Transcript Characteristics of Improving School Districts Themes from Research October 2004 G. Sue Shannon and Pete Bylsma Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Characteristics of Improving
School Districts
Themes from Research
October 2004
G. Sue Shannon and Pete Bylsma
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Context
• No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requires district
to be accountable for all students
• Many districts projected not to make AYP
– All groups must meet annual targets
– More tested grades means more targets to meet
– Rapidly increasing targets, reach 100% in 2014
• Sanctions occur rapidly at district level
• District improvement plan required when not making
AYP 2 years in a row in same grade/subject
District Improvement Plan
• Plan must be developed within 3 months of being
identified for improvement
– Must include staff, parents, and others
• Plan must be implemented by the beginning of
the next year
• 10% of district Title I funds must be set aside for
professional development activities for teachers
working with groups not making AYP target
• Technical assistance provided by state must be
research-based
Table Exercise
What makes a good school district?
• Individually think of and note 2 or 3
characteristics
• Share your ideas at your table
• Each table shares an idea with the
whole group
Study Methodology
• Synthesis of about 80 research studies looking
at districts as unit of analysis and change
• In-depth analysis of 23 studies
• Identification of 13 themes
• Confirmation of themes unique to districts
– Applied differently in districts compared to schools
• Development of definitions and discussion
• Questions for dialogue and reflection
Report Overview
•
•
•
•
•
Emerging Themes
Conceptual Framework
Definitions & Discussion
Reflective Questions
Resource Lists
CHARACTERISTICS OF IMPROVED SCHOOL DISTRICTS – CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Quality Teaching and Learning
High Expectations and
Accountability for Adults
Coordinated and Aligned
Coordinated & Embedded
Curriculum and Assessment Professional Development
Improvement
Quality Classroom Instruction
Effective
Leadership
Support for
Systemwide
Improvement
Sustained
Improvement
Efforts Over Time
Focus on All
Students Learning
Dynamic & Distributed
Leadership
Clear and
Collaborative
Relationships
Effective Use of Data
Professional Culture &
Collaborative Relationships
Strategic Allocation of Resources
Clear Understanding of School &
District Roles & Responsibilities
Policy and Program Coherence
Interpreting and Managing
the External Environment
Time
Table Jigsaw
• In table groups pick a facilitator & recorder
• Read assigned characteristic summary
• Discuss
– Insights from the research
– Challenges facing districts regarding theme
– Strategies to meet those challenges
• Record key points on chart paper and
report briefly to whole group
Themes from Research
Effective Leadership
• Focus on Student Learning
• Dynamic/Distributed Leadership
• Sustain Improvement Efforts
Effective Leadership
• Focus on Student Learning
– Focus on all students learning to high
standards
– Share beliefs & values, have clear goals,
shared vision of change
– Hold all district staff, programs & operations
responsible for student learning
Effective Leadership
• Dynamic/Distributed Leadership
– Exhibit dynamic leadership, united in purpose,
visible in schools, interested in instruction
– Expand to encompass central office,
principals, teachers leaders & others
– Provide moral leadership that moves from
talking to doing, to endure students learn
Effective Leadership
• Sustain Improvement Efforts
– View educational improvement as long-term
commitment & processes
– Persevere, persist, & stay the course
– Help staff internalize the changes
Themes from Research
Quality Teaching and Learning
• High Expectations & Accountability for
Adults
• Coordinated & Aligned Curriculum &
Assessment
• Coordinated & Embedded Professional
Development
• Quality Classroom Instruction
Quality Teaching and Learning
• High Expectations & Accountability for
Adults
– Hold all adults accountable for student
learning
– Expect excellence, monitor performance,
provide feedback
– Make high expectations part of personnel
decisions
Quality Teaching and Learning
• Coordinated & Aligned Curriculum &
Assessment
– Align curriculum with standards, assessment,
policies
– Centralize & coordinate curriculum
approaches & decisions
– Use multiple measure to assess learning
Quality Teaching and Learning
• Coordinated & Embedded Professional
Development
– Provide high quality, ongoing professional
development focused on classroom
instruction
– Include school-based coaching & support for
instruction
– Support professional development based on
teaching & learning needs in schools
Quality Teaching and Learning
• Quality Classroom Instruction
– Pay close attention to instruction, provide
guidance & oversight to improve teaching &
learning
– Develop a common vision of good instruction
– Monitor instruction, curriculum, & changes in
practice
Themes from Research
Support for Systemwide
Improvement
• Effective Use of Data
• Strategic Allocation of Resources
• Policy and Program Coherence
Support for Systemwide
Improvement
• Effective Use of Data
– Use data to monitor results, equity,
accountability, & for resource allocation
– Use data for instructional decisions &
professional development
– Provide time & training to staff to use data
Support for Systemwide
Improvement
• Strategic Allocation of Resources
– Provide, allocate, reallocate, & find resources
for quality instruction
– Provide additional resources to support low
performers
– Give schools flexibility within parameters for
resource use
Support for Systemwide
Improvement
• Policy and Program Coherence
– Develop & implement policies that promote
equity & excellence
– Review & revise policies as needed to link
programs & practices to goals & ensure
coherence
– Monitor coherence of actions & programs to
district focus, goals
Themes from Research
Clear & Collaborative Relationships
• Professional Culture & Collaborative
Relationships
• Clear Understanding of School & District
Roles & Responsibilities
• Interpreting & Managing the External
Environment
Clear and Collaborative
Relationships
• Professional Culture & Collaborative
Relationships
– Build a culture of mutual respect,
collaboration, trust, & shared responsibility
– Support school communities of practice for
continuous learning for adults
– Develop central offices as professional
learning communities
Clear and Collaborative
Relationships
• Clear Understanding of School & District
Roles & Responsibilities
– Set expectations, decentralize responsibility,
& serve as change agents
– Support learning, serve as mentors & help
seek solutions
– Balance district authority with school flexibility
& autonomy
Clear and Collaborative
Relationships
• Interpreting & Managing the External
Environment
– Analyze, interpret, & mediate state & federal
policy with local policy
– Buffer schools external disturbances &
internal distractions
– Mobilize community & business support
– Involve family & community