Data for Student Success Leadership Module

“It is about focusing on building a culture of quality data through professional development and web based

dynamic inquiries for school improvement.”

Fall 2009

Leadership: Building a Culture of Quality Data

• Welcome and Introductions• Dr. Terance Lunger

– Superintendent, Calhoun ISD

• Mary Gehrig– Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and

Assessment, Calhoun ISD

• Mike Oswalt– Assistant Superintendent of Regional Technology

Services, Calhoun ISD

• Location of resources: www.data4ss.org

Session Preparation

• We will be using Google Docs for part of this session. Be sure at least one person in each group has a Internet connected laptop.

• Anyone who wants to access the Google Doc today or after the session, fill in email address for accessing the Google Doc on the sheet of paper circulating.

Key question

• What does leadership look like in a culture of quality data?

Focus Questions

• What is a culture of quality data?

• Who needs to collaborate and when?

• What is my role as the leader?

• What data mining strategies are appropriate/useful and when are they used?

• What are SMART goals and why are they important?

Outcomes

• By the end of this workshop, leaders will be able to:– Understand a culture of quality data and the impact of change

theory on staff– Encourage and model collaboration– Identify roles that need to be involved in building a culture of

quality data – Encourage and model collaboration– Identify which data mining strategies are useful for various

roles/settings – Identify the leader’s role– Understand how data quality impacts a culture of quality data– Navigate staff through identifying SMART goals based on data

Outcome

• Understand a culture of quality data and the impact of change theory on staff

Culture of Quality Data

• What is a culture of quality data?

• What does it look like?

• What does it sound like?

• What is the evidence?

School Improvement Framework School Process Profile

STRAND II

S

STRAND II

School Culture and Climate

Data-Driven Culture – • Characteristic

– All decisions affecting student achievement are based on data. All instructional staff is involved in this database decision making which incorporates data from state, district, school, and classroom assessments.

Data Driven Culture Implemented

• The school improvement committee bases its action plan on the analysis of state, district, school, and classroom assessment information to: – plan changes in the instructional program– set curricular priorities directed at assuring that all

students meet high standards– work towards the achievement of the criteria for

adequate yearly progress– analyze the effectiveness of programs over time.

Data Driven CultureExemplary

• All instructional staff members are involved in collaborative teams that analyze state, district, school and classroom assessment information to:– plan instruction– set curricular priorities directed at assuring that all

students meet high standards– work toward achievement of the criteria for adequate

yearly progress and analyze the effectiveness of programs over time.

Data Driven CultureExemplary

• On-going support is provided for all staff members and teams to refine their skills in the use of data to make decisions that affect individual students and school programs.

Characteristics of a Culture of Quality Data

• As you view this video clip, compile a list on the worksheet of the characteristics that demonstrate a culture of quality data

• In your table groups, discuss your lists and develop a group list on chart paper provided

• Report out to the large group

The school’s culture…

dictates, in no uncertain terms, “the way we do things around here.” Ultimately, a school’s culture has far more influence on life and learning in the schoolhouse than the state department of education, the superintendent, the school board or even the principal can ever have…

Roland Barth (2001)

Continuum of Community Function

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Toxic Laissez-faire Congenial Collaborative Accountable

Toxic – All about the teacher, adults not nice to one another or to the students

Laissez-faire – Teacher centered, autonomous, individual contractors

Congenial – Counterfeit, confuse niceness w/collaborative, focus not on kids

Collaborative – Have structures and skills in working together for improved student achievement

Accountable – Able to acknowledge and deal with difficult data effectively;Move beyond familiar solutions and approaches; Let go of instructional practices that do not work; Call one another on unmet expectations or violated norms. Source: Skillful Leader II, Warnock presentation

Changing Cultures

• Bringing about cultural change in any organization is a complex and challenging task. Phil Schlechty (2005) refers to the challenge of reculturing as “disruptive change” because it “calls upon the system and those who work in it to do things they have never done”. It has been referred to as “2nd order change”- a dramatic departure from the expected and familiar.

CHANGE is difficult…

Those who undertake a 2nd Order Change - such as transforming their schools into Professional Learning Communities must realize that change is difficult but not impossible. Anxiety, discomfort and conflict will accompany 2nd Order Change initiatives.

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1st and 2nd Order Change

First Order Change:• Extension of past• Within existing

paradigms• Consistent w/ current

norms, values• Incremental• Linear• Implemented w/ current

knowledge, skills• Implemented by experts

Second Order Change:• Break w/ past• Outside existing

paradigms• Conflicts w/ current

norms, values• Complex• Non-linear• Requires new

knowledge, skills• Implemented by

stakeholders

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Change – The New Constant

• Leadership traits can positively AND negatively effect achievement (for students and organizations)

• Second Order Change is the only transformational change

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Balanced Leadership Research

• McREL’s work (69 studies/research) has determined there are

–11 critical leadership responsibilities when leading 2nd Order change

• As these responsibilities were analyzed

–7 positively correlate

–4 negatively correlate

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Positive Correlates to 2nd Order ChangeChange Agent Comfortable planning w/ uncertain outcomes, consistently considers

new, better ways of doing things

Flexibility Adapts leadership behavior to current needs, comfortable w/ and open to dissent, can be directive or non-directive as situation warrants

Ideals & Beliefs Strong professional beliefs (shared) about teaching and learning, behavior consistent w/ beliefs

Intellectual Stimulation

Self, faculty, staff are aware of current theories and practices, discussion of these is regular practice, continually reading an expectation

Knowledge of CIA Knowledge of current best practices, provides guidance about effective classroom practice, discussion of practices intentional and regular

Optimizer Inspires self and staff to accomplish things thought to be beyond grasp, positive attitude about ability of staff to accomplish substantialgoals, driving force behind major initiatives

Monitor / Evaluate Regular monitoring and evaluation of curriculum, instruction and assessment is expected, discussed, planned for

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Negative Correlates to 2nd Order Change

Communication

Being accessible, develop effective means to communicate regularly with staff, maintain open and effective types of communication

Culture Foster shared beliefs and a sense of community and cooperation, promote sense of well-being and understanding of purpose (shared vision of what is the important work)

Input Involve staff in important decisions and implementation, provide opportunity for input and policy development

Order Provide and enforce clear structures, rules and procedures for staff and students, establish routines for running organization

8 Common Mistakes

1. Allowing too much complacency • Establish a sense of urgency

2. Failing to create powerful guiding coalition• Create guiding coalition• ID critical number of champions re: change process

3. Underestimating the power of vision• Vision = direction, alignment, inspiration• Without direction, individuals “do their own thing”• Lack of direction leads to “permission” or “debate”

8 Common Mistakes

4. Under communicating the vision by a power of 10

• 2nd Order Change requires credible and frequent communication

• Important to communicate vision often• Unite leadership focused on vision• Action aligned to vision

5. Permitting structural, cultural obstacles to block change process

• Confront obstacles: PD, structures, staff, policy

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8 Common Mistakes

6. Failing to create short-term wins• Build on incremental gains; avoid “long march”• ID goals, performance criteria, celebrate

7. Declaring victory too soon• Know difference between “win” and “victory”• Successful change must be anchored in culture• Celebration provides impetus to tackle bigger problems

8. Neglecting to anchor changes firmly in culture

• “Change” is part of the way we do things• Behaviors must be rooted in social norms, shared values

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Managing Complex ChangeSource: Ambrose, Adapted from Villa and Thousand (1995)

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Required Elements Result

Vision Skills Incentives Resources Action Plan Collegiality PositiveChange

***  Skills  Incentives  Resources  Action Plan  Collegiality  Confusion

Vision  ***  Incentives  Resources  Action Plan  Collegiality  Anxiety

Vision  Skills  ***  Resources  Action Plan  Collegiality  Resistance

Vision  Skills  Incentives  ***  Action Plan  Collegiality  Frustration

Vision  Skills  Incentives  Resources  ***  Collegiality  Treadmill

Vision  Skills  Incentives  Resources  Action Plan  ***  Isolation

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Complex Change…

Requires leadership greater than one person can provide. Distributed leadership maximizes the collective strengths of individuals in a coherent, adaptive, and sustainable organization. It requires individuals to assume responsibility, take action, learn and grow for the benefit of the whole.

Principals’ Disperse Leadership

• No single person has the expertise, influence, and energy to initiate and sustain a substantive change process.

• Principals may need to be directive on occasion.

• Principals must relinquish a measure of control and help others participate in building leadership throughout the school

Write your answer to this question…

What is the one thing a principal can do that (if done well) will make a difference in

his/her organization?

A principal’s responsibility is…

to create the conditions that help the adults in this building

continually improve upon their collective capacity to ensure all students acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions essential

to their success.

In the past three decades the view of the principalship has evolved.

• 1980’s – Era of instructional leadership• Aggressive, dynamic, assertive, and high directive

principals

• 1990’s – Era of transformational leadership• Reduction of principal control; staff empowered to

make their own decisions

• 2000’s – Era of shared leadership• Expertise is widely distributed throughout the school

rather than vested in a person or position.• Have to be clear on roles of principal, leadership

team and superintendent and understand when rules are loose and when they are tight

First Steps in Reculturing• The culture of an organization is found in the

assumptions, beliefs, values, expectations, and habits that constitute the norm for that organization.

• Creating a PLC in a school or district requires – and, in fact, is synonymous with – changing the culture (reculturing)

• Reculturing is extremely difficult, and neither top down nor bottom-up strategies have proven effective in reculturing schools or districts.

• The most powerful concept for bringing about the necessary transformation to become a PLC is the concept of a simultaneously loose and tight culture.

How do we impact culture?• Begin by focusing on changing BEHAVIORS.

• Attitudes follow behavior. That means people accept new beliefs as a result of changing their behavior. (Fullan)

• Behaviors and emotions change before beliefs so we need to act in a new way before we get insights and feelings related to new beliefs. (Elmore)

What will it look like?

From …

• A focus on teaching• Emphasis on what was

taught• Coverage of content

• Infrequent summative assessments

• Remediation• Isolation

To …

• A focus on learning• A fixation on what

students learned• Demonstration of

proficiency• Frequent common

formative assessments• Intervention• Collaboration

Outcome

• Identify roles that need to be involved in building a culture of quality data

Roles: Example

• What is the technology leader's role in helping to create a culture of collaboration? Summary of actual responses from district technology leaders:– Support efforts toward collaboration by attendance and

participation.  – Be a part of that culture. The trust factor is critical for the tech

leader to be an effective resource.  The tech director needs to be seen and trusted as an educator.

– The technology leader's role is to act as an active member of the school's leadership team that models collaboration and creates an environment that supports collaboration for all stakeholders.

– Model and promote means to improve collaboration, communication, data access, analysis, and reporting.

Identify Roles

• Get into small groups and choose a recorder who has a laptop with Internet access

• As a group, begin to enter in the Key Responsibilities of your assigned role and Key Questions that your role should be asking in building a culture of quality data

Sample

Outcome

• Encourage and model collaboration

Encourage and Model Collaboration: Video Sample

• Setting the stage: Show video clip from Leadership Video to demonstrate the role of the superintendent in encouraging and modeling collaboration

• Brainstorm: What does collaboration look like in a culture of quality data?

“The Collaborative Advantage.” Educational Leadership Dec/Jan

(2009)

• Jigsaw Activity– Describe the types of collaboration you

noticed occurring in the reading

Resources

• ASCD article is on flash drive cannot be distributed unless you are an ASCD member (50 copies), or you have requested from Calhoun ISD that you wish to make print copies. We have been given print permission by ASCD to use for this module.

• See the ‘Resources’ tab for the article ‘What Came First – the Data or the Decision?’ as another reference.

Outcome

• Identify which data mining strategies are useful for various roles/settings

Identifying Data Mining Strategies

• As a group, begin to enter in the Data Mining Strategies of your assigned role that you should be utilizing in building a culture of quality data

Outcome

• Identify the leader’s role

Leadership Video Contents

Identifying the Leader’s Role

• Show video clip to demonstrate the role of the [superintendent, principal, curriculum coordinator] in encouraging and modeling collaboration

While Watching Video…

• Individually note:– What is the role of the [superintendent, principal,

curriculum coordinator] in creating a culture of quality data?

– What things do you do that help your staff know you are about improving student achievement?

– What evidence do you see in your district that you are making progress in creating a culture of quality data?

– What are the hurdles you have faced and your suggestions for overcoming them?

• Group work when done – summarizing notes

Outcome

• Understand how data quality impacts a culture of quality data

The Impact of Quality Data

• Real Life Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4gj_RdtKCw

The Impact of Quality Data

• In small groups, answer these questions:– What is the impact of missing kids?– What is the impact of mislabeling kids?– What is the impact of having only historical

data?– What other systems depend on student data?

Outcome

• Navigate staff through identifying SMART goals based on data

Assessing the Culture ofQuality Data

Assessment Plan

• What information does it hold?

• Why is it necessary?

S.M.A.R.T. Goals – Building Level

Are goals that are

S Specific Focus on the vital areas, specific targets

M Measurable Multiple measures, frequent, to assess learning

A Attainable Motivation to strive/stretch to achieve

R Results-oriented Concrete benchmarks to achieve

T Time-bound Builds accountability and commitment

S.M.A.R.T. Goals

• They must be:– Aligned with the broader, overarching district and

building goals– Based on data

• Example: 90% of all students will reach proficiency (80%) on the district quarterly assessments given throughout the 09-10 school year.

Adapted from the work of Mike Schmoker, 2008

“Goal setting is the single most powerful motivation tool in a leader’s toolkit.” (Blanchard)

Data for Student SuccessKey Contact Information

• General – www.data4ss.org– contact@data4ss.org

• Mary Gehrig, Assistant Superintendent, Calhoun ISD– gehrigm@calhounisd.org

• Mike Oswalt, Assistant Superintendent, Calhoun ISD– oswaltm@calhounisd.org

• Becky Rocho, Assistant Superintendent, Calhoun ISD– rochob@calhounisd.org

• Maureen Slamer – Data 4SS PD Director, Calhoun ISD– slamerm@calhounisd.org

• Andrew Henry – Inquiry Tool Senior Project Manager– andrew.henry@redcedarsolutionsgroup.com

• Stephen Brodeur – Inquiry Tool Project Coordinator– stephen.brodeur@redcedarsolutionsgroup.com