Closing the Achievement Gap Leaving No Child Behind

Developed from the Contents of Reginald Leon Green’s Practicing the Art of Leadership: A Problem-based Approach to Implementing the ISLLC Standards Chapter 7

Closing the Achievement Gap To close the achievement gap, leaving no child behind, the school leader must formulate a planning team and guide the faculty through a series of sequential steps, making instructional decisions based on data analysis. To close the achievement gap, leaving no child behind, the school leader must formulate a planning team and guide the faculty through a series of sequential steps, making instructional decisions based on data analysis.

The Sequential Steps

Step 1: Define the Standard of Excellence SEQUENTIAL STEPS for Closing the Achievement Gap Step 2: Assess the Current Conditions Step 3: Identify the Discrepancy Step 4: Assess the Cause(s) of the Discrepancy Step 5: Identify the Needed Change and/or Modification Step 6: Assess the Capacity for Change and/or Modification Step 7: Build the Capacity if It Does Not Exist Step 8: Implement the Change Step 9: Conduct a Formative Evaluation Step 10: Conduct a Summative Evaluation

Defining the Standard of Excellence Establishing a Shared Vision Step 1

Essential Question in defining the standard of excellence What do our students need to know and be able to do?

Conducting an Instructional Inquiry What are the current instructional trends? What are the current instructional trends? How do children learn? How do children learn? How do adults learn? How do adults learn? What are the most effective instructional approaches and under what conditions do they work best? What are the most effective instructional approaches and under what conditions do they work best?

Creating the Vision The Standard of Excellence for Our Students

Assess Current Conditions Step 2

Essential Questions In which areas do our students excel? In which areas do our students excel? In which areas do our students need assistance? In which areas do our students need assistance?

Assessing Current Conditions The Process Student data must be collected both individually and collectively. Student data must be collected both individually and collectively. Student data must be collected by grade, subject, and skill sets. Student data must be collected by grade, subject, and skill sets.

Assessing Current Conditions The Process Teacher data must be collected both individually and collectively. Teacher data must be collected both individually and collectively. Teacher data must be collected by grade, subject, and skill sets. Teacher data must be collected by grade, subject, and skill sets.

Assessing Current Conditions Seeking the Answer Report Cards Retention Rate Dropout Rate Attendance Graduation Rate ACT Scores Terra Nova

Identifying the Discrepancy Step 3

Identifying the Discrepancy Making a determination of the difference between current conditions and the established standards. Making a determination of the difference between current conditions and the established standards. Current ConditionsEstablished Standards DISCREPANCY

Creative Tension Current ConditionsThe Vision Discrepancy

Assessing the Cause of the Discrepancy Step 4

Assessing the Cause Data Analysis What does the Terra Nova data say to us? What does the Terra Nova data say to us? What skills do students most often fail to master? What skills do students most often fail to master? Where are those skills taught? Where are those skills taught? Who teaches those skills? Who teaches those skills? What resources are being used? What resources are being used?

Assessing the Cause Assessing the internal and external culture Assessing the internal and external culture Assessing the internal and external climate Assessing the internal and external climate Reviewing teacher readiness levels Reviewing teacher readiness levels

Assessing the Cause Teaching styles Teaching styles Student learning styles Student learning styles Relationships Relationships Student attendance Student attendance Student discipline Student discipline

Understanding Self and Others

Understanding Others Who works in this school? What do they believe and value? What do they believe about school and the schooling process? Where does the strength of the faculty lie?

Understanding Self What do I believe? What do I believe? What are my strengths? What are my strengths? What is my area of expertise? What is my area of expertise?

Understanding the Culture of the School and Community

The Community Knowledge of the values and beliefs of the people served by the school and those who live in the community Knowledge of the values and beliefs of the people served by the school and those who live in the community Values BeliefsBehaviors Knowledge

Essential Questions Who does this school serve? Who does this school serve? What do the parents value? What do the parents value? What do they believe about the school and the instructional process? What do they believe about the school and the instructional process?

Perceptions of Students Knowledge Knowledge Understanding Understanding Respect Respect Appreciation Appreciation Teaching Teaching

Interpersonal Relationships Principal/Teacher Relationships Principal/Teacher Relationships Teacher/Teacher Relationships Teacher/Teacher Relationships Teacher/Student Relationships Teacher/Student Relationships Teacher/Parent Relationships Teacher/Parent Relationships

Identify the Needed Change or Modification Step 5

Assessing the Needs What Needs to Be Changed? Instructional materials/programs Instructional materials/programs Professional personnel/ratios Professional personnel/ratios Instructional knowledge base/strategies Instructional knowledge base/strategies Climate Climate Assessment system Assessment system Time on task Time on task

Professional Curriculum Planning Developing a plan to remove the discrepancy Developing a plan to remove the discrepancy The basic question: What do students need to know, understand, and be able to do in order to reach the established standards? The basic question: What do students need to know, understand, and be able to do in order to reach the established standards?

Curriculum Revision What are we going to change? Why are we going to change? When are we going to change? What are the anticipated results? What are we going to change? Why are we going to change? When are we going to change? What are the anticipated results?

Meeting the Standard of Excellence A Vision Statement Short and Long Term Goals Benchmarks for Leadership, Faculty, and Student Accountability

Assess the Capacity for Change and/or Modification Step 6

Change Capacity Conducting Inquiry into Faculty Readiness Level of dissatisfaction Level of dissatisfaction Short and long term costs Short and long term costs The extent to which the faculty understands the vision The extent to which the faculty understands the vision The consequences of the change The consequences of the change The degree of difficulty in making the change The degree of difficulty in making the change

Build the Capacity for Change if It Does Not Exist Step 7

Build the Capacity for Change if It Does Not Exist Establish effective lines of communication between the school leader and the community. Establish effective lines of communication between the school leader and the community. Secure community support for the change concept. Secure community support for the change concept. Acquire expertise in the new program concept. Acquire expertise in the new program concept. Drive fear out of the school. Drive fear out of the school.

Build the Capacity for Change if It Does Not Exist Work out collective bargaining regulations that facilitate change. Work out collective bargaining regulations that facilitate change. Acquire necessary approvals from the State Department of Education. Acquire necessary approvals from the State Department of Education. Identify sources of the necessary resources. Identify sources of the necessary resources. Utilize effective change strategies. Utilize effective change strategies.

Implement the Change Step 8

Program Implementation Pool the resources of the school and community to implement the plan. Pool the resources of the school and community to implement the plan. Implement a professional development plan that addresses teacher needs. Implement a professional development plan that addresses teacher needs. Implement an assessment model that will continuously provide data on both teacher and student needs. Implement an assessment model that will continuously provide data on both teacher and student needs.

Program Implementation Effective Instructional Approaches Small Group Instruction Small Group Instruction Cooperative Groups Cooperative Groups Project-based Learning Project-based Learning Coaching Coaching Interdisciplinary Units Interdisciplinary Units

Program Implementation Effective Instructional Strategies Effective Instructional Strategies Concepts vs. Facts Direct Instruction vs. Lecture Conducting Inquiry vs. Worksheets

Conduct Formative Evaluations Step 9

Assessment Pupil Pupil Program Program Formative Formative

Conduct a Summative Evaluation Step 10

Assessment Pupil Pupil Program Program Summative Summative

Enhanced Student Achievement

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