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Optimizing School & District Variables for a

Successful Reading First Implementation

ORF Leadership SessionOctober 20-21, 2005

Dr. Stan Paine, Interim DirectorCenter on Teaching & Learning

University of Oregon

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Today’s focusToday’s focus

Leadership roles in Reading First schools

Leadership notebook Implementation checklists Supporting your school’s

implementation Data-based leadership model Leadership roles revisited

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Leadership roles in RFLeadership roles in RF

Who are (or can be) the leaders in your school’s Reading First implementation?

What main things do each of these leaders do to support Reading First in your school?

One thing I could do in my role to more strongly support the RF project is.....

One thing that would be helpful for other RF leaders to do in support of RF is .....

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Continued Improvement

Great leaders are never satisfied with current

levels of performance. They are restlessly driven by

possibilities and potential achievements. --Donna Harrison

Excellence is not a point you reach.

It is a commitment you make to keep

improving.

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The ContextThe Context

We need to remember: what it’s all about..... what’s possible..... what’s most essential..... what’s most productive..... what’s most important.... how it all fits together.....

We call this: mission vision focus (goals) strategies wisdom empowerment

Premise: This is work with a powerful purpose. We know enough to be successful at it.

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“Explaining failure.....”“Explaining failure.....”

dysfunctional families negative peer influence negative effects of media

television, movies video games,music

drugs poverty violence

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School & district variablesSchool & district variables

The role of the principal The role of the reading coach The support of district staff Collaboration among all

stakeholders The insightful use of curriculum

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School & district variables (cont.)

School & district variables (cont.)

Use of time Use of data Use of other resources

money (funding) people (staffing)

Professional development Culture of success

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The role of the principalThe role of the principal

The successful RF principal:

communicates high expectations for reading to all

is visibly connected to all aspects of reading is involved in reading meetings & training

activities assures that data are used to improve reading communicates regularly with coach, staff and

district leaders about reading program & results

When the principal leads, the school succeeds

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The role of the principal (cont.)

The role of the principal (cont.)

The successful RF principal:

provides differential supervision and support around reading

develops a reading culture manages resources for reading participates in PD on reading

(e.g., instruction, leadership) seeks support, TA as needed

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The role of the coachThe role of the coach

The successful RF coach: Leverages time to boost reading Spends much time in classrooms Differentiates support across teachers,

based on data and staff needs Provides support for both teachers &

assistants Provides support for use of data in

instructional planning Serves as a catalyst, spark, bridge for

improved reading practices

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District supportDistrict support

Successful RF district leaders: maintain communication w/building staff,

regional coordinator about the RF program attend district RF team meetings attend ORF leadership sessions with team maintain visibility in the building in support of the

RF implementation consider support needed for reading district-wide

when allocating staffing, funds, etc. Ask how district policy, procedure can support

reading Assign & supervise staff to support reading

outcomes

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CollaborationCollaboration

Successful collaboration in RF: District and building staff work together to promote

increased achievement for all students

Principal & coach assure coordination of reading across classroom, RF, Title 1, ELL & special ed. staff

Instructional planning occurs within & across grade levels to assure consistency & seamlessness for students

No one has all the pieces, but together we can complete the picture.

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CurriculumCurriculum

Effective use of curriculum in RF: Adoption process considers research base for

reading Adequate funds provide sufficient materials Programs are aligned w/SBRR Programs are differentiated by student need Programs are implemented with fidelity Implementation is on track

curriculum maps pacing guides

Staff are trained & supervised on programs they teach

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Optimizing use of time (district)(using days/hours/minutes well)

Optimizing use of time (district)(using days/hours/minutes well)

Effective district use of time in RF includes: length of school day, year promote

achievement strong attendance policies and follow-up

assure that kids are in school district minimizes demands for principal time

out of the building to allow for more leadership and supervision time

district supports adequate time for professional development and collaborative planning time.

We allocate our time according to our priorities.

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Optimizing use of time (building)(using days/hours/minutes well)

Optimizing use of time (building)(using days/hours/minutes well)

Effective school use of time in RF includes: scheduled time (reading first!) (90’+) orchestrating time (making it work) assuring time (fidelity to schedule) principal/coach supervise for:

time within instructional tasks(engaged, on-level, opportunity to respond) time between instructional tasks (transition times)

students are motivated to read at home daily

Those who succeed and those who do notall have the same amount of time in which to do so.

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Use of dataUse of data

Effective use of data in RF includes: Data: collecting, inputting, accessing, interpreting,

and discussing (training/supervision for all steps, all people involved; fidelity of procedures, accuracy, timeliness)

Goals: knowing & going for benchmarks & standards

Use of data in effective teams for instructional purposes(district, principal-coach, grade level, school level teams)

Meetings that make a difference(options, agreement, implement, follow-up, monitor, adjust, criteria)

Sharing data w/staff, district, parents

All who journey need mid-course corrections to reach their destinations.

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Maximizing other resources

Maximizing other resources

Effective use of resources includes: Identifying new resources

Making the most of existing resources

funding materials staffing training

Involving other people in the school who can be trained to lead instructional groups (e.g. specialists)

Making the most of what we have makes it seem like we have more.

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FundingFunding

Efficient use of funds includes: Pooling resources--combining district

allocations, Title funds, ELL, special education & RF funds to support reading

Tapping other potential sources: other grants (e.g. after school, summer school

funds) community support (e.g. United Way) foundation funding (local education foundations) community partnerships (e.g public library) high school and college partnerships committed parent and senior citizen volunteers

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StaffingStaffing

RF compatible staffing practices include: Adequate staff allocation by the district Assigning staff to their strengths Making the most of the staffing you have Using reading-based criteria to hire new

staff

It’s the people who make the program.

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Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development

Effective PD practices for RF include: providing training that is:

focused, high quality, on-going providing training for all (teachers,

specialists) principal,coach, district, assistants, parents

providing training follow-up (coaching and supervision) that is differentiated & empowering

The best leaders bring out the best in the people around them.

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Operationalizing what works: Creating a culture of success

Operationalizing what works: Creating a culture of success

A culture of success in RF includes: belief in the possibility commitment to priorities & results awareness of urgency visibility of the focus culture of collaboration tone of empowerment

It’s not about getting the money. It’s about getting the results.

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Owning outcomes: “No blame, no excuses”

Owning outcomes: “No blame, no excuses”

Owning outcomes in RF means: being willing to stop explaining failure in terms of

variables outside the control of the school identifying variables over which schools have

control focusing on alterable variables at the school,

class, instructional group & individual student levels

making a commitment to optimize those variables in order to yield greater success

It’s not about explaining failure.It’s about taking responsibility for success.

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Accountability exists nowhere if it does not exist at the level of the district, the school, the classroom and the individual student. It is at these levels that the battle for literacy is won or lost.

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Contact information:

Dr. Stan Paine, Interim Director & Principal-in-Residence

Center on Teaching & Learning5292 University of Oregon

1600 Mill Race DriveEugene, OR 97403-5292

ph: (541) 346-1644fx: (541) 346-4349

spaine@uoregon.edu

Thank you to Katie Tate for technical support