District-wide System Support for Learning

gsharratt@wsu.edu

“Leadership Matters!”

It matters a great deal in building a data culture where staff and students succeed.

There is no elevator to success.

You have to take the stairs – one step at a time.

Components of aWell-Crafted District-wide

System of Support

Education Alliance at Brown University “Leadership Capacities for a Changing Environment” (2005)

District System Capacity Issues

Leadership focused on results andcommitted to instructional improvement

A focused strategy for improvinginstruction, sustained over years

The alignment of critical policiesto guide practice and to supportImprovement

The provision of resources to implementthe reforms

Clear expectations about classroompractice

Education Alliance at Brown UniversityLeadership Capacities for a Changing Environment” (2005)

District System Capacity Issues

Support for teacher learning and

adequate investments in professional

development

Development in central offices and

schools of communities of practice

that share a common vision of good

practice and beliefs about teaching and

learning

The use of data and evidence to drive

decisions and revise strategies

Education Alliance at Brown University

“Leadership Capacities for a Changing Environment” (2005)

The “Data Wise” Improvement Process

Eight Steps for using data to improve teaching and learning

PrepareOrganize for Collaborative WorkBuild Assessment Literacy

InquireCreate Data OverviewDig into Student DataExamine Instruction

ActDevelop Action PlanPlan to Assess ProgressAct and Assess

Boudett, City & Murnane (2006)Harvard Education Letter

The “Data Wise” Improvement Process

1. Organizing for Collaborative WorkBuild a “data-culture” or “culture of inquiry” centered on a “team team” or PLC

2. Building Assessment LiteracySupport understanding and common language around assessment terms

3. Creating a Data Overview Data team create understandable graphic displays to engage in dialogue

4. Digging into Student DataIdentify “learner-centered problem” – a problem of understanding or skill that is common to many students and underlies their performance on assessments

The “Data Wise” Improvement Process

5. Examining Instruction

Develop a shared understanding of what effective instruction around the identified “problem of practice” – What instructional practices needed to be implemented?

6. Developing an Action Plan Deciding on an instructional strategy that will solve the problem of practice.

7. Planning to Assess ProgressHow will success be measured? Creating goals for measuring progress.

8. Acting and AssessingAre we all on the same page? Are we doing what we said we would do? Are our students learning? Where do we go from here? Continuous cycle of assessment inquiry.

The “Data Wise” District

Set up a Data System

Create Incentives

Support New Skills

Find the Time

Model the WorkBoudett, City & Murnane (2006)

Harvard Education Letter

All birds have wings – the difference is some fly, while others walk.

“Say . . . We’re organized the same, but they are making greater progress.

K-12 Curriculum Instruction Assessment Plan

Direction of Flight District-wide Plan• Clearly articulated• Intentional & focused

District Technology Plan

District Budget Plan

Progress High School Improvement Plan

Cheers Elementary School Improvement Plan

Hope Middle School Improvement Plan

Hardy Elementary School Improvement Plan

Hardy Elementary School Improvement Plan

District Transportation Plan

District Special Services Plan

“We use data to paint a current reality in our

schools.”

Rick DuFour

Nine Characteristics of

High-Performing Schools

Frequent monitoring

of learning & teaching

High standards & expectations

for all students

High levels of family &

community involvementA supportive

learning environment

High levels of collaboration & communication

A Clear & shared

focus

Curriculum, instruction & assessments

aligned Focused professional development

Effective school

leadership

1. A clear and shared focus.

2. High standards and expectations for all students.

3. Effective school leadership.

4. High levels of collaboration and communication.

5. Curriculum, instruction and assessments aligned.

6. Frequent monitoring of learning and teaching.

7. Focused professional development.

8. A supportive learning environment.

9. High levels of family and community involvement.

A clear portrait of student

success requires multiple

assessment measures.

Teacher judgment, observation, expectations

Parent assessment, information, expectations

Classroom assessment – teacher developed

Standardized, norm-referenced assessment

WASL state assessment

Standards-based curriculum assessment measures

Let data inform and guide your

conversations and decisions around school

improvement

Programs

Perceptual

Learning

Demographics

Perspective on the 4 domains of data

Enrollment Attendance Dropout rate Ethnicity Gender Grade level

-- Over time, demographic data indicate changes in the context of the school.

Description of school programs and processes

Perception of learning environment Values and beliefs Attitudes Observations

Standardized tests Norm/criterion-referenced tests Teacher observations of abilities Authentic assessments

-- Over time, school processes show how classrooms change. -- Over time, perceptions can

tell us about environmental improvements.

-- Over time, student learning data give information about student performance on different measures.

TELLS US:Student participation in different programs

and processes.

TELLS US:What

processes/programs work best for

different groups of students with respect to student learning.

TELLS US:The impact of demographic factors and

attitudes about the learning

environment on student learning.

TELLS US:If groups of students

are “experiencing school” differently.

TELLS US:What

processes/programs different groups of students like best.

TELLS US:If a program is

making a difference in student learning

results.

TELLS US:The impact of

student perceptions of the learning environment on student learning.

TELLS US:The impact of the

program on student learning based

upon perceptions of the program and on the processes

used.

Allows the prediction of

actions, processes, programs, that best meet the learning

needs of all students.

Multiple Measures of Data: Paying Attention to Busy Intersections

SOURCE: Data Analysis for Continuous School Improvement, 2nd edition, by Victoria L. Bernhardt (Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education, 2004). Reprinted with permission.

DEMOGRAPHICS

PERCEPTONS

STUDENT LEARNING

SCHOOL PROCESSES

Look across your district system to understand what systems and processes you

have in place to impact outcomes (increase student

learning).

Make Data Work For You Identify challenges and opportunities in a

non-personal way Look at systems and programs over time

and make corrections for what “isn’t working” and understand what “is working”

Quantify progress and share with stakeholders

Use data to support decisions

Student Success

Assess Readiness to Benefit

Collect Sort andAnalyze Data

Build and AnalyzePortfolio

Set and PrioritizeGoals

Study and Select Research-based

Practices

Craft ActionPlans

Implement andMonitor Plan

EvaluatePlan’s Impacton Student

Achievement

Success Without Feedback is an Accident!

“Our WSU superintendent certificate program has become a place where students enjoy coming

to watch faculty work very hard. However, some of us are more interested than others.”

08-10 Cohort Student

Gay, Janet and Joan’s anticipated pre-holiday behavioral upswing

Go

Cougs!