1. 21st Century Leadership- Using Data to Drive Decisions
Dr. G. Thomas Houlihan
Exec Dir- Education Leadership Institute
Dr. G. Thomas Houlihan
Executive Director
Council of Chief State School Officers

2. A National/International Perspective (what I’ve learned)
Current Issues
Lessons Learned
2007

3. The Constant Tension Between State and Federal Control
LESSON #1
The Constant Tension Between State and Federal Control
Who pays for what
Is funding enough?
Constitutional questions

4. The Constant Tension Between State and Federal Control
LESSON #1
The Constant Tension Between State and Federal Control
THE REAL ISSUE IS WHO CONTROLS CREATIVITY OF OUR SCHOOLS– 21ST CENTURY IMPLICATIONS!

5. LESSON #2
Educators have a difficult time believing in schools they haven’t seen.
(Just can’t grasp)
“We are different”
“You don’t teach our kids”
“Our kids have too many problems”

6. The Growing Consensus for HS Reform!
LESSON #3
The Growing Consensus for HS Reform!
NCLB - The tip of the iceberg
Bill Gates - NGA Summit
Global Issues - China, India,
European Common Market
* Partnership for 21st Century Skills

7. LESSON #4 Leadership Matters!
“As the teacher goes, so goes the classroom”
“As the principal goes, so goes the school.”
“As the superintendent goes, so goes the district.”
Single biggest obstacle in education- leadership ability to lead change!

8. Research on attitudes towards high schools
21st CENTURY ISSUES
Research on attitudes towards high schools

9. Alliance for Excellent Education
A Presentation of Survey Research on the Public’s Views on Public High Schools ( results)

10. Views Toward High School
For the first time high schools top people’s concerns

11. The American public feels the most urgency to improve high schools, but they see room for improving all levels of education.
Now I am going to ask you some questions about different types of public schools. For each one please consider everything you know or have heard about public education and tell me how urgent you think it is to improve this kind of school. Here’s the first one ___ __(read item). Is it extremely urgent, very urgent, somewhat urgent, a little urgent, or not at all urgent to improve ___item?
Across demographic groups the public sees more urgency surrounding high schools.

12. The public thinks the percentage of students attending college, followed by drop-out rates and the percentage of students getting jobs are the best indicators of how well a public high school is doing.
For each of the following please tell me how good an indicator it is of how well a public high school is doing. Using a scale of 0-5, where zero means it is not a very good indicator and 5 means it is the best indicator ?
Mean
3.7
3.3
3.4
3.2
3.4
3.2
3.1

13. Defining the Problem
Preparing for Jobs

14. Given the goals they see for high schools- preparing for jobs and college- Americans do not see high school living up to their goals.
Do you think a diploma from America’s public high schools prepares graduates to get a good-paying job?*
Do you think a diploma from America’s public high schools prepares graduates to succeed in college?*
No demographic group thinks schools prepare graduates for jobs. More educated people also think schools do not prepare for college.
*Split sampled questions

15. Americans believe improving reading and writing is key
Solutions for Success
Americans believe improving reading and writing is key

16. By increasing and overwhelming margins, Americans believe that improving reading and writing is the most important factor to increasing the graduation rate.
Now I am going to read you some pairs of statements. As I read each pair, tell me whether the FIRST statement or the SECOND statement comes closer to your own views – even if neither is exactly right.
Improving reading comprehension and writing is not the most important factor to increasing the graduation rate
Improving reading comprehension and writing is the most important factor to increasing the graduation rate
2005
All demographic groups side with this statement.
2004
*Split-sampled questions

17. Americans are not ready to give up on our high school students and they strongly feel that poorly-performing students can still get the help they need to succeed, rather than thinking it is too late.
When you think about students who do not do well in high school, do you think by the time they get to high school it is too late to turn them around and help them succeed or do you think students can still get the help they need to succeed?
There is little difference across racial groups

18. When asked which of several factors they would be most willing to pay more in taxes for, they pick these top priorities.
Now I am going to read you some strategies that some people believe are the building blocks to help every high school student to succeed at college or in life. For each item please tell me how willing you would be to pay more in taxes to make that item happen – extremely willing, very willing, somewhat willing, a little willing, or not at all willing?

19. The public sees the high drop-out rate as having an impact on the nation’s economy and ability to compete in the global economy.
SSA: What impact does a high drop out rate have on the nation’s economy, does it have a lot of impact on the economy, somewhat, a little, not at all or will it make no difference on the economy?
SSB: What impact does a high drop out rate have on America’s ability to compete in the global economy, does it have a lot of impact on global competition, somewhat, a little, not at all or will it make no difference on America’s ability to compete globally?
Impact of high drop-out rate on nation’s economy*
91%
Impact of high drop-out rate on America’s ability to compete in the global economy*
92%
*Split sampled question

20. The ability (or inability) of schools to embrace change
21st CENTURY ISSUES
The ability (or inability) of schools to embrace change

21. Ready or Not . . . The World is Different
• Work is different ...
• Tools are different ...
• Communication is different ...
• Information is different ...
• Kids are different ...
• Learning is different …
• Teaching must be different ...
And Leading must be different!

22. Expectations have changed
20th Century
21st Century
1 – 2 Jobs
10 – 15 Jobs
Flexibility
And
Adaptability
Life
Long
Learners
Mastery of
One Field
Subject
Matter
Mastery
# of
Jobs
Job
Requirements
Teaching
Model

23. Who would you hire? Someone who could · master a core subject
· effectively communicate
· effectively collaborate
· be a self-directed learner
· be creative
· be information/media literate
· be a critical thinker
· be a problem solver
· be accountable and adaptable
· be socially responsible
Diny Golder-Dardis
Who? Over 300 participating organizations and experts in their fields of education
- How? Request for Information (RFI)
Research
Focus Groups
Outreach to Organizations
Outreach to Individuals with Expertise in 21st Century Skills
National Forum on 21st Century Skills
What?
Collected, cataloged using GEM controlled vocabulary
Put all resources in a database
Summarized input into the MILE Guide

24. How do educators move forward- 21st Century skills
How do educators move forward- 21st Century skills? DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING + SYSTEMS THINKING!!
2007

25. CHARACTERISTICS: MODEL SCHOOLS
Laser-like focus on data- assist classroom teachers
Use of teacher knowledge
Wide variety of data collected
Only essential data collected
ALL LEADING TO……………………………

26. THE DRIVING FACTOR: DATA
In school after school, the key for all data is in making appropriate instructional
decisions……………and to inform students, parents and others on an ongoing basis!

27. KEY ISSUES- USING DATA #1 Issue- Data rich, analysis poor
WHY- THE EPIDEMIC OF IMMEDIACY IN US
Questions;
** Do we sometimes confuse achievement and learning?
** Do we teach skills or develop skills?

28. KEY ISSUES (#1 cont); Do we really know what data is saying?
Do we really understand the powers and limits of data?
Do we make guesstimates based on data?
Do we use data to ‘sort and select’ or to guide continuous improvement?

29. KEY ISSUES (Cont); #2 Issue- Balancing Data
Hard data- test scores, drop-out rates, ADM, etc.
Soft data- case studies, student morale, and faculty attitudes

30. KEY ISSUES (#2 cont);
In many cases, hard data is the total focus at the exclusion of soft data.
This is often a short-term fix but a long-term mistake!!!!!

31. KEY ISSUES
Issue #3- The Systems Factor

32. SYSTEMS THINKING
Any system is designed to produce exactly what it produces!

33. To change performance we must change the SYSTEM, and this requires new approaches and a new way of THINKING and DOING

34. KEY ISSUES (#3 Cont);
We often make decisions using data and don’t factor in the systems perspective.
Most common examples- Drop-outs, student achievement………………….

35. KEY ISSUES (#3 Cont) Student Achievement Data-
Do you know if data really means improvement, statistically?
Do you know the trends over time and statistical significance?
Does this data guide long-term planning?

36. KEY ISSUES
Issue #5-
“Doing your best isn’t good enough if you don’t know what your doing.”
-- W. Edwards Deming

37. Higher performance at a later time period
NCLB IS NOT BASED ON Traditional Improvement
Higher performance at a later time period

38. A positive trend in performance from year to year
NCLB IS BASED ON Continuous Improvement
A positive trend in performance from year to year

39. THE KEY TO NCLB: Breakthrough Improvement
Significant performance improvement of a system’s indicator value over time

40. BREAKTHROUGH IMPROVEMENT
Based on the use of Statistical Process Control:
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE

41. Performance Over Time
UCL
LCL

42. CONCLUDING COMMENTS
Good data should result in two actions: classroom action and public action
1) Classroom action- appropriate action school practitioners take after reviewing data that is relevant and meaningful - modify instructional practices

43. CONCLUDING COMMENTS
2) Public Action- social consequences that occur after the public reviews the data regarding the school

49. 21ST Century Issue; Good is the enemy of GREAT.
We don’t have GREAT schools, principally because we have good schools.

50. Good is the enemy of GREAT.
21ST Century Issue;
Good is the enemy of GREAT.
High Schools;
Athletics
Other Extra-curricular activities
Cultural impact of high schools

51. Partnership for 21st Century Skills
3 Key Elements- 21st Learning;
Core Subjects
* Global Awareness
* Financial, Economic and Business literacy
* Civic Literacy

52. Partnership for 21st Century Skills
3 Key Elements- 21st Learning;
Learning Skills
* Communication skills
* Thinking and Problem-Solving skills
* Interpersonal/Self-directional skills
* ICT literacy

53. Partnership for 21st Century Skills
3 Key Elements- 21st Learning;
3. Assessments
* Measure mastery of 21st cent. skills
* Diagnose interventions
* Demonstrate proficiency- multiple ways w/ multiple assessments using
technology

54. Apple 60 GB iPod with Video Playback

55. Have you seen THIS?
For Spanish . . .

56. click above to download Spanish learning programs for your Ipod NOW!

58. What about THIS?
For Mandarin . . .

60. Results 1 - 10 of about 1,010,000 for learn Mandarin iPod. (0
Results of about 1,010,000 for learn Mandarin iPod. (0.20 seconds)
June 18, 2006
Results of about 4,440,000 for learn Chinese iPod
July 13, 2006

61. “When the rate of change on the outside exceeds the rate of change on the inside, the end is in sight.”
-- Jack Welch, CEO General Electric

62. “The very thing that frightens us today, the change curve, the phenomenal rate of change is an ally.
It’s not a change curve, it’s a possibility curve. The times of most change always hold the most possibility.”
DeWitt Jones

63. REMEMBER PERSPECTIVE!! 1. We have the best K12 system in the world!
-- skill levels
-- rate of innovation
-- taking risks
-- self-confidence
With learning and sharing, we can be so much better!!!
- Katty Kay, CCSSO Leg Conference

64. REMEMBER PERSPECTIVE
“ The more I travel, the more I find that most heated debates in many countries are around education. And here’s what is really funny- every country thinks it’s behind.”
- Tom Friedman, 3/25/06
International Herald- Tribune

65. REMEMBER PERSPECTIVE Tony Blair- Innovative charter schools
Singapore- obsessed with math scores
US- K12 math/science
Japan/India/China/- liberal arts concerns
- Tom Friedman, 3/25/06
International Herald- Tribune

66. THE FUTURE??
“My guess is that we are at the start of a global convergence in education. China and India….inspire more creativity. America…more rigorous in math and science.. A great win-win.”
- Tom Friedman, 3/25/06
International Herald- Tribune

67. THE FUTURE??
“It’s a win-win. But some will win more than others- and it will be those who get this balance right the fastest.”
- Tom Friedman, 3/25/06
International Herald- Tribune

68. THE SECRET
The genius of America’s success is that the US is a rich country with many attributes of a scrappy, developing society- open, flexible, adventurous and hard working!!
- Newsweek (6/12/06)

69. WHAT WE MUST DO…..
We cannot compete in some areas (cheap labor), but what we can do is take the best features of the American system- openness, innovation, and flexibility- and enhance them to respond to new challenges.
- Newsweek (6/12/06)

70. WHAT WE MUST DO…..
Embrace (and lead) change. A future of slow, steady decline or a willingness to embrace change and move forward?
That is the question….
-Newsweek (6/12/06)

71. WHAT WE MUST DO…..
Transforming the high school is ‘like herding elephants with a toothbrush’.
-NC educator
-Newsweek (6/12/06)

72. WHAT WE MUST DO…..
Transforming the high school is ‘like herding elephants with a toothbrush’.
-NC educator
-Newsweek (6/12/06)

73. WHAT WE MUST DO…..
Look beyond political labels- real engagement of government, business and educators- only way to get transformational change.
-Newsweek (6/12/06)

74. WHAT WE MUST DO….. Finally- Be Scared!!!
We must not underestimate how fast the rest of the world is catching up!!
-Newsweek (6/12/06)