Presented By: Catherine McCullough Strong Districts & Their Leadership Student Well-being [Add notes] Presented By: Catherine McCullough catherine.mccullough@cmcleadership.ca .

What you will learn today? Strong Districts and Leadership project The current research on an approach to practices that contribute to student well being What have we learned from this work and recommendations [Add notes]

Improving students’ achievement and well-being is the fundamental role of Educational Leaders Fundamental role of leaders everywhere and we are always striving for ways to refine our practices. We all want to stay the course with so many distractions happening everywhere. There are so many priorities that we are trying to achieve the strong district work brought focus into what we are trying to accomplish.

Commissioned By Directors of Education (CODE) Uses evidence from many sources on the nine characteristics of high performing school districts In Ontario (over 8 years ago) there was controversial politics happening at the time that recommended we remove a layer of senior leadership. Lets focus on what works in school systems. Commissioned Dr. Ken Leithwood who has been doing work in Leadership in Ontario for a many years. Author of the Ontario Leadership framework and additional research. Lets talk about what really works. Google “Leadership in Education” and his name will be number one. I had the opportunity as a Director at the time to take a lead in making this happen. Table of what the District Practices are. 9 Key characteristics that research shows districts enact that support student learning. Also a vision of what we should be striving for.

Characteristics Provide Coherent Instructional Guidance Mission, Vision and Goals Establish, broadly shared mission, vision and goals founded on ambitious images of the educated person. Provide Coherent Instructional Guidance Align budgets, personnel/polices and uses of time with district mission, vision and goals Build district and school capacity - Seek out and use multiple sources of evidence Create learning oriented improvement processes Advocate for and support a policy-governance approach to Board Provide Job Embedded Professional Development Nurture productive working relationships with staff and stakeholders Mission, Vision and Goals Ensure transparent visioning/direction setting process is carried out Consult extensively about district directions as part of the process Spend sufficient time to ensure that the mission, vision and goals ( direction of the system is widely known) Model the priorities Embed district directions in improvement plans, principal meetings and other leadership interactions Provide Coherent Instructional Guidance Adopt a service orientation towards schools Align curricular goals, assessment instruments, instructional practice and teaching resources Insist on ambitious goals for teaching and learning Advocate for attention to the best available evidence to inform instructional improvement decisions Expect schools to focus on needs of individual as well as groups of students Encourage staff to be innovative Build district and school capacity-Seek out and use multiple sources of evidence Use data from all available sources to inform decision making Insist on the use of the best available research Encourage collaboration with the data Provide training on the use of data with your principals and staff Interactions with trustees should be based on sound evidence. Provide Job Embedded Professional Development Provide PD opportunities for teachers and school level leaders in context Align content of PD with capacities needed for district and school improvement Require staff and growth plans be aligned with district and school improvement priorities. Hold staff accountable for applying new capacities. Align budgets, personnel/polices and uses of time with district mission, vision and goals Resources with district and improvement goals Align personnel procedures and organization structures with district goals. Give principals autonomy in hiring teaching staff Assist and expect schools to allocate instructional resources equitably. Use a comprehensive performance management system for school and district leadership development

Two Phases &Two Strands Research Two Phases &Two Strands Phase One was a field test. Development and Field Test of Learning Modules. Development of 23 Case studies from across the Province (Phase One) 9 Video Interviews. Second Phase we went in deeper. Continued the learning modules around the (9) characteristics Professional Development

Professional Development The intent of the modules is to de-privatize practice and to better understand implications of relevant research These learning modules took each of the (9) characteristics and put on the table actual case studies of boards approaches. We used case study guidelines to ask questions of why this was a priority, Details around how they approached the priority and their advice to others. School Districts share their lessons learned and how they have refined their approach. What burning questions there still may be. Consider the results of relevant research linked to these learning modules. This is the first of it’s kind that engages senior leaders in hearing first hand others approaches and how it can apply to their practice. Typically a learning module starts with the research and then the case study is presented and shared. (A typical approach) Travel to a part of the province – share the work.

Student outcomes including… Research Strand 45 District’s Student outcomes including… Math and Language achievement Two surveys Intensive interviews with 48 leaders Well-being 2 Surveys. District and School Level leaders were invited to engage. Questions were asked about students outcomes in math and language, well being and student engagement. Board results were given back to the board and also informed our research results. The 48 interviews with School Leaders were also transformational. Approximately 1,400 & 1,200 respondents Engagement

What is the extent the (9) characteristics influence? schools Research Goals classrooms What is the extent the (9) characteristics influence? IMPACT families student success [Add notes]

District effects on students classrooms schools families A central goal of the study was to identify those features that should be the most productive focus of intervention by school leaders. What characteristics, under the control of the district themselves, explain the significant variation in student learning? How do these characteristics interact with the conditions found in the schools, classrooms and families. What role do school leaders play in district efforts to improve student learning. students

What we anticipated students GROWTH & STREAMLINE PROVIDE leaders study results efforts Approved. The study results will provide leaders with greater leverage over the elements of their school systems that matter to student growth and streamline their efforts.

District Characteristic (9) Study framework District Characteristic (9) District Leadership Achievement Well-being Engagement [Add notes] School Conditions (12)

How do you define: student well-being? Student well-being is like a HUGE bucket. Well being is a huge bucket. There are numerous organizations that contribute to well being. Social services, hospitals etc. Our work in schools was intended to focus on intellectual tasks. The question is one of leadership. How can leaders influence well being.

Ontario Well Being Strategy Student well-being That positive sense of self and spirit and belonging we feel when our cognitive, emotional, and physical needs are being met Ontario Well Being Strategy Research more on the Ontario well being strategy.

Achievement, mission of school The degree to which a student is functioning effectively in the curriculum offered in the school community Our study adopted a domain-specific, subjective, conception and measure of student well being focused narrowly on the achievement mission of schools.

What are the twelve school conditions? Leadership is an exercise of influence and recognition The following 12 conditions can be influenced by leadership practices that have direct effects on students The framework is based on this premise.

Classroom instruction Focused instruction Academic Emphasis Disciplinary Climate School-wide Experience The Emotions Path Collective Teacher Efficacy Teacher Trust Teacher Commitment Leadership practices Student Learning Organizational Path Safe and Orderly Environment Organization of Planning and Instructional Time Collaborative Cultures and Structures. Leaders influence flows along 4 paths to reach students (12 school conditions). The 12 conditions have an effect on student learning and leadership. Classroom Experience Family Path Parent Expectations Forms of Communication at Home Parents social capital around schooling

What we found Academic emphasis and school leadership are the most influential of the 12 conditions on student well-being Teacher trust and collective teacher efficacy had a significant relationship to student well-being

Academic emphasis A combination of teachers setting high, but reasonable goals, students responding positively to the challenge of these goals, and the principal supplying the resources and exerting influence to attain these goals Academic emphasis has been found to be positively related to achievement in all types of schools including schools serving poor and minority students Goddard, Hoy, Tarter and Hoy (2006)

What will be effective for improving achievement will also be effective for improving well-being You don’t build well being by focusing on well being . You build it by focusing on these variables.

Discussion What do you do to promote academic emphasis in your district? How can you further leverage Academic emphasis in your schools? District leaders by themselves do not make a huge impact – school leaders do. District leaders impact is putting in place the conditions that lead to leadership success.

School leadership – what successful leaders do Setting directions Building relationships and developing people Developing the organization to support desired practices Improving the instructional program Securing accountability Ontario Leadership Framework

Setting directions Build a shared vision Identify specific, shared, short term goals Create high performance expectations Communicate the vision and goals

Build relationships and develop people Stimulate growth in the professional capacities of staff Provide support and demonstrate consideration for individual staff members Model the schools values and practices Build trusting relationships with staff students and parents Productive working relationships with teacher federation representatives

Develop the organization to support desired practices Build collaborative cultures and distribute leadership Structure the organization to facilitate collaboration Build productive relationships with families and communities Connect the school to it’s wider environment Maintain a safe and healthy school environment Allocate resources to support the schools vision and goals

Improve the instructional program Staff the instructional program Provide instructional support Monitor student learning and school improvement progress Buffer staff from distractions to their work

Secure accountability Build staff members’ sense of internal accountability Meet the demands for external accountability

Recommendations from Strong Districts Districts should reassess what they are doing to nurture the development of their school leaders consistent with research based practices. There is likely no single improvement focus for a district that will make as large a difference to it’s performance as focus on leadership development. What do you do to develop your current leaders?

Leadership development The 12 school conditions have significant effects on student learning Evidence demonstrates that they are workable by school leaders

What do you focus on in your leadership development programs?

Leadership for learning It is important to make tacit knowledge about leadership and leadership development explicit, at all opportunities and with all audiences throughout the system One district that I know offers leadership development programs.

Collective teacher efficacy The level of confidence a group exudes in its capacity to organize and execute whatever educational initiatives are required for students to reach high standards of achievement

What does collective efficacy look like? Challenging goals for themselves High levels of planning and organization Testing new methods Classroom time dedicated to learning. Helping Students succeed with persistence and resiliency Setting high goals for students Demonstrate a passion for teaching

How can leaders foster collective teacher efficacy?

Good leadership practices Promoting cooperation and collaboration among staff towards common goals Encourage staff to form networks and join other networks Sponsor meaningful and professional development Inspire others with a vision of the future

Teacher trust Transparency, competence, benevolence and reliability are trustworthy teachers qualities Teacher trust is critical to the success of schools, and nurturing trusting relationships with students, and parents is a key elements in improving student learning

Outline the ways to foster teacher trust?

Trust is earned when… Behave towards teachers in a supportive, friendly open manner Listen to the needs and assist in supporting those needs Articulating a clear vision of expectations Buffer teachers from unreasonable demands Set high standards for students then follow through with supports for teachers Be reliable, open, honest in all interactions

Student well-being recommendation Schools and districts aiming to improve conceptions of student well being should include as part of their improvement efforts, increase the status in their schools of Academic Emphasis School Leadership Collective Teacher Efficacy Teacher Trust

Recommendations from Strong Districts research Districts should set as a priority supporting the work of their schools in learning more on how to improve the status of the 12 conditions and develop resource material that schools can use to improve these efforts. Include specific training for school leaders on how to diagnose and improve the status of these conditions. Districts should avoid an exclusive focus on just one of the conditions as a “silver bullet” All 12 Conditions have the potential to help improve student success. The choice of which one or several to focus on at a given time should depend on the judgment of what would be most helpful in individual school contexts.

Shouldn’t the status of improving conditions be a focus on a leadership development program?

References School Leaders’ Influences’ on Student Learning: The Four Paths How School Districts Influence Student Achievement

For more information Catherine.mccullough@cmcleadership.ca www.cmcleadership.ca www.strongdistrictleaders.com .