Dimension 10Approaches to Curriculum and Instruction

The CASS Framework forSchool System Success

March 9, 2010

SESSION OUTCOMES

To build our understanding ofevidence informed practicehigh performing school systemsleadership that improves student learning

within the context of the CASS Framework for School System Success

Learning Our Way Forward

CASS – Building School DistrictLeadership Capacity:

Framework for Success

School DistrictPractices

ReflectionDialogue

CollaborationSharing

Research &Evidence

PersonalLearning

Organizational Learning

PilotProjects

CASS Framework for School System Success

What do we mean by evidence based practice?

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Union of evidence with professional judgment

Professional wisdom adaptation to context where research consensus is incomplete or absent

Best available evidence professional expertise cumulative knowledge avoid fads

THE CASS FRAMEWORK: Informing System Leadership Reflection and Action

Informed Prescription• Knowledge-rich/external prescription• 1990s: externally imposed “knowledge-rich” strategies• Tightly orchestrated from the top/absence of ownership

Informed Professional Judgment• Knowledge-rich/professional judgment• Collective, not individualistic• Best knowledge pursued continuously through cultures of

interaction inside and outside the school

CASS Framework for School System Success

What do we mean by high performing jurisdictions?

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High Performing Jurisdictions

Broad measures raising the bar closing the gap – every student learns

Review of High Performing Districts Leithwood 2008 overall support for the 9 characteristics single characteristics – suggestive, not conclusive helpful to inform context based professional

judgement

GOALS OF MOVING AND IMPROVING 2.0

To sustain system leadership capacity building in Alberta and to implement the CASS Framework for School System Success

CASS VISION and MISSION

Leadership excellence for world-class public education

CASS, the professional voice of system education leaders, provides leadership, expertise and advocacy to improve, promote and champion public education

LEADERSHIP MATTERS

Leadership is second only to teaching in it’s influence on learning

Leithwood 2006

SCHOOL and SYSTEM LEADERSHIP IN TRANSITION

DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITIONS

New school and system leaders

CONTEXT TRANSITIONS

Rapidly evolving contexts– social, technological, economic, environmental . . .

LEARNING / TEACHING TRANSITIONS

Emergence of evidence informed practice– engaged learning, assessment, PLCs, embedded

PD . . .

LEADERSHIP MATTERS

Leaders as explorers not travelers

Charting the future not following a well-worn path

Different challenges require different leadership

Minister David Hancock (October 20, 2009)

INSPIRING LEADERSHIP MATTERS

Reaching out to the community requires a unique kind of leadership

Working with curricula that reflects the real world requires a unique kind of leadership

Ensuring that every student learns every day requires a unique kind of leadership

Minister David Hancock (October 20, 2009)

STRATEGIES THREE and FOUR:Research and Evidence Informed Practice

CASS Practice Standard (2008)• 8 Leadership Dimensions – informed individual practice

CASS Framework for School System Success (2009)• A collaboratively developed articulation of 11 dimensions of

system leadership practice that best available evidence and practical wisdom identify as positively impacting student learning

• informed collective practice of the system leadership team

Leadership is second only to teaching in its influence on learning (Leithwood 2006)

STRATEGIES THREE and FOUR:Research and Evidence Informed Practice

Framework and Standard Rubrics (Critical Reflection / Assessment)

• University of Lethbridge – Task Force (Spring 2010)

Framework Based Surveys (28 Cohort Jurisdictions)

• University of Alberta – Leithwood (March 2010, 2011, 2012)

System Leadership Progress Reports (28 Cohort Jurisdictions)

• June 2010, 2011, 2012

Member Dialogue on Evidence Based Practice (62 Jurisdictions)• Zone Meetings – Special Education, HR & Curriculum Symposia

• Learning Sessions (VC, Online & Face to Face) – Learning Modules

Framework Revisions – (August 2010, 2011, 2012)

STRATEGIES THREE and FOUR:Research and Evidence Informed Practice

Research Symposia• November 2008 – February 2010 – Fall 2010

• International / National Papers: System Improvement & Leadership

• CASS Papers: Paulette Hanna, Dot Negropontes, Edgar Schmidt & Donna Barrett, David Lynn (former president)

Alberta Universities • Rubrics, surveys, research into district leadership practice

• Dialogue and inquiry into evidence informed leadership

• Twelfth Dimension – 21st Century Learning Technology Leadership

Sharing Moving and Improving Research• Memorial University : Derm Madden & Brian LeMessurier (Oct 2009)

• CASS Connections (Fall 2009), American Education Research Association (May 2010), Canadian Society for Studies in Education (proposed June 2010)

STRATEGY FIVE: Lateral Capacity Building

Lateral Leadership Capacity Building Cohorts• Building capacity while working toward jurisdiction goals• Calgary Cohort: 9 System Leadership Teams – Levin et al• Edmonton Cohort: 18 System Leadership Teams – Fullan et al• Commitment to share expertise, experience and data

Team Leadership Academy (May 12 – 14 Banff)

• Building capacity while working on team and system planning• Andy Hargreaves, Dennis Shirley and Amanda Datnow• 150 – 180 system and partner organization leaders

STRATEGY SEVEN: Research Informed Induction Practices

CASS Research• Lorenz (2005) An Induction Program for the Alberta

Superintendency• Gunderson (2004) A Conceptual Framework for a Superintendency

Leadership Formation Program

Alberta Research• Teacher Induction Symposia (Alberta Jurisdictions), Alberta School

Leadership Framework, Workforce Planning

International Research• Growing research base: leadership induction, mentoring and

coaching

STRATEGY SEVEN: Research Informed Induction Practices

RESEARCH 2009 – 2010 2010 – 2011

Standards Based CASS Standard & Framework

CASS Standard & Framework

Orientation One Day Session Summer Academy

Mentorship Informal Mentorship Trained Mentorship

Like-group support Informal Cohort Learning Cohort Learning

Large-group support CASS as a supportivecommunity of practice

CASS as a supportivecommunity of practice

Learning Our Way Forward

The CASS member is an accomplished leader and teacher who ensures that each student is provided the opportunity for optimum learning.

Leadership Dimensions1. Visionary Leadership

2. Instructional Leadership

3. Human Resources Leadership

4. Ethical Leadership

5. Effective Relationships

6. Organizational Leadership and Management

7. External Influences on Education

8. Chief Educational and Chief Executive Leadership

November 2008

CASS Practice Standard

SCHOOL and SYSTEM LEADERSHIP in ALBERTA

Principal Quality Practice Relationships Vision Instructional Leadership Managing Operations &

Resources Larger Societal Context Developing Leadership in

Others Leading a Learning Community

CASS Practice Standard Relationships Vision Instructional Leadership Management & Organization External Influences Human Resource Leadership Ethical Leadership Chief Educational & Chief

Executive Leadership

THE CASS FRAMEWORK FOR SCHOOL SYSTEM SUCCESS (September 2009)

A collaboratively developed articulation of 11 dimensions of system leadership practice that best available evidence and practical wisdom identify as positively impacting student learning

THE CASS FRAMEWORK FOR SCHOOL SYSTEM SUCCESS

Evidence Informed CharacteristicsExemplarsBroad range of measures

High PerformingSchool Systems

The Best Available Evidence + Practical Wisdom

The evidence base for any single district characteristic should be considered suggestive but far from conclusive (Leithwood, 2008).

THE CASS FRAMEWORK FOR SCHOOL SYSTEM SUCCESS

A. VISION and DIRECTION SETTING1. Jurisdiction-Wide Focus on Student Achievement2. Targeted and Phased Focuses for School Improvement3. Strategic Engagement with the Government’s Agenda for

Change and Associated Resources

B. ORGANIZATION DESIGN and ALIGNMENT4. Infrastructure Alignment

C. CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT5. Jurisdiction-wide sense of efficacy6. Investing in Instructional Leadership7. District-wide, job embedded professional development for

leaders and teachers

The CASS Framework for School System Success

D. RELATIONSHIP BUILDING8. Building and Maintaining Good Relations9. Engaging Parents

E. THE PRIMACY of CURRICULUM and INSTRUCTION10. Approaches to Curriculum and Instruction11. Use of Evidence for Planning, Organizational Learning and

Accountability

The best available evidence suggests that High Performing School Systems engage in

VISION and DIRECTION SETTING

1. Jurisdiction-wide focus on student achievement characterized by

• developing a widely-shared set of beliefs and vision about student achievement; and

• including in this vision the concepts of “closing the gap” and “raising the bar”.

• adopting district-wide performance standards.

“getting beyond the rhetoric of ‘all students can learn’ (Cawelti, 2001)

the belief about the ability of one’s colleagues, as a whole, to perform a task or achieve a goal

Attribute success to effort rather than talent

Cause people to persist long enough to master whatever the task or goal

Is associated with highly desirable outcomes whether focus is on students, teachers or leaders

McCormick (2001)

COLLECTIVE EFFICACY

The best available evidence suggests that High Performing School Systems focus on

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

6. Investing in Instructional Leadership

• Change the conceptions of leadership expected of senior staff and others.

• Hold principals directly accountable for the quality of instruction in their schools.

• Encourage principals to supplement the instructional leadership in their schools with central office expertise as needed.

• Provide opportunities in the district for principals to further develop their instructional leadership capacities.

• Use external expertise to develop instructional leadership in the district.

The best available evidence suggests that High Performing School Systems focus on

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

7. Jurisdiction-wide, Job Embedded Professional Development for Leaders and Teachers

• Ensure that the time and money allocated to professional development reflects its value to the district.

• Refocus routine institutional practices in the service of professional development.

• Align the focus of professional with district and school improvement needs’

• Differentiate professional development opportunities to reflect needs of individual schools, administrators and teachers.

• Use contemporary learning theory as the foundation for designing professional develop methods.

The best available evidence suggests that High Performing School Systems focus on

THE PRIMACY OF CURRICULUM and INSTRUCTION

11. Use of Evidence for Planning, Organizational Learning and Accountability

1. Basic models2. Analysis-focused models3. Data-focused models4. Inquiry-focused models

Ikerno & Marsh (2007)

THE PRIMACY of CURRICULUM and INSTRUCTION

10.Approaches to Curriculum and Instruction which

• establish student performance standards;1. adopt jurisdiction-wide approaches to curricula and approaches

to instruction capable of achieving the standards; 2. align all of the elements of the technical core.3. focus on the quality of instruction.

The best available evidence suggests that High Performing School Systems engage in

REFLECTING ON THE CASS FRAMEWORK for SCHOOL SYSTEM SUCCESS

REFLECT on the selected component of this Framework Dimension

DISCUSS AND CHART

1. your sense of what Alberta school systems are doing well in this area

2. aspects of the Framework Dimension that could be the subject of further

inquiry and development in Alberta school systems.

3. Suggestions to improve this Dimension of the CASS Framework

Moving and Improving Upcoming

Leading Our Way Forward April 20 - 21

This Century Learning Technology Success April 28 Pre-Conference

Team Leadership Academy May 12 – 14 Banff

Andy Hargreaves, Dennis Shirley and Amanda Datnow

Summer New Leadership Academy July 5 - 7 Banff