐threatening self‐assessment tool which exhibits a schoolʹs goals, achievements, and vision for improvement. This book will show you how to develop a school portfolio tailored to your particular school and vision.
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Fullan, M. (2001). Leading in a culture of change. San Francisco: Jossey‐Bass. Business, nonprofit, and public sector leaders are facing new and daunting challenges: rapid‐paced developments in technology, sudden shifts in the marketplace, and crisis and contention in the public arena. If they are to survive in this chaotic environment, leaders must develop the skills they need to lead effectively no matter how fast the world around them is changing. Leading in a Culture of Change offers new and seasoned leadersʹ insights into the dynamics of change and presents a unique and imaginative approach for navigating the intricacies of the change process. Fullan, M. (2003). Change forces with a vengeance. New York: RoutledgeFalmer. Educators have already taken on board the idea that educational change and school reform are not as easy to accomplish as first expected. In this book, Michael Fullan, arguably one of the worldʹs leading authors on the issue of educational change, explores why this continues to be the case, and builds on the lessons that he set out so clearly in the first two volumes of his trilogy on the subject. This book is concise, accessible and the message contained is clearly written with a broad audience mind both for academics in education and general reader. McLagan, P. A. (2002). Success with change. T + D, 56(12), 44‐53. Summarizes research on how organizations implement change successfully. Focuses on five lessons for implementing and sustaining change: (1) be sure it will add value; (2) match the change process to the challenge; (3) provide management support; (4) prepare the system for change; and (5) help people align. Senge, P. (2000). Schools that learn: A fifth discipline fieldbook for educators, parents, and everyone who
cares about education. New York: Doubleday. One of the great strengths of Schools That Learn is its description of practices that are meeting success across the country and around the world, as schools attempt to learn, grow, and reinvent themselves using the principles of organizational learning. Featuring articles, case studies, and anecdotes from prominent educators such as Howard Gardner, Jay Forrester, and 1999 U.S. Superintendent of the Year Gerry House, as well as from impassioned teachers, administrators, parents, and students, the book offers a wealth of practical tools, anecdotes, and advice that people can use to help schools (and the classrooms in them and communities around them) learn to learn. Squire, K. D. & Reigeluth, C. M. (2000). The many faces of systemic change. Educational Horizons,
78(3), 143‐152. The writers discuss the systems approach to educational reform. They examine the various meanings of the term ʺsystemsʺ and outline the resulting approaches for the improvement of education. Suggestions for avoiding the confusion that surrounds much of the current debate on the topic of systemic change in education are provided.
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Tosti, D. T. (2000). Systemic change. Performance Improvement, 39(3), 53‐59. Examines three factors contributing to organizational success: use of a systemic model to design and guide the change effort; analysis of interdependencies within the system and of the change potential; and use of communication methods to help ensure that the change will be supported. Presents characteristics of successful change efforts with related questions that are typically asked about a change.