Connection to Build Leadership: State Leadership Academies October 18, 2011 The Maryland Experience Martha J. Fields, Ed.D. Carol Ann Heath-Baglin, Ed.D. Patricia Daley

What is the Maryland Special Education Leadership Academy? Intensive professional development experience for aspiring leaders Series of workshops, seminars, and selected organization visitations Individualized opportunities for professional development Internship focused on broadening professional experiences

Leadership: The Qualities and Impact  Characteristics  Relationship to Management Techniques  Opportunity for Development  Impact of Experiential Opportunities  Strategies  Evaluation

SELA: The Beginning  Changing Workforce in 2000  Shortages in Special Education  Quality of In-service for Administrators  Impact of “home grown” leadership  Roles of Superintendents and IHEs in Maryland

Participants and Selection Criteria  Recommendation by the Local Superintendent  Letter of Intent  Current Resume  Letters of Recommendation

 Certification in Special Education or relevant related field  Administration and Supervision Certification  Interpersonal and communication skills  Personal characteristics specific to leadership  Professional Development Experiences

Mission of SELA  To identify and prepare potential leaders in the field of Special Education  To support these individuals and prepare for administrative roles at the local school and central office level  To provide meaningful experiences that directly impact the administration and supervision of special education services

Goals: SELA Implemented Effective Administrators in Special Education Knowledge of federal and State statutes, regulations, and policies Strategic decision makers at the local level Experience through internship and mentoring program to enhance individual skills Understanding the power of professional networking.

Professional Outcomes: Developing Effective Leaders  Understanding of the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”  Global understanding of public education for SWD  Knowledge of national and state agencies and organizations  Understanding of Statewide political legislative and budget process  Systematic demonstration of leadership principles and skills  Knowledge of policy and role in decision-making

The Process  90 hours in seminars and workshops ä40 hour individually designed internship ä 30 hours of homework  Reflection Papers  Attendance  Portfolio  Mentor Engagement  Participation in State Special Education/Early Intervention Leadership Conference

 Individual Professional Development Leadership Plan  Internship Experience  Interviews with Local Special Education Director, Superintendent, Legislator ÜPortfolio ÜDynamic Statewide network with colleagues Participant Take-aways

The Mentor Experience  Ongoing Discussion and Feedback with SELA Participant  Guidance and professional reflections on professional development journey  Covey Individual Leadership Benchmarks Process  Site visits  Support throughout internship project

Evaluation: Participant and SELA Effectiveness Performance Outcomes linked to demonstrating understanding of content, leadership,roles of agencies and national organizations, policies, portfolio, reflections, attendance Personal Vision of Education Leadership Internship Participation and reflection Session evaluations Successful completion and administrative placements

How the Maryland Special Education Leadership Academy experience translated to leadership at the local level Learning about state operations and how they interact with local school districts Experiencing state legislature processes and how community and advocacy groups impact the agenda Networking with leaders from school districts across the state Understanding leadership styles and assessing personal strengths and weaknesses

Interviewing the Superintendent of Howard County Public School System; a new experience for a young leader Visits to the Office of Special Education Programs, Council for Exceptional Children and the National Association of Special Education Directors Experiencing the grant approval process at the State Department of Education

Interning with an Associate Superintendent of a local school System Developing an innovation that positively impacted the academic performance of students who are affiliated with mu ltiple student groups, including students with disabilities Reaching out to community and advocacy groups to share practices and learn about their perspectives related to the performance of students with disabilities

Co-Teaching Intervention Program Professional Development Cycle that ensures follow up in classrooms A focus on relationships that impacted student performance Results of students with disabilities on statewide assessments Linking the SELA experiences to the day-to-day work of a Special Education leader and aspiring Director and how the work impacted practices in the Howard County Public School System in Maryland

HCPSS High School Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities

MSA Reading/Math – IST/Non-IST Middle School

Co-Teaching PP10/11/07dm  Corey Said: “My GPA keeps getting higher. I wasn’t motivated in middle school. My teachers paid a lot of attention to me. Now, I’m a good student - smart - a leader”.  Zack Said: “I’ve always felt behind. Now, I can relax and learn. I’m smart”!  Sarah said: “Nobody ever talked to me about college. Ms. Dzubak told me I was smart. She helped me see my future”. Applying Leadership: Making a Difference for Students

Our Task: Build This Community of Learners professional development Session modeling of professional development strategy team co-planning on how to implement new strategy co-teaching team implement new strategy in classroom “coaching visits” share artifacts with colleagues on CLC

Co Relationship Building “Far and away the best prize that life Offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” Theodore Roosevelt