1. Policy as a powerful lever for elevating outcomes: a national & state perspective Dr. cory murphy & Dr. luann purcell

2. Session Goals Learn about:
Revising of state level policies in teacher and leader preparation
Leveraging national associations to inform state policy
Using program review & teacher observation to influence student outcomes
Policy as a lever within multiple contexts

3. Question
In your role, how can you contribute to policy change and what kind of data can you bring to the table?

4. State Perspective

5. To create a world-class educational system that gives students the knowledge and skills to be successful in college and the workforce, and to flourish as parents and citizens
MS VISION
To provide leadership through the development of policy and accountability systems so that all students are prepared to compete in the global community
MS Mission

6. MISSISSIPPI STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
All Students Proficient and Showing Growth in All Assessed Areas 1
Every Student Graduates from High School and is Ready for College and Career 2
Every Child Has Access to a High- Quality Early Childhood Program 3
Every School Has Effective Teachers and Leaders 4
Every Community Effectively Uses a World-Class Data System to Improve Student Outcomes 5
Every School and District is Rated “C” or Higher 6

7. Teaching and Leading Solutions Group (CEEDAR MS TEAM)
Analyze current structure and identify gaps in efforts to encourage and strengthen partnerships between the State Education Agency (SEA), Institution of Higher Education (IHE), and Local Education Agency (LEA) and implement strategies to address these gaps that will aid in the recruiting, preparing, licensing, supporting, and retaining of effective teachers and leaders to ultimately, positively impact the success of ALL learners.

8. Objective Areas Strategic communication Recruitment and Retention
Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Practice
Inclusive Practices and Leadership
Licensure

9. Changing Policy- The Why and How
State Department Role in Changing Policy
Impetus
Align with State Vision and Initiatives
Respond to Stakeholders
Change in State/District Needs
Steps to Change in MS
Draft changes with multiple stakeholder feedback, often Task Force
Pilot when appropriate
State Board of Education for approval

10. Policy Focus – Teacher Licensure
Intern License
Allows all EPP candidates license
Ethics exam
Background check/fingerprinting
Considerations:
Draft Induction License, currently in pilot

11. Policy Focus - Licensure
Special Education Director’s License
Researched other state/national data
Survey of current special education directors and other administrators
Task force to develop criteria
Stakeholder review

12. Policy Focus- Teacher Observation
Teacher observation- special education teachers
Participate in national topical action group
Gather data/research nationally
Task force to review current observation criteria and embed High Leverage Practices

13. Policy Focus - Program Review
New program review policy
Includes use of Culturally Responsive Practices
Includes opportunities for practice with diverse student populations
Revision of Preparation program requirements for Educational Leadership
All programs offering principal preparation participate
Draft program requirements align with NELP/PSEL and inclusive leadership
Common performance assessments

14. Vision
Strategy
Execute

15. Group discussion
Within your state, what challenge(s)/barrier(s) or successes have you encountered that have helped or hindered you from moving your state’s vision from ideation to policy implementation?

16. Leading By Convening
Take Advantage of your State Level affiliates for your stakeholder groups
Use the proven method of sustainable action through Leading by Convening

17. Everyone is a Leader! Everyone is a Learner!
Brand New Modules which can be used by leaders at all levels and positions in a system or organization!
The leadership strategy operationalized in LbC requires leaders, regardless of title, accept the value of bringing groups with authority and groups with influence together in a shared leadership strategy.
This leadership style supports authentic stakeholder engagement!

18. At the National Level : Significantly Disproportionate (SD)
A Common Issue: SD
Voices heard at Board of Directors Meeting
Continued discussion at Member Conference
Discussion with OSERS/OSEP
Discussion with State Data Managers
Discussions with IDEA Data Center
Creation of Ad Hoc Committee
Local and State Directors, district level and state level data personnel, legal/policy wonks, IHE, and other ed associations

19. Progress… Set Back in Leadership New Chair Continued Discussion
Deadline
Court Case finding
Learning, adjusting, learning
Everyone a leader
IDEA DATA Center
Moving forward to be ready at the next level…
Leading, Learning, Adjusting, repeat!

20. Levels of Participation
Key Participants
Key Advisors
Extended Partners
Feedback Network
Core Team
Dissemination Web
Communication Linkers
Convene the group.
Take responsibility for structuring each convening and follow up.
Plan and monitor interaction.
Create engagement strategies.
Organize activities.
Communicate with decision makers.
Oversee review and evaluation.
Act as regular contacts for information on the issue.
Give advice and help the core team sense issues and adapt activities in a variety of contexts.
Make opportunities for the work to be reviewed within their personal networks.
Bring their personal network information back into the work of the Core group.
Promote the cross-stakeholder approach to problem identification and problem solving.
Join the core team periodically when their expertise is needed
Volunteer to become involved and represent the perspective of their organization and/or network.
Bring the perspective of their role and/or organization into the work.
Bring important learnings back to their networks.
Identify opportunities within their networks to showcase the learning.
Hold both their organizational identity and the group identity while interacting with the group.
Identify other practitioners and family members who may become active
Receive information.
Redistribute information through newsletters, news blasts, meetings, etc.
Submit information from newsletters, news blasts, meetings, etc.
Customize messages for their particular audience.

21. Levels of Participation
Key Participants
Key Advisors
Extended Partners
Feedback Network
Core Team
Dissemination Web
Communication Linkers

22. Engaging Everybody: Circles of Influence Activity

23. Closing connections Take 5 minutes and write down:
What is important to share with my team that helps my context, lessons learned or things to avoid?
Take 5 minutes and think about networking.
Who should I connect with later/when and on what should I follow up?

24. Council of Administrators of Special Education, Inc
Dr. Luann L. Purcell
Executive Director
Council of Administrators of Special Education, Inc
Dr. Cory Murphy
Executive Director
Office of Teaching & Leading