leadership in action a triangulated analysis of colorado instructional leadership based on three...

Leadership in ActionA TRIANGULATED ANALYSIS OF COLORADO INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP BASED ON THREE DIVERSE LEADERS

NATASHA CROUSE

An Overview of Three Schools

School A• Elementary school• Set is in a small bedroom

community outside of Denver

• Title 1 funded tutor - 28% FRL

• Principal’s first year

School C• CSSD11 Elementary School• Set in east central

Colorado Springs• School wide Title 1 >90%

FRL• TAP• Established principalSchool B

• Charter school • Serves K-12• Focus: College readiness• Set in downtown• School wide Title 1 >60%

FRL• First year TAP• Principal’s first year

School A: TCAP 2013 Growth Results

Math

Higher AchievementLower Growth

Writing


Reading


School A: School Performance Framework

School B: TCAP 2013 Growth Results

Math

Lower GrowthLower Achievement

Writing


Reading


*Note: Middle school growth results were similar to elementary results in all content. High school data was unavailable due to <20 students in data set.

School B:School Performance Framework

School C: TCAP 2013 Growth Results

Math


Writing


Reading


School C:School Performance Framework

Student Mobility

(Colorado Department of Education, 1999-2014)

Racial Demographics

School A School C

School B

(Colorado Department of Education, 1999-2014)

ISLLC Standard 1:Articulating a shared vision for learning

Please describe your school’s vision. How was this vision developed, and what are the steps your school takes to maintain this vision? Describe how your school’s vision supports the vision of your school district.

School A• A vision impact committee

has been developed to begin reworking the current school vision.

• The new vision will include an emphasis in technology.

• Staff ownership in the new vision is important to this principal.

School C• Don’t try to change

everything right away.• Utilize survey tools to

know your team.• First, work to establish a

culture of trust amongst staff.

• Allow the vision to develop over time—frequently revisiting and revising it over the course of a year as it is developed.

• The vision is actively shared with the community.

School B• The charter school

foundation drives the school’s vision, and is published on the school’s website.

• PLCs are being used as the launching point for developing a shared vision for PBIS.

ISLLC Standard 1:Articulating a shared vision for learning

ISLLC Standard 2:Developing a community of learners

What programs/strategies does your school implement to provide targeted interventions for students?

Please explain your schools pedagogical approaches to instruction, and how these practices impact student learning and school culture. What practices are in place to build instructional capacity in your teachers?

School A• The school fosters a

whole-child approach to learning: infusing a love for reading in authentic text is key.

• During district designated PD days, teachers self-select sessions to attend. Teachers also develop and lead the PD sessions.

• Title 1 funding provides for one tutor who works with students in targeted, small, pull-out groups.

School C• In the TAP program, a

Master Teacher is responsible for researching, field testing, and training staff.

• All instruction is driven by formative assessments.

• A key to the staff buy-in for processes, like TAP, is the principal’s enthusiasm.

• Interventionists are funded through Title 1 and push in support to the classroom.

School B• Data drives the TAP

processes.• The principal ensures that

change is implemented in SMALL chunks.

• Walk-throughs maintain PD accountability:• “This is what I noticed…”

ISLLC Standard 2:Developing a community of learners

*All principals referred to Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) as an umbrella under which RtI and PBIS stand to support student learning.

ISLLC Standard 3:Effective management of resources

What processes do you use to ensure effective organization of your fiscal, human, and material resources? Please explain the collaboration involved in these processes, and how they support student learning, safety, curriculum, and instruction.

School A• The office manager is

instrumental in managing the school’s budget.

• With poor district funding, maintaining FTE is challenging.• Loss of instructional

coach• Large class sizes• Teacher pay is

significantly lower than adjacent districts

School C• The principal meets with

the administrative assistant weekly, and carefully oversees the budget.

• 80% of the Title 1 budget (maximum allowed by law) is used for FTE.

• Title 1 FTE is used to reduce class sizes and eliminate combination classes.

School B• The charter school

foundation takes the lead in determining how resources are managed.

• As a principal, she lobbies to the foundation on behalf of the teachers, and works to negotiate wages.

ISLLC Standard 3:Effective management of resources

ISLLC Standard 4:Building connections with families and community support systems

As you collaborate with your community, what processes do you use to involve families, to understand and accommodate the diverse needs within your community, and to build relationships with community leaders?

ISLLC Standard 4:Building connections with families and community support systems

School A• The district has

established an impact committee:• Increase community/voter

understanding of district needs

• Meetings held at coffee houses and restaurants have better turn-outs

• Principal is active in PTCO.

School C• A strong community

liaison is instrumental in linking the school with resources:• New Life:

• Summer service project• Kids Hope-a student

mentoring program• Clothing drive

• Destiny Project:• Rent the gym and provide

food and basketball for families weekly.

• Families looking for scholarship support (ie: field

trips) are invited to volunteer time in the school in exchange.

School B• Principal is active in PTO

and DOGS (Dads of Great Students).• A Care & Share food bank

is on site.• A partnership with

Colorado College begins in the fall.

• Including dinner for math, science, and literacy night helps to draw in families.

ISLLC Standard 5:Leading with integrity

In my coursework, I have been introduced to the concept of developing a written personal platform as a check and balance for the potential ethical challenges leaders face. Have you developed a personal platform? Please share an example of how this tool has assisted you in maintaining impartiality and an ethical stance in the face of leadership challenges.

ISLLC Standard 5:Leading with integrity

School A• Take the time to

investigate:• What is the history?• What is their motive in

coming to you?• Learn all the viewpoints—

no 2 people with the same experience, in the same room have the same perspective.

School C• Empathize with student

situations—but don’t allow it to be an excuse.• Students are not allowed to

begin by saying “I only…” or “I just…”

• Students are taught to be truthful—she reminds them that if they lie to her the consequences will be worse.

• She investigates to understand all views, but actively supports her teachers stating, “I know who I hired.”

School B• The principal referred to

the Hippocratic Oath: First do no harm.

• The mantra she refers to for any decision she makes is: “What is best for kids?”

*The principals I interviewed were not familiar with the concept of a written personal platform, so the question was adjusted to inquire about how their personal ethics helped to drive their leadership.

ISLLC Standard 6:Advocating for students through political and community connections

In what ways have you found yourself in dialogue with political decision makers and diverse community groups to benefit the social and educational opportunities of your students?

ISLLC Standard 6:Advocating for students through political and community connections

School A• The District

Superintendent advocates for teachers and students at the state level.

• She voiced interest in having future possibilities for testifying at the state level.

School C• This principal is actively

involved in education politics by:• Presenting to the state

legislature regarding their free breakfast program.

• Participating in the State Principal Cadre:• Co-developed CDE

videos for building co-leadership in MTSS processes

• Data dialogues across the state

• Spoke at CASE

School B• This principal partners with

the charter school foundation and its founder who has a significant history of leveraging resources through politics.

Greatest Challenges & Takeaways

How would you define your leadership style? What is one of the greatest challenges you

have encountered as a leader? How did you work to overcome or resolve this/these challenge(s), and would you pursue a similar course of action if the challenge(s) presented itself again in the future?

Greatest Challenges & Takeaways

School A• As a leader who values

democratic processes for establishing buy-in and rapport, her greatest challenges included:• Enforcing staff

accountability in difficult conversations—being respectful yet firm.

• Following a principal who wouldn’t address staff challenges.

• Understanding that every word and look on your face is subject to scrutiny.

School C• As a leader who varies

her leadership style from a directive approach to one that is more collaborative (as the situation dictates), her greatest challenges included:• Developing a relationship

with school’s union rep.• Empathizing with parents

without condoning excuses.

• Limited capacity as an instructional leader due to an abundance of paperwork.

School B• As a leader who

empowers teachers through shared leadership, her greatest challenges included:• Starting mid-year.• Inheriting a culture of

fear where teachers hesitated to take initiative.

• Not micromanaging:• Use Cognitive

Coaching to build teacher efficacy by answering questions with questions.

References

Colorado Department of Education. (2014, January 28). Mobility/stability statistics for 2012-2013. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from

http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdereval/mobility-stabilitycurrentColorado Department of Education. (2013, December 19). Schoolview/data

& accountability: Performance framework reports and improvement plans. Retrieved May 29, 2014 from http://www.cde.state.co.us/schoolview/performance Note: Per assignment parameters, all principal references are

anonymous.

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