The ICG Survey on Academic Leadership

INSTRUCTIVE DATA?Peter Gow

The Independent Curriculum GroupFall 2015

SURVEY BACKGROUND

• Summer of 2015• 220+ respondents• 90.5% independent schools• 67% day schools• ≈ 80% work with secondary• ≈ 75% work with middle school• ≈ 60% work with pre-K – elementary

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RESPONDENT

CATEGORIES• Work in school, not admin or T 51• Head or principal 45• Academic administrator 70• Non-academic administrator 25• Academic department chair 14• Classroom teacher 20• Non-school-based 7

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SCHOOL DESCRIPTORS

• “Progressive” 35%• “21st-century” 40%• “Deeper Learning” 12%• “Traditional” 28%• Faith-affiliated 32%• Other 19%

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CONNECTIONS I

I meet with my supervisor irregularly and I wish it were more often.•Non-T, non-admin 12%•Academic admin 16%•Non-academic admin 0%•Academic department chair 31%•Classroom teacher 28%

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CONNECTIONS II

I meet with my supervisor irregularly, but it’s enough.•Non-T, non-admin 22%•Academic admin 6%•Non-academic admin 4%•Academic department chair 0%•Classroom teacher 33%

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CONNECTIONS III

I meet with my school head irregularly and seldom, or never unless there is an issue.•Non-T, non-admin 41%•Academic admin 10%•Non-academic admin 17%•Academic department chair 39%•Classroom teacher 56%

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CONNECTIONS IV

As a school head, do you meet with individual teachers at least once each year as a matter of policy?

• YES 46%• NO 41%• NO, but I always intend to 14%

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STRATEGIC DIRECTIONSOn a scale of 1 to 6 (sixth is most), how tuned in are you to your school’s articulated strategic directions?

RATED 2 to 4; bulk of remainder 5 – 6 •Non-T, non-admin 49%•Academic admin 32%•Non-academic admin 43%•Academic department chair 54%

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CULTURE OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

On a scale of 1 to 6 (sixth is most), how would you rate your school as having a culture of professional learning and growth?

RATED 2 to 4; bulk of remainder 5 – 6 •Non-teacher, non-admin 51%•Academic admin 49%•Non-academic admin 44%•Academic department chair 36%•Classroom teacher 55%•School head 33%Fall 15 10

BARRIERS TO CHANGE: Lack of Material Resources

• Non-teacher, non-admin 31%• Academic admin 34%• Non-academic admin 52%• Academic department chair 0%• School head or principal 53%

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BARRIERS TO CHANGE: Lack of Time

• Non-teacher, non-admin 53%• Academic admin 66%• Non-academic admin 80%• Academic department chair 79%• School head or principal 62%

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BARRIERS TO CHANGE: Lack of Administrator Will

• Non-teacher, non-admin 22%• Academic admin 20%• Non-academic admin 12%• Academic department chair 14%• School head or principal 9%

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BARRIERS TO CHANGE: Lack of Department Chair

Will• Non-teacher, non-admin 16%• Academic admin 29%• Non-academic admin 8%• Academic department chair 7%• School head or principal 7%

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BARRIERS TO CHANGE: Lack of Teacher Will

• Non-teacher, non-admin 39%• Academic admin 43%• Non-academic admin 36%• Academic department chair 29%• School head or principal 20%

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BARRIERS TO CHANGE: Lack of Clarity in Goals,

Process• Non-teacher, non-admin 41%• Academic admin 31%• Non-academic admin 48%• Academic department chair 50%• School head or principal 27%

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BARRIERS TO CHANGE: Lack of Administrator

Capacity• Non-teacher, non-admin 26%• Academic admin 24%• Non-academic admin 12%• Academic department chair 36%• School head or principal 24%

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BARRIERS TO CHANGE: Lack of Teacher Capacity

• Non-teacher, non-admin 24%• Academic admin 40%• Non-academic admin 28%• Academic department chair 29%• School head or principal 33%

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BARRIERS TO CHANGE: Lack of Learning/PD

Resources• Non-teacher, non-admin 18%• Academic admin 21%• Non-academic admin 32%• Academic department chair 21%• School head or principal 22%

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IDEAL CONDITIONS

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IDEALS—OF NOTE

• “right people on the bus”• “faculty voice”• “AP programs defeat us all”• “phased expectations”• “not top-down”• “empathy for teachers”• “evidence that the change will work”

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CHALLENGES TO CHANGE

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CHALLENGES—OF NOTE

• “Earning the trust of faculty members not in our departments”

• “tyranny of urgency”• “fighting the culture of achievement”• “Having a leadership role but sometimes

not being included in the decision-making process”

• “what’s innovative v. what’s trendy”

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SOME NOTABLE DISCONNECTS

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ON HIRING TEACHERS

WhoImportance

(Quite + Extremely)

Confidence/Preparation

(Not + Somewhat)

Heads/principals 85 20

Academic admin 57 21

Department chairs 86 29

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ON EVALUATING

TEACHERS

WhoImportance

(Quite + Extremely)

Confidence/Preparation

(Not + Somewhat)

Heads/principals 65 20

Academic admin 63 26

Department chairs 71 14

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BEING A THOUGHT

LEADER

WhoImportance

(Quite + Extremely)

Confidence/Preparation

(Not + Somewhat)

Department chairs 72 29

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STUDENT PROGRESS

WhoImportance

(Quite + Extremely)

Confidence/Preparation

(Not + Somewhat)

Department chairs 65 43

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ST./FAM. ACADEMIC

“STUFF”

WhoImportance

(Quite + Extremely)

Confidence/Preparation

(Not + Somewhat)

Academic admin 52 23

Department chairs 64 29

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ADVOCATING RESEARCH

WhoImportance

(Quite + Extremely)

Confidence/Preparation

(Not + Somewhat)

Heads/principals 64 33

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DEALING WITH DATA

WhoImportance

(Quite + Extremely)

Confidence/Preparation

(Not + Somewhat)

Heads/principals 84 27

Academic admin 83 24

Department chairs 65 43

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Note, please, that Department Chairs

appeared in 6 of the 7

“Disconnect” slides

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