DISTRICTS AND DISTRICTS AND THEIR LEADERS:THEIR LEADERS:

How they foster How they foster school school

improvement and improvement and student learningstudent learning

STUDY FINDING 2.1STUDY FINDING 2.1

HOW DISTRICTS HOW DISTRICTS HARNESS FAMILY AND HARNESS FAMILY AND COMMUNITY COMMUNITY ENERGY ENERGY FOR SCHOOL FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTIMPROVEMENT

PRIOR RESEARCHPRIOR RESEARCH

• Evidence linking family engagement with Evidence linking family engagement with student learningstudent learning

• Studies of recent efforts to create more Studies of recent efforts to create more participatory structures in schoolsparticipatory structures in schools

• Studies of changing power structures in Studies of changing power structures in schoolsschools

• Evidence about collective leadership Evidence about collective leadership • Studies about district/school Studies about district/school

characteristics affecting family/community characteristics affecting family/community participation.participation.

EARLIER FINDINGSEARLIER FINDINGS

“’“’Subtle’ aspects of family Subtle’ aspects of family involvement---parenting style and involvement---parenting style and parental expectations…--may have parental expectations…--may have a greater impact on student a greater impact on student achievement than more ‘concrete’ achievement than more ‘concrete’ forms such as attendance at school forms such as attendance at school conferences or enforcing rules at conferences or enforcing rules at home regarding homework.” home regarding homework.”

THREE RESEARCH THREE RESEARCH “LENS”“LENS”

• Political---Community engagement is Political---Community engagement is “democracy in action”“democracy in action”

• Economic---Families are clients/customers Economic---Families are clients/customers and have a right to be heardand have a right to be heard

• Cultural---Schools that are accountable to Cultural---Schools that are accountable to their communities reflect local values and their communities reflect local values and customscustoms

FINDINGFINDING: SITE-BASED : SITE-BASED MANAGEMENT DOESN’T MANAGEMENT DOESN’T

ALTER SCHOOL DECISION-ALTER SCHOOL DECISION-MAKING PATTERNSMAKING PATTERNS

““Since it is easier for traditional power Since it is easier for traditional power structures to remain in place when structures to remain in place when environmental factors remain stable and environmental factors remain stable and congenial, giving parents and teachers congenial, giving parents and teachers authority to make some school decisions authority to make some school decisions may in some respects reinforce the may in some respects reinforce the status quo.”status quo.”

““SOMEWHAT SOMEWHAT PARADOXICALLY…PARADOXICALLY…

STRONG LEADERSHIP WILL BE STRONG LEADERSHIP WILL BE NEEDED TO HELP ESTABLISH NEEDED TO HELP ESTABLISH COLLABORATIVE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS AND TO PARTNERSHIPS AND TO FOSTER SHARED DECISION-FOSTER SHARED DECISION-MAKING.”MAKING.”

EVIDENCE DOES NOT SUPPORT EVIDENCE DOES NOT SUPPORT THE VIEW THAT LOW LEVELS THE VIEW THAT LOW LEVELS OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENTOF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT REFLECT LOW LEVELS OF REFLECT LOW LEVELS OF

INTEREST.INTEREST.• Interest not always readily apparent.Interest not always readily apparent.• Some may not know how to be Some may not know how to be

involved helpfully.involved helpfully.• Others may be reticent due to class Others may be reticent due to class

differences.differences.

STUDY METHODSSTUDY METHODS• Principal surveysPrincipal surveys

• Teacher surveysTeacher surveys

• Analysis of student achievement dataAnalysis of student achievement data

• Interviews with district and building staffInterviews with district and building staff

• Interviews with community membersInterviews with community members

SMALL GROUP WORKSMALL GROUP WORK

• Silently read the assigned case vignette.Silently read the assigned case vignette.

• Identify with your group the policies and Identify with your group the policies and practices which the district employed to practices which the district employed to involve parents and community members.involve parents and community members.

• Compare these policies and practices Compare these policies and practices with those used in your district.with those used in your district.

LOOKING ACROSS THE LOOKING ACROSS THE CASESCASES

• Modeled community engagementModeled community engagement

• Partnered with individuals and groupsPartnered with individuals and groups

• Willing to listen to public concernsWilling to listen to public concerns

• Included families/communities in Included families/communities in district-level committeesdistrict-level committees

IMPLICATIONS FOR IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE PRACTICE

• District leaders need to engage in District leaders need to engage in dialogues with principals about what dialogues with principals about what openness to community and parental openness to community and parental involvement means in practice.involvement means in practice.

• Principals need to engage teacher and Principals need to engage teacher and other staff members in similar other staff members in similar discussions.discussions.

• Districts should take an active role in Districts should take an active role in teaching parents and other community teaching parents and other community members how to be involved.members how to be involved.

KEY FINDINGSKEY FINDINGS

• Districts promote participatory Districts promote participatory democratic structures in schools by democratic structures in schools by creating policies and expectations for creating policies and expectations for participation on the part of a wide array participation on the part of a wide array of people and groups outside of the of people and groups outside of the school.school.

• Districts have more difficulty creating Districts have more difficulty creating leadership teams that include diverse leadership teams that include diverse families and community members in families and community members in more, as compared to less, affluent more, as compared to less, affluent communities.communities.

KEY FINDINGS KEY FINDINGS (CONTINUED)(CONTINUED)

• Outside of establishing traditional site-Outside of establishing traditional site-council structures, districts typically do council structures, districts typically do not have a strong impact on principals’ not have a strong impact on principals’ openness to community and parental openness to community and parental involvement.involvement.

• Schools with more community Schools with more community stakeholders on their site councils or stakeholders on their site councils or building leadership teams tend to have building leadership teams tend to have principals who are more open to principals who are more open to community-level involvementcommunity-level involvement..

KEY FINDINGS KEY FINDINGS (CONTINUED)(CONTINUED)

• Student achievement does not seem Student achievement does not seem to be influenced principals’ by to be influenced principals’ by openness to community involvement.openness to community involvement.

• Student achievement is higher in Student achievement is higher in schools where teachers share schools where teachers share leadership and where they perceive leadership and where they perceive greater involvement by parents.greater involvement by parents.