Copyright © 2013 American Institutes for Research. All rights reserved.

Instructional Leadership and the Common Core: Matching Principal Needs with State/District Supports

Matthew Clifford and Donna Warthan

American Institutes for Research

Webinar for the Council of Chief State School Officers

March 11, 2014

American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization focused on the development of rigorous social and behavioral sciences research and the application of research to issues affecting the education, health, and work of youth and adults, particularly the disadvantaged.

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American Institutes for Research: Our Emphasis

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The mission of the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders (GTL Center) is to foster the capacity of vibrant networks of practitioners, researchers, innovators, and experts to build and sustain a seamless system of support for great teachers and leaders for every school in every state in the nation.

www.gtlcenter.org

Center on Great Teachers and Leaders Mission

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Use the chat box to state your name, organization and interest in the session. For interests, consider the following key word pick list.

Needs voiced by principals around Common Core Professional development design Status of Common Core implementation Forums for further exchange Other (please specify)

Our Session

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Common Core State Standards were launched in 2009

Standards development was state-led, with input from: National Governors Association Council of Chief State School Officers National Education Association American Federation of Teachers National Council of Teachers of Mathematics National Council of Teachers of English

Common Core State Standards: The Change Process

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Common Core Standards ELA/Literacy emphasize: Increasing reading complexity to prepare all for

reading levels expected in college and career Expansion of vocabulary Use of text-based evidence Reading and development of non-fiction texts

Common Core Standards mathematic emphasize: Building knowledge depth Developing conceptual understanding Increasing operational fluency Applying knowledge

Common Core State Standards: Key Shifts

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Common Core Standards emphasize: National approach to teaching and learning, with

flexibility Research base on math and language acquisition Charting a course for learning from youth through

adulthood Curriculum and instructional alignment in schools

and school systems

Common Core State Standards: Key Shifts

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Common Core State Standards: Progress in States

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If the Common Core are to affect the learning of the nation’s 34 million public

school students, they must be implemented in daily

instructional interactions among teachers, students,

and academic content.-Clifford & Mason, 2013

School principals are now supposed to be more… Engaged more deeply with teachers in

curriculum alignment and instructional decision-making

Involved in leading teacher professional development and instructional change

Informed about instructional quality with better data

Prepared with instructional leadership knowledge to support teaching improvement

Accountable for instructional support and student performance

Common Core State Standards: Implications for Principals

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Principal leadership is critical in schools making significant gains in student academic learning.

-Wallace Foundation, 2010

School principals traditionally have… Set instructional priorities Interpreted state and district policy, and

applied policies to processes and practices Allocated human and financial resources to

teachers, curriculum and instruction Coordinated change processes Selected, with teachers, instructional

materials and technology Assessed teacher performance

Common Core State Standards: Implications for Principals

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Common Core implementation isgoing to come down to the principal.We’re the ones that are going to beimplementing Common Core withour teachers, not the superintendentand not the state legislature.

-School Principal, 2014

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Common Core State Standards: Leadership for the Common Core SurveyA National Association of Elementary School Principals Study, with support from the Wallace Foundation and AIR

Key questions:

• What priority do principals assign Common Core State Standards?

• What supports do principals have and need for instructional leadership of Common Core State Standards?

• What actions have principals taken to implement Common Core State Standards?

The report is located at: http://www.naesp.org/leadership-common-core-briefs-new-version

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Common Core State Standards: Leadership for the Common Core Survey

AK

MT

WYID

WA

OR

NV UT

CA

AZ

ND

SD

NE

CO

NM

TX

OK

KS

AR

LA

MO

IA

MNWI

IL IN

KY

TN

MS AL GA

FL

SC

NC

VAWV

OH

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PA

MDDENJ

CTRI

MA

MEVT

NH

HI

• Purposeful sample of principals within states

• On-line survey

• 1,100 principals responded

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Common Core State Standards: Leadership PrioritiesCommon Core State Standards implementation is a high priority for respondents

64%

28%

8% High priority

Moderate priority

Somewhat a priority

Not a priority

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Common Core State Standards: Leadership Knowledge and Needs

National information and resources on the Common Core State Standards

State policies that established the Common Core State Stadnards

The curriculum changes that the Common Core Student Standards require.

The instructional changes that the Common Core State Stadards require.

Your state’s timetable for implementation of the Common Core State Standards.

5%

3%

36%

23%

19%

18%

12%

47%

51%

55%

56%

45%

12%

23%

25%

26%

42%

Not at all familiarSomewhat familiarFamiliarVery familiar

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Common Core State Standards: Leadership Knowledge and NeedsNearly all of the principals reported completing professional development activities aimed at supporting teachers’ use of CCSS.

The principals felt most prepared to communicate the general purposes of Common Core State Standards and inspire staff to action.

The principals felt least prepared to lead organizational process for Common Core State Standards integration, particularly:

• Integrating Common Core with programs serving English-language learners, special education students

• Using expanded learning opportunities to support Common Core• Evaluating teachers on use of instruction supportive of Common

Core State Standards• Budgeting for change processes

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Common Core State Standards: Leadership ActionsNearly all of the principals have communicated the purposes of Common Core State Standards, organized staff to make curriculum changes, and sent staff to professional development.

Approximately 75 percent of the principals reported math and English language curriculum had been modified.

Half of the principals included Common Core State Standards in the school improvement plan and upgraded technology to support Common Core implementation.

Less than one third of the principals had integrated special education, English language learning, expanded learning, and other offerings with Common Core State Standards.

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Common Core State Standards: Implications for Principal LearningBuild leadership content knowledge, which is content, pedagogy, and instructional leadership knowledge

• How do students learn and how is learning assessed?

• What should instructional be like?

• What must teachers know and do?

• How should organizational systems support teaching?

Professional development for building technical knowledge

• Formal leadership learning opportunities on pedagogical knowledge, teacher observation and evaluation, data and assessments, and change processes

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Common Core State Standards: Implications for Principal LearningProfessional supports for building technical knowledge, or what leaders should know and do

• Institutes, workshops, and other formal learning focused on pedagogical knowledge, teacher observation and evaluation, data and assessments, and change processes.

• Networks and websites focused on leadership actions and organization processes, with tools principals can use.

• Information about managing instructional change in schools.

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Common Core State Standards: Implications for Principal LearningProfessional supports for building practical knowledge, or how leaders should know and do

• Coaching principals to initiate change and improvement processes, including teacher observation.

• Principal (and school leaders) networks focused on Common Core State Standards implementation and model schools.

• Cases and videos of leadership processes for change and improvement.

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Common Core State Standards: What State and District Leaders Could Do• Develop and support principal professional development activities

and networks

• Engage principals in determining how and when changes occur

• Provide principals time, through job assignment flexibility or staffing assignments, to lead instruction

• Consider principal performance evaluation system changes

• Join CCSSO and Center for Great Teachers and Leaders in discussions with states

• Work in partnership with principal preparation programs and districts to prepare, recruit and hire the next generation of leaders

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ContactsMatthew Clifford, Ph.D.American Institutes for Research20 North Wacker, suite 1231Chicago, IL 60606mclifford@air.orggtlcenter.orgeducatortalent.org