June 4, 2015 Admin Licensure renewal Susie Olesen, School Improvement Leader Margaret Buckton, Partner © Iowa School Finance Information Services,

Administrator Licensure Renewal Class Welcome Thanks for attending the ISFIS Conference on May 21. Reminder to register for the class online at for recertification. On the catalog search page, scroll down to “Or Enter an Activity Number” which is AD Key dates – June 18 All-day meeting at ISFIS office (9:30-3:30) – July 8 One hour webinar – 10 AM – July 23 or 30 One hour webinar – 10 AM 2

Assignments Please send all assignments to Susie (641) Assignments are due about a week after assigned (contact Susie if you need an extension) Heartland requires all grades recorded (pass or fail) at the same time and extensions are not allowed. Please have all of your assignments submitted by August 21, so we can submit grades (pass/fail) by August 31. 3

Assignments 4 Assignment 1: The first assignment is for you to provide a quick review of the conference held on May 21 and what you thought were your most useful take-aways from that day. It helps you to reflect on what you learned and helps us to know what is valuable conference information. Please don't write more than a page - we're not asking for a tome :) Handouts for the conference can be found here if you need a refresher – get to Susie by June Assignment 2: This assignment will be given today Due June 18. Assignment 3: This will be given at our meeting at the ISFIS office on June 18 from 9 AM to 4 PM. Assignment 4: This will be given during the Webinar on July 9. Assignment 5: This will be given during the Webinar on July 23 or 30.

Premise of this conversation… Finding the intersection of state policy, research, and local school improvement (TLC, 3 rd grade retention) Seeing “through and beyond” 5

Huh? Seeing through and beyond? “There’s a concept I call ‘seeing through and beyond,’ which means looking at all the changes that will be required. The faculty needs to look through the learning goal to the student performances the teachers want to see; teachers need to consider what successful goal attainment would look like for students. Then they need to determine what teacher behaviors in curriculum, instruction, and assessment are necessary to promote those student behaviors. Next, they must see right through the teacher behaviors to what the principal is doing and what the district office is doing. Having the goal helps us focus; then we push through it to the things that everyone must be doing to bring it into reality….Teachers must look beyond the data that’s readily available, such as standardized test scores and grades, into the specific student performances they’re trying to develop.” Emily Calhoun 6

Intersection Next, we will consider two recent state policies and how those intersect with Emily’s concept of seeing through and beyond, but break it down even further related to the Wallace Foundation Leadership Practices. Using “chat” or question pane to share your thinking is highly encouraged. 7

State Policy #1: Early Reading The successful progression for early readers requirements from SF 2284 in the 2012 Legislative Session set up the steps prior to 3 rd grade retention and summer school requirements to be implemented beginning July 1, Requirements are in Iowa Code (2)

State Policy #2: Teacher Leadership and Compensation The overriding philosophy: Improving student learning requires improving the instruction they receive each day. There is no better way to do this than to empower our best teachers to lead the effort. Through the system, teacher leaders take on extra responsibilities, including helping colleagues analyze data and fine tune instructional strategies as well as coaching and co-teaching. Bipartisan legislation created a four-year process to fully develop statewide TLC, with the goal of all school districts voluntarily participating by the school year. 9

TLC Goals: Attract able and promising new teachers by offering competitive starting salaries and offering short-term and long-term professional development and leadership opportunities. Retain effective teachers by providing enhanced career opportunities. Promote collaboration by developing and supporting opportunities for teachers in schools and school districts statewide to learn from each other. Reward professional growth and effective teaching by providing pathways for career opportunities that come with increased leadership responsibilities and involve increased compensation. Improve student achievement by strengthening instruction. 10

“…(L)EADERSHIP IS SECOND ONLY TO CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION AS AN INFLUENCE ON STUDENT LEARNING.” Leithwood, Seashore Louis, Anderson, and Wahlstrom, supported by the Wallace Foundation 11

Wallace Foundation Leadership Practices 1.Shaping a vision of academic success for all students, one based on high standards; 2.Creating a climate hospitable to education in order that safety, a cooperative spirit, and other foundations of fruitful interaction prevail; 3.Cultivating leadership in others so that teachers and other adults assume their part in realizing the school vision; 4.Improving instruction to enable teachers to teach at their best and students to learn at their utmost; and 5.Managing people, data, and processes to foster school improvement 12

VISION OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS Wallace Leadership Practice #1 Shaping a vision of academic success for all students, one based on high standards; 13

Vision of Success Think Abouts… How does the vision for academic success for students interface with the policy for mandatory third grade retention? What question does your staff or leadership team need to pose regarding early reading and expectations? 14

CULTURE AND CLIMATE Wallace Leadership Practice #2 Creating a climate hospitable to education in order that safety, a cooperative spirit, and other foundations of fruitful interaction prevail 15

Culture and Climate Think Abouts… How does the concept of culture and climate interface with third-grade retention? Is there an application of this leadership practice to working with parents (keeping them informed, obtaining a parent contract for support, helping with home-reading strategies?) 16

LEADERSHIP Wallace Leadership Practice #3: Cultivating leadership in others so that teachers and other adults assume their part in realizing the school vision; 17

What is the application to TLC? Goal of 25% of teachers in a leadership role Modeling, mentoring, coaching, professional learning teams, observation, feedback What confidence to you have that TLC will impact student learning? How do the superintendent, central office staff and principal best support teacher leaders? 18

IMPROVING INSTRUCTION Wallace Leadership Practice #4: Improving instruction to enable teachers to teach at their best and students to learn at their utmost; 19

Improving Instruction Think Abouts… How does this 4 th goal to improve instruction interface with the policy for mandatory third grade retention? What question does your staff or leadership team need to pose regarding early reading and instruction? 20

USING DATA Wallace Leadership Practice #5: Managing people, data, and processes to foster school improvement. 21

Think Abouts for Using Data What data do you collect and USE for planning instruction? What benchmark data do you collect along the way to see if you’re on track? What data do you collect and USE for examining the environment? What processes do you have in place for analyzing data and planning based on the data you analyze? What data don’t you collect that you need? Can either TLC or Successful Progression of Early Reads succeed in your district without the use of data? 22

Assignment Read Deb Hansen’s blog on “Seeing through and Beyond.” beyond/ beyond/ Write a short reflection the idea of “Seeing through and Beyond” and how it might help you with your school reform efforts. Site an example in either the area of third grade retention or teacher leadership and compensation. Send to Susie at by Monday, June Remember – conference notes to Susie by Wednesday, June 10 23

Call or any time: Susie Olesen, School Improvement Enthusiast Cell: Iowa School Finance Information Services rd Street Des Moines, IA Office: Margaret Buckton, ISFIS – Partner Cell: