1. School Board Role in District and School Turnaround Lauren Morando Rhim LMR Consulting for Kansas City Missouri Public Schools School Board Retreat April 6, 2013

2. Overview Components of successful district/school turnaround effortsLane ReviewRole of School BoardsPromising practicesBold Leadership: Chuck HagelLooking forwardKey takeawaysResources 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS2

3. SCHOOL TURNAROUND IS A… 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS3 Change in Performance of an ORGANIZATION Sustainable Dramatic Quick Documented

4. SCHOOL TURNAROUND IS NOT… 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS4 … SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT +

5. Turnaround Expectations Dramatic improvement (e.g., 10-15% growth in proficiency on standardized tests) is possible in a single year Conventional wisdom that dictates change takes 3-5 years does not reflect urgency necessary for students enrolled in our lowest performing schools Expect to see tangible evidence of change early 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS5

6. Components of Successful School Turnaround Efforts Effective leaders engaging in key specific actions and working in an environment that supports dramatic change can turn around low-performing schools Source: Kowal et al., 2009; Herman et al., 2008, Public Impact 2007; Brinson & Rhim, 2008. Districts are critical because they establish the conditions for successful and sustainable turnaround efforts Source: Kowal et al., 2009; Herman et al., 2008, Public Impact 2007; Brinson & Rhim, 2008. 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS6

7. Review Lane Slides

8. 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS8 DISTRICTS ARE CRITICAL TO SUCCESSFUL TURNAROUND EFFORTS

9. Components of Successful School Turnaround Efforts School board are positioned to catalyze, support, and sustain district turnaround efforts 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS9

10. School Board Decisions… Improvement from within?Portfolio or cluster approach?External “reboot”? 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS10

11. Schools Embedded in Broader System Federal State District School 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS11

12. School Board Tools DEVELOP POLICIES TO SUPPORT GOALS DIRECT AND MANAGE BUDGET ALIGNED WITH GOALS RECRUIT, HIRE, AND EVALUATE SUPERINTENDENT ACCORDING TO GOALS DISTRICT SCHOOLS 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS12

13. Essential Work of School Boards (Levers, Culture, and Alignment ) Create a visionEstablish policyHire a superintendentMonitor progressDevelop and adopt budgetEngage the communityFulfill other legally mandated responsibilities (e.g., negotiate CBA) Source: Vermont School Boards Association. (2012) The essential work of Vermont School Boards. Montpelier, VT: Author 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS13

14. School Board Cycle Board sets policy related to goals Superintendent develops plan Superintendent delegates personnel Implement planSupervise/reviseGather data Submit monitoring reports Board monitors policy compliance and outcomes 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS14 Vermont School Boards Association. (2012) The essential work of Vermont School Boards. Montpelier, VT: Author

15. School Board Cycle Board sets policy related to goals Superintendent develops plan Superintendent delegates personnel Implement planSupervise/reviseGather data Submit monitoring reports Board monitors policy compliance and outcomes 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS15 Vermont School Boards Association. (2012) The essential work of Vermont School Boards. Montpelier, VT: Author

16. YOUR CHARGE… 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS16 Determine how you can drive, initiate, support and sustain successful school turnaround efforts in your district

17. District conditions Strong instructional infrastructure and robust assessments Intentional human capital strategy Rigorous accountability system Prioritization of lowest performing schools Effective turnaround conditions 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS17

18. Board role in establishing… Strong instructional infrastructure and robust assessments Identify academic outcome goals Invest in improving instruction Invest in assessments and application of data Intention human capital strategy Support talent pipeline Address CBA barriers Provide political cover Rigorous accountability system Acknowledge outcomes Hold personnel accountable for performance Prioritization of lowest performing schools Differentiate support Allocate resources according to need 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS18

19. Contrasting implementation approaches… Kitchen sink New on top of old Lack of coherence Scattershot RandomPeripheral Laser focus Prioritized Data driven 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS19 Source: Yatsko et al. 2012

20. Key Actions 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS20

21. Creating the Context for Success 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS21 COMMIT TO SUCCESS

22. Creating the Context for Success cont. 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS22 PRIORITIZE TURNAROUND SCHOOLS

23. Creating the Context for Success cont. 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS23 HIRE INTENTIONALLY

24. Hire Intentionally Intentionally selecting or retaining skilled central office administrators, building principals and teachers equipped to implement turnaround initiative and conversely, removal of ineffective personnel, is an essential aspect of a successful school turnaround. School boards give superintendents political cover to make difficult personnel decisions—for instance, removing ineffective principals or teachers—that are critical to turnaround efforts. Effective systems to track and monitor turnaround efforts, including site visits by district liaisons, ensure that key actors are held accountable for key actions and provide the opportunity to assess early indicators of turnaround success. 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS24

25. Creating the Context for Success cont. 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS25 HOLD LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR RESULTS

26. Turnaround Leader Performance Assessments: No Time to Lose 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS26 Urgency required given impact of leadership on students Need to initiate bold change to catalyze turnarounds Detrimental impact of tolerating poor performance Emerging research about how to effectively assess leading indicators of school turnaround

27. Creating the Context for Success cont. 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS27 ESTABLISH DATA-DRIVEN CULTURE

28. Expectations Dramatic improvement (e.g., 10-15% growth in proficiency on standardized tests) is possible in a single year Conventional wisdom that dictates change takes 3-5 years does not reflect urgency necessary for students enrolled in our lowest performing schools Expect to see tangible evidence of change early 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS28

29. Turnaround Indicators School Board-level Clearly articulated goals Differentiated plan based on school needs Aligned allocation of resources Superintendent goals related to student outcomes District-level Turnaround plan Clarity related to goals, steps, and timeline of turnaround Means to assess progress according to timeline Systems to measure progress according to multiple measures School-level Leader competencies Leader actions Turnaround plan Preconditions for learning gains (improved participation, improved instruction, improved culture) 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS29 Source: Kowal, J., & Ableidinger, J. (Public Impact). (2011). Leading indicators of school turnarounds: How to know when dramatic change is on track. Charlottesville: University of Virginia’s Darden/Curry Partnership for Leaders in Education. Retrieved from www.DardenCurry.org

30. Turnaround Indicators Instruction quality Measure of teacher quality/distribution Instructional time College readiness (e.g., AP classes, dual-enrollment) Participation in school Student/teacher attendance Truants Mobility Dropout rate Culture Discipline referrals Satisfaction levels 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS30

31. Data Fosters Accountability Measure what matters because what is measured, matters A significant and tangible consequence for failure to improve can be an essential component of building buy-in to commit to difficult changes required to initiate and sustain a school turnaround effort. 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS31

32. Creating the Context for Success cont. 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS32 PROACTIVELY ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY Provide a stark look at current performance Create a vision for the future Publicize “Early Wins”

33. Discussion Chuck Hagel: Tackling the Pentagon 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS33

34. Discussion Questions What is the problem Hagel is trying to fix? What challenges does he face? What do we know about his leadership style? What are his priorities? What actions does he plan to take? What is your “jarring gong” 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS34

35. Looking Forward 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS35

36. 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS36 Dramatic change requires taking risks…

37. …risks involved with changing norms 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS37 Examine “givens” Beware of self- imposed limitations/cages Tackle the issues no one wants to acknowledge Track/leverage “tipping point”

38. Board ownership and commitment to success is critical Success requires both will and skill 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS38

39. Lessons from the mall… 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS39

40. There is no quick fix but rapid change is possible People, not programs, are central to progress Adults in the system need to change their behavior 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS40

41. Intentionally identifying qualified district and school leaders and holding them accountable for meeting high expectations is the fuel that drives school turnaround 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS41

42. Challenges to anticipate …and avoid Lack of buy-in that change is required Approach as exercise in compliance vs best outcomes for students Mistaking MEANS for ENDs Unclear expectations related to board and superintendent roles and responsibilities Absence of willingness to hold stakeholders accountable Lack of systems to monitor needs and implementation 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS42

43. Discussion What is your vision?What are your tangible goals for 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months?What are your strengths (internal and external)?What are your greatest liabilities (internal and external)?How do you leverage strengths?How do you address liabilities?What are you going to do next? 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS43

44. Discussion Questions How do you plan to communicate about your turnaround efforts? Is your plan intentional in terms of building buy-in? Does your plan communicate a clear need and sense of urgency? 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS44

45. Sources and Resources Hawley Miles, K., Baroody, K., & Regenstein, E., (2011). Restructuring resources for high-performing schools: A primer for state policymakers. Boston, MA: Education Resource Strategies Herman, R., Dawson, P., Dee, T., Greene, J., Maynard, R., Redding, S., et al. (2008). Turning around chronically low-performing schools: A practice guide. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Kowal, J & Ableidinger, J. (2011). Leading indicators of school turnarounds: How to know when dramatic change is on track. Charlottesville, VA: Partnership for Leaders in Education and Public Impact. Kowal, J., Hassel, E. A., & Hassel, B. C. (2009). Successful school turnarounds: Seven steps for district leaders. Washington, DC: Public Impact for The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement. Kowal, J., & Hassel, E. A. (Public Impact). (2011). Importing leaders for school turnarounds: Lessons and opportunities. Charlottesville: University of Virginia’s Darden/Curry Partnership for Leaders in Education. Retrieved from www.dardencurry.org. www.dardencurry.org 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS45

46. SOURCES & RESOURCES LMR Consulting for KCMPS46 Public Impact. (2007). School Turnarounds: A Review of the Cross-Sector Evidence on Dramatic Organizational Improvement. Lincoln, IL: Center on Innovation & Improvement. Rhim, L. M., (2013). Moving beyond the killer B’s: The role of school boards in school accountability and transformation. Lincoln, IL: Academic Development Institute. Rhim, L. M., (2012). No time to lose. Center on Innovation & Improvement. http://www.centerii.org/ http://www.centerii.org/ Rhim. L.M., (2011). Learning how to dance in the Queen City: Cincinnati public schools’ turnaround initiative. Charlottesville, VA: Darden School Foundation. University of Virginia. Scott, C., McMurrer, J., McIntosh, S., & Dibner, K., (201, March). Opportunities and Obstacles: Implementing Stimulus-Funded School Improvement Grants in Maryland, Michigan, and Idaho. Washington, DC: Center on Education Policy. http://www.cep-dc.org/http://www.cep-dc.org/ Steiner, L., & Hassel, E., (2011). Using competencies to improve school turnaround principal success. Charlottesville, VA: Darden School Foundation. University of Virginia. 4/6/13

47. Contact Information Lauren Morando Rhim, Ph.D. LMR Consulting Lauren_rhim@lmrconsulting.us (301)655-1992 4/6/13LMR Consulting for KCMPS47