Learning Together to Develop More Effective

Principal Supervisors

Will MillerPresident, The Wallace Foundation

Principal Supervisor InitiativeBidders’ Conference

February 7, 2014

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Our discussion todayWallace’s approach to philanthropy

Why focus on public education?

Why focus on education leadership?

How the field has changed

Wallace’s work in education leadership

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The Wallace Approach

Mission: Improve learning and enrichment for children in the United States

Commitment to continuous improvement

Board self-reflection 20 years ago led to a new approachMore than money; sharing knowledge

The Wallace Approach(Our theory of change)

Understand the Context

(Engage with the external environment to identify knowledge gaps, field interest,

and time lines)

Catalyze Broad Impact

(Improve practice and policy nationwide)

Generate Improvements and Insights

(Build promising new approaches and new evidence/knowledge)

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Mutual learning, mutual benefit

Benefits for your district

Benefits for effective policymaking

Benefits for districts that do not receive grants

Benefits for Wallace

… depends on credible objective evaluations.

Why focus on public education?

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“Too many of our kids are dropping out of schools. That’s not a white, black or brown problem. That’s everybody’s problem.”

President Barack ObamaApril 5, 2011

“The civil rights issue of our times”“Our challenge is to make sure every child has a fair chance to succeed in life. That is why education is the great civil rights issue of our times.”

President George W. BushJanuary 19, 2002

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A fundamental disadvantage

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 20120.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

Less than high school High school

Some college/Associates degree Bachelors degree or higher

Unem

plo

ym

ent

(%)

4.7%

14.8%

Why focus on education leadership?

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Leadership key to student learning

“Leadership is second only to classroom instruction among all school-related factors that contribute to what students learn at school.”

-- How Leadership Influences Student Learning, Kenneth Leithwood, et al, University of Minnesota,

University of Toronto, 2004

“Six years later we are even more confident about this claim.”

-- Learning from Leadership: Investigating the Links to Improved Student Learning,

Louis, et al, 2010

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Principals key to teaching quality

“It is the leader who both recruits and retains high quality staff. Indeed, the number one reason for teachers’ decisions about whether to stay in a school is the quality of administrative support – and it is the leader who must develop this organization.”

-- Preparing School Leaders for a Changing World,Linda Darling-Hammond, et al, Stanford University, 2007

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What effective principals doShape a transformational vision of

academic success for all students

Create a hospitable climate

Manage people, data and processes

Improve instructionLead the professional learning community

Cultivate leadership in othersLead the leadership team

Source: The School Principal as Leader: Guiding Schools to Better Teaching and Learning, January 2012

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But: A good leader is hard to findThere is no shortage of certified principals –

but there is a shortage of qualified principals

-- Beyond the Pipeline, 2003

50% of superintendents around the country report difficulty finding qualified principals. 61% of superintendents in urban areas can’t find the leaders they need

-- Preparing School Leaders for a Changing World, 2007

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Wallace’s education leadership initiative: 2000-2010

Our strategies:26 states; 15 main urban districtsCommissioned research to fill

knowledge gaps and evaluate across sites

Professional learning communities for states, districts, partners

The Wallace Approach(Our theory of change)

Understand the Context

Catalyze Broad Impact

Generate Improvements and Insights

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Resulting in:Over 70 research reports140 sustained, high quality initiatives (including 24 pre-service

training programs)15 new non-profit organizations

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The field in 2002

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The field in 2013

The evolution of our education leadership work

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The evolution of Wallace’s education leadership initiatives

First Generation

26 states; 15 districts

$300 Million

2000-2010

Lessons

Principal Supervisor Initiative

6 districts

$24 Million

2014-2019

Emerging Question:If principal supervisors in urban districts shift from overseeing compliance to shaping principals’ instructional leadership capabilities and if they (both incumbents and aspirants) are provided with the right training, support and number of principals to supervise, would this improve the effectiveness of the principals with whom they work?

Principal Pipeline Initiative

6 districts

2011-2017

Lessons

$75 Million

Emerging Question:If an urban district and its principal training programs provide large numbers of talented, aspiring principals with the right pre-service training and on-the-job evaluation and supports, will the result be a pipeline of principals able to improve teaching quality and student achievement, especially in schools with the greatest needs?

Thank you!

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