1. By Innovating Solutions for Rural Leadership Challenges:
Getting Better Together By
Thomas A. Butler, Ph.D.
Hobart L. Harmon, Ph.D.
Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8
Altoona, PA 16602
Presentation at:
Association of Educational Service Agencies Annual Conference
The Broadmoor Hotel
Colorado Springs, Colorado
November 30, 2018

2. 2018 AESA Conference Theme
Courageous Leadership Inspires Bold Action (Getting Better Together)

3. Presentation Focus Understanding the leadership challenge
(Getting Better Together)

4. Presentation Focus Understanding the leadership challenge
Customizing leadership process

5. Presentation Focus Understanding the leadership challenge
Customizing leadership process
Emphasizing collaborative strategies

6. Presentation Focus Understanding the leadership challenge
Customizing leadership process
Emphasizing collaborative strategies
Exploring need: AESA Affinity Group

7. Understanding Leadership Challenge Context
IU8 School Districts
N = 35
PA Intermediate Units
N = 29

8. Understanding Leadership Lens
Transformational viewpoints:
1. Learner-centered education
2. Community-focused learning experiences

9. The New Learning Ecosystem

10. Community-Focused Learning
Connects learning experience to living in a rural community
Expands social capital opportunities for learners (i.e., social relations that have productive benefits for learners and rural places)
Advances role of education for sustainable rural development (i.e., economic, ecological, equity)

11. “It ain’t what we don’t know that gives us trouble, its what we know that ain’t right.” Will Rogers

12. Customizing a Leadership Process
Our Innovative Process: CARE
Catalyzing
Action
for
Responsive
Education

13. Leadership Action
CARE process steps:
Discovery

14. Leadership Action
CARE process steps:
Discovery
Capacity building

15. CARE process steps: Leadership Action Discovery Capacity building
Intentional place-based innovation design

16. CARE process steps: Leadership Action Discovery Capacity building
Intentional place-based innovation design
Success assurance

17. Discovering Local Solutions: Examples
Innovation
Root Cause
Appreciative Leadership
Inconsistent (unsolid) district leadership culture
Let’s Talk
Student sexual abuse and mental health issues
Blended Learning
Insufficient classes, small staff and money
Learning Pathways
Inadequate amount and staff use of technology
High School 1:1 Tech. Initiative
Inability of instruction to teach and reach students where they are
Career Prep Concept
Students without real-world work experience
Work Mentor Program
Students perceive no opportunities to stay in local community

18. Summary: Getting Better Together
The GBT initiative:
Builds on success in local districts and schools
Uses iterative process that results in multiple place-based adaptations, not “one best way model”
Leverages and builds regional capacity and talents
Creates network of credentialed innovation leaders
Reinforces collaborations and partnerships among those interested in learning and the future of rural places

19. Group Discussion: Collaboration Strategies
Guiding Question:
What collaboration strategy is your ESA leadership pursuing that embraces learner-centered and community-focused principles for rural areas? (For example, at IU8 it is the Getting Better Together initiative.)
Answer: Please provide:
Your name
Your ESA name & location
Your collaboration strategy (or leadership actions)

20. Group Discussion: AESA Affinity Group
Guiding Questions:
Could we Get Better Together by collaborating to share our ideas, challenges/solutions, lessons learned and successes?
Should we consider forming an AESA Affinity Group on ?

21. Group Discussion: AESA Affinity Group
What is an AESA Affinity Group?
Purpose: To broaden your professional networks.
Open to the employees of the ESAs that are members of AESA.
Formed around common interests or issues, rather than common job titles.
Meetings occur electronically throughout the year.
Join if you work for an ESA that is also a member of AESA.

22. Group Discussion: AESA Affinity Group
What is common interest or issue?
Learner-centered Education
for Sustainable Rural Development