1 The Nebraska Leadership Initiative Overview of Rationale and Research A Collaboration between NCSA, NDE, and ESUs

2 Objectives Introduction to the Nebraska Leadership Initiative Effective Schools Research Leadership and Change Components Preview of the training series Introduction of the training modules

3 Agenda Introduction to the training and rationale Effective school research synthesis Leadership Change Research Components –Governance for Learning –Culture for Learning –Instructional Leadership for Learning –Resources for Learning

4 Rationale for the Training Leaders & Leadership Matter Scientific Research Base to Leadership Leadership Research is Coupled with the Research on Effective Organizations & Systems We Are All Leaders

5 Training Objectives Gain knowledge about the components of effective schools Apply principles of effective leadership to the components Apply the principles of systematic change to the components

6 Participants The aim is to train school teams and to allow the opportunity for discussion and planning –Superintendents – Principals –School leaders

7 Literature/Research Base Lezotte: Correlates of effective schools: The first and second generation. McREL: School District Leadership that Works; The effect of superintendent leadership on student achievement. National Study of School Evaluation (NSSE): Technical guide to school and district factors impacting student learning. Marzano: What works in schools: Translating research into action.

8 Analysis of the Literature Looked for overlaps and validation across the research Looked for components addressing the entire system Organized the literature into 4 components Provided supplemental literature to support the content of the 4 components Addressed leadership and change across all components

9 Lezotte Correlates Safe and orderly environment Climate of high expectations for success Instructional leadership Clear and focused mission Opportunity to learn and time on task Frequent monitoring of student progress Home-school relations

10 McREL: School District Leadership Findings District leadership matters Effective superintendents focus their efforts on creating goal oriented districts Superintendent tenure is positively correlated with student achievement Defined Autonomy

11 NSSE Core Tasks Ensure desired results Improve teaching and learning Foster a culture of improvement

12 NSSE: five organizational conditions Quality teachers Effective leadership Quality information Policies and practices that foster and sustain improvement Resources and support systems to sustain improvement.

13 AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality Schools Vision and Purpose Governance and Leadership Teaching and Learning Documenting and Using Results Resources and Support Systems Stakeholder Communications and Relationships Commitment to Continuous Improvement

14 Marzano: What Works in Schools

15 School Level Factors Guaranteed and viable curriculum Challenging goals and effective feedback Parent and community involvement Safe and orderly environment Collegiality and professionalism

16 Across all 4 components Leadership: –Research and literature based practices –Leadership components and style Change: –The change process –How to manage and implement change

17 Leadership Waters and Marzano: School District Leadership that Works: The effect of superintendent leadership Marzano and Waters: School Leadership that Works Reeves: The learning leader Bennis: On becoming a leader Buckingham (Gallup) : First break all the rules

18 McREL District Leadership: the five responsibilities The goal setting process (.24) Non-negotiable goals for achievement and instruction. (.33) Board alignment with and support of district goals: (.29) Monitoring the goals for achievement and instruction. (.27) Use of resources to support goals for achievement and instruction. (.26)

19 Reeves: The Learning Leader – which kind of school? Losing: Low results, low understanding of antecedents. Replication of failure is likely Lucky: High results, low understanding of antecedents. Replication of success unlikely. Learning: Low results, high understanding of antecedents. Replication of success likely. Leading: High results, high understanding of antecedents. Replication of success likely.

20 Reeves: Architectural Leadership The architectural leader develops systems that outlast their tenure. Each person in a position of leadership must consider succession; that is how will their initiatives be sustained by the next leader? This leader designs systems that sustain the improvement practices and initiatives.

21 Bennis: Manager vs Leader The manager administers; the leader innovates. The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective. The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why. The manager does things right; the leader does the right things.

22 Gallup: Managers vs Leaders Great managers look inward – they look within the company, into the individual, into styles and how they can maximize the results of each person. Great leaders look outward – they look at the competition, the future, at alternative routes. They focus on broad patterns, finding connections and advantages.

23 Leadership vs Management Activity Determine if each activity is an example of leadership or management

24 Change Kotter: Leading change –The eight step change process Marzano: School leadership that works –First order change –Second order change Fullan: Change forces –Eight lessons in the paradigm of change

25 McREL: First Order Change Is perceived as an extension of the past Fits within the existing paradigms Is consistent with prevailing values and norms Can be implemented with existing knowledge and skills Requires resources currently available to those responsible for implementing the innovation May be accepted because of common agreement that the innovation is necessary

26 McREL: Second Order Change Is perceived as a break from the past Lies outside the existing paradigm Conflicts with prevailing values and norms Requires resources currently not available to those responsible for implementing the innovations May be resisted because only those who have a broad perspective of the school see the innovation as necessary

27 Kotter- Eight stage change process Establishing a sense of urgency Creating the guiding coalition Developing a vision and strategy Communicating the change vision Empowering broad based action Generating short term wins Consolidating gains and producing more change Anchoring new approaches in the culture

28 Fullan: Eight lessons of Change Lesson One: You can’t mandate what matters Lesson Two: Change is a journey, not a blueprint Lesson Three: Problems are our friends Lesson Four: Vision and strategic planning come later Lesson Five: Individualism and collectivism must be equal Lesson Six: Neither centralism or decentralism work Lesson Seven: Connection with the wider environment is critical Lesson Eight: Every person is a change agent

29 Change Activity Part I –Discuss each example as to whether it is first or second order change. Part II –Match each example to one of the eight steps to the change cycle.

30 Training Series Module 1: Governance for Learning Module 2: Culture for Learning Module 3: Instructional Leadership for Learning Module 4: Resources for Learning

31 Governance for Learning Setting Goals Effective Planning Effective Policies and Practices Monitoring Effective Leadership

32 Culture for Learning Mission/Vision School Climate Expectations Relationships

33 Instructional Leadership for Learning Use of Data Curriculum Instruction Assessment

34 Resources for Learning Allocation and Support Professional Development

35 Leadership What personnel are critical to the implementation of this component? How will autonomy be defined? Discuss what this will look like when it is fully implemented in your school or district How will systems be built to sustain this initiative beyond the tenure of the current leadership?

36 Change Discuss whether the full implementation of this component requires first or second order change in your school or district? Review Kotter’s eight step process of creating change. Discuss how these steps could apply to the implementation of this component in your district. How will a broad base of change agents be developed?