National Summit for Principal Supervisors Broward Cadre Directors: Learning Through Practice

Cadre Directors Elementary Mark S. Strauss Fabian Cone Middle School Christine Semisch High School Mike Ramirez 2

Our Mission The Center for Educational Leadership (CEL) is a nonprofit service arm of the University of Washington College of Education dedicated to eliminating the achievement gap that continues to divide our nation’s children along the lines of race, class, language and disability. 3

Equity Is a Key Principle of Our Work Equal Outcomes Fairness Access and Support Respect for Differences Achievement of Every Student Equity 4

Foundational Ideas 1.If students are not learning they are not being afforded powerful learning opportunities. 2.Teaching is a highly complex and sophisticated endeavor. 3.Practice of sophisticated endeavors only improves when it is open for public scrutiny. 4.Improving practice in a culture of public scrutiny requires reciprocal accountability. 5.Reciprocal accountability implies a particular kind of leadership to improve teaching and learning. 6.Leaders cannot lead what they don’t know. 5

Essential Question How do your district’s beliefs about student learning influence our support of principal supervisors? 6

Big Ideas If you have a theory of action that principal leadership matters to improve student learning Then you need to be ultra intentional about how to grow principal practice or you will continue to have variability in principal performance and student success. 7

How We Think About Doing This Work Reciprocal Accountability: You are responsible to help principals do what you are asking them to do. Bringing forward expertise through teaching and coaching improves practice. Engaging in joint work to solve authentic problems of student learning and teaching and leading problems of practice. The whole central office is implicated in supporting principal work. Must consider both the principal and the school as the unit of change. 8

Goals For the Hour Share recent trends in the role of the principal supervisor. Understand the research on what effective districts do to support principals as instructional leaders. Share how BCPS supported Cadre Directors to develop principals as instructional leaders. Provoke you to reconsider the role and work of your principal supervisors. 9

Reflection How do these ideas line up with yours? What will be listening for during this session today? 10

The Research on Central Office Support for Principals as Instructional Leaders 11

The Leadership Challenge Principals can positively influence classroom instructional practices that, in turn, improve student learning. Principals currently only devote 3-5 hours per week to activities focused on improving instruction. Principal leadership is complex and requires expertise, practice and time. Responsibility to develop expertise must be reciprocal; provide principals with clarity, development and strategic supports

1:1 coaching relationships. Working from problems of student learning, teaching practice and principal practice. Model practices, differentiating support, developing and using tools. Networks led by principal supervisors. Learning based on principals’ learning plan. Collaboration with central office leaders to gather support for principals. 13

Background Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – Empowering Effective Teaching Project 11 Sites – Two Key Questions 1.How are principals and central office leaders changing how they work to improve teaching performance? 2.What do principals and central office leaders need to know and be able to do to support the improvement of leadership and teaching performance at scale? 14

CCSSO New Model Principal Supervisor Standards 15

Principal Support Framework 16

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The Principal Support Framework Action Area 1: A Shared Vision of Principals as Instructional Leaders. Action Area 2: System of Support for Developing Principals as Instructional Leaders. Action Area 3: Making It Possible for Principals To Be Instructional Leaders. 18

Which Action Areas Will We Focus On? Action AreaOur Work 2: System of Support for Developing Principals as Instructional Leaders. Coach Cadre Directors to coach principals 1:1 through an inquiry process so that principals have the skills, tools, and supports they need to grow and successfully apply the system’s high-priority instructional leadership practices. 19

Reflection What is the research that guides your work with principals? How could this research extend your thinking in your district? 20

Engaging Principal in an Inquiry Process 21

Cadre Director Learning Approach Engage in a learning process with one case study/focus principal to learn new habits of thinking and working. Use short term cycles of inquiry to learn and practice new habits of thinking and practice. Start with an identified high priority problem of student learning and teaching practice before identifying the leadership area of focus. Share learnings and problems of practice with colleagues. Transfer the habits of thinking and practice into new ways of working with all principals. 22

Instructional Leadership Inquiry Cycle

Instructional Leader “If you want to leverage improvement in a school system, the most critical role is the principal.” If the central office does X Then principals will be able to do Y Which means teachers will do Z Which will result in achievement for all students! Sparks, D. (2005) Explain, inspire, lead: Interview with Noel Tichy. Journal of Staff Development, 26(2),

Guiding Questions for Small Group Discussion 1.What has been the structure of your professional learning this year? 2.How have you grown as an instructional leader through your professional development? 3.What has been the effect on principal, teacher and student learning based on your learning this year? 4.What are we learning about your principals? 5.What are we learning about our practice? 6.What are some lesson’s learned in participating in this type of PD? Advice for others thinking about how to support principal supervisors? 25

Based upon your understanding of how Broward is supporting principals as instructional leaders, what is a next step you might take? Why is this the right next step? 26

For More Information Contact Sandy Austin, Project Director University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership | 27

Tools for All Three Action Areas Located at: support-framework-action-area-resources-and-toolshttps:// support-framework-action-area-resources-and-tools

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