TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL

INSIGHT WIN

TER

2004

A s s e s s m e n t andAccountability

Also inside:

TA SA’ s A n n u a l R e p o r t

Advocacy, Coalitions, and Core Principles 12

by Dawson Orr

Emphasizes that the Coalition to Invest in Texas Schools will continue to be our best source of strength as we

advocate for the schoolchildren of Texas during the 79th Legislative Session

Leadership Across the System 14

by Michael Fullan

Reviews a tri-level solution for system reform and focuses on five central characteristics of leadership as well as the

importance of an energizing environment as a turnkey to sustainability

Leading Assessment for Learning: Using Classroom Assessment in School Improvement 18

by Stephen Chappuis

Provides a framework for leaders specific to assessment for learning, including a set of ten competencies that can

play a role in student motivation and learning

Strategies to Meet the Challenge of the Age of Accountability 25

by Sandra Harris

Shares strategies that superintendents, principals, and university professors can use to help students achieve

academically within today’s high-stakes environment

Improvement in a Small School Environment 29

by Jo Ann Bludau

Gives an overview of how Sweet Home ISD’s strong commitment to rural education and its belief in service to the

community has moved the district from an acceptable to an exemplary accountability rating

TASA Annual Report 33

Highlights the association’s activities and services during 2003–2004

Is Your School Board Ready to Compete for TASA Recognition? 49

by Margaret Gurecky

A how-to guide for nomination from Lewisville ISD, recipient of TASA’s 2004 Outstanding School Board Award

WINTER 2004 3

FEATURED ARTICLES

p. 18

p. 29

p. 25

Volume 18

No. 3

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ALSO OF INTEREST…

INSIGHT4

OfficersMichael Hinojosa, President, Spring ISD

Alton J. Fields, President-Elect, Pleasanton ISD

Kay Waggoner, Vice-President, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD

Dawson R. Orr, Past President, Wichita Falls ISD

Executive CommitteeArturo Guajardo, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD, 1

Karen Rue, Tuloso-Midway ISD, 2

Tom R. Jones, Jr., Tidehaven ISD, 3

Rick Schneider, Pasadena ISD, 4

Gail Krohn, Nederland ISD, 5

Steve R. Johnson, College Station ISD, 6

Dee W. Hartt, Tatum ISD, 7

Eddie Johnson, Harts Bluff ISD, 8

Randel R. Beaver, Archer City ISD, 9

H. John Fuller, Wylie ISD, 10

Vernon N. Newsom, Mansfield ISD, 11

George Evan Kazanas, China Spring ISD, 12

Ryder F. Warren, Marble Falls ISD, 13

Rick Howard, Comanche ISD, 14

Alan Richey, Bronte ISD, 15

Robin D. Adkins, Perryton ISD, 16

Mike Motheral, Sundown ISD, 17

Michael Downes, Big Spring ISD, 18

Paul L. Vranish, Tornillo ISD, 19

John Folks, Northside ISD, 20

At-Large MembersRobert Duron, Socorro ISD

Michael G. Killian, Lewisville ISD

Thomas Earl Randle, Lamar CISD

Shelley Schmitz Sweatt, Burkburnett ISD

Editorial Advisory CommitteeMichael Hinojosa, Spring ISD, chair

Alton J. Fields, Pleasanton ISD

Jim Hawkins, Killeen ISD

Daniel Paul King, Hidalgo ISD

Linda G. Mora, Northside ISD

Dawson R. Orr, Wichita Falls ISD

Thomas Earl Randle, Lamar CISD

Kip Sullivan, Sul Ross State University

DEPARTMENTS

Upcoming Events at TASA 6

President’s Message 9

Executive Director’s View 11

Highlight on TASA Services: 47TASA’s Administrator’s Resource Center —

Two Information-Packed Electronic Libraries

Book Review: 54

Leadership & Sustainability—

System Thinkers in Action

TASA Headquarters Staff

Executive Director Johnny L. Veselka

Associate Executive Director, Judith de la GarzaInstructional Support and

Leadership Development

Associate Executive Director, Paul Whitton, Jr.Administrative Services

Associate Executive Director, Amy T. BeneskiGovernmental Relations

Assistant Executive Director, Betty BurksInstructional Support and

Leadership Development

Assistant Executive Director, Ann M. HalsteadCommunications & Information Systems

Director, Special Services Pat Johnston

Design/Production Emmy Starr

Editorial Coordinator Karen Limb

TASA General Counsel, Neal W. AdamsAdams, Lynch, & Loftin—Bedford

INSIGHT is published triannually (spring/summer, fall, and winter) by theTexas Association of School Administrators, 406 East 11th Street, Austin,Texas, 78701-2617. Subscription is included in TASA membership dues.© 2004 by TASA. All rights reserved. TASA members may reprint articlesin limited quantities for in-house educational use. Articles in INSIGHT areexpressions of the author or interviewee and do not necessarily represent theviews or policies of TASA. Advertisements do not necessarily carry theendorsement of the Texas Association of School Administrators. INSIGHTis printed by Thomas Graphics, Austin, Texas.

INSIGHT6

13th Annual First-timeSuperintendents’ Academy

Four Academy Sessions led byExperienced Superintendents and Other Practitioners

g Who Should Attend• First- and Second-Year Superintendents

g What You Learn• Effective superintendent practices• School law• Contract negotiations• Facility planning• School finance and budgeting• Time management• Technology leadership• Instructional leadership• Productive superintendent/

board relations

• Session Three: January 11–13, 2005

• Session Four: April 12–14, 2005

Aspiring Superintendents’ Academy

Three Academy Sessions led byExperienced Superintendents and Other Practitioners

g Who Should Attend• Aspiring Superintendents

g What You Learn• The public school superintendency: real-

world roles, what superintendents do, typi-cal career paths to the superintendency,and career satisfactions/opportunities

• Superintendents “in the making” or“growing in place,” job experiences thatcause growth, outside activities thatstretch, and personal learning that counts

• Preparation for the superintendent jobsearch; the role of the consultant, theresume, and the interview; and what toexpect once chosen as a finalist

• Session One: February 1, 2005(During the TASA MidwinterConference)

• Session Two: April 6, 2005 (Duringthe TASA Spring Conference forSchool Executives)

Creating Concept-BasedInterdisciplinary Units: Designing for Deep Understanding

Two-Day Institute with H. Lynn Erickson

g Who Should Attend• Curriculum Directors• Curriculum Development Teams• Teacher Leaders• Principals• Superintendents

g What You Learn• Clear directions on how to design quality

interdisciplinary, K–12 instructional units• A step-by-step model for unit design• How to write performance tasks that

assess what students must know, understand, and be able to do

• February 14–15, 2005

Upcoming Events at TASA Excerpts from TASA’s Professional Development Calendar

For more information about any of these workshops/trainings, please call TASA, 800-725-8272, or go online at www.TASAnet.org

Starting in

January

WINTER 2004 7

Mentoring the ReflectivePrincipal: CollaborativeApproaches to ImpactStudent Achievement

Seminar Series with CarolynDowney

g Who Should Attend• Superintendents• District-level Curriculum and

Instruction Administrators• Principals• Team—Principal Supervisor

and 2 or 3 Principals

g What You Learn• Role of the supervisors and

other district-level staff inmentoring principals—monthlysupervisors’ school visitation

• Feeder school principals’joint academic goals andinterventions

• Approach to writing/review-ing school improvementplans

• Supervisor/feeder school prin-cipals’ collaborative examina-tion of classroom practicesthrough observations, calibra-tion, and aggregating the data

• Team approach for workingwith low-performing schools

• Listening to the voice of yourprincipals

• February 17–18, 2005

Improved Questioning:Gateway for IncreasedAchievement for ALLStudents

Two-Day Institute withJackie A. Walsh and Beth D.Sattes

g Who Should Attend• Curriculum and Instruction

Specialists• Staff Development Providers• Principals• Teacher Leadership Teams

g What You Learn• The connections between

specific questioning behav-iors and increases in studentengagement and learning

• A professional learningprocess designed to buildcampus-based leadershipcapacity, which supportsclassroom reculturingrequired for a more student-centered approach to teach-ing and learning

• February 24–25, 2005

Building Vertical Teams

Two-Day Training-of-TrainersSeminar with Betty Jo Monk

g Who Should Attend• Superintendents• Assistant Superintendents• District-level Administrators• Professional Development

Specialists• Principals

g What You Learn• Tools for building shared

vision and an educationalculture focused on enhanc-ing student learning from avertical perspective

• How to build a foundationthat assists vertical teams inreaching the "performing"state of development

• Skills to assist the team inits growth

• Two days—Customized for district

Changing the Lens ofInstructional Leaders with Walk-Throughs and Follow-Up Conversations

Two-Day Seminar with PaloVerde Associates’ Carolyn Downey

g Who Should Attend• Superintendents• District-level Administrators• Principals• Assistant Principals

g What You Learn• A powerful supervision strat-

egy for observation, focusedon determining the curricu-lum objective being taughtand effective teaching practices

• How to plan for and engagein highly successful feedbackthrough the use of reflectivequestions

• Dates determined by hostdistrict

TASA MidwinterConference

January 31–February 2,2005

Austin Convention Center500 East Cesar Chavez Street,

Austin, TX

It’s not too late toregister!

www.TASAnet.org

9

Relentless Leadership

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

During the 79th Legislative Session, Texas school leaders will be asked to respond to far-reach-ing proposals to achieve higher levels of student performance as measured by the stateaccountability system and NCLB. We have already seen the recommendations outlined bythe Governor’s Business Council, Texas Education Reform Caucus, Texas Public PolicyFoundation, and Texas Business and Education Coalition, suggesting various degrees ofchange in our current system of accountability and assessment. The proposals range fromperformance incentives to establishing new consequences for failing schools and increasingthe number of charter schools to promote student and parent choice. Other recommenda-tions suggest greater flexibility in the training and employment of professional educators, aswell as new systems of financial accountability at the local level. Still others recommend thatcurrent standards are appropriate and should remain in place and stable at least until 2008.

In the midst of these myriad proposals for change, the Coalition to Invest in Texas Schoolsremains vigilant in its focus on the adequacy, equity, and capacity of our school finance system.Throughout the coming months, we must continue to emphasize the coherence and connected-ness of these 11 organizations that represent school leaders in every district across the state.

During the coming months, TASA will engage the wisdom and expertise of Michael Fullanto help school leaders build capacity within their organizations in a period of rapid change.Whatever the outcome of the 79th Session, we must take his message to heart and remainenergetic, enthusiastic, and hopeful. As Fullan says, “Change requires extra energy and themotivation to work through the complex difficulties of reform. Energizing leaders make thiswork possible.” Fullan keynotes the 3rd General Session of the TASA Midwinter Conference,speaking to leading in a culture of change. At the TASA Spring Conference in April, Fullanfollows up his Midwinter keynote address with an indepth learning session for school leaders,addressing the need for system reform in an environment of complex change.

As always, TASA members will play a pivotal role in the association’s efforts during the leg-islative session. Throughout the session, our active involvement and productive feedback areessential to the overall success of our 2005 legislative program. Each of us must stay abreastof current events and activities by keeping up with TASA Daily and Capitol Watch and bylending our full support to the association.

This is a complex and challenging time for public education. As leaders, we must be relent-less in both seeking and implementing strategies and achieving higher levels of performancefor our students and staff, while continuing to be responsive to the impending challenges thatmay be brought about in the coming legislative session.

“Energizing leaders make

this work possible.”

WINTER 2004

WINTER 2004 11

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S VIEW

Challenge . . . Change . . . Opportunity

The New Year promises to be one of challenge for Texas school administrators. The 79th TexasLegislature begins its work on January 11, and even the most optimistic among us sense that thedays ahead will not be easy for our public schools. The uncertainty of the coming months andour need to be proactive in dealing with issues at the state level tend to focus attention on theCoalition to Invest in Texas Schools and activities at the Capitol. For most of you, however,issues at the local level are of paramount concern.

Rapid change and rising pressure for accountability and compliance are forcing every district toreassess procedures and processes to meet new standards and requirements. Districts from thesmallest to the largest are investing significant time and resources in these efforts. The sheerquantity of knowledge required to assess every change and react appropriately dictate that eventhe most ambitious and forward-thinking leadership teams cannot solve every issue within theconfines of their own districts. Fortunately, while varying in resources, personnel, and studentpopulations, all Texas school district have one thing in common—a network of cohorts eager toshare with and learn from one another.

Bringing this network together and facilitating the exchange of ideas is the overriding purposeof TASA’s Midwinter Conference (January 31–February 2, Austin Convention Center). In anera of tight travel budgets and increasing scrutiny of professional development expenditures, theMidwinter Conference is a sure bet for every district. Nowhere else in Texas will you find a bet-ter opportunity for you and your staff to network with leadership teams from around the state,sharing ideas, concerns, and solutions to challenges districts have in common.

Our line-up of keynote speakers, distinguished lectures, and concurrent sessions is specificallydesigned to provide comprehensive overviews of state and federal policies and requirements;practical, real-world solutions; and the very latest theories and strategies sweeping public edu-cation. As always, TEA staff have been invited to bring you up to date on agency-related issues.Your entire staff will be fully engaged in a positive learning environment throughout the threedays of the conference. Even our exhibits are a professional experience! Education Expo 2005features the state’s leading vendors of school products and services, while our new Showcase ofSchool Architecture highlights the very best in school facilities.

We look forward to welcoming each of you to TASA’s Midwinter Conference and to your activeinvolvement in TASA’s legislative efforts throughout the coming months.

“. . . overviews of state and

federal policies and

requirements; practical,

real-world solutions; and the

very latest theories and

strategies sweeping

public education.”

INSIGHT12

Advocacy, Coalitions, and Core Principlesby Dawson Orr

The 79th Legislative Session promises to be challenging. There is no question it will call for continued

unity of purpose and unwavering resolve on the part of superintendents, school trustees, administra-

tors, and all who advocate for Texas public schools. Our very cohesion—through the Coalition to

Invest in Texas Schools—has already had an impact at the Capitol and will continue to be our best source of

strength as we advocate for the schoolchildren of Texas. As school district leaders—each having a role to play in

the ultimate success of the Coalition—we must understand and feel comfortable with the Coalition’s purpose and

the principles that guide its work.

Advocacy—a powerful word that helps definewho we are and what we do. Advocacy begins withthe recognition that a cause exists that needs support,defense, or intercession. As school leaders we havelong accepted and embraced our responsibility toeducate our local communities—communities ofdiverse stakeholders—regarding the needs of chil-dren. Our local advocacy takes many forms and usesa wide variety of forums. We interact with schooltrustees, teachers, parents, local business and com-munity leaders, and taxpayers on a continual basis toadvocate and educate regarding the policies, regula-tions, and resources needed to make our schools aproductive, positive, and safe experience for children.

Historically, our ability to provide for the educationalneeds of our students required that superintendentsand district-level administrators broaden their perspec-tive on civic participation to include legislative advoca-cy. As districts identified common needs based on size,

demographics, and economic circumstances, naturalalliances formed. Strength in numbers has always beena part of advocacy efforts. Over time, associations haveformed that provide important vehicles to educate leg-islators regarding specific laws, policies, rules, and fund-ing mechanisms necessary for school districts andschool personnel to meet the needs of the students theyserve. These organizations have been highly effective,and are indispensable, to the districts they serve. Andalthough districts have more in common than theyhave differences, legislative responses to district needshave created both the perception and reality that somedistricts win and some lose in the complex legal-political matrix that has evolved. Today, more thanever, there is a need for districts and communities tocome together and speak from a unified positionregarding the worthy and noble cause that we advocate.And what better cause to advocate than a quality edu-cation for the 4.2 million school-age children beingserved in the public schools of Texas!

WINTER 2004 13

Coalitions—The need for common advocacy hasled to an unparalleled coalition of organizations workingtogether for the common good of Texas schoolchildren.TASA and TASB, as the two umbrella organizations rep-resenting virtually all school districts and children servedby public education, have joined with other key associa-tions to develop a framework to guide our advocacyefforts in school finance. The coalition is formallyknown as the Texas Educational LeadershipCollaborative and is also known as the Coalition toInvest in Texas Schools. In addition to TASA and TASB,the Coalition consists of the Equity Center, Fast GrowthCoalition, South Texas Association of Schools, TexasAssociation of Community Schools, Texas Associationof Mid-size Schools, Texas Association of RuralSchools, Texas Rural Education Association, TexasSchool Alliance, and Texas School Coalition.Beginning in September 2003, these associations beganthe process of dialogue to define a set of core principlesthat would serve as a framework to guide the schoolfinance legislative advocacy of the respective organiza-tions. The journey was not easy, and much time andeffort was necessary by all participants. Coalitionsemerge from common needs but are sustained throughcommon dialogue. During the 78th Legislative Regularand Special Sessions, Coalition members, staff, consult-ants, and superintendents met and communicated reg-ularly to ensure mutual understanding and maintain acommon position. The Coalition worked!

Core Principles—While dialogue allowed theCoalition to present an effective, unified voice, the CorePrinciples on School Finance represent the social com-pact that binds the associations together. The completestatement of core principles can be found at theCoalition Web site (www.investintexasschools.org/).Please review these Core Principles with their completeexplanatory language. An abbreviated statement of theCore Principles follows:

1. Adequacy—The state school finance system mustprovide opportunities for all Texas students to achievethe highly educated status that will enable them tolive successfully in our increasingly global and digitalworld.

2. Equity—The state school finance system must providea system of equity that includes at least 90 percent ofthe students within the equalized system and narrowsthe gap in funding immediately and further reduces itover time.

3. Capacity—The state school finance system mustincrease the state share by creating stable revenuestructures that will enable the state/local partnershipto meet the adequacy and equity principles.

4. Local Enrichment—The state school finance systemmust ensure that enrichment meets the equity princi-ple, provides meaningful discretion, and respects theright of local school communities to allocateresources.

5. Facilities—The state school finance system must pro-vide state support for facilities within the context ofequity and local control.

6. Vouchers—The Coalition opposes the use of publicfunds for voucher and voucher-related programs.

What is the significance of these Core Principles? Verysimply, they are statements of core principles that will beused as “a framework for evaluating legislative proposalsrelated to school finance. All organizations that com-prise the Texas Leadership Collaborative will not supporta school finance bill or combination of bills that fails toincorporate all of these principles.”

In closing, as we prepare for a historically significant leg-islative session with an uncertain outcome, it is impor-tant to remember that as school leaders we are the keyadvocates for the educational needs of Texas’ school-children. If superintendents do not advocate and influ-ence the decisions that directly affect our students, ourdistricts, and our communities, who will? Our legisla-tive advocacy becomes more effective when we workand communicate collaboratively through a set of mean-ingful core principles. The Coalition emerged fromintentional acts on the part of school superintendentsand school trustees to speak with a common voice onthe critical issues related to school finance and resourceallocation. Please use the Coalition Web site as a pri-mary resource during this legislative session. The TASAstaff and Legislative Committee will represent you tothe best of their ability. Thank you for the work thatyou will do in the upcoming months.

Dawson Orr is TASA Legislative Committee chair andsuperintendent at Wichita Falls ISD.

INSIGHT14

Two ideas have converged in our recent work on education reformat the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the Universityof Toronto: (1) the need for system reform, which I call the tri-levelsolution—what has to happen at the school/community level, thedistrict level, and the system or policy level—and (2) leadership asthe key driver (Fullan, 2005).

System ReformThe question for system reform is what is needed to bring about tri-level development; i.e., what new capacities are needed at theschool/community, district, and system or policy levels (includingstate and federal). Not only must each level develop new capacitiesin its own right, but also the levels must interact in new mutuallyreinforcing ways.

We know a fair amount about the first two levels (school/commu-nity and district levels), and we are beginning to see some recentgood examples at the third level (system or policy levels). At theschool/community level, Newmann et al. provide a good summaryof most of the key factors. They found that school capacity was thekey to success. They defined capacity as the collective power of thefull staff to work together to improve student achievement. Fivefactors were identified:

• Knowledge, skills, and dispositions of individuals

• Professional community (the quality of relationships amongteachers and between teachers and the principal)

• Program coherence

• Technical resources

• School principal

Schools with these five characteristics were effective at developingschool staff as a collective force to improve achievement. Newmann

et al. did not focus on parent and community involvement, butother research confirms that effective schools have a strong two-wayrapport with the community (Bryk and Schneider, 2002). As teach-ers develop their collective competence and confidence, they beginto see parents as part of the solution rather than as part of the prob-lem. Without internal school development, teachers tend to play itsafe with parents. Keeping parents at a distance in turn widens thegap between the school and the community.

School/Community and DistrictAs we move up the levels in reform, the main point is that the infra-structure matters. Newmann et al. hypothesized that “policies andprograms” external to the school would contribute to school capac-ity. In other words, districts and states could—by policy anddesign—produce greater school capacity, at least in theory.However, Newmann and his colleagues found no evidence thatschool capacity was actually caused by district/state strategies. If thedistrict/state did not cause school capacity, where did it come from?One can only speculate. My own explanation is that it is a matterof “luck” or “serendipity.” For example, a great principal isappointed, certain teachers gravitate to the principal and to eachother, the chemistry is great, and the group gels. If such a combi-nation is a matter of luck, there are two implications: first, it willoccur only in a minority of cases; and second, it will not last beyondthe tenure of the initial group. Thus, without the proactiveinvolvement of the district, school capacity will always be in theminority and will be ephemeral.

Because school capacity remains in the minority, the work of theInstitute and others began with whole districts where the goal wasto move forward all—or the vast majority of—schools in the dis-trict. We have worked with more than a dozen districts to “raisethe bar and close the gap” of student achievement—for example,in literacy and numeracy. The lessons from this work, and that ofothers, are summarized in Fullan, Bertani, and Quinn (2004).

Leadership Across the Systemby Michael Fullan

WINTER 2004 15

The lessons we identified are:• Leaders with a coherent driving conceptualization

• Collective moral purpose

• The right bus

• Leadership and capacity building for those on the bus

• Lateral capacity building

• Deep learning

• Productive conflict

• Demanding cultures

• External partners

• Growing financial investment

Thus, when district leadership understands the change process andcorresponding capacity building, they appreciate what needs to bedone. They in turn foster collective moral purpose, organize thestructure and roles most effectively (the right bus), provide ongoingleadership development for those in key roles, and formulate strate-gies where schools learn from each other (lateral capacity building).They pursue deeper learning agendas, appreciate that conflict ispart and parcel of moving forward, raise expectations of all toachieve more, and seek external partners and resources that enablethem to go even further.

When district leaders understand and use the knowledge base repre-sented by these 10 lessons, we see districtwide success. It is critical,then, that the first two levels of tri-level reform—school/communityand district—feed on each other in mutually reinforcing ways.

State-Level EngagementThe third level—state policy—is the most difficult to develop becauseof the political complexity. There is a natural political tendency tofocus on accountability rather than to integrate accountability andcapacity building. Top leaders—governors, state superintendents, andother senior policymakers—must begin to focus their efforts in differ-ent ways. In particular, they need to take seriously capacity building.This entails thinking differently, developing policies and strategies thatfocus on leadership development, and allocating correspondingresources to these activities.

We have a small and growing number of examples of state-levelengagement. England was the first. In 1997, the Blair government,when first elected, designed an integrated strategy that combined“pressure and support” to focus on literacy and numeracy. Therewas a strong accountability emphasis, but at the same time therewas a major orchestrated strategy to increase the capacity of teach-ers and school principals to work together to achieve new levels ofstudent attainment. The outcome was impressive, although itraised additional questions with respect to going deeper.

INSIGHT16

On the impressive side, large gains were achieved. Using 11-year-olds as the marker, 62 percent were at proficiency levels in literacyin 1997; for numeracy, the figure was 61 percent. By 2002, thescores had reached 75 percent for literacy and 73 percent fornumeracy. This represents a remarkable accomplishment, becausethe whole system moved forward, representing some 20,000schools. All this within one election period—less than four years!

Tbe problem was that the gains leveled off or plateaued by 2001.The scores in 2001, 2002, and 2003 were identical. The initialhighly centrally driven but very supportive strategy was effective—but only to a point. To go beyond the plateau requires a deeperstrategy in order to gain the “hearts and minds” of teachers andprincipals. This is not straightforward, because the additional gainsmust be real and achieved on a large scale in the system as a whole.

The plateau problem notwithstanding, large systems are nowbecoming self-consciously engaged in accomplishing large-scalereform. England, as we have seen, has been significantly successful.More recently, Ontario, Canada; South Australia; and WashingtonState are all explicitly focusing on tri-level reform strategies inwhich the goal is to develop each level and their inter-relationships.

In summary, we need more examples where entire systems areactively engaged in tri-level reform—where the criterion of suc-cess is large-scale engagement and development of all three levels,with the outcome being continuous improvement through raisingthe bar and closing the gap of student performance. We have astrong start with a few good examples, but they are very much inthe minority. The next phase of reform requires all three levels toco-develop in concert. Otherwise, we will not get large-scale—letalone sustainable—reform.

LeadershipLeadership is to this decade what standards were to the 1990s, ifyou want large-scale, sustainable reform. You can get someimprovement by tightening standards, but only to a point, as wehave seen in England. In order to get deeper change, you have tocapture the energy, ideas, and commitment of teachers and princi-pals. It takes leadership—a certain kind of leadership—to do this.

Culture of ChangeIn Leading in a Culture of Change (Fullan, 2001), I examined anequal number of successful cases in business and education, andasked the question, Does leadership across these two sectors haveanything in common when it comes to success? The answer is astrong “yes.” The reason is that all successful organizations in com-plex times are “learning organizations” and, as such, have certaincore attributes in common, especially when it comes to leadership.The leadership in my study had five central characteristics: astrong sense of moral purpose, an understanding of the changeprocess, well-developed relationship skills (emotional intelligence),a capacity to facilitate knowledge sharing, and an ability to helpthe group achieve coherence and connectedness. These leadersalso had a high degree of energy, enthusiasm, and hope. Theywere energetic, but, more than that, energizing. In fact, the sin-gle most important characteristic of effective leaders is that theycreate energizing environments.

Change requires extra energy and the motivation to work throughthe complex difficulties of reform. Energizing leaders make thiswork possible. It is not hard work that tires people out, but rathernegative work. Hard work that yields positive results relative to ahighly important goal can be energizing, and this is the kind ofenvironment that effective leaders cultivate.

Another confirmatory leadership study is Jim Collins’ Good to Great.Collins and his colleagues conducted research on 1,435 Fortune 500companies. All the companies by definition were good, but a smallernumber were especially good or great as measured by 15 years of sus-tained economic growth. Collins’ book is about comparing leadershipin the two sets of companies. Several major differences stood out.

Collins first makes the distinction between “effective leaders” who cancatalyze commitment to vision and standards, and “executive leaders”who can build enduring greatness. To take an educational illustration,the main mark of principals at the end of their tenure at a school is notjust the impact on the bottom line of student achievement but equallyhow many good leaders they leave behind who can go even further.

Second, Collins found that leaders focus early on the “who” as muchas the “what.” He uses the metaphor, “How do you get the right peo-ple on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people inthe right seats.”

Third, great organizations “confront the brutal facts”; i.e., they help theorganization constantly focus on data and related evidence of how well theyare doing, and use these data to inform action aimed at improvement. Ineducation, “assessment for learning”—using student data for continuousimprovement—is a similar phenomenon.

Fourth, when the first three forces combine they create a kind of“hedgehog effect” where the organization has great focus and pursuitof core goals.

Fifth, great organizations have a “culture of discipline.” In education,professional learning communities are not just congenial but rather aredemanding cultures. They engage in purposeful, disciplined inquiry inorder to achieve extraordinary results. There is a great deal of supportin these communities, but there are also high mutual expectations.

Finally, Collins found that great organizations do not depend on tech-nology as a major driver but use technology in more integrated ways toaccelerate progress.

Good to Great

WINTER 2004 17

In summary, the focus on leadership as a turnkey to sustainabilityis crucial. Great leaders help produce other leaders who can carryon and go even further. With such leaders, turnover is less of aproblem. It is not turnover per se that is the problem but ratherdiscontinuity of good direction. In collaborative cultures, turnoveris used to the advantage to sustain and deepen reform.

ConclusionSustaining education reform is a complex endeavor. It has all theattributes of Heifetz and Linsky’s (2002) “adaptive challenges.”Technical problems, say Heifetz and Linsky, are ones for which cur-rent knowledge is sufficient. Adaptive challenges, on the otherhand, are more complex and go beyond what we know. Heifetzand Linsky identify several properties of adaptive challenges.

• The challenge consists of a gap between aspiration and realitydemanding a response outside our current repertoire.

• Adaptive work to narrow the gap requires difficult learning.

• The people with the problem are the problem and the solution.

• Adaptive work generates disequilibrium and avoidance.

• Adaptive work takes time.

In other words, the tri-level reform agenda involves adaptivework. Leadership in numbers of the quality described in this arti-cle is essential to tackle the challenges of sustainable reform. The

challenge will be enormous, but the focus of the work is increas-ingly clear. We need not a few good leaders but leadership thatin turn develops team-based leadership in others. The chancesof making major differences in the lives of students have neverbeen greater.

Michael Fullan is a recognized international authority on educationalreform. He is the former dean of the Ontario Institute for Studies inEducation at the University of Toronto and has been recently appoint-ed as special adviser to the premier and minister of education inOntario, Canada.

REFERENCES

Bryk, A. & Schneider, B. (2002). Trust in Schools. New York:Russell Sage.

Collins, J. (2001). Good to Great. New York: Harper Collins.

Fullan, M. (2001). Leading in a Culture of Change. San Francisco,CA: Jossey–Bass.

Fullan, M. (2005). Leadership and Sustainability. Thousand Oaks,CA: Corwin Press.

Fullan, M., Bertani, A., and Quinn, J. (2004). New lessons for dis-trictwide reform. Education Leadership.V. 61. No.7, pp. 42–46.

Heifetz, R., and Linsky, M. (2002) Leadership on the Line. Boston:Harvard Business School Press.

INSIGHT18

Do school leaders make a difference in student learn-

ing? Although the topic is of perennial interest to

those in leadership positions, the attention given

to leaders’ competence and positive impact on student

achievement seems to be somewhat more cyclical when it

comes to publications on the topic. Considering the current

number of Web sites, books, articles, and conferences devot-

ed to the subject of school leadership, we appear to be in a

new cycle of examination and study, looking at the topic with

multiple lenses from a variety of angles. We may not yet be

at the apex; Fullan (2004) predicts that leadership will be to

this decade what standards-based reform was to the last.

This most recent examination provides new understandings aboutthe nature of leadership, and is in part influenced by thinking out-side of education. Previous contributions from business manage-ment (Peters and Waterman, 1982; Covey, 1989 and 1990; Senge,1990) and from human psychology/motivation (Blanchard andJohnson, 1981) are joined by current thinking and insight (Collins,2003; Goleman, 2003; and Gladwell, 2000). Former and currentthinking share a common foundation in that they all describe prin-ciples and values by which leaders can live and work, making itmore complex than simply following a checklist of behaviors orpractices applied in isolation of a set of core beliefs.

What is dissimilar, however, is the state of public education itself.Today’s standards-based environment is very different from whenthe focus was effective-schools research, and when instructionalleadership and teacher supervision were the popular topics in prin-cipal training programs. Today, with school improvement takingon more urgency due to accountability legislation and the need toraise test scores, improving leadership knowledge and skill is beingleveraged as one more strategy directly aimed at raising studentachievement. And because not all school leaders are coming to theposition as fully prepared as school systems want and need them tobe, there is also a focus on the establishment of professional devel-opment programs to help existing and potential leaders better meetthe fast-changing requirements of the job.

Cyclical attention notwithstanding, the positive influence thateffective school leaders can have on learning continues to be sup-ported in research. As a result, it is natural that scholars and prac-titioners alike would try to translate research into practice bydescribing what effective leadership looks like and sounds like.

Barth (1990) wrote “show me a good school and I’ll show you a goodprincipal.” However, nailing down what defines “good,” especially asit relates to instructional leadership, has proved to be somewhat elu-sive (Waters, Marzano, and McNulty, 2003). Nevertheless, frame-works, reports, and checklists for what leaders should know and beable to do still assist in improving practice (see Sergiovanni, 2001;Hargreaves and Fink, 2004). And Waters et al. present 21 variablesstrongly associated with positive student outcomes, providing

Leading Assessment for Learning:Using Classroom Assessment in School Improvementby Stephen Chappuis

Photo © Getty Images, Inc.

WINTER 2004 19

research-based evidence correlating specific leadership behaviors withhigher student achievement. From state departments, corporatefoundations, association-sponsored leadership academies, to univer-sity centers for improving leadership, there seems to be no shortageof guidance for school leaders.

The framework for leaders that follows (Chappuis, Stiggins,Arter, and Chappuis, 2004), is specific to assessment for learning.What distinguishes this framework from others and makes it a setof knowledge and skills that leaders should attend to it? Thereare two characteristics. First, standards-driven reform has creat-ed new knowledge requirements and responsibilities for schoolleaders. In today’s systems the bell curve is being replaced by thegoal of all students learning well. Instead of a teacher-centeredcurriculum, learning standards are public, and each child attainingthose standards is what counts. Assessing the standards—not justthrough large-scale accountability tests or even local short-cycle orcommon assessments, but day to day in the classroom, where stan-dards, instruction, and assessment are all pages in the same book—is a requirement for effective standards-based reform. Withoutspecific leadership knowledge linked to intentional action to ensureassessment quality and effective use, how is it that wecan expect success?

The second characteristic of this framework and why itis compelling for standards-based schools is the rewardin improved student learning brought about by the useof classroom assessment for learning. Described byFullan (2004) as “a high-yield strategy,” the researchreported on the topic helps explain why leadership knowledge andskill (see below) specific to it would be beneficial. The gains avail-able in student learning when classroom assessment is improved areconsiderable, some of the largest ever reported, and the learningeffects are of “particular advantage to low attaining students”(Black and Wiliam, 1998). Because of that, assessment for learn-ing has implications not just for school leaders but also for broad-er public policy: the research is conclusive, and improved learninglies within the grasp of anyone wishing to apply it.

Leadership Knowledge and Skill1. The leader understands the standards of quality for student

assessments and how to verify their use in their school/districtassessments.

2. The leader understands the principles of assessment for learn-ing and works with staff to integrate them into classroominstruction. (see Chappuis, Stiggins, Arter, and Chappuis,2004).

3. The leader understands the necessity of clear academic achieve-ment targets, aligned classroom-level achievement targets, andtheir relationship to the development of accurate assessments.

4. The leader knows and can evaluate the teacher’s classroomassessment competencies and helps teachers learn to assessaccurately and use the results productively.

5. The leader can plan, present, and/or secure professionaldevelopment activities that contribute to the use of soundassessment practices.

6. The leader accurately analyzes student assessment information,uses the information to improve curriculum and instruction,and assists teachers in doing the same.

7. The leader can develop and implement sound assessment andassessment-related policies.

8. The leader creates the conditions necessary for the appropriateuse and reporting of student achievement information, and cancommunicate effectively with all members of the school com-munity about student assessment results and their relationshipto improving curriculum and instruction.

9. The leader understands the attributes of a sound and balancedassessment system.

10. The leader understands the issues related to the unethical andinappropriate use of student assessment and protects studentsand staff from such misuse.

This set of 10 competencies is rooted in a set of strong beliefs aboutthe role assessment can play in student motivation and learning,beliefs that ultimately act as a foundation for practice (Stiggins,2004). As such, it isn’t about the leader checking off what actionwas taken during the course of the day. It is more about seeing andtaking advantage of the opportunities to improve student learningusing classroom assessment as the catalyst. Elmore (2004) has stat-ed that “knowing the right thing to do is the central problem ofschool improvement.” Waters helps us organize leadership intofour categories of knowledge: knowing why something is impor-tant, knowing what we need to do, knowing how to do it, andknowing when we do it. The 10 competencies can be summarizedand viewed using those categories, providing additional clarityabout how we might demonstrate competence.

Knowing What to Teach and How to Assess As school leaders, we don’t all need to have “that vision thing.” Butall of us do need to be able to work with others to set and achieve

“Waters helps us organize leadership into four categories of

knowledge: knowing why something is important, knowing

what we need to do, knowing how to do it, and knowing when

we do it.”

INSIGHT20

clear goals: clear goals for the school and staff, and most impor-tantly, clear learning targets for students. In many schools, statestandards still remain unclear or require further definition, andteachers have not been given the opportunity to learn and plantogether to teach, much less assess, the standards (Schmoker,2002). And because textbooks still substitute all too often as thewritten curriculum, a lack of clarity can exist in classroom cur-riculum. When this is the case, students can be unclear about thelearning expectations held for them, and the desired congruenceamong the written, tested, taught, and learned curricula goessearching. Competencies 1 and 3 are based on the belief thatbeing crystal clear about the learning targets we hold for studentsis the foundation of quality assessment. A fuzzy target is hard tohit: if the curriculum corner of the room is messy; by default, theassessment corner will be equally sloppy.

Ensuring that teachers get the time and support they need to worktogether to translate standards, benchmarks, frameworks, andgrade-level curriculum into clear, teachable, and assessable learn-ing targets is a leader’s responsibility. Where more than just timeis needed to make sense of the standards in terms of day-to-dayinstruction, leaders can turn to structured processes that helpteachers further specify grade-to-grade content and commit totime-bound plans for what is to be taught when, for how long,and at what grade level. Curriculum mapping (Jacobs, 1997) andthe process of vertical teaming from the College Board are strate-gies that provide such structure and direction, and build teacherownership of the written curriculum in the process.

Once they are clear for the adults in the system, translating theintended learning targets into student-friendly language givesan even clearer picture of our expectations. And when targetsare clear to teachers and students, teachers can then use stan-dards of assessment quality to turn the targets into reliableassessments. But what about assessment items that teachersselect instead of designing themselves? How are teachers toknow if items taken from an off-the-shelf test item bank, fromthe back of the textbook, or pulled from one of the countlessplaces on the Internet are accurate and of high quality and thatthey align with and assess the targets of instruction? We addressleadership responsibilities in this framework and show staff wecare about assessment quality when we structure discussions ofassessment accuracy and quality, and provide the professional train-ing teachers need to establish clear targets and apply standards ofquality to all assessments.

Some state tests assess only standards that are easily measured, withimportant content standards eliminated from the test as a result(CISA, 2001). Narrowing the curriculum to teach only to thoseitems covered on the test undermines a balanced curriculum, asvaluable learning goes untaught simply because it is untested at the

state level (Chappuis and Chappuis, 2002). The best test prepara-tion comes with a high-quality curriculum and good teaching. Ifother test preparation practices are in place, Competency 10 helpsleaders make sure those strategies are ethical.

How We Use Assessment as Instructionand Involve Students in the ProcessAssessment begins to look like instruction when we deeply involvestudents in the process. The principles of assessment for learning(Chappuis, Stiggins, Arter, and Chappuis, 2003) that are part ofCompetency 2 help make testing look more like teaching. Someexamples of what teachers do when applying those principles andinvolving students in the assessment process include:

• Keep students connected to a vision of quality as the learn-ing unfolds, continually defining for students the learningexpectations.

• Use daily strategies in the classroom that require students tothink about their own progress, communicate their ownunderstanding of what they have learned, and set goals toclose the gap between where they are now relative to theintended learning and where they need to be in order to meetstandards.

• Provide students descriptive feedback linked directly to theintended learning, giving them insight about currentstrengths and on how to do better next time, rather than eval-uative feedback consisting only of marks and letter grades.

• Engage students in activities that teach the skills of self-assess-ment, helping them collect evidence of their own progress.

• Gather accurate information about student achievement on aregular basis in the classroom using high-quality, accurateassessments for learning (Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, andChappuis, 2004).

How We Monitor Our PracticesSchmoker (2002) refers to the “anything goes” environment ofteacher supervision, citing a truce that has been called betweenteacher and supervisor. And Reeves (2003) points to the lack ofcriteria guiding administrator evaluation. Even when criteria arepresent, assessment knowledge and skill needed to evaluate in ameaningful way are frequently missing. This condition, coupledwith the fact that assessment competence is a requirement foronly a fraction of university pre-service programs, results in indi-cators of assessment competence not being expected or includedin evaluation processes for accountability purposes.

Bolton (1973) advocated that we link three key functions in aschool system, calling for one office that coordinated staff selection,staff evaluation, and professional development. We can use the

“A fuzzy target is hard to hit: if the curriculum corner of the room is messy; by default, the assessment

corner will be equally sloppy.”

WINTER 2004 21

teacher selection and interview process tohelp ascertain what applicants know anddon’t know about quality classroom assess-ment. We can then design the profession-al development program to provide whatsupport is needed, and finally, connectwhat it is that we want teachers to knowand do around quality assessment directlywith the teacher evaluation system.

All of this begs the bigger question:should teachers be held accountable forassessment competence through the evalu-ation function? This may not be possiblewhere teacher supervision and evaluationhave become less reliant upon direct obser-vation and summative processes, and aremore formative and personal/professionalgoal-oriented in structure. Indicators ofassessment competence are often absent inmore traditional summative evaluationmodels that rely upon formal classroomobservation using predetermined criteria.If we believe that a practice is worth know-ing and doing properly in the classroom,especially one that can either harm or helpstudents, some form of monitoring will berequired to ensure its implementation.Principals need to know whether or notteachers can describe:

• The purpose of each assessment given

• Who will use the results

• How the results will be reported

• When to use each assessment method(selected response, essay, performanceassessment, personal observation) andhow to do so correctly

• The criteria for evaluating studentwork, and clearly communicate thisto students in ways they understand

• How, when, and why they providedescriptive feedback

• How students are actively involved intheir own assessment

Seeing evidence of these and other indica-tors tells a principal that high-qualityassessment is a priority in the classroom,and that the teacher is taking advantage ofassessment for learning to improve stu-dent learning. And when the principal

holds regular discussions with teachersabout these issues and is capable of pro-viding meaningful feedback to teachers,regardless of the evaluation model inplace, conversations in the school begin tocenter on the importance of using assess-ment in ways that matter beyond finalreport card grades and test data analysis.

How We Communicateabout Student LearningAs leaders, we are responsible for creatingthe conditions necessary to support accu-rate and meaningful communication ofassessment results. That can look likeworking with parents to further theirunderstanding about what state and dis-trict tests measure and don’t measure, whatthe results show and don’t show, and howstudents are progressing toward standardsas opposed to faring against each other.

One condition the school leader musttend to, if we are to provide as accurate apicture of student learning as possible, is toensure that report card grades communi-cate what they should. Report card gradesare a communication tool. As such, wecan take steps to make sure they commu-nicate only about student achievement,and that they reflect the current level ofachievement for each student. Even bet-ter, we can transition from traditionalreport card grades to reporting studentprogress based upon the standards eachstudent is expected to attain at a particulargrade level or subject–area course.

ClosingThe standardized assessments of learningthat are part of NCLB or a district’s overallassessment plan can generate informationthat can be used to guide programmaticdecisions and direct the school improve-ment process. We all need to know how tocollect and make sense of the data, andthen drive decisions for students based onour analysis. Short cycle or commonassessments that are of high quality canhelp monitor more frequently studentprogress toward the standards. But therisk exists that we will come to believe thatgenerating even more data and moremarks for the grade book—that is, more

INSIGHT22

standardized assessments of learning—is the same thing as classroomassessment for learning.

It’s rewarding when test scores go up; sustaining that improvementover time is what we all are now called upon to do. What if webecame as focused on teaching students how to monitor, adjust,and improve their own learning using the classroom assessmentprocess as we are about helping teachers use data to improve theirown performance? The daily assessments for learning used byteachers that mirror good instruction and allow students to risklearning without being constantly graded, in balance with assess-ment of learning, can help schools meet the information needs ofall assessment users. We can use classroom assessment for high-stakes success, and watch all students celebrate the progress thatthey helped manage.

Stephen Chappuis is director of operations at the Assessment TrainingInstitute in Portland, Oregon, where he works with educators to helpestablish balanced and effective local assessment systems.

REFERENCESBarth, R. (1990). Improving schools from within: Teachers, parentsand principals can make a difference. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Black, P., and Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the black box: Raisingstandards through classroom assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(2):139–148.

Blanchard, K. and Johnson, S. (1982). The one-minute manager.New York: Morrow.

Bolton, D. (1973). Selection and evaluation of teachers. Berkeley,CA: McCutchan.

Chappuis, J., and Chappuis, S. (2002). Understanding schoolassessment: A parent and community guide to helping students learn.Portland, OR: Assessment Training Institute.

Chappuis, S., Stiggins, R., Arter, J. and Chappuis, J. (2003).Assessment for learning: An action guide for school leaders. Portland,OR: Assessment Training Institute.

Collins, J. (2001). Good to great. New York: Harper Collins.

Commission on Instructionally Supportive Assessment. (2001).Building tests to support instruction and accountability. Arlington,VA: American Association of School Administrators.

Covey, S. (1989). The seven habits of highly effective people. NewYork: Simon and Schuster.

Elmore, R. (2004). Knowing the right thing to do: school improve-ment and performance-based accountability. NGA Center for BestPractices: Washington, DC.

Fullan, M. (2004). Leadership and sustainability. A presentationgiven at the Assessment Training Institute: Portland, OR.

Gladwell, M. (2000). The tipping point. Boston: Little Brown & Co.

Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., and McKee, A. (2002). Primal leader-ship: Realizing the power of emotional intelligence. Boston, MA:Harvard Business School.

Hargreaves, A., and Fink, D. (2004). The seven principles of sus-tainable leadership. Educational Leadership. 61(7). Alexandria, VA:ASCD.

Jacobs, H. H. (1997). Mapping the big picture: Integrating curriculumand assessment K-12. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Peters, T., and Waterman, R. (1982). In search of excellence: Lessonsfrom America’s best run companies. New York: Harper and Row.

Reeves, D. (2003). Daily disciplines of leadership. A presentationmade for the Idaho Department of Education: Nampa, ID.

Schmoker, M. (2002). The real causes of higher student achievement.SEDLetter, 14(2). http://sedl.org/pubs/sedletter/v14n02/1.html

Senge, P. (1990). The fifth discipline. New York: Doubleday.

Sergiovanni, T. (2001). The principalship: A reflective practice per-spective. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Stiggins, R. (2004). New assessment beliefs for a new school mis-sion. Phi Delta Kappan, 86(1): 22-27.

Stiggins, R., Arter, J., Chappuis, J. and Chappuis, S. (2004).Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right—usingit well. Portland, OR: Assessment Training Institute.

Waters, J., Marzano, R., and McNulty, B. (2003). Balanced leader-ship: What 30 years of research tells us about the effect of leader-ship on student achievement. Mid-continent Regional EducationalLaboratory: Aurora, Colorado.

Photo © Getty Images, Inc.

WINTER 2004 25

Strategies to Meet the Challenge of the Age of Accountabilityby Sandra Harris

Many of us remember singing in the early 1970s about

“the dawning of the Age of Aquarius.” Today’s educa-

tors may hum the same tune, but the words have

changed. Now we’re singing about the dawning of the

Age of Accountability. Today in education so many

important decisions about students, teachers, adminis-

trators, and schools are based on results of mandated

standardized testing that there is no doubt that we are in

an age of accountability dominated by assessment.

State-mandated testing and the federal No Child Left BehindAct (NCLB) have continued to raise the bar of education and,at the same time, increase the tensions of testing. The NCLB,

approved in 2002, has mandated a large-scale system for state edu-cational standards and testing accountability that extends from thestudent to subgroups of children; to the school, the district, and thestate. It requires schools to show “adequate yearly progress” (AYP)in test scores among the general population as well as in disaggre-gated subgroups based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, anddisability. Many educators feel that the NCLB standards areimpossibly high, especially for schools that serve a large populationof special education students or English-language learning students.According to the U.S. Department of Education, only 1 percent ofstudents can be exempt from testing because they are in special edu-cation. All other students must test on grade level or be counted as

Photo © PhotoDisc

failures, despite disabilities. Furthermore, some state rankings cancontradict the NCLB federal rankings because the two accounta-bility systems apply test results differently.

In addition to the federally mandated NCLB, within the past 20years, all of the 50 states have adopted initiatives to raise academicstandards and have actually adopted some form of mandated stateassessment that students must pass in order to be promoted to thenext grade. Nearly half of the states have mandated assessments thatmust be passed for a student to graduate from high school. Schools inthe United States are identified by state, and range from low perform-ing to exemplary based on their test data. Gaining or losing necessaryfunds is tied to this same data. The accountability movement has notstopped at K–12 schools but has also extended into teacher andadministrator preparation programs in colleges and universities.

Many states, such as Texas, have established large databases (TexasAcademic Excellence Indicator System—AEIS, for example) that arepublished annually and are easily accessible to the public. The avail-ability of this type of data has been valuable in assisting educators indata-based decision making. While most educators agree that settinga high standard for student academic achievement is certainly appro-priate, there is concern that making major decisions about studentsand schools based on one form of standardized testing data is notappropriate. Others point out the possibility of teachers teaching tothe test to ensure that students will pass the test, and omitting otherimportant educational goals. Generally, when high-stakes tests areadministered, exam content tends to define curriculum, and previoustest content is emphasized to prepare students for the new test.

Thus, many educators feel that there should be a variety of assess-ments considered when making these high-stakes decisions aboutstudents and schools. For example, multiple assessments thatinclude the triangulation of standardized test information, portfo-lios, other student artifacts, and teacher input have been suggestedas ways to enhance the accountability system and make data-baseddecisions more accurate. However, at this point, mandated multiple-choice testing procedures are generally the source forwhich most major education accountability systems are based.

When accountability is based on such a limited view of assessment,students’ successful performance on state tests can become theschools’ ultimate goal, and test performance can become a surro-gate for educational quality. Therefore, school administrators whoare genuinely concerned about student achievement recognize thattheir responsibility is far greater to students than that of just helping

them score well on a test. Often, these leaders feel, and educationalresearch seems to agree, that working toward building a larger cul-ture of success at the school will also increase achievement scores.Roland Barth (2001) emphasized this in his book Learning by Heartby saying, “Show me a school where instructional leaders constantlyexamine the school’s culture and work to transform it into one hos-pitable to sustained human learning, and I’ll show you students whodo just fine on those standardized tests” (p. 12).

The Age of Accountability is here. And it is here to stay. Despitethe perceived shortcomings of today’s accountability movement,and while educators work toward an assessment policy that is amore fair and appropriate way to ensure accountability, studentsmust be educated. What can superintendents, principals, and uni-versity professors do to help students achieve academically withinthis high-stakes environment as it is today? The following arestrategies to consider.

What Can Superintendents Do? As the demands for accountability are heightened, superintendentsare faced more and more with the charge to improve studentachievement. One of the suggested ways to do this is to considerusing locally developed performance-based assessments that canprovide much-needed flexibility to the high-stakes state-mandated multiple-choice tests. Certainly, all local assessmentsshould connect to state and local content standards in order toprovide information needed at the local level that will betteridentify instructional strengths and weaknesses.

Richard Rothstein, a research associate with the Economic PolicyInstitute in Washington, D.C., recommends using local assessmentdata for a composite school performance index (Schroeder & Pryor,2001) that includes standard competencies in core academic areas.He also suggests the importance of superintendents leading theirschool districts to adopt methods of evaluating teacher quality,parental involvement, school facilities, class size, and school safetyissues to determine school accountability issues that cannot be iden-tified through high-stakes testing. Because it is the superintendentwho is responsible for ethical and legal implementation of districtgoals, it is the superintendent’s responsibility to lead in the challengeto ensure that all students have the opportunity to learn. This goalshould guide the improvement agenda in the district, and all districtand campus plan objectives should originate with this identifiedfocus. Ongoing data analysis is a critical element in this processand provides the important first step in the improvement of aca-demic achievement skills. Facilitating curriculum alignment toensure that all students are prepared for the Texas Assessment ofKnowledge and Skills (TAKS) is also a necessity. Other sugges-tions for supporting student learning and improving studentachievement on standardized tests include:

• Intervene early to meet student needs

• Control class size

• Support student attendance

• Ensure quality instruction

INSIGHT26

“Show me a school where instructional leaders constant-

ly examine the school’s culture and work to transform it

into one hospitable to sustained human learning, and I’ll

show you students who do just fine

on those standardized tests.”

• Maintain high expectations of students and faculty

• Collaborate with community health and safety officials

• Meet needs of at-risk students

• Involve the local community

• Assess achievement in many ways

• Align curriculum, instruction, and assessments

• Provide feedback

• Encourage teamwork

• Commit to obtaining resources

• Uphold a high standard of accountability for all

While these strategies should increase test scores, they are alsoimportant to the even larger challenge which is to implement, nur-ture, and sustain a culture of success for all students.

What Can Principals Do?The role of the principal, while different from that of the superin-tendent, is increasingly determined by the emphasis on high-stakestesting assessment. In fact, when listing difficult elements of thisposition, it is only in the past 10 to 15 years that high-stakes testinghas become an identified complex force on that list.

A critical role of the principal is that of instructional leader. In thiscapacity, principals are charged with supporting high standards withinstructional practices that provide optimal achievement for stu-dents. Like superintendents, principals acknowledge that their roleextends beyond testing to establish a larger climate for success. Inorder to do this, principals and other school administrators mustwork together to provide a school culture where change is linkedwith best practices. This means that principals must find time tospend in classrooms, supervise teachers, and participate in ongoingdialogue with teachers about teaching and learning. Clearly, today’sprincipal does far more than “supervise” teachers. Instead, effectiveprincipals are reflective practitioners who collegially act as coachesin leading professional development. Additionally, they engage incritical inquiry and study or research groups on their campuses.

Educational research is clear that the focus for bringing about posi-tive school reform, which includes improving student achievement,must emphasize direct influences, such as classroom management,student study skills and work habits, and instruction and motivation.While what happens in the classroom has a great effect on studentacademic achievement, the school culture itself is also important inreinforcing teaching and learning.

Strategies for principals who are instructional leaders to implementon their campuses include:

• Identify faculty who need training

• Identify grade levels that have low passing scores on standardized tests

• Interview faculty formally and informally to identify otherneeds on the campus

• Set objectives that transmit information

• Identify objectives that work toward changing attitudes of stu-dents, as well as campus personnel

• Develop technical skills to lead instruction

• Develop conceptual skills to improve decision making

• Develop human relation skills to increase leadership capacity

What Can University Preparation Programs Do?The challenge to improve schools through standardized accounta-bility and assessment systems has reached the university level also.The emphasis for educational reform that began in the early 1980sstarted with K–12 schools, but it soon spread to the recognition ofa need to improve leadership programs in higher education.Generally, the criticism of education leadership programs centeredaround three concerns: leadership preparation programs were tootheoretical, lacked collaboration with school districts, and were notadequately preparing leaders for the complex job of reformingschools. This led to creating standards by professional standardsboards, such as the National Council for the Accreditation ofTeacher Education (NCATE) and the Interstate School LeadersLicensure Consortium (ISLLC).

Some states have chosen to create their own standards for educators.For example, the Texas State Board for Educator Certification(SBEC) has adopted 9 competencies for principals and 10 compe-tencies for superintendents. Each of the competencies has descriptorsthat are described in terms of actual leadership practice in the field.

For example, Competency 004 for principals is:

The principal knows how to facilitate the design and imple-mentation of curricula and strategic plans that enhanceteaching and learning; ensure alignment of curriculum,instruction, resources, and assessment; and promote theuse of varied assessments to measure student performance.

WINTER 2004 27

Photo © Getty Images, Inc.

An example of a campus-based descriptorfor this competency is:

The principal knows how to facilitate the use of appropriateassessments to measure student learning and ensure edu-cational accountability.

Texas has also introduced high-stakes testing to the certification ofeducators by mandating that teachers, principals, and superintend-ents pass a standardized multiple-choice exam called the TexES,based on these competencies.

A 2004 publication by the Southern Regional Education Board,Progress being made in getting a quality leader in every school, is basedon the premise that improved student performance begins with aneffective school principal. This report documents the progress that16 southern states (including Texas) are making toward improvingleadership performance—using a scale of 1, meaning no progress,to 5, meaning substantial progress. Texas was one of only twostates that scored “substantial progress” in incorporating school-based experiences in leading school improvement into preparationprograms. Additionally, Texas was noted with “promising progress”in redesigning leadership programs around school curriculum andinstruction. Clearly, Texas universities and leadership preparationprograms are striving toward creating programs that will helpadministrators meet the challenge of increased accountability andassessment measures.

The Texas Professors of Educational Administration (TPEA)recently began collecting data about the 40 university educationalleadership preparation programs for principals. At this point, 24of the 40 programs have responded. Twenty-one of these programsrequire an internship in their principal degree program, as well asin their certification-only program (for individuals who alreadyhold a master’s degree). Twelve of the universities responding tothe study indicated that supports have been built into their pro-grams, such as better curriculum alignment, capstone classes,smaller classes, seminar courses, and review sessions to encouragebetter achievement on the state-mandated tests, and also to ensurethat graduating principals are being taught skills that align with themandated Texas competencies. Another question asked what con-cept areas were included in at least 50 percent of a course. All ofthe universities indicated that instructional leadership and curricu-lum were included. Supervision was included by 19 of the schools,with only 5 universities indicating that this was not included in atleast 50 percent of a course.

Additionally, 23 out of 24 universities indicated that the Texascompetencies were emphasized in each course. This is importantto note, since the competencies were created to correspond withthe many critical aspects of the role of the school leader.

Today, there are more than 500 universities in the United States thatoffer programs in school leadership at the master’s or doctoral level.Many of these programs have undergone extensive review alongwith the corresponding curricula to better respond to the needs ofadministrators today. Some of the strategies that universities haveadopted to improve leadership preparation programs include:

• Emphasizing instructional leadership skills

• Using simulations, case studies, role playing, and reflectivewriting

• Including field-based projects to integrate the academic programwith practice in the field

• Emphasizing hands-on participative learning

• Creating advisory committees composed of local administratorsto advise on academic content

• Adopting the cohort model for preparation programs

• Adding clinical internship experiences to preparation programs

• Placing administrators in training with mentors

Most university leadership preparation programs today recognizethe importance of being a bridge to prepare practitioners to besuccessful in the field. Many of the curricular and structural revi-sions are a direct result of the accountability movement. In addi-tion to being held accountable and mandated in assessments bytheir accreditation agencies and states, they are actively seekingways to help K–12 practitioners be successful in their challenge toeducate children.

ConclusionAccountability and assessment are critical components to the suc-cess of schools today, and administrators in K–12 schools anduniversities in Texas and across the nation are faced daily withmeeting this challenge. While doing so, they must rememberthat their priority commitment is not to testing programs but tohelping children achieve. With this in mind and working togeth-er, K–12 leaders and university preparation program leaders willbe equipped to lead children to achieve higher academic standardsthan ever before in this Age of Accountability.

Sandra Harris has been an educator for more than 30 years in publicand private schools. Currently, she is an associate professor teaching inthe doctoral program and principal/superintendent preparation pro-grams at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, as well as president ofthe Texas Professors of Educational Administration.

REFERENCESSchroeder, F., & Pryor, S. (2001). Multiple measures: Beginningwith ends. The School Administrator, 11(58), 22–25.

INSIGHT28

“Texas was one of only two states that scored

‘substantial progress’ in incorporating

school-based experiences…”

WINTER 2004 29

Improvement in a Small School Environmentby Jo Ann Bludau

How does a small school environment contribute to school improvement? Meek

(2002) reminds us that we must “organize our schools for largeness of thought

while also promoting the benefits of smallness: familiarity in relationships, a sense

of belonging, and a sense of community.” Sweet Home ISD is a K–8 district that has been

rated an Exemplary District by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for the last four years.

It has also been named a Title I Part A Distinguished School by the Texas commissioner of

education. The community of Sweet Home, Texas, is rural and agriculturally based. It is

located in Lavaca County between San Antonio and Houston. The town traces its roots as

a stop for cattle drives along the historic Chisholm Trail. Besides the school, the town has

a post office, volunteer fire department, a few businesses, a church, and a community cen-

ter. This is a middle- to low-socioeconomic community. Most families have dual incomes

with both parents employed full-time. A majority of the parents are employed by leather

manufacturing companies or in service positions.

Over the past six years, the district has moved from an acceptable to an exemplary accountability ratingas the district acquired additional funds, built capacity among staff members, and involved students andcommunity partners in meaningful service projects that benefit both the school and the community.The following TAAS results reflect continued improvement.

A Multi-Year History for Sweet Home Independent School District #143 905Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) Results on All Tests Taken

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

67.4% 76.4% 87.3% 94.0% 97.9%

Taken from the Texas Education Agency, tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/aeis/.

The School Improvement ProcessThe superintendent gains support and acceptance of the district’s goals and objectives by identifyingareas of concern and needs of staff and community members through a number of surveys and infor-mal conversations. Once these needs are identified, resources are appropriately allocated to enable staff

“Sweet Home ISD…

has been rated an

Exemplary District by

the Texas Education

Agency (TEA) for the

last four years.”

members to accomplish the goals and objectives. Over the pastseveral years, staff and community members have supported thesuperintendent’s mission to recognize problems and constructivelysolve them to benefit the entire school community. They haveproactively brought their ideas for improvement to her attention.

The district seeks community input on the development andevaluation of district policies through its monthly newsletter,periodic Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and CampusAdvisory Council (CAC) meetings, community surveys, andinformal conversations with community members. Policies arecommunicated to the staff and community using many of thesame methods mentioned above.

Upon the superintendent’s arrival, a Campus Advisory Council wasformed that more accurately reflected the representation in theschool community. The council was composed of business partners,student council members, and professional and paraprofessional staffmembers. All stakeholders are given an opportunity to make sug-gestions for improvement during quarterly CAC meetings by shar-ing their ideas through the annual school climate survey that isadministered in December and through special program surveysadministered in the spring. Trends are analyzed in the surveys andsuggestions are included in the development of the annual campusimprovement plan.

When the state accountability test results are delivered to the dis-trict, the superintendent and teachers carefully disaggregate thedata and share schoolwide and grade-level results with students,staff, parents, and school board members. This data, along withmore individualized student data, is used to plan the curriculumand instruction for the next school year.

Funding Our Commitment to EducationThe superintendent utilizes Texas Education Agency (TEA) templatesto determine enrollment projections and estimated state revenues.The district has examined the local tax effort from a historical per-spective and has outlined the benefits of increasing its local taxeffort. The school board also analyzes economic trends to deter-mine how to appropriately budget for district expenses and toappropriately compensate district employees.

The board develops the school budget each year keeping in mind theneeds of the teachers and students and effective instructional pro-grams. Additional funds are set aside for more expensive projects in

the future, so that the district can continue to provide a high-quality educational program in a safe environment for manyyears to come. State and federal grants have enabled the dis-trict to make updates to the district technology plan, as wellas make building and grounds improvements that benefit theschool and the entire community.

In the budget process, the superintendent has allocated suf-ficient resources for teachers, staff, and board members toattend staff development and continuing education sessions

to help them accomplish district goals. In the process of aligningcurriculum and instruction vertically, teachers have been given theopportunity to teach in areas where they are most qualified.Teachers have also been encouraged to assess students periodicallythroughout the year and share results with the administrator andthe board.

In addition to periodically updating the district policy manual,board members review monthly budget reports to better under-stand the budget process and to keep more informed on the budg-et status. Board members have opportunities to ask questions atmonthly meetings. They receive periodic updates on State Boardof Education (SBOE) rules and state and federal laws pertaining toschool finance.

Staffing and Honest Employee EvaluationsEvery year in the spring, the district sends home preregistrationforms for the next school year and estimates the number of studentsto be served in each grade level. The teachers and superintendenttogether determine the staffing needs and interview and hire appro-priate personnel as needed. Teachers have enjoyed and valued theopportunity to be involved in the interview process. Close relation-ships with newly hired employees is a result of their involvement inthe hiring process. The district has pulled together a cohesive groupof faculty, staff, board, and community members who are focused onstudent achievement.

The superintendent directly addresses staff members with any con-cerns and encourages them to consider proactive ways to addressparent and community concerns. In Leadership and the Force ofLove, John Hoyle (2002) explains that “leading with love whileevaluating performance means far more than applying the tools ofevaluation. The force of love works if the evaluation tools are usedto help the organization and each individual improve his or her jobperformance.” The philosophy of the superintendent is to be hon-est with employees and straightforward with her expectations ofemployee performance and behavior. Staff efforts are recognized inweekly staff bulletins, monthly newsletters, and personal notes. Allstaff members are publicly recognized and awarded for their yearsof service in the district.

Professional Growth and DevelopmentStaff members are encouraged to read articles in educational jour-nals and books focused on improving student achievement and

INSIGHT30

“…leading with love while evaluating performance means far

more than applying the tools of evaluation. The force of love

works if the evaluation tools are used to help the organization

and each individual improve his or her job performance.”

building learning communities. Title II funds are used to recruitand retain highly qualified teachers. Staff members and thesuperintendent have identified appropriate staff developmentopportunities. Staff members are provided with substitutes andtravel reimbursements, and those attending training sessions onSaturdays and during the summer are given stipends to compensatefor their time spent in training.

During the last two years, the superintendent has arranged profes-sional development training sessions on the Sweet Home campus.Educators from other small districts are invited to attend the train-ing sessions. These sessions have been well received by thoseattending. The district plans to continue providing professionaldevelopment sessions on the campus in the future.

The district has budgeted for and encourages school board membersto attend continuing education sessions offered in the area, includ-ing the annual Texas Association of School Boards/TexasAssociation of School Administrators Convention. Board membersnow have a better understanding of their roles, and staff membershave access to the latest information and technology to effectivelydo their jobs.

Focus on Curriculum and InstructionThe superintendent, in addition to being the campus principal, alsoteaches 8th grade social studies. She models the type of instructionthat she expects from the teachers and provides ideas and sugges-tions for improvement during walk-throughs and informal conver-sations with instructional staff members. She praises teachers foreffective lesson activities and helps them identify areas needingimprovement. Teachers have been receptive to ideas and to con-structive criticism. They have adjusted instruction to appropriatelymeet the needs of all students.

The teachers and superin-tendent developed an after-school and summer schoolprogram to meet the needs ofat-risk, low-achieving, andspecial education students.Teachers carefully monitorreading progress and administer periodic assessments in all subjectareas to identify students most in need of academic support. Parentshave been supportive of the instructional staff members’ attempts toprovide extra help in small groups after school and during the sum-mer. Many teachers and parents attribute student success to theseadditional opportunities to master the curriculum and to close theachievement gap.

Each summer the superintendent has budgeted for and set asidesummer curriculum and instruction planning days for instruc-tional staff members. Teachers carefully examine assessmentdata and plan instruction accordingly keeping in mind the indi-vidual student needs. Together, the superintendent and teachingstaff determine needed programs and services and eliminate or

modify ineffective programs in the district. During weekly staffmeetings and quarterly CAC meetings, the superintendent andteachers discuss the effectiveness of programs and strategiesaimed at increasing student achievement.

Character DevelopmentThe superintendent has worked with teachers and staff members tocreate a schoolwide discipline management system that valuesinstructional time and encourages leadership as well as respect andresponsibility. Students who do not comply with class rules aregiven opportunities to improve their conduct. Persistent and seri-ous disruptive behaviors are not tolerated. Violations are assessed,witnesses are consulted, and students are given an opportunity toprovide perspective. Appropriate consequences are administered inaccordance with the student code of conduct. Parents are oftennotified immediately through a telephone conversation and inwriting. Most parents in Sweet Home ISD appreciate the district’shigh expectations for student behavior and encourage the schooladministrators to hold their children to those expectations.

Student growth, while maintaining a safe and orderly school envi-ronment, is implemented with character education schoolwide.Several instructional staff members have participated in CapturingKids’ Hearts (Flippen Group, 2003) and Teen Leadership (FlippenGroup, 2004) training, which encourages teachers and students todevelop social contracts that allow teachers to teach and students tolearn in the classroom. As part of the character education curricu-lum, teachers incorporate lessons focusing on trustworthiness,respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship (CharacterCounts, 2000). Students are encouraged to show respect to teach-ers and students who are actively engaged in the learning processwhile transitioning in the halls between classes.

Maintenance of Facilities—Taking Pride in What We Have Upon the new superintendent’s arrival in the district, she organizeda volunteer clean-up day in which staff, parent volunteers, andcommunity members joined efforts and repainted the hallwaysinside the main building. Volunteer clean-up days have become atradition in Sweet Home ISD during the past four years, and vol-unteers have participated in a number of building and groundsimprovement projects during fall, spring, and summer. Students,parents, and community members have taken great pride in theirschool facilities and grounds and have initiated several projects ontheir own.

WINTER 2004 31

“Most parents in Sweet Home ISD appreciate the district’s high expectations

for student behavior and encourage the school administrators to hold

their children to those expectations.”

For example, the cafeteria manager has landscaped the front of thecafeteria building. Parent volunteers have landscaped other cam-pus areas. The superintendent, alongside the Sweet Home studentsand several parent volunteers, planted 25 live oak trees on the cam-pus. Students and volunteers continue to take care of the groundsand facilities on a weekly basis.

Productive School Board andSuperintendent RelationsDue to the small size of Sweet Home ISD, the superintendent hasan opportunity to visit with several board members on a daily basisas they drop off their children at school. Other board members areinformed of district issues, needs, and operations during telephoneconversations, through the school newsletter, or in preparation formonthly board meetings.

The importance of providing the necessary resources for teachers to dotheir jobs is stressed by the superintendent. Board members are awareof instructional programs that have been put in place to assist studentsneeding additional academic support, and board members as well as alarge number of parents and community members have been involvedin campus projects aimed at improving our building and grounds.Board members feel comfortable approaching the superintendent withconcerns, ideas, and suggestions for improvement.

Positive School-Community RelationsThe superintendent has an open-door policy and encourages every-one to bring concerns directly to her. She attends communityorganization meetings and events and encourages involvement inschool activities. Several organizations have made donations topurchase library books and to improve playground equipment. Apriest from a nearby Catholic church and other community lead-ers have been invited on many occasions for special programs.These programs have been well attended, and community mem-bers have praised the superintendent’s efforts to bring the schooland other community organizations together to meet the needs ofthe students. During the holiday season, students also travel toplaces of business to carol for business partners.

The district has identified opportunities to partner with the com-munity in developing, promoting, and achieving district goals.The superintendent has written and facilitated grant projects inSweet Home ISD that focused on “Getting Our Community Fitfor the Future” and “Sweet Home School: Learning and ServingOur Community.” The service learning projects combined theefforts of students, parents, community members, and businesspartners to install a walking track and make playground improve-ments to benefit the entire community. Participants have alsobeen involved in a local history project and engaged in mutuallybeneficial projects with area hospitals, nursing homes, veterans’associations, and charitable groups. During the 2003–2004school year, members of the student leadership team gave presen-tations to a number of civic organizations to describe the goals ofservice learning and to gather ideas for future service projects.

Small School LeadershipLambert (2003) notes, “Smallness doesn’t create community in andof itself, but it can create the conditions in which personal andlearning relationships can flourish. To care about others, we have toknow them. Familiarity enables us to care about each other and tocome to know ourselves in the process.” Many of the challengesfacing educators across the state and nation—including increasingaccountability standards; limited resources; and a lack of cohesionbetween the home, school, and community—often present evenmore difficulties for rural educators. However, a strong commit-ment to rural education and the belief in service to the communityhelped move this district from acceptable to exemplary.

Superintendent/Principal/TeacherAfter five years of working as ateacher and administrator inAustin ISD, 27-year-old Jo AnnBludau returned to her hometownof Sweet Home, Texas, as superin-tendent/principal/teacher, whereshe has served for the past six

years—in addition to working on her doctorate at TexasA&M University in College Station. In September of2003, she was named the Region 3 winner and one of fivefinalists for the Texas Association of School Boards’Superintendent of the Year program. Bludau believes thather interaction with students, teachers, parents, and com-munity members on a daily basis and her multiple perspec-tives and attendance in graduate-level courses have enabledthe district to remain on the cutting edge, maintaining itsexemplary quality of education.

REFERENCES

Character Counts (2000). Character counts. Lubbock, TX: TheLubbock Christian University Center for Character Development,the Josephson Institute and Character Counts.

Flippen Group (2003). Capturing kids hearts. College Station,TX: The Flippen Group.

Flippen Group (2004). Teen leadership. College Station, TX: TheFlippen Group.

Hoyle, J. (2002). Leadership and the force of love. Thousand Oaks,CA: Corwin.

Lambert, L. (2003). Leadership capacity for lasting school improve-ment. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision andCurriculum Development.

Meek, A. (February 2002). The benefits of smallness. Classroomleadership, 5(5), 8.

INSIGHT32

WINTER 2004 33

T E X A S A S S O C I A T I O N O F S C H O O L A D M I N I S T R A T O R S

ANNUAL REPORT2003–2004

The Texas Association of School Administrators was formed in 1925. The pur-

pose of the organization is to promote the progress of education in the state of

Texas. In pursuit of this objective, the association works for the improvement of

instruction and administrative practices in the schools of the state. The associ-

ation also works in close cooperation with the Texas Association of School

Boards and the American Association of School Administrators in all areas of

common interest.

Mission, Vision,Goals, and ObjectivesMissionThe mission of the Texas Association of School Administrators is to promote, provide, and develop leadershipthat champions educational excellence.

VisionTASA provides support for school leaders through: • Fostering programs and activities that focus on leadership development • Impacting laws, policies, and practices that will improve education• Supporting and promoting research-based decision making • Developing, retaining, and supporting highly qualified educational leaders • Cultivating positive school climates in which quality education can thrive • Enhancing the influence of and respect for educational leaders• Recognizing diversity and building on commonalities• Serving as a catalyst for cooperative efforts

General Goals and Objectives

INSIGHT34

Quality Student LearningTo promote and provide leadership for the advancementof education in order to attain programs that result inhigh levels of student achievement

Positive School ClimatesTo engage in activities that foster positive climates forlearning and to advocate as a high priority of our society apublic understanding of and support for quality education

Systemic School ImprovementTo promote ongoing, proactive leadership that recog-nizes and utilizes a systemic approach to improvementand restructuring in education

Ongoing ProfessionalDevelopmentTo offer high-quality, professional development opportu-nities for educational leaders in order to promote effec-tive organizational management and leadership

Proactive Governmental RelationsTo impact laws, regulations, and decisions to improvethe quality and effectiveness of education, and to elevatethe status of educational leaders in the governmentaldecision-making process

Advanced Educational TechnologyTo promote the development and effective utilization ofadvanced educational and administrative approachesand technologies

Synergistic OrganizationalRelationshipsTo recognize and respect diversity and to build uponcommonalities between educational organizations inefforts to achieve mutual goals for the benefit of Texasschoolchildren

Effective Member AssistanceTo provide educational leaders and their systems ofeducation with well-managed, innovative services thatassist in the orderly and effective discharge of profes-sional responsibilities for quality education programsand student achievement

WINTER 2004 35

MembershipThe membership of the Texas Association of School Administrators isa diverse group of education leaders—ranging from superintendentsand deputy superintendents to curriculum and personnel directors tobusiness managers. Our members are, generally, an involved, con-cerned group, and meeting their professional needs and goals is ofprimary importance to the association. With many different cate-gories of administrators, it is our challenge to offer professional devel-opment opportunities and services that will meet the unique needs ofthe largest possible percentage of our membership. There are fourcategories of dues-paying members:

Active Members are those who (1) meet the requirements for a pro-fessional administrator’s certificate as determined by the State Board ofEducation, (2) have equivalent professional training, (3) serve in admin-istrative positions, and/or (4) teach persons preparing for education oreducational administration.

Associate Members are individuals who are interested in any phaseof school administration and who are not eligible for active member-ship. TASA’s associate members include school architects, attorneysspecializing in school law, representatives of education-related busi-nesses and associations, and school suppliers. TASA’s associate mem-bers are valuable supporters of our programs, services, and purpose.They receive all TASA publications, but are not eligible to vote.

College/University/State Agency Members are professors whoare employed full-time in a college or university department of educa-tional administration and persons who are employed by Texas state

agencies. These members are eligible for active membership in theassociation upon payment of one-half the minimum annual membershipfor active members who are not superintendents.

Student Members are individuals currently enrolled in a college or uni-versity department of educational administration who are not employedin a full-time administrative position other than at the campus-level.Student members receive all TASA mailings and publications, but are noteligible to vote. Our student members are an enthusiastic, dedicatedgroup, and we look forward to welcoming them as active members oncethey attain full-time administrative positions.

Honorary Life Members are an important non-dues paying seg-ment of our membership. These retired administrators serve as thecornerstone of our association. Without their dedication and involve-ment, both past and present, TASA would not be the strong, viableassociation it is today. We promote and encourage their involvementin the association’s activities.

If you have questions about your membership, would liketo recommend individuals in your district for member-ship, or need additional information about becoming amember, please contact Barbara Schlosser, coordinator,Membership and Data Services, 512-477-6361 or 800-725-8272.

T E X A S A S S O C I A T I O N O F S C H O O L A D M I N I S T R A T O R SMembership Comparisons 1999–2000 through 2003–2004

Category 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04

Superintendent 992 991 988 978 986

Central Office* 660 673 712 726 746

Education Service Center 58 54 48 49 44

University/College 54 49 34 41 34

Association/Agency 15 15 13 17 9

Miscellaneous 32 38 31 38 27

Paid Life Retired 14 15 22 23 23

Total Active Members 1,825 1,835 1,848 1,872 1,869

Associate 161 157 141 141 132

Student 47 60 53 61 32

Total All Members 2,033 2,052 2,042 2,074 2,033

* Includes campus staff, charter school members, and private school members.

INSIGHT36

Investing inProgressAny strong, viable organization requires a continuing source of revenue to fulfill its goals and objectives, and TASA is noexception to that rule. In order to drive the development and delivery of association programs and services, TASA relieson diversified revenue sources, including membership support, the TASA/TASB Annual Convention, seminars and train-ing, corporate sponsorships, program endorsements, and building operations. The chart below illustrates TASA’s revenuesources for 2003–2004.

Total Revenue 2003–04

Membership Dues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16%Professional Development/Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43%Royalties/Sponsorships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15%Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5%Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1%Building Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3%Convention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17%Total Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100%

WINTER 2004

Governmental RelationsWith the active assistance of its members, TASA’s Governmental Relations Department plays a vital role in the leg-islative process. TASA is dedicated to supporting legislative policy that embraces the concepts of local control, stateresponsibility, and federal concern.

2003–2004 Highlights

• Devoted significant time, energy, and resourcesto legislative and state policy matters with thefinancial support of Legislative/GovernmentalConsultant Services (LCS), which was initiated byTASA during the 1997 legislative session; today,more than 200 districts provide monetary supportto these services.

• Engaged legislators and policymakers year roundin the legislative process; stayed involved withmany boards and agencies, including the StateBoard of Education, State Board for EducatorCertification, and Texas Education Agency; andactively addressed federal legislative initiatives.

• Monitored all bills filed during the third andfourth special sessions of the 78th Legislature relat-ed to education matters and prepared summariesof bills being tracked by TASA.

• Prepared and presented testimony on behalf ofthe association on bills of particular significance toTASA.

• Prepared amendments to modify legislation, andrecruited sponsors for those amendments.

• Provided continuous updates on legislativedevelopments on the association’s Web site,TASAnet.

• Published Capitol Watch, TASA’s online legislativenews bulletin, with regular updates during the spe-cial sessions.

• Published TASA XPress News, a publicpolicy/legislative fax subscription service,regarding news and information on stateand local education issues.

• Sponsored a study prepared by Moak,Casey & Associates, LLP, resulting in twodocuments to help lawmakers, taxpayers,and parents understand what goods andservices were purchased by school dis-tricts and how those purchases con-tributed to the education process: A CostAnalysis for Texas Public Schools and The TexasEducation Dollar—Where Does It Go?

• Joined the Coalition to Invest in Texas Schoolsto establish a unified effort in the legislative debatesurrounding public school finance.

• Collaborated with other participating organi-zations in the Coalition to develop Core Principleson School Finance, focusing on equity, adequacy,capacity, local responsibility, and our opposition tovouchers, which served as a framework during thespecial session for evaluating legislative proposalsrelated to school finance.

• Participated in media events and Coalition brief-ings to educate the public about the critical needfor increased funding for Texas public schools.

If you have questions

for TASA’s

Governmental Relations

Department, please

contact Associate

Executive Director Amy

Beneski, 512-477-6361

or 800-725-8272.

37

INSIGHT38

• Redesigned TASAnet, the association’s Web site, tofit the new demands of association members andstaff—more user-friendly, tightly integrated with mem-bers’ real-life needs, and packed with the latestadministrative information and tools.

• Implemented an online registration system for allassociation-related events to encompass a broadrange of functions and capabilities.

• Maintained a Web site for the Coalition to Investin Texas Schools (investintexas.org), which is devot-ed to keeping parents, teachers, legislators, andmedia outlets informed on the latest developments inTexas school funding.

• Enhanced Interchange, TASA’s news bulletin, to aquick-to-read format required by today’s busy educa-tion leaders, with links to additional and/or relatedinformation on TASAnet. (Began sending to members’e-mail boxes effective September 2004.)

• Redesigned INSIGHT, TASA’s professional journal, toinclude departments on Upcoming Events at TASAand a Highlight on TASA Services, and moved from aquarterly to triannual distribution (spring/summer,fall, and winter).

• Created TASA’s Employment Central, featuringTASA’s Educator Job Bank—an interactive, search-able resource for school districts that are posting jobsas well as for educators who are seeking employmentin Texas schools—and Texas REAP—a district sub-scription service that carries you from recruitingthrough hiring through integrating information intoyour current database.

• Launched a Compliance & CommunicationCenter, offered in cooperation with TransACTCommunications, Inc. to make communication withparents a lot easier, including NCLB ParentNotifications—a regular subscription in English withforms in other languages for a small additional fee—andGenEd Parent Notifications—an extensive translationlibrary available in 23 languages and growing.

• Contributed to campaign efforts of the 150th

Birthday Celebration of Texas Public Schools withhighlights of major education events.

• Updated The Texas Superintendent’s Contract:Reference Manual and Drafting Guide, in coopera-tion with General Counsel Neal W. Adams; availableelectronically to active TASA members as well asthrough the Superintendent’s e-Library forAdministrator’s Resource Center (ARC) members.

• Published the annualTASA MembershipDirectory, Who’s Whoin Texas Public Schools,with distribution to allTASA members; extracopies are available at anominal fee. (2004–05Directory will mail inearly January.)

Communications& Information SystemsTASA makes every effort to maintain a strong and active communications program—providing information that canhelp members command respect, spur activity, and win public support in their districts.

2003–2004 Highlights

If you have suggestions, comments, or concerns that you would like to express to TASA’sCommunications and Information Systems Department, please contact Assistant ExecutiveDirector Ann Halstead, 512-477-6361 or 800-725-8272.

WINTER 2004

Professional DevelopmentA great portion of time, energy, and talent on the part of TASA’s professional development and special services staff, as well as theadvisory committees that assist them, are devoted to planning and executing effective programs designed to meet the needs of today’seducation leader.

2003–2004 Highlights

New Initiatives• Assumed hosting responsibility for the Administrators’

Midwinter Conference from TEA, opened registration onSunday and hosted an Early Arrivals Welcome Reception,included Leader-to-Leader Forums on Critical Issues, andfeatured a Strand on School Finance.

• Initiated the Department of Instructional Support andLeadership Development (formerly ProfessionalDevelopment Department) with expanded goals aligned toTASA’s Mission, Goals, and Vision Statement.

• Initiated a Handheld Technology Leadership Academy(h2TLA) to offer superintendents, central office adminis-trators, principals, assistant principals, and teacher lead-ers a “hands-on” approach to mastering the handheldcomputer.

• Initiated a partnership with the Schlechty Center forLeadership in School Reform to support school reform inidentified Texas school districts through a customizedStandard-Bearer School District Network for Texas.

• Redesigned ongoing training programs offered throughthe Texas Leadership Center and the Texas CurriculumManagement Audit Center to include noted experts incurriculum, assessment, and instructional improvement.

• Expanded curriculum management audit services toinclude reading and math audits and individual schoolaudits for underperforming schools.

• Conducted the first Budget Boot Camp to empower super-intendents with the necessary skills to successfully designa district budget.

General Events• 43rd Annual TASB/TASA Convention• TASA 12th Annual Spring Conference for School Executives• TASA 56th Annual Summer Conference on Education• Cosponsor of the 18th Annual Texas Assessment

Conference and 15th Annual Texas Association ofCollegiate Testing Personnel Conference

• Administrators’ Midwinter Conference• TASA Education Expo (in conjunction with the Midwinter

Conference on Education) • TASA/Texas A&M University Administrative Leadership

Institute• TASA/AASA 14th Annual School Facilities Workshop

Executive Development • TASA 12th Annual First-time Superintendents’ Academy

(Four Sessions) • Aspiring Superintendents’ Academy (Three Sessions)• Learning for Leadership: A Mentoring Program for Texas

Superintendents• Budget Boot Camp• Strategic Planning Institute (in affiliation with The

Cambridge Group)

Texas Curriculum Management Audit Centeroffered in cooperation with Curriculum Management Systems,Inc., focused specifically in optimizing audit services for Texasschool districts in a cost-effective manner; conducted four cur-riculum management audits (San Diego, La Porte, Liberty-Eylau,and Eagle Pass ISDs) and offered customized seminars for districts, thus saving the high costs of travel for school leaders.• Walk-Through Supervision with Reflective Feedback to

Maximize Student Achievement (Conducted three seminars—two in Ysleta ISD and one in Wichita Falls ISD)

• Leaving No Child Behind: 50 Ways to Raise Students’ TestScores

• TAKS: Preparing Students and Teachers for Success

Texas Leadership Centera 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by TASA that pro-vides services and seminars to strengthen the leadership ofTexas schools.• Technology Leadership Academy• H2TLA Handheld Technology Leadership Academy• Leadership Development Process Four-day Participant-

Level Training• Leadership Development Process Two-Day Training of

Trainers• D.E.C.I.D.E.: Six Steps in Conflict Resolution (Training of

Trainers)• Building Vertical Teams (Training of Trainers)

If you have questions regarding activities of theTexas Curriculum Audit Center, Texas LeadershipCenter, or Strategic Planning, please contactTASA Associate Executive Director Judith de laGarza or Assistant Executive Director Betty Burks,Instructional Support and LeadershipDevelopment; for questions regarding generalevents or executive development, please contactTASA Associate Executive Director Paul Whitton,Jr., Administrative Services, 512-477-6361 or800-725-8272.

39

Administrative ServicesThe Administrative Services Department monitors current research, trends, and developments in education and providesprofessional assistance and support to TASA members on matters related to school leadership and management.

2003–2004 Highlights

INSIGHT40

• Created the Administrator’s Resource Center (formerlyAdministrative Services Resource Center) with expand-ed services for sub-scribers, includingdevelopment of aSuper in tendent ’s e-Library, access toan ARC subscribers-only section onTASAnet, and abiweekly e-Bulletin.

• Continued partnership activities with the EducationalResearch Service (ERS), offering ARC subscriptionservices designed to keep school district leadershipteams alert and highly informed.

• Administered TASA’s Legal Support Program, whichoffers two hours of legal consultation related to thesuperintendent’s employment contract, superintend-ent/board relations, and other topics related to pro-fessional duties andemployment rights (provid-ed through TASA byGeneral Counsel Neal W.Adams, Adams, Lynch &Loftin, P.C.).

• Conducted three comprehensive facility planningstudies (Clarksville ISD, Spearman ISD, and West

Oso ISD), and one Demographic Study (SouthSan Antonio ISD) designed to assist school dis-tricts in addressing requirements related tospace, educational programming, and long-range planning.

• Planned and coordinated or co-directedmajor statewide conferences and execu-tive development programs (See listingunder Professional Development).

• Expanded TASA’s field services to include a memberservices representative for each ESC region in thestate.

• Assisted in liaison activities with the AmericanAssociation of School Administrators, the TexasAssociation of School Boards, and other professionalassociations and state agencies.

• Represented the association at national, state,regional, and local meetings.

…working to better serve your needs.

If you have questions regarding activities of the Administrative Services Department,please contact TASA Associate Executive Director Paul Whitton, Jr., 512-477-6361 or800-725-8272.

WINTER 2004

Awards& Scholarships

Golden Deeds AwardTASA Executive Director Johnny L. Veselka was namedrecipient of the 2003 Golden Deeds for Education Award,presented by Texas A&M University at its annualAdministrative Leadership Institute in November 2003.The Golden Deeds Award honors an individual who hasmade significant contributions to improving the education-al system to enrich the lives of all Texas school students.The recipient is nominated through a statewide committeecomposed of Texas school leaders. Veselka accepted theaward on behalf of TASA members.

Honorary Life Forty-nine educators received Honorary Life Membershipsin January 2004. Honorary Life Membership is extendedto individual members, upon approval of the ExecutiveCommittee, who are in good standing at the time of retire-ment, have 10 or more years of TASA membership, andhave completed 25 years of active service in the educationprofession. Nominations for Honorary Life Membershipare accepted and reviewed annually.

National Superintendent of the YearRichard E. Berry, superintendent, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD,was selected as the Texas nominee for the 2004 NationalSuperintendent of the Year program. Established in 1988and cosponsored by the American Association of SchoolAdministrators (AASA) and ARAMARK ServiceMasterFacility Services, this award is bestowed on a superin-tendent who has demonstrated all-around outstandingleadership. The National Superintendent of the Year hasthe opportunity to personally present a $10,000 scholar-ship to a deserving student from his or her high schoolalma mater.

Texas School Board AwardsTASA named the Lufkin ISD Board of Trustees as theOutstanding School Board of Texas for 2003. (LewisvilleISD won the award for 2004.) Also honored as 2003Texas Honor School Boards were Boerne ISD (Region20), Denton ISD (Region 11), Midland ISD (Region 18),and Pasadena ISD (Region 4). TASA created the SchoolBoard Awards competition in 1971 to recognize thoseschool boards that demonstrate outstanding service tothe children of Texas.

Membership AwardsRegion 18 achieved 100 percent TASA membershipamong superintendents for the 2003–2004 membershipyear. In recognition, Leonard Kent, Region 18’s member-ship chair, was presented the Top-Cat Award at the 2004TASB/TASA Convention, and Leonard E. Merrell was pre-sented the Top-Top Cat Award for having served as the2003–2004 state membership chair.

Texas Discover Card Tribute Award ScholarshipsUp to nine $2,500 scholarships are awarded annually toapplicants in each state who maintain at least a 2.75cumulative grade-point average and who are judged to bethe best all-around students based on their outstandingaccomplishments in three of the four following criteriaareas: special talents, leadership, community service, andobstacles overcome. TASA coordinates a state-level judg-ing panel composed of representatives from the education,business, and nonprofit sectors.

2004 TEXAS DISCOVER CARD SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Blake C. BillingsTyler ISDDavid Simmons, superintendent

Hue T. DaoDinh Xuan T. PhanArlington ISDMac Bernd, superintendent

Laura B. ShineNavasota ISDDavid Faltys, superintendent

Elizabeth K. SneedVan ISDJoddie W. Witte, superintendent

Stephanie N. VivarConroe ISDDonald Stockton, superintendent

Matara L. WrightHouston ISDKaye Stripling, superintendent

Connie YuKaty ISDLeonard E. Merrell, superintendent

41

INSIGHT42

TASA Corporate PartnerProgramIn 2003–2004, TASA received support from 20 corporate partners, mutually benefiting theassociation and the corporate partner. TASA’s Corporate Partner Program offers a wide arrayof advertising, sponsoring, and exhibiting opportunities for businesses that are interested insupporting the association and expanding their recognition and visibility in Texas. Each levelof the program is designed to offer our partners quality exposure to association members.Partners at the President’s Circle, Platinum, and Gold levels also have the option of cus-tomizing special events and opportunities. A listing of the various levels and opportunities forCorporate Partners is available online at www.tasanet.org.

2003–2004 Corporate Partners

President’s CircleApple

Curriculum Advantage

Scholastic

PlatinumChampionship Fund Raising

SHW Group, LLP

GoldARAMARK

D.S.A., Inc.

The Princeton Review

SilverAssured Indoor Air Quality

CompassLearning, Inc.

ETS Pulliam

Taylor/Balfour

Bronze3D/International, Inc.

Achieve3000

Alton Lynch Associates

First Southwest Company

National Brand Marketing

Scientific Learning

Sodexho School Services

TCG Consulting, Inc.

If you have questions regarding the association’s Corporate Partner Program,please contact TASA Executive Director Johnny Veselka, 512-477-6361 or800-725-8272.

WINTER 2004

TASA Executive CommitteeJune 1, 2004–May 31, 2005

The Executive Committee is the primary decision-making body of the association. The twenty regional members (elect-ed by association members from within their region), four at-large members (each president appoints, subject to approvalby the Executive Committee, two active members from under-represented segments of the membership who serve inthese at-large positions on the Executive Committee for a two-year term, beginning simultaneously with the president’sterm), and four officers (president, president-elect, vice-president, and past president) work closely with TASA’s executivedirector and staff to conduct the business of the association. The TASA Legislative Committee chair also serves on theExecutive Committee.

Officers Executive Committee

PRESIDENTMichael HinojosaSuperintendentSpring ISD (4)16717 Ella BoulevardHouston, TX 77090-

4299281-586-1100fax 281-586-1134

PRESIDENT-ELECTAlton J. FieldsSuperintendentPleasanton ISD (20)831 Stadium DrivePleasanton, TX 78064-

2499830-569-1200fax 830-569-1249

VICE-PRESIDENT Kay E. WaggonerSuperintendentRed Oak ISD (10)P.O. Box 9000Red Oak, TX 75154-

9000972-617-2941fax 972-617-4333

PAST PRESIDENTDawson R. OrrSuperintendentWichita Falls ISD (9)P.O. Box 97533Wichita Falls, TX 76307-

7533940-720-3273fax 940-720-3228

Arturo GuajardoSuperintendentPharr-San Juan-Alamo

ISD (1)P.O. Box YPharr, TX 78577-1225956-702-5600fax 956-702-5648

Karen G. RueSuperintendentTuloso-Midway ISD (2)P.O. Box 10900Corpus Christi, TX 78460-

0900361-241-3286fax 361-241-5836

Tom R. Jones, Jr.SuperintendentTidehaven ISD (3)P.O. Box 129El Maton, TX 77440361-588-6321fax 361-588-7109

Rick SchneiderSuperintendentPasadena ISD (4)1515 CherrybrookPasadena, TX 77502-1799713-920-6800fax 713-475-7907

Gail KrohnSuperintendentNederland ISD (5)220 North 17th StreetNederland, TX 77627-

5029409-724-2391fax 409-724-4280

Steve R. JohnsonSuperintendentCollege Station ISD (6)1812 Welsh AvenueCollege Station, TX 77840-

3198979-764-5400fax 979-764-5535

Dee W. HarttSuperintendentTatum ISD (7)P.O. Box 808Tatum, TX 75691-0808903-947-6482fax 903-947-3295

Eddie JohnsonSuperintendentHarts Bluff ISD (8)Route 8, Box 1505Mount Pleasant, TX

75455-9751903-572-5427fax 903-572-4699

Randel R. BeaverSuperintendentArcher City ISD (9)P.O. Box 926Archer City, TX 76351-

0926940-574-4536fax 940-574-4051

H. John FullerSuperintendentWylie ISD (10)P. O. Box 490 Wylie, TX 75098-0490972-442-5444fax 972-442-5368

Vernon N. NewsomSuperintendentMansfield ISD (11)605 East Broad StreetMansfield, TX 76063-1794817-473-5600fax 817-473-5465

George KazanasSuperintendentChina Spring ISD (12)P. O. Box 250China Spring, TX 76633254-836-1115fax 254-836-0559

Ryder F. WarrenSuperintendentMarble Falls ISD (13)2001 BroadwayMarble Falls, TX 78654-

4803830-693-4357fax 830-693-5685

Rick HowardSuperintendentComanche ISD (14)405 North Lane StreetComanche, TX 76442-

2328915-356-2727fax 915-356-2312

Alan RicheySuperintendentBronte ISD (15)P.O. Box 670Bronte, TX 76933-0670325-473-2511fax 325-473-2313

Robin D. AdkinsSuperintendentPerryton ISD (16)P.O. Box 1048Perryton, TX 79070-1048806-435-5478fax 806-435-4689

Mike MotheralSuperintendentSundown ISD (17)P.O. Box 1110Sundown, TX 79372-1110806-229-3021fax 806-229-2004

Michael DownesSuperintendentBig Spring ISD (18)708 11th PlaceBig Spring, TX 79720432-264-3600fax 432-264-3646

Paul L. VranishSuperintendentTornillo ISD (19)P.O. Box 170Tornillo, TX 79853-0170915-764-2366fax 915-764-2120

John FolksSuperintendentNorthside ISD (20)5900 Evers RoadSan Antonio, TX 78238-

1699210-706-8770fax 210-706-8772

At-Large Members

Robert DuronSuperintendentSocorro ISD (19)12300 Eastlake DriveEl Paso, TX 79928-5400915-937-0013fax 915-860-7137

Michael G. KillianDeputy SuperintendentLewisville ISD (11)P.O. Box 217Lewisville, TX 75067-0217972-539-1551fax 972-539-0239

Thomas Earl RandleSuperintendentLamar CISD (4)3911 Avenue IRosenberg, TX 77471-

3960281-341-3120fax 281-341-3129

Shelley SweattExecutive Director for

Curriculum & InstructionBurkburnett ISD (9)416 Glendale StreetBurkburnett, TX 76354-

2499940-569-3326fax 940-569-4776

43

INSIGHT44

TASACommitteesTASA depends on an active network of volunteers to serve on association committees. TASA committees serve two impor-tant purposes. First, they provide a forum for TASA to address a vast array of important issues. Through its committees,TASA successfully interacts with other state and national education-related organizations, and conducts association businesswith broad member representation. Second, and equally important, by inviting individuals to serve who represent a cross-section of the membership, the association ensures that diverse needs are met and opinions are heard. Policy/advisoryand procedural committee appointments are made by the TASA president with recommendations from Executive Committeemembers and the executive director. A listing of committee members is available online at www.tasanet.org.

Policy/Advisory CommitteesAdministrative Services Committee. Members help evaluateongoing services offered by TASA through the Administrator’s ResourceCenter and assist in identifying and developing future TASA services toaddress member needs.

Central Office Advisory Committee. Members provide input to theExecutive Committee and staff on association programs and servicesthat are of particular benefit to TASA members who are not superin-tendents.

Communications and Technology Committee. Members of thiscommittee have responsibility for developing recommendations to theExecutive Committee and staff regarding (1) effective strategies for com-munication with TASA members, elected officials, the media, and thepublic; and (2) the use and integration of technology in the association’sprograms and services.

Corporate and Business Partnerships Committee. Members ofthis committee review and make recommendations to the ExecutiveCommittee regarding TASA’s Corporate Partner Program, product/serviceendorsements, and business relationships with companies that provideproducts and services to Texas schools.

Editorial Advisory Committee. Members of this committee arechairs of TASA’s major committees and the TASA president-elect, and ischaired by the TASA president. Committee members provide input to theTASA staff regarding the scope and content of the association’s journal,INSIGHT. Committee members are contacted, discussions carried out,and input solicited via the Internet.

Higher Education Committee. Members of this committee areresponsible for developing recommendations to the ExecutiveCommittee and staff regarding areas of study, projects, and programsthat should be considered by the association. According to the TASAbylaws, three of the committee members shall be officers of the TexasProfessors of Educational Administration.

Leadership Development Committee. Members of this committeeare responsible for developing recommendations to the ExecutiveCommittee and staff regarding the leadership development needs ofsuperintendents and other administrators, and the association’s train-ing programs, seminars, conferences, and related topics.

Legislative Committee. Members of this committee help developTASA’s legislative program and advise the Executive Committee andstaff on the direction the association should take regarding legislativeissues and assist in presenting periodic reports on legislative issues atregional study group meetings.

(Term: Two years, staggered, except for the Legislative Committee,which is appointed for a two-year term on June 1 following each legislative session.)

Procedural CommitteesAudit Committee. Members of this com-mittee review the association’s audit reportprepared annually by TASA’s certified publicaccountant.

Budget Committee. This committee iscomprised of the president, president-elect,vice-president, and past president).Members review the annual TASA budget andmake recommendations to the ExecutiveCommittee.

Canvassing Committee. Members of thiscommittee meet immediately followingstatewide and/or regional TASA elections toverify and tally ballots.

(Term: One year)

Special CommitteesBuilding and Development Committee(continuing appointment, past presidents)

Commissioner’s TASA Cabinet ofSuperintendents (elected in each region;at-large members appointed by TASA withapproval of commissioner of education)

President’s Cabinet (includes president,president-elect, vice-president, and last threeimmediate past presidents)

School Architecture ScreeningCommittee (appointed jointly with TASB)

School Board Awards Committee(appointed annually by the TASA president)

TASA edPAC Candidate CoordinatingCommittee (includes president, president-elect, and legislative chair)

TASB Legal Assistance Fund Board ofTrustees (includes TASA president andpresident-elect)

Texas A&M Administrative LeadershipInstitute Planning Committee (appointedjointly with A&M)

(Term: One year unless otherwise specified)

WINTER 2004

Texas Association of School Administrators2004–2005 Staff

CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS STAFF

Executive Director—Johnny Veselka (8/5/74)

Associate Executive Director, Administrative Services—Paul Whitton, Jr. (2/1/01)

Associate Executive Director, Governmental Relations—Amy Beneski (5/6/02)

Associate Executive Director, Instructional Support and Leadership Development, Texas Leadership Center—Judith de la Garza (1/5/04)

Assistant Executive Director, Communications and Information Systems—Ann Halstead (11/17/86)

Assistant Executive Director, Instructional Support and Leadership Development—Betty Burks (1/19/04)

Director, Special Services—Pat Johnston (1/4/70)

Chief Accountant—Donna Robinson (5/7/02)

Executive Assistant, Special Projects (CSP)—Elizabeth Saenz (7/1/03)

Coordinator, Membership and Data Services—Barbara Schlosser (1/23/02)

Graphics Coordinator—Emmy Starr (1/1/01)

Editorial Coordinator—Karen Limb (3/13/91)

Communications Specialist—Mark Pyeatt (3/1/00)

Webmaster—Albert Rivas (1/1/01)

Registration Coordinator—Brettany Rhodes (1/1/01)

Staff Accountant—Angela Petreczko (2/3/03)

Executive Secretary, Executive Director’s Office—Barbara Hardin (3/17/97)

Coordinator, Marketing and Administrative Services—Jill Podlech (10/1/02)

Administrative Secretary, Governmental Relations—Denise Biggs (5/28/02)

Administrative Secretary, Instructional Support and Leadership Development—Rachel Cooper (12/1/2004)

Receptionist/Secretary—Marita Rogers (9/1/88)

MEMBER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVES

Regions 1, 2, and 19—M. Roel Peña

Regions 3, 13, and 20—VACANT

Regions 4 and 5—Stephanie Cravens

Regions 6, 8, and 12—Terry Harlow

Region 7—Jimmy Partin

Regions 9, 16, and 17—Larry Coffman

Regions 10 and 11—Lloyd H. Treadwell

Regions 14, 15, and 18—Roy Dodds

CONSULTANT

Strategic Planning/Facility Planning—Jerry Gideon

* Dates in parentheses represent dates of employment.

45

INSIGHT46

TASA’s Administrator’s ResourceCenter Subscribers GainedAnother Benefit!

Two information-packed electronic libraries:

WINTER 2004 47

• TASA Superintendent’s e-Library—a searchable comprehensivecollection featuring all TEA correspondence since 1999, Attorney General opinions,the Texas Administrative and Education Codes, resources on school finance and legalissues, legislation and legislative proposals from current legislative sessions, NCLB-related documents, and more. ARC district superintendents recently receivedinstructions via e-mail on how to log on to TASA’s NEW Superintendent’s e-Library,which is accessible to your district and campus administrative staff. If you are notsure of the status of your ARC subscription or would like to subscribe to thisunique service, contact Barbara Schlosser in the TASA office, 512-477-6361 or800-725-8272.

• ERS e-Library—the most current research on key education issuesright on your desktop. Your ARC subscription gives you easy access to ERSresearch documents, successful school practices, and information from otherorganizations on high-priority topics. An ERS username and password wererecently e-mailed to each ARC district superintendent from ERS/TASA. To logon, go to the ERS e-Library login page, http://e-Library.ers.org/, and follow thedirections to “Create a User Login.” If you are a current ARC subscriber and didnot receive your authorization code, please contact ERS at 800-791-9308.

Highlight on:

TASA Services

Learn more about TASA’s Administrator’s Resource Center at TASAnet.org.

INSIGHT48

20

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AMARILLO ISD

AUSTIN ISD

HIGHLAND PARK ISD

KATY ISD

WINTER 2004 49

Child-centered and teacher-focused. These two descriptors,above all others, represent the philosophy of the LewisvilleISD Board of Trustees, recipient of TASA’s 2004

Outstanding School Board of the Year Award.

Because this seven-member group demonstrates other necessaryskills, including a commitment to higher levels of studentachievement; a charge of astute financial leadership; a duty toimpact school funding methods; an obligation to provide ade-quate facilities, technology enhancements, and continuous facili-ty renovation; and a responsibility to proactively communicatewith the citizens of our school district, our task was half completein submitting a nomination for the award.

Jerry Roy, superintendent of Lewisville ISD, knew he had a winningteam and was eager to see the board recognized for its leadership.His decision to nominate Board President Mark Shaw; Vice-President Fred Placke; Secretary Carol Kyer; and members KathyDuke, Tom Ferguson, Tommy Kim, and Anita Nelson for TASA’sOutstanding School Board Award was an easy one. Building thenomination was a bit more complex.

Rather than justifying “why” we sought recognition for our schoolboard, we are offering this article as a “how-to” guide to assist otherdistricts interested in pursuing the prestigious TASA award. We are

providing a few hints on how to recognize a superior board, but themain thrust of this article is devoted to the steps Lewisville ISDtook in preparing the nomination and the public relations andcommunication efforts we employed once the various award levelswere announced.

Step One: Identifying an Outstanding Board It goes without saying that before embarking on any award nomi-nation, it is imperative the “product” is one that is exemplary. InLewisville ISD, we were convinced that our school board was an“exemplary product,” and we knew we could pull from many filesof documentation for illustration.

Outstanding boards are easily recognized. They focus on childrenand programs. They support teachers and other school personnel byproviding competitive salaries and necessary teaching tools. Theyhave a strong team-player attitude. They are comrades for kids.They set policies and procedures and hold administrators and teach-ers accountable for implementation. They have an unusually strong,long-term, board-superintendent relationship. They rely on educa-tors to carry out daily school operations. They don’t micromanage.They create a tremendous environment of trust.

Your school board may exhibit these same qualities. If so, congrat-ulations! You are well on your way in the nomination process.

(Back row) Kathy Duke, member, Tom Ferguson, member, FredPlacke, vice-president, Tommy Kim, member; (front row) Carol Kyer,secretary, Mark Shaw, president, Anita Nelson, member

Is Your School Board Ready to Compete for TASARecognition?—A How-To Guide for Nominationfrom Lewisville ISD, Recipient of TASA’s 2004 Outstanding School Board Award

by Margaret Gurecky

INSIGHT50

Step Two: Studying the CriteriaAlmost as important as identifying your school board as outstanding isthe task of studying TASA’s list of criteria and making certain each onecan be met without fail. As recent award winners, we can’t emphasizeenough how carefully TASA’s guidelines for submission were followedand how carefully we documented the requested criteria.

Step Three: Types of Supporting DocumentationOne of the first things you will want to do is contact key citizens inyour community asking for their support with the nomination. Askthem if they would be willing to write a letter pointing out specificareas where they feel your school board has gone beyond the call ofduty, where it has tackled tough issues, where it has wrangled withsituations that seemingly had no positive solution—yet somehow,working together, it found one.

A good place to start will be leaders in your local organizations,such as the PTA and other parent and community organizations,the Chambers of Commerce, the professional education associa-tions, the senior citizen and retired teacher groups, and local elect-ed officials. While not all may be able to prepare letters of support,many will gladly do so. Use these letters in appropriate divisions ofthe nomination.

Step Four: Illustrating and Meeting the Criteria Sort through the documentation you have available and begin assim-ilating it into 10 separate folders matching the criteria listing. Takinga look at the criteria, it is easy to see that many functions of a schoolboard may overlap between these measurable standards. Recognizingthat fact early on will be helpful as you construct your nomination.For instance, you may have documentation that can represent morethan one criterion. Don’t hesitate to move folder contents arounduntil you achieve a good balance, but consider this movement care-fully, as there must be an absolute fit between supporting evidenceand TASA criteria.

What kinds of materials are worthy of inclusion in the nomina-tion? News clippings, letters of support, sample publications, andprofessional development training materials are all importantsources of documentation. Photographs of your board takenthroughout the year are important, too. Make sure photographsare clear—not fuzzy, and that they are cropped to visually depictinteraction between your school board and students, staff, orcommunity members.

In Lewisville ISD, we maintain supportive documentation files on acontinuous year-round basis. Items are filed and labeled for poten-tial award-nomination use and are kept readily accessible. Ideally, itwould be helpful to have a full year to assemble your nomination, butin today’s fast-paced school environment, that is not always possible.If you find yourself short on time, it is even more imperative to focuson an orderly information-gathering process.

Make an earnest attempt to be concise in your presentation materials.Do not resort to filler information, such as excessive excerpts fromyour district’s annual budget, board policies, or legislative mandates.

Step Five: Ready to WriteOnce you have assigned your documentation to the 10 criterionfolders, you are ready to begin the writing process. Begin your proj-ect by interviewing your board members. It’s usually best to inter-view each member separately in a relaxed setting where they will beat ease discussing their philosophy, their goals for the district, andtheir own accomplishments while in office. Write short biographiesfor each board member and include their photographs.

Next, examine each criterion and begin the writing process. As youwrite, build a base of support, including lots of examples. Charts,tables, newspaper articles, and letters of recommendation may beincluded as illustrations.

Don’t be hesitant in choosing examples of programs, projects, ordecisions that were unpopular or caused resistance for the parentsand citizens in your community. All school boards encounter chal-lenges, and those individuals reviewing your nomination will wantto see how your board handled these situations.

Use a lively writing style. Don’t bend to educational jargon andacronyms. Even though the reviewers of your nomination will like-ly be superintendents who understand the language and acronymreferences, spell out special programs, projects, and organizations.

Writing the nomination will be a long and rather tedious process,as you will likely encounter projects and programs that could satis-fy several criteria. Choose the best fit and flesh out the examples ina manner that will effectively demonstrate each criterion.

Pause periodically to review your progress and to make certain thebest examples of board activity are being utilized at the correct criterion level.

Once again, be careful about shortchanging or circumventing thecriteria. TASA expects all nominations to reflect and substantiatethe measures set forth in the nomination rules.

Step Six: Assembling the NominationOnce your writing is complete, begin to assemble your nominationbook. Refer to TASA’s specifications. Note the 75-page maximumrule. Edit where necessary in order to accommodate the page lim-itation. We chose to spiral-bind our booklet, and we incorporated

Mark Shaw, president

INSIGHT52

photographs of students at various grade levels on the cover. Othershave utilized large three-ring binders with dividers and sheet pro-tectors; some have used heat binding for their booklet. Whatevermethod you choose, be certain it conforms to TASA’s presentationspecifications in size, order, and design. Current rules prohibitaudiovisual materials, slides, and videotape presentations.

Step Seven: Submitting toRegional LevelObviously, it is very important tomeet deadlines. If possible, planto have your book completed atleast one week before the regionaldue date so that if a last-minutecrisis occurs, you will be preparedand have time to spare in order tomake any adjustments.

If your board is selected as aregional winner, begin your public relations campaign immediate-ly! This is exciting news. Alert the news media. Most reporters willwant to talk with board members to get their reaction to this award.Your superintendent will be a key player and will arrange for yourregional executive director to present the award at an appropriateschool board meeting or other setting. At Lewisville ISD, we alsohung a banner at our very next school board meeting announcingour regional designation as soon as we received the official news.

Don’t forget to explain the nomination process to reporters and tellthem about the potential for your board to be named a TexasHonor Board.

Step Eight: Being Named an Honor BoardWhen our superintendent got the call and news release informingus our board was selected as one of five Honor Boards, we imme-diately released this information to our local news media. Again,expect a flurry of activity, as local newspapers are usually eager toshare the good news. We added an “Honor Board” banner to ourboard room before the next trustee meeting.

Step Nine: Preparation for the TASA InterviewPreparation? Your board is outstanding. It has achieved this statuslevel because the documentation submitted was good supportiveevidence of its exemplary leadership. The only preparation neededis to remind the members to simply be themselves during the TASAinterviews. Encourage them to reveal their individual personalitiesduring the interviews. Remind them to let their enthusiasm forstudents and public education show!

At the TASB/TASA Convention’s first general session, I had theopportunity to sit directly behind our school board members asthey enjoyed the program by the students at Spring ISD. Ourboard had no clue that it was a breath away from being announcedas TASA’s “Outstanding School Board of Texas”; each member wastotally immersed in the performance of the Spring ISD students.

They couldn’t refrain from bouncing in their seats while keepingtempo with the musical numbers. They clapped their hands intime to the music, sang along with the kids, and jumped to theirfeet as soon as appropriate to applaud the spectacular performance.Our board’s enthusiasm and energy for the Spring ISD kids were ajoy to observe, and I couldn’t help but say to myself: “THIS boarddeserves to win. The board members’ love for kids really shows!”

Step Ten: The AnnouncementIf your board is named the Outstanding Board of Texas, don’t wasteone minute before contacting the media. TASA will issue its ownnews release, but be prepared with one from your district as well.

This prestigious award is a unique opportunity to bring recognitionto your school board and your district. Board members need to beprepared to interview with newspaper reporters soon after theaward is announced.

Planning a Public CelebrationBegin planning a public celebration to honor your school board.This celebration will create an enjoyable way in which your staff,students, parents, and community can offer congratulatory greet-ings to your board.

We planned a community-wide reception about three weeks after theTASA announcement. This schedule gave us an adequate amount oftime to design and mail invitations and set the program for the event.Region 11 and TASA executives attended the event to present theaward plaques. We included the mayors from our 13 cities and com-munities, who offered brief congratulatory remarks and officialproclamations. Congratulatory letters and resolutions from our stateleaders were read during the program. One senator presented Texasflags previously flown over the state capitol to each of our boardmembers. Our PTA Council president spoke on behalf of LewisvilleISD’s parents. One of our student-performing groups provideddelightful musical entertainment throughout the reception hours.

The LISD Board’s Response Being named the 2004 Outstanding Board of Texas is a distin-guished honor. Lewisville ISD’s board is both thrilled and hum-bled. Our board members know there are many school boards inTexas that are deserving of the distinction. Certainly, the 2004Honor Boards: Amarillo, Austin, Highland Park, and Katy ISDswere close contenders, but there are so many other strong schoolboards in Texas who could have easily been recognized.

Lewisville ISD Board President Mark Shaw says it best: “We areproud to own the title, but we aren’t arrogant. In fact, we are hum-bled. We know we represent hundreds of other fine school boardsacross the state that also hold children and public education closeto their hearts. Our board is simply carrying the torch.”

Margaret Gurecky is director of communications for Lewisville ISD.Her service in public education has spanned 32 years, 27 of which havebeen with Lewisville.

Tom Ferguson, member

WINTER 2004 53

I n v i t a t i o nTASA and the Texas Leadership Center (TLC) are proud toannounce the successful completion of the four-year series

of Technology Leadership Academies. In celebration ofour achievement, we extend an invitation to

all past Technology Academy participants to join us andmembers of their cohort groups at

one of the two celebratory gatherings:

TASA Midwinter Conference Luncheon

Austin Convention Center, February 1, 2005

Or

TEPSA/TASSP Pre-Conference DinnerRenaissance Austin Hotel, June 7, 2005

f u n d e d b y

the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

w i t h m a t c h i n g s u p p o r t f r o m

Houston Endowment Inc. The Meadows Foundation

Sid Richardson Foundation a n d w i t h a p p r e c i a t i o n o f

the Regional Education Service Centers

For more information about these events, please contact Judith de la Garza or Elizabeth Saenz at TASA, 512-477-6361.

Door prizes!

INSIGHT54

Leadership & SustainabilitySystem Thinkers in Actionby Michael FullanA Joint Publication by Corwin Press and Ontario Principals Council, 2005ISBN 1-4129-0496-X

Reviewed by Yolanda M. Rey, executivedirector, Texas Association of Supervisionand Curriculum Development

In Leadership & Sustainability, MichaelFullan synthesizes his past and currentwork, and the work of authorities in therealm of educational reform. Fullan ana-lyzes not only the results, both positive andnegative, of past reform efforts, but alsoelaborates on points that can provide lead-ership and sustainability for critical masseducational reform that is large-scale andnecessary to make a difference.

Fullan does not overlook the gains thatsome districts have accomplished.However, he does state that many timesrenewal or reform is short-lived. The lead-ership and the elements of sustainabilityhave to be present for any enduring changeto occur.

In using systems thinking, he states thateducators need a new mindset for sustain-able reform that addresses capacity build-ing powered by “new system forces.” Inorder to provide this sustainability for atotal system, on an ongoing basis, Fullan’sidentified strategies are powerful.

The author defines sustainability in gener-al terms as “the capacity of a system toengage in the complexities of continuousimprovement consistent with deep valuesof human purpose.” The book contains

seven chapters that address solutions insustainability and labels them for the newwork of proactive system leaders at theschool level, district level, and system level.Sustainability, as Fullan states, is an adap-tive challenge involving a problem whosesolution is not within the current expertiseor within the current way of operating.The system thinkers as leaders are key tothe issue of sustainability.

The system thinkers take action usingFullan’s eight elements of sustainability.The author provides not only abstract con-cepts, but also accompanying examples.These eight elements can be applied toschools or any public service agency orcompany:

1. Public service with a moral purpose

2. Commitment to changing context atall levels

3. Lateral capacity building through net-works

4. Intelligent accountability and verticalrelationships

5. Deep learning

6. Dual commitment to short-term andlong-term results

7. Cyclical energizing

8. The long lever of leadership

Based on the review of the literature and asummary of Fullan’s earlier work, the les-sons learned on educational reform arepreconditions for sustainability (leadingwith a compelling, driving conceptualiza-tion; collective moral purpose; the rightbus; capacity building; lateral capacitybuilding; ongoing learning; productiveconflict; a demanding culture; externalpartners; and growing financial invest-ments). When these preconditions exist,sustainability can be powerful.

The book’s contents contain establishedideas that many educators have tested.The leaders, as system thinkers, are poolsof talent that support sustainability ofeducation reform. There is a tremendousneed to develop and sustain them. Theseleaders, as the author emphasizes, can pro-duce other leaders that are, or willbecome, proactive system leaders who willhelp with solutions to issues in education-al reform. Michael Fullan, once again,assists the practitioners with powerfulstrategies to improve a lasting change forthe betterment of schools.

“These leaders…can produce

other leaders that are, or will

become, proactive system lead-

ers who will help with solutions

to issues in educational reform.”

BookReview

WINTER 2004 55

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