AASA Conference 2014, San Diego, CA | February 27, 2015
Leading for Instructional Improvement
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Goals for today’s session:
• Provide an overview of the Leading for Effective
Teaching Project
• Introduce the Principal Support Framework and
associated tools
• Learn how the Highline School District transformed
their principal supervisor role to develop principals’
instructional leadership knowledge and skills
Our Mission
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The Center for Educational Leadership (CEL) is a nonprofit service
arm of the University of Washington College of Education dedicated to
eliminating the achievement gap that continues to divide our nation’s
children along the lines of race, class, language and disability.
Equity Is a Key Principle of Our Work
Equal Outcomes
Fairness
Access and Support
Respect for Differences
Achievement of
Every Student
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Foundational Ideas
1. If students are not learning they are not being afforded powerful
learning opportunities.
2. Teaching is a highly complex and sophisticated endeavor.
3. Practice of sophisticated endeavors only improves when it is
open for public scrutiny.
4. Improving practice in a culture of public scrutiny requires
reciprocal accountability.
5. Reciprocal accountability implies a particular kind of leadership
to improve teaching and learning.
6. Leaders cannot lead what they don’t know.
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Two-Part Equation
Common language for
high-quality instruction
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Knowing how to lead
for that
Instructional
Anatomy
Instructional
Leadership
Instructional
Effectiveness
The leadership challenge
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Principals can positively influence classroom instructional
practices that, in turn, improve student learning.
Principals currently only devote 3-5 hours per week to activities
focused on improving instruction.
Principal leadership is complex and requires expertise, practice and
time.
Responsibility to develop expertise must be reciprocal; provide
principals with clarity, development and strategic supports.
BackgroundBill & Melinda Gates Foundation –Empowering Effective Teaching Project
11 Sites - 2 Key Questions
1. How are principals and central office leaders changing how they work to improve teaching performance?
2. What do principals and central office leaders need to know and be able to do to support the improvement of leadership and teaching performance at scale?
The Principal Support Framework
Action Area 1: A Shared Vision of
Principals as
Instructional Leaders.
Action Area 2: System of Support for
Developing Principals
as Instructional
Leaders.
Action Area 3: Making It Possible for
Principals To Be
Instructional Leaders.
Action Area 1
Clarify the principal’s role as an instructional leader by
specifying the high-impact practices for which principals will
be accountable.
Instructional Leadership
Our 4D™ instructional leadership
framework identifies a vision for
principals and other school leaders
who want to improve instructional
practice. The framework is
organized into four dimensions:
IMPROVEMENT OF
INSTRUCTIONAL
PRACTICE
VISION, MISSION
AND CULTURE
BUILDING
ALLOCATION OF
RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT OF
PEOPLE AND
PROCESSES
Action Area 2
Develop principals’ instructional leadership practices through
job-embedded supports that build expertise.
Action Area 3
Enable principals to succeed as instructional leaders by
providing sufficient time and strategic supports to perform
the job well.
A District Vision – The Highline StoryTimeline
• Partnership with CEL to strengthen principal instructional leadership
2004-2013
• Partnership with CEL to define and implement the role of the Instructional Leadership Executive Directors (ILEDs)
2010-2013• Decrease
ILED/principal ratio –monthly professional learning for ILED role
• New CAO
2013-present
Highline’s Strategic Plan Bold Goals
Mastery by Grade 3
Success in Algebra
High School Graduation
Zero Suspensions
Bilingual & Biliterate
Tech-Savvy & Tech-Literate
Highline’s Strategic PlanFour Pillars
Principal Instructional Leadership
When a principal operates as an instructional leader
he/she:
• Works “intensively with teachers in and out of the
classroom to critically examine the quality of their
teaching practice and student work in an attempt to
strengthen both” (Honig, et al., 2010)
• Provides intensive, job-embedded professional
development for teachers through informal
observations and formal evaluations, PLC’s, and other
learning opportunities both on-site and off
Principal Instructional Leadership
• Develops systems within
the school community to
support high-quality
teaching in every
classroom
• Commits to improving
his/her instructional
leadership practice and
calibrating expectations
with other principals
across the system
Executive Directors of Schools Instructional Leadership
When an Executive Director of Schools operates as an instructional leader he/she:
• Works “intensively with principals in and out of the school to critically examine the equality of their instructional leadership practice and teacher and student data in an attempt to strengthen all” (adapted from Honig et al. 2010)
• Provides intensive, job-embedded professional development for principals through one-on-one coaching, modeling, networking meetings, and formal evaluations
Executive Directors of Schools Instructional Leadership
• Develops systems, in
collaboration with other central
office leaders, within their
region/network of schools to
support high-quality teaching
in every classroom
• Commits to improving his/her
instructional leadership
practice and calibrating
expectations with other ILEDs
Central Office TransformationTeaching and Learning
• Teaching and Learning: High-quality relevant,
differentiated services that support learning-focused
partnerships
• Not just reorganization
• Breaking down silos
• Developing authentic collaboration that supports
alignment
• Using data and research to provide meaningful support to
schools
Central Office TransformationHuman Resources
• Recruitment
– Teacher Profile: This answers the question, What are the defining traits of the ideal teacher in Highline? The response to this question has implications for:
• Interview questions
• Competency-based interview prompts and procedures
• Interview scoring rubrics
• Learning-Focused Partnerships
– Working with, rather than around principal supervisors on issues that have traditionally been in HR silos
• Case Management to Schools
– Dedicated HR staff who understand school needs
Implementing the Role of the Instructional Leadership Executive Director
Aligned with DL2 Principal Supervisor Performance Standards*
Dedicated time
* Honig, UW 2014
Implementing the Role of the Instructional Leadership Executive Director
Aligned with DL2 Principal Supervisor Performance Standards*
One-on-one work to help principals grow as instructional leaders
Dedicated time
* Honig, UW 2014
One-on-one work to help principals grow as
instructional leaders Identifying problems
of practice
Determining an area of focus
Developing learning plan (Coaching and
support)
Creating and implementing lesson plans
Gathering and organizing evidence
(Ongoing)
Developing communication
tools
Analyze impact of inquiry cycle
The Inquiry
Cycle
Implementing the Role of the Instructional Leadership Executive Director
One-on-one work to help principals grow as instructional leaders
Dedicated time
Leading principal communities of practice
* Honig, UW 2014
Aligned with DL2 Principal Supervisor Performance Standards*
Leading principal communities of practice
• Looking at and Learning from Authentic Contexts
–Problem of practice
–Classroom walk-throughs
–Calibration of instructional observations
• Pressing Instructional Leadership Content Thinking
• Building Professional Community - principals as
resources for one another
Implementing the Role of the Instructional Leadership Executive Director
One-on-one work to help principals grow as instructional leaders
Dedicated time
Leading principal communities of practice
Differentiation
* Honig, UW 2014
Aligned with DL2 Principal Supervisor Performance Standards*
Differentiation
Approach- Modeling
- Joint Work
- Using tools
- Questioning
- Reflection
Tight-Loose Relationships
Time
Implementing the Role of the Instructional Leadership Executive Director
One-on-one work to help principals grow as instructional leaders
Dedicated time
Leading principal communities of practice
Differentiation
Using the evaluation process to support instructional leadership
* Honig, UW 2014
Aligned with DL2 Principal Supervisor Performance Standards*
Using the evaluation process to support instructional
leadership
The Eight Evaluation Criteria
1. Creating a Culture
2. Ensuring School Safety
3. Planning with Data
4. Aligning Curriculum
5. Improving Instruction
6. Managing Resources
7. Engaging Communities
8. Closing the Gap
Implementing the Role of the Instructional Leadership Executive Director
One-on-one work to help principals grow as instructional leaders
Dedicated time
Leading principal communities of practice
Differentiation
Using the evaluation process to support instructional leadership
Selectively participate in central office work
* Honig, UW 2014
Aligned with DL2 Principal Supervisor Performance Standards*
ILED Plan1. Self-Assessment
- Baseline Data Collection
2. Co–Constructing Goals
- Leadership Growth
- Student Growth
3. First Inquiry Cycle
- Formal Evidence Gathering
4. Student Growth
- Data Check-in
5. Second Inquiry Cycle
- Formal Evidence Gathering
6. Summative
- Leadership Growth Goals
- Student Growth
May/June
August/September
October
DecemberMarch
CEL 2014, Modified for HPS
www.k-12leadership.org
Presenters
Dr. Stephen Fink, Center for Educational Leadership
Dr. Susan Enfield, Highline School District
Susanne Jerde, Highline School District