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