1. Knowledgeable and Skillful Leadership
“Only the organizations that
have a passion for learning
will have an enduring influence.”
(Covey, 1996)
Reading First Superintendents’ Summit
October 2005
Ronni Ephraim
Chief Instructional Officer
Los Angeles Unified School District

2. Assumptions What we do has significant impact on students
The professional practice of educators and the culture they create in their schools has a significant impact on students
Developing the leadership and learning capacity of teachers, school-based administrators, and district leadership is the best strategy for sustained instructional improvement

3. The Power of Collaborative Leadership
The most promising strategy for sustained, school improvement is building the capacity of the school personnel to function collaboratively. But collaboration alone will not guarantee school improvement.

4. Loose/Tight Leadership
Effective leaders don’t simply encourage schools to go off and do whatever they want, but rather establish clear parameters and priorities that enable schools to work within established boundaries.
Richard DuFour

5. LAUSD Theory of Change Key Elements
Standards-based Curriculum
Highly Skilled Instruction
Collaborative Leadership
Professional Development/Coaching
Periodic Assessment/Use of Data
Personalization

6. Elements Are In Place The research clearly shows that we
have put all of the elements of a successful reading initiative in place.
So…..
What is missing?
Why, after 5 years, are less than 50%
of our students speaking, reading, and writing on grade level?

7. Assumptions
You cannot lead or teach what you don’t know
You will not lead or teach what you do not understand
You cannot inspire that in which you do not believe

8. Professional Development
Leaders will not provide professional development and HOPE that teachers will implement new learnings
Leaders will plan and provide professional development and EXPECT reflection and action that leads the school (every classroom, every grade) towards its goals
Move from study to expected action

9. Professional Development
Intended Curriculum
Refined Teaching and PD
Implemented Curriculum
Learned Curriculum

10. We Need to Decide… What do students need to learn?
What procedures do we need to put in place at our school to be sure EVERY teacher is knowledgeable about what they need to ensure students know?
How will we provide teachers time to build shared knowledge about the “intended” curriculum and reflect on the results of their teaching?

11. Intended Curriculum Role of Coaches
Must be expected to coach
Must be given time to lead lesson study
Must have the principal’s support to focus on their coaching duties
Must be held co-accountable for student learning

12. Intended Curriculum
Must get past the “right” way to do things and talk about “better” ways of teaching
Must deeply understand the core purpose of the lessons and what we want students to know at the end of a lesson, series of lessons, or unit
Need to read the research and provide opportunity for discussion and reflection

13. The Implemented Curriculum The Leader’s Role
The best designed curriculum has no impact unless it is taught (intended vs. implemented) well
The likelihood of implementation increases if teachers feel ownership of the curriculum
Ownership is directly related to beliefs, competence and engagement, and time

14. The Implemented Curriculum - Time
We need to ask how time in the classroom is being used
LAUSD Reading First evaluation report is clear on our misuse of time
When, after 5 years, our teachers are still spending half an hour on calendar, it is our fault for not teaching them why this is not a good use of time

15. Learned Curriculum Using the Data
The data informs us about the gap between the intended curriculum and the implemented curriculum
When:
A few students do not do well – focus on intervention for the students
When large groups of students do not do well – focus on professional development for administrators, teachers, and coaches

16. Learned Curriculum If we believe all kids can learn:
What is it we expect them to learn?
How will we know when they have learned it?
How will we respond when they don’t?
Addressing these questions will help us address the preparation and achievement gaps!

17. Learned Curriculum
Can we agree on the criteria by which we will judge the quality of our students’ work?
Can we agree that assessment data tells us about our teaching?
Can we agree that assessment data tells leaders about their leading and what next steps must be?

18. The Refined Curriculum
Create systems to provide teachers with time to reflect on their practice and learn from one another
Create systems to provide teachers with time to work with their coach
Ensure that the coach’s time is protected for this purpose

19. The Refined Curriculum
Stop leaving it up to each teacher to decide how to respond when students don’t learn
In most schools we are very loose on this! The harsh reality is that most students play LOTTO….What they learn is a function of who they have as a teacher and the actions of the principal
No urban school district has ever changed teaching. We tend to add new initiatives to “fix the system.”

20. Three Focus Questions
If you are the student, what message does the school seem to be sending you?
What is the response of the school when it becomes apparent that students are not learning to read on grade level?
Given the practices and procedures of this school, what conclusions can you draw regarding its assumptions about the purpose of the school?

21. A Systematic Response to Students Who Are Not Learning
At 3 weeks……
At 6 weeks……
At 12 weeks……
At 18 weeks……
The difference between
intervention and remediation
is that intervention is
timely and purposeful!
What is your school plan for students who are not learning?

22. Leaders Ensure Time to Work Together
We can achieve our fundamental purpose of high levels of learning for ALL students only if we work together. We must cultivate an accountable, collaborative culture through the development of high performing teams.
Leaders guide the school to agree on purpose!

23. Keys to Effective Teams
Collaboration embedded in routine practices
Time for collaboration built into the school day
Teams focus on key questions
Products of collaboration made explicit
Team norms guide collaboration
Teams pursue specific and measurable performance goals
Teams have access to relevant information

24. Shifting from Developing Individuals to Developing Collective Capacity
We cannot supervise teachers to excellence.
We must create the supportive conditions for teachers to develop excellence!

25. Contrasting Approaches to Professional Development
Incentives for Incentives for
individuals to attend pursuing learning
a wide variety of directly linked to
courses and/or school and district
workshops goals
Individuals select from Collaborative learning
potpourri of offerings
External focus Internal focus – job embedded

26. Renewal Strategy Needed
We assess our individual and collective effectiveness in helping ALL students learn at high levels on the basis of results rather than activity
Shift from being “in a hurry” to “creating a sense of urgency” about learning to read

27. The “BIG IDEAS” that Must Drive School Leaders
We accept learning as the fundamental purpose of our school and therefore are willing to examine ALL practices in light of their impact on learning.
We are committed to working together to achieve our collective purpose. We cultivate a collaborative culture through a belief in shared leadership.
We assess our effectiveness on the basis of evidence and results rather than intentions. Individuals, teams, and schools seek relevant data and information and use that information to promote improvement.

28. Checking Our Own Reality
CST Results
Language Arts

29. Why Reading First? What is it WE hope to do for children?
How can we INSPIRE discussions about:
The research?
The tools we have in place, how hard they are to use, how inconsistently we are using them, and how far we have to go in our own learning and actions to be accountable to our students?
How can we ensure coaches are doing their
intended work and doing it well?
How can we be sure coaches are doing work
WITH teachers and not FOR teachers?

30. Hand in Hand, We All Learn
“Ultimately there are two kinds of schools: learning enriched schools and learning impoverished schools.
I have yet to see a school where the learning curves…of the adults were steep upward and those of the students were not.
Teachers, administrators, and students go
hand and hand as learners…
or they don’t go at all.”
Roland Barth