leadership for learning building the system to help all students succeed fourth annual policy and...
TRANSCRIPT
Leadership for LearningBuilding the System to Help All Students Succeed
Fourth Annual Policy andPractice Institute –
Richard LaineDirector of Education
The Wallace Foundation
June 28, 2006
Page 2
Recognizing success
Biggest gains in 4th Grade Reading NAEP scores – 1998 to 2003:
–All students (17 point increase)
–Whites (15 point increase)
–African Americans (22 point increase)
–Latinos (33 point increase)
This means you are closing the achievement gap the right way…
Page 3
Room for improvement…
8th grade NAEP scores are middle of the pack
Which means Delaware’s student going into high school are in the middle of the bottom of the international pack
College going rate much lower than national average
Page 4
Creating the Urgency…
What’s the rush?
Page 5
A missed opportunity
Page 6
Take Risks…
Be Bold…
Be Systemic…
Be About What Is Best For Kids…
Page 7
Raising student achievement – adding the missing elementHeightened demands for accountability
A raft of issues on the table–NCLB and Adequate Yearly Progress–Changing demographics–Economic competitiveness and quality of life
Long list of solutions–Teacher quality, high school reform, class size,
special education, time, equity, adequacy of funding, technology and the list goes on…
What’s been missing ????
Page 8
Leadership – an essential lever to improving learning
“Leadership is second only to classroom instruction among all school related factors that contribute to what students learn at school.” --How Leadership Influences Student Learning, 2005
Page 9
Especially in difficult situations
“Indeed, there are virtually no documented instances of troubled schools being turned around without intervention by a powerful leader.”
--How Leadership Influences Student Learning, 2005
Page 10
Not looking for the next Joe Clark…
Effective leadership=
Prepared leaders+
Supportive conditions
Page 11
Schools – Improve the quality of teaching & increase student learningPrincipals who are: Qualified as well as certified Placed according to the best fit with the school’s needs Supported by district & state policies that improve teaching & learning
A leadership team that shares responsibility to: Communicate high expectations for every student Engage teachers, students, parents & community Use data to plan strategically & drive decisionmaking Allocate resources (people, time, money) to address priority needs Provide training for teachers, future leaders & others Build a culture of success for all children
Results in: Dramatically improving high-needs schools Closing the achievement gap Continuously improving achievement of all students to meet high expectations
Page 12
SCHOOLS
SCHOOLS
DISTRICTS STATESAlignment
Alignm
ent Alignm
ent
Improve school leadershipdistrict-wide by enacting
supportive policies &programs
Improve district / school leadership statewide by
enacting supportive policies and programs
A Cohesive Leadership System
Page 13
States – Improve district/school leadership statewide by enacting supportive policies and programs Standards (effective leadership & training criteria) Leader standards focused on improving instruction Quality standards for leader training programs
Leaders’ training based on standards Training aligned to leader standards Consortiums (e.g., districts-universities) to improve quality of training
Conditions to enable success of well trained leaders Assessment & information systems provide credible, actionable &
timely data Accountability system w/ incentives/consequences focused on learning Target resources & incentives to meet student needs Streamlining rules & mandates Engagement of relevant partners
Page 14
Districts – Improve school leadershipdistrict-wide by enacting supportive policies & programs Standards (expectations of what leaders should do) District leader standards tied to state standards
Leaders’ training based on standards Training aligned to leader standards Partnerships with universities to ensure job-relevant leader training Mentoring of principals & other leaders Succession planning
Conditions within which better trained leaders work Recruitment & hiring practices reinforce standards Leaders’ authority aligned to role and responsibility Access to actionable data Accountability system with incentives & consequences Align resources (people, time, money) to student need Engagement of relevant partners
Page 15
Old solution: Improve the leader
Put a great leader in a bad system, and you can bet on the system over time
New solution: Improve the leader and the system
Put a good leader in a supportive system, and you can bet on kids
achieving great things
Page 16
Leadership matters (MN/Toronto study)
But leadership is more than good leaders
Leadership = leaders + conditions
Leaders must be skilled in education and in leading change
Change that does not affect student achievement “does not count”
Big change requires political leadership
Lessons learned
Page 17
Bringing About Change…
Clear vision with high expectations for all children
Strong partnerships with delineated responsibilities and shared accountability
Understand and use the politics of the system
Learn how to lead change
Page 18
Leading change
Guiding questions
How can leaders help other leaders bring about the necessary changes to significantly improve student achievement for all children?
How can state, district and school leaders work together to make the changes?
Page 19
Research: Leadership is critical to making school reform succeed
“There seems little doubt that both district and school leadership provides a critical bridge between most educational reform initiatives, and having those reforms make a genuine difference for all students.”
--How Leadership Influences Student Learning, 2005
Page 20
Developing
Leaders
Improving
Conditions
Leading
Change
Effective Leader
Performance
Teaching
Quality
Improved Student
Achievement
The Wallace Foundation seeks to support and share effective ideas and practices that expand learning and enrichment opportunities for all people.
Its three current objectives are to: Strengthen education leadership to improve
student achievement Enhance out-of-school learning opportunities Expand participation in arts and culture
For more information, please visit our Knowledge Center at www.wallacefoundation.org or contact me
Richard Laine, Director of Education at [email protected] or 212-251-9710.The Wallace Foundation
Two Park Avenue, 23rd FloorNew York, NY 10016
212-251-9700 [email protected]
www.wallacefoundation.org