INSIGHT—Spring 2008

TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL

SPRING 2008

INSIGHT

Spring 2008

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Ensuring Su ccess for Nov ice Teachers

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College Ready, Career Ready, Life Ready

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by Lara Zuehlke Discusses how the Texas High School Project works to expand options for students in Texas, particularly underrepresented, lower socioeconomic, first-generation students Comprehensive Teacher Induction Model for Texas

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by Charles Patterson Describes the development of a teacher induction model, as well as several other objectives envisioned by the project leadership team and advisory committee CREATE Teacher Induction Study

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by Sherri Lowrey and Bill Reaves Presents results of a two-year, multi-school district-university research study investigating the effects of mentoring on novice teacher retention and student achievement Answering the Critics of School Administration (Update 2008): Some Highlights

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Prepared for the AASA Leadership Conference Discusses trend data on the relationship between the distribution of public school employees and district expenditures Case Study: Lamesa Independent School District

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Reprinted with permission from the School Improvement Network Decribes how Lamesa ISD implemented PD 360, the leading on-demand professional learning resource for schools and districts

Be sure to visit TASA’s President’s Circle partners on pages 45-47.

Cover Photo © iStockphoto.com/kate_sept2004

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Departments President’s Message

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Executive Director’s View

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Legislative Update Select Committee on Public School Accountability Receives Specific Recommendations

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Officers Thomas E. Randle, President, Lamar CISD Rick Howard, President-Elect, Comanche ISD John Folks, Vice-President, Northside ISD Kay E. Waggoner, Past President, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD

Executive Committee

TASA Headquarters Staff Johnny L. Veselka

Executive Director

Associate Executive Director, Administrative Services

Assistant Executive Director, Communications & Information Systems

Design/Production

Anne Harpe

Editorial Coordinator

Karen Limb

Paul L. Whitton, Jr. Ann M. Halstead

INSIGHT is published quarterly by the Texas Association of School Administrators, 406 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas, 78701-2617. Subscription is included in TASA membership dues. © 2008 by TASA. All rights reserved.

TASA members may reprint articles in limited quantities for in-house educational use. Articles in INSIGHT are expressions of the author or interviewee and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of TASA. Advertisements do not necessarily carry the endorsement of the Texas Association of School Administrators. INSIGHT is printed by Thomas Graphics, Austin, Texas.

Michael Sandroussi, Edcouch-Elsa ISD, 1 Henry D. Herrera, Alice ISD, 2 Larry W. Nichols, Calhoun County ISD, 3 Leland Williams, Dickinson ISD, 4 James McGowan, Silsbee ISD, 5 Mike Cargill, Bryan ISD, 6 Mary Ann Whiteker, Hudson ISD, 7 Eddie Johnson, Harts Bluff ISD, 8 John Baker, Seymour ISD, 9 H. John Fuller, Wylie ISD, 10 Jerry W. Roy, Lewisville ISD, 11 Rod Townsend, Hico ISD, 12 Ryder F. Warren, Marble Falls ISD, 13 Kent LeFevre, Jim Ned CISD, 14 Russ F. Perry, Nueces Canyon CISD, 15 David G. Foote, Dalhart ISD, 16 Mike Motheral, Sundown ISD, 17 Michael Downes, Big Spring ISD, 18 Rudy Barreda, Tornillo ISD, 19 Richard A. Middleton, North East ISD, 20 Robert J. Duron, San Antonio ISD, Legislative Committee Chair

At-Large Members Rose Cameron, Copperas Cove ISD Jesus H. Chavez, Round Rock ISD Alton L. Frailey, Katy ISD Gloria Gallegos, Pasadena ISD

Editorial Advisory Committee Thomas E. Randle, Lamar CISD, chair Alton L. Frailey, Katy ISD H. John Fuller, Wylie ISD Jim Hawkins, Killeen ISD Rick Howard, Comanche ISD Patricia Linares, Fort Worth ISD

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y final message as TASA President is naturally one of reflection. It’s been an exciting year for me, and an enlightening one as well. I’ve had the opportunity to meet and talk with so many TASA members from around the state, as well as participate in a wide array of association programs and projects. The year’s experiences have added to my understanding of and appreciation for leadership in Texas public schools.

President’s Message …we superintendents have for some time voiced the concern that our current system and policies are being created by politicians, business leaders, and their policy advisors, not by the people whose voices should be heard and whose opinions are most valuable and relevant…

One of the projects I am most proud of being associated with during the past year is the Public Education Visioning Institute. In my mind, the top reason the institute was formed is because we superintendents have for some time voiced the concern that our current system and policies are being created by politicians, business leaders, and their policy advisors, not by the people whose voices should be heard and whose opinions are most valuable and relevant—superintendents, principals, teachers, parents, board members. Who better to begin the change process than all of us?

The culmination of the institute was the development of Creating a New Vision for Public Education in Texas, which describes what we as participants believe and the possibilities we see for the future. We came up with six statements of principle and supporting premises. All hold equal importance to the overall work of the institute and will be the topic of conversations and future development over the coming months. However, I find three of these premises particularly relevant, and they may engage your thoughts as well.

The New Digital Learning Environment: The technologies that make this new digital world possible must be viewed as opportunities and tools that can help us in educating and socializing the young both in and outside the school.

Engaging the digital generation is a common theme yet one that requires our full energy and attention. Our ability to embrace new technologies and optimize their use administratively and instructionally will be key to our success in preparing students for the workplace and the world.

Accountability for Learning: Accountability systems should be carefully designed on a theoretical base that honors what teachers and students actually do, that empowers and builds integrity, trust, and commitment to the values that define the school.

We must get our schools out of the trap of valuing academic abilities to the exclusion of creativity, problem solving, and teamwork. A system that truly inspires and stimulates students and educators alike must be our goal.

Organizational Transformation: Excellence emanates from a shared commitment to values and standards, high levels of engagement, and strong leadership at levels functioning within an accountability system that inspires.

Being locked within a bureaucratic system is not the environment education demands.

Public education can only thrive in an atmosphere that encourages and nurtures creativity, innovation, and sharing. The current system stifles those dynamic elements.

I have mentioned my mantra in past columns—“Let’s put the ‘super’ back in superintendent!” I am convinced that the work of the Visioning Institute is a tool that will help us do just that. I ask each of you to read the document; engage your peers, staff, and community in meaningful dialogue about these issues; and help shape the transformation of public education in Texas.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your president. I am humbled by the experience and by the energy and creativity I have witnessed in this profession. I wish you each a relaxing summer and a successful 2008–09 school year!

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Executive director’s VIEW Our ability to “promote, provide, and develop leadership that champions educational excellence” is greatly enhanced by the continuing support of the TASA officers and executive committee, and by TASA members throughout Texas.

s we prepare for a new membership year and begin, in earnest, to prepare for the 81st Legislative Session, a number of thoughts come to mind. First, the past year has seen more interim legislative activity than ever. In addition to the routine interim work of House and Senate committees, the Select Committee on Public School Accountability, the House Select Committee on Higher and Public Education Finance, the High School Completion and Success Initiative Council, and the P–16 Council have all been very active in recent months. Earlier, the Commission for a College Ready Texas submitted its recommendations for aligning high school curriculum with college standards. Numerous other commissions are dealing with higher education and workforce issues and tax structure, setting the stage for a very formidable legislative session.

As we go forward, the foundation of our work may be found in the recent report from the Public Education Visioning Institute, established nearly two years ago with significant financial support from SHW Group. Thirty-five superintendents, participating in the Institute, produced the document Creating a New Vision for Public Education in Texas as a “work in progress” for conversation and further development among TASA members, other educators, business and community leaders, and policymakers. We hope that each TASA member will study this document and engage in the dialogue that must occur if we are to truly transform public education in Texas in a way that will make our public schools better for all Texas children. The major conceptual themes stated in this document focus on strategies for engaging today’s students, new learning standards for the digital environment we live in, transforming our assessment and accountability systems, and creating a more balanced state-local partnership to ensure that our students can succeed in today’s world.

Our ability to “promote, provide, and develop leadership that champions educational excellence” is greatly enhanced by the continuing support of the TASA officers and executive committee, and by TASA members throughout Texas. I am pleased to report that the renovation of the TASA Headquarters Building, authorized more than a year ago, is nearly complete. This effort began with the support of a special committee appointed by 2006–07 President Kay Waggoner. Based on the committee’s recommendation, the TASA Executive Committee concluded that the renovation and modernization of our office facility at this time would help the association to continue its strong advocacy and leadership roles for many years to come. Constructed in the late-1940s, expanded in 1978, and purchased by TASA nearly 20 years ago, the TASA offices are strategically located in downtown Austin.

The enhancements, including additional meeting rooms; mechanical, electrical, and interior upgrades; and the infrastructure for state-of-the-art technology, will enhance its value and better serve our members.

In 1949, as a result of the Gilmer-Aikin Act, public education funding in Texas took a new turn and began a new commitment to quality and equity in our public schools. Sixty years later, we are at another crossroads in the quest to transform our public schools through the innovative use of resources—including people, time, space, technology, and funding—to realize a new vision for public education. We are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead!

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e u q i n u a s i THSP e c n a i l l a e t a v i r p c i l b g pu n i r u s n e o t d e t t i m m o c d e t n e s e r p e r r e d n u y l l a c i m o n o c e d n a s t n e d u t s d e g a t n a v d a s i d o t t i e k a m y l n o not l o o h c s h g i h r i e h t , s y a d n o i t a u grad e r a y e h t t a but th r o f y d a e r y l e t a ultim — l o o h c s h g i h r e t f life a THSP is impacting more than 100,000 students by working with 177 new or redesigned schools throughout the state, but primarily in large, urban areas and along the Texas-Mexico border.

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Texas High School Project providing new avenues for educating underrepresented students

College Ready, Career Ready, Life Ready

by Lara Zuehlke

W

hile the state has seen graduation rates improve in recent years, traditionally underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students still lag behind. In 2006, for example, 80 percent of students Communities Foundation of Texas speargraduated within four years, compared to heads the private philanthropic invest79.5 percent in 1999, according to the Texas ments of the $337 million project, which Education Agency. Yet, while 83 percent of include funding by the Bill and Melinda white students passed the exit-level TAKS Gates Foundation, Michael and Susan Dell in spring 2007, only 52 percent of African Foundation, Wallace Foundation, Greater American students, 54 percent of economi- Texas Foundation, Communities Foundation cally disadvantaged students, and 57 percent of Texas (CFT), and National Instruments.

The State of Texas contributes the lion’s share of Hispanic students passed. of funding—more than $200 million, all of In today’s environment of evolving tech- which is managed by the Texas Education nology, changing demographics, and rising Agency (TEA). educational costs, it’s become more critical than ever that educational models also keep “Our job as educators is to expand stupace. That is why the Texas High School dents’ options, not limit them,” said Barbara Project (THSP) is focused on cultivating the Knaggs, TEA’s associate commissioner for resources and delivering the programs that state initiatives. meet the needs of all students. Founded in 2003, the THSP is a unique public-private “We are serving the demographics of Texas, alliance committed to ensuring underrepre- particularly underrepresented, lower sociosented and economically disadvantaged stu- economic, first-generation students,” added dents not only make it to their high school Ana Tilton, THSP/CFT chief program offigraduation days, but that they are ultimately cer. “There are many kids that are falling ready for life after high school—whether through the achievement gap, and we are that’s enrolling in a four-year university, a addressing that. We are committed to ensurtwo-year community college, the military, ing kids are college ready, but the reality is an apprenticeship or further employer-based that the skills they need to be prepared for training, or embarking on a career. college are the same ones they need no matter in what field they choose to work.”

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“We have to find a way to connect to these kids’ lives and the complexity of their personal relationships,” Tilton said. “We have to create relationships and support them, but we also have to develop rigor—which I think is the most important part. We have high expectations that regardless of everything, we, as adults, are going to find out how to serve traditionally underserved students.”

Tilton, a former teacher, principal, and superintendent who has worked on both the public and private side of education in her almost 40-year career, believes this type of public-private partnership is critical in today’s environment. Such alliances are not uncommon, but what makes the THSP 14

INSIGHT

unique, and what drew her to the project, she says, is the shared vision for the project and responsibility in creating it.

“We are pooling our money and communicating about the best way to leverage those resources to have the biggest impact,” Tilton explains. “Rather than fighting over control, we’re all pulling together, sharing and holding each other accountable. We are dramatically changing the lives of students because we are collectively insisting on high-quality programs. That’s frankly very unique and uplifting.”

Prepared for the future?

education after high school without the need for remedial/developmental education.”

Based on this common understanding, the commission found that while high school graduates across the country are unprepared for the demands of college coursework, Texas students are even less prepared. For example, 21 percent of students that take the ACT test nationally meet college readiness benchmarks in English, reading, math, and science. In Texas, only 18 percent of students taking the ACT meet college requirements for the four subject areas, with the percentage even smaller for African American and Hispanic students.

In April 2007, Governor Rick Perry created the Commission for a College Ready Texas to evaluate what skills and knowledge

While college readiness is no doubt a topof-mind concern for administrators, THSP/ CFT Executive Director John Fitzpatrick

students must possess to be ready for college. Composed of community and business leaders and educators, the 21-member commission explored data on both a national and state level, particularly looking at the standards for college and career readiness used throughout the United States—such as data from ACT, The College Board, and National Center for Educational Accountability.

believes more discussion is also necessary about how to prepare students for life after high school.

© iStockphoto.com/nojustice

According to Tilton, many programs have been dedicated to ensuring traditionally underserved students excel in elementary and middle school. Yet, by the time these students reach high school, they face new pressures academically and socially and often get lost in the shuffle. Too often these students drop out of school altogether. This is precisely why the THSP is focused on high school performance through four key areas of focus: • Classroom programs that directly intervene and support students, such as Advancement Via Individual Determination, credit recovery and other online acceleration programs, and advanced placement strategies; • New and innovative campus models, which include investing in new and existing high-performing charter schools, redesigning low-performing high schools, advancing science and math education through T-STEM academies, and creating early college high schools (ECHS) that provide students an opportunity to earn both high school and college credits; • School district engagement, which enables urban school districts, including boards of trustees, superintendents, and central office administrators, to implement reform across district systems; and • Education leadership, which centers on the retention, recruitment, leadership training, and professional development of high school teachers, principals, and administrators.

College readiness, as defined by the commission, is “attainment of core knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the first year of

“One of the challenges we have is that there’s a lot of confusion about what is college,” says Fitzpatrick, who served on the Austin ISD school board for four years and the governor’s Commission for a College Ready Texas. “Our definition is post-secondary education—a four-year university, a twoyear community college, the military, an apprenticeship or further employer-based

training. We need to prepare students and talk to them and parents about high school graduation being the bare minimum. If you want a middle class lifestyle, you need to get post-secondary education beyond high school, and the more education you obtain, the more options you’ll have. We’re focused on college, careers and life, and making sure kids are well rounded.�

Accelerating education

To that effort, THSP is impacting more than 100,000 students by working with 177 new or redesigned schools throughout the state, but primarily in large, urban areas and along the Texas-Mexico border. In addition, THSP is involved in district engagement work in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.

Nationally, the Early College High School (ECHS) model first began in the 2002–2003 academic year with three high schools under the direction of Boston-based Jobs for the Future, an action/research and policy organization, and with initial funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The goal was to provide underserved students—on campuses with high percentages of traditionally underserved, economically disadvantaged, and first-generation college goers—a head start on earning a college degree. Students work toward their high school diplomas and have the opportunity to earn up to 60 credit hours toward an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

Through the project’s Early College High School initiative, traditionally underserved students are not only discovering the importance of that next step after high school but they are also taking it.

Now, approximately 160 schools are operational in 24 states. Texas opened its first schools in 2006 and now has 21 in operation under the THSP’s public-private alliance— providing free, open enrollment for students

in grades 9–12, with approximately 100 students in each grade. Concentrated in urban areas and the Rio Grande Valley, many of the early college schools meet on the campuses of two-year community colleges and four-year universities. Others, including the highly successful ECHS at Hidalgo High School (which ranked 11th in the 2008 U.S. News & World Report’s listing of top U.S. openenrollment schools), are located on large, comprehensive high school campuses.

Lucy Davila Hakemack, principal at ECHS at Mountain View College in Dallas, believes the model works because it targets students who are willing and able to excel, yet often get misplaced in larger schools. By creating smaller learning environments, students receive more personal, focused attention— ultimately raising their confidence and elevating performance. ECHS at Mountain View is a Dallas ISD school in partnership with the Dallas County Community College

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District and the University of North Texas.

Dallas ISD will open a second THSP-funded early college high school this fall in southeast Dallas.

“There are a lot of students who are underrepresented, slow learners and in special education. They are often not pushed in the same way as other students or expected to go to college,” Hakemack said. “So this program is really for those average learners. It’s focused on getting behind them, motivating them, and raising the standards so they can see they are capable of doing more. We have to believe in them, and they have to learn to believe in themselves.”

The ECHS curriculum is quite rigorous, and students must pass an entrance exam before they can enroll in dual-credit college courses.

With THSP’s first ECHS students entering their junior year this fall, it is still too early to assess how students will fare compared to their counterparts at traditional public high schools. However, initial indicators

show that the program is working. ECHS at Mountain View College and other early college high schools across the state are reporting 98–99 percent attendance rates, significant decreases in disciplinary cases, and Recognized and Exemplary ratings as a result of student performance on TAKS. With few exceptions, these early college high schools surpassed their respective school districts’ passing rates on TAKS in all tests taken in all subject areas.

In addition, a recent survey of 1,869 early college high school students found that 70 percent had obtained from 1 to 10 hours of college credit, while another 4 percent had accumulated more than 10 college hours.

Additionally, 80 percent of students surveyed said they understand what classes they need to take in high school to prepare them for college, and 98 percent indicated that they will obtain at least an associate’s degree and/ or a four-year degree or higher. Already, 79 percent have visited a college or university this year.

“We’ve put many of our students in pre-AP class, and they are making better grades now than they ever have in the past,” Hakemack said. “Some of them had never passed the TAKS test, and we were able to get almost all of them to pass that, especially in math where they have struggled the most.”

To narrow this performance gap, the THSP has also created academies geared specifically to serving traditionally underrepresented students through the Texas Science Technology, Engineering and Math (T-STEM) Initiative.

Advancing math and science In today’s rapidly changing global economy, technological innovation and shifts in labor are changing the competitive landscape for the United States. In the 2006 report, “Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future,” the authors stressed the urgency to “bolster U.S. competitiveness” by improving the country’s talent pool and creating new

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high-tech jobs, especially in clean, affordable energy. Among the top recommendations from the report was to improve K–12 math and science education.

THSP was already focused on the issue, kicking off the Texas Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Initiative in December 2005. In May 2006, the Texas Legislature passed a law requiring all high school students to complete four years of math and science in addition to English and social studies, now more commonly referred to as the 4x4 curriculum. The T-STEM initiative now includes 22 T-STEM Academies, rigorous high schools centered on math and science education; 7 T-STEM Centers, which are based at universities or educational services centers that support development for teachers and administrators; T-STEM Network, an online community to connect educators; and T-STEM Leadership, which funds replication of the nationally recognized UTeach Institute teacher preparation program. Another 16 T-STEM Academies will open across the state in fall 2008.

© iStockphoto.com/EvelynMPeyton

“If you look at the need for engineers, mathematicians, and scientists in the U.S., it is significantly outpacing the supply,” said Keith Desrosiers, director of YES College Preparatory School—Southeast, a T-STEM

Academy in Houston. “So we’re constantly outsourcing, and looking overseas for talent. Part of the rationale for T-STEM is ratcheting up the supply of talent to meet the demand.”

Much like the ECHS, T-STEM Academies are free, open enrollment schools that provide smaller learning environments for underrepresented students. At the YES School, Desrosiers said all math and science classes are considered T-STEM courses. Like early college high schools, T-STEM Academies are seeing high attendance rates, ranging from 95–98 percent; low disciplinary rates; and high percentages of students passing all sections of the TAKS. “What’s important to us is for kids to understand the relevance of math and science and apply that in real-world situations,” Desrosiers explained. “Regardless of whether our kids major in science, math, or journalism in college, they walk out of here with an incredible mathematics and science background. For example, we’ve moved our desktop publishing class into the 8th grade so when they come into high school, they are proficient with those skills. That’s impacted the work they can do in English and social studies. I just think we’re creating much more well-rounded kids now.”

Creating a new model While the THSP’s programs are still in their early stages of development, it’s clear they are creating new avenues for underrepresented students to access the skills needed to succeed in college—and life. Whereas high school was once the stopping point for many American students, the work force of today is a much different landscape.

“I think one of the challenges of comprehensive, traditional American high schools is trying to be all things to all people,” Fitzpatrick explained. “We know there is not a one-sizefits-all solution, that’s why it’s important to meet the students where they are. By offering them a portfolio of options, making their coursework rigorous and relevant to their lives, allowing students and teachers to develop strong relationships during their high school careers, and focusing on results, we will increase the number of college-ready high school graduates.”

Fitzpatrick believes adapting the educational model of traditional high schools to better meet the needs of all students will take a concerted effort, openness to change and, of course, time. With the backing of the current governor’s administration, legislators, and organizations, such as the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA), he is confident that the value and effectiveness of various models will continue to be realized by administrators, teachers, students, parents, and ultimately society.

“Despite a lot of the data that everyone is cognizant of across districts, the state, and nation, the reality is that change is hard,” Fitzpatrick said. “We are excited about our partnerships with TEA and others and collaborating with TASA because the solution, really, to long-term sustainability, scale, and quality is working together with administrators and teachers in public schools across the t state of Texas.”

Lara Zuehlke is a freelance writer for 1400 Words Inc., representing the Texas High School Project. © 1400 Words, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Š iStockphoto.com/LeggNet

e h t o t e s n o p s e r In e h t f o e g n e l l cha r e v o n r u t r e h c a te e v i t a i t i n i n a , s i cris y a w r e d n u s i y l t n e r r u c y l l u f e p o h t tha s a x e T t s i s s a l l wi n i s t c i r t s i d l o o sch g n i c u d e r y l t n a c signifi r e v o n r u t r e h c a te . s e t a r Based on state and national research studies, it is apparent there is a compelling need for school district leaders to establish strong and supported comprehensive novice teacher induction programs.

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Comments or questions about CTIP may may be directed to any member of the project leadership team: Charles Patterson, CTIP Project Director 254-449-3477, cpatterson3@hot.rr.com

Susan Holley, TASA Associate Executive Director 512-477-6361, sholley@tasanet.org

Dianne Hess, CTIP/TASA Project Trainer and Designer 512-923-0715, dianne.hess@sbcglobal.net

Comprehensive Teacher Induction Model for Texas

by Charles Patterson

T

eacher turnover is an area of crisis in our nation’s schools. The National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF) has estimated that America’s schools lose approximately $2.6 billion teacher turnover rates. This initiative, the annually to teacher attrition. Additionally, Collaborative Teacher Induction Program NCTAF has reported that approximately one (CTIP), has as its primary purpose the design of every two teachers has left the classroom of a flexible and cost-effective novice teacher by the end of five years. 1 The financial costs, induction model that will be embraced by a however, are only one part of the problem. broad spectrum of the professional educaThe high turnover of teachers is costly to tion community. The Houston Endowment districts and especially to students. NCTAF awarded a grant to the Texas Leadership Center, an arm of TASA, to serve as the noted these additional costs: administrative agent for the program. The Teacher turnover is not just about num- project is coordinated by a leadership team bers, and the costs go far beyond the that is assisted by an advisory committee impact of lost dollars. The organizational composed of classroom teachers, current and and human toll, while harder to quan- former principals, superintendents, district tify, is devastating to struggling districts, administrators serving in the areas of personschools, parents, and students. Districts nel and curriculum and instruction, reprelose the momentum of reform initiatives sentatives from the Texas Education Agency when their teachers leave. Schools lose the and education service centers, representatives continuity and consistency that are essen- from higher education, and a representative tial to the fabric of their communities. from the Texas Staff Development Council.

Students are forced to adapt to a passing parade of teachers, severing the emotional Although the CTIP has as its major purpose bonds formed with some of the most the development of a teacher induction important adults in their daily lives. 2 model, other objectives that are the responsibility of the project leadership team and In response to the challenge of the teach- advisory committee include: er turnover crisis, an initiative currently is • Synthesizing recent induction research and evaluations and preparing a report on underway that hopefully will assist Texas the current status of induction programs school districts in significantly reducing in Texas.

1

2

National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (2005). Induction into Learning Communities, Executive Summary, pp. 2, 8.

Ibid., pp. 9–10.

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19

Novices

D IN

Mentors

RA M

Principals

Districts

HER AC

ATIVE T R E BO Partners

COLL A

© iStockphoto.com/nano

• Conducting a cost/benefit analysis of induction programs in Texas schools, including estimates of the costs of teacher turnover.

• Developing a research/evaluation framework based on a continuous quality control model that can be integrated into new program designs and that will provide continuous feedback to gauge the benefits and effects of teacher induction practices.

UC TIO PROG N

The induction model being designed will be a cooperative model engaging public schools and the universities. The CTIP project team is working collaboratively with the leadership of the Center for Research, Evaluation and Advancement of Teacher Education (CREATE) in promoting a cooperative effort between higher and public education entities in an induction program. CREATE is a consortium of universities that promotes the

20

INSIGHT

The CTIP project team has identified four component areas that should function in support of novice teachers: districts, principals, mentors, and partners. The support generated by individuals and organizations from the component areas is essential in ensuring the success of a comprehensive teacher induction program. Some of the major responsibilities related to each component area are the following:

DISTRICTS

MENTORS

• Develop policies that support induction • Allocate resources for training and release time • Create advisory councils • Form local partnerships

• Build relationships of trust • Meet regularly with the novices • Use the Texas Professional Teaching Standards as a basis for discussing teaching and learning • Focus the novice teacher on student learning

PRINCIPALS • Attend training • Support mentors and novice teachers • Develop a supportive and welcoming campus climate • Choose appropriate teaching assignments for novice teachers

concept of responsive research—the practical application of research that bridges the gap between educational theory and practice as it relates to issues of teacher education and quality, including preparation, retention, and classroom effects.

NCTAF reported these important findings in viewing induction through the lens of

PARTNERS • Engage universities in the induction of novice teachers • Foster community support for induction programs • Assist in training and seminars • Advocate for quality in the teaching profession its role in supporting 21st century learning communities: • Induction should be a stage in a continuum of teacher development.

• Induction should support entry into a learning community.

• Mentoring is a useful component of induction, but only one element of a comprehensive induction system.

Alliance for Excellent Education (2004), Tapping the Potential: Retaining and Developing High-Quality New Teachers, p. 29.

IV RAT E TE BO

Ensuring Success for Novice Teachers

UC TION PROG

It Takes a Whole Village (or a Whole School) onsibility of the entire Quality teaching is the resp ering a supportive commuFost ity. mun com ol scho — hers become good teachers nity that helps new teac t teachers—is critical grea ome bec hers teac d and goo career path for educators to providing a rewarding ironment for students. env ning lear and a quality of m that stands in the way The most persistent nor teaching in ated isol is hers teac new excellence for only one-on-one mentorstand-alone classrooms with schools into learning ng rmi nsfo ing for support. Tra that all teachers must ing gniz communities means reco ork of shared netw ing become members of a grow expertise.

a’s on Teaching and Americ The National Commission ing these key findings view rted repo ) TAF (NC re Futu of its role in supporting induction through the lens ities: mun com ning st lear tury 21 cen e in a stag a be uld sho on ucti ■ Ind ment. elop dev her teac of um continu support entry into a ■ Induction should ity. mun com learning ul component of ■ Mentoring is a usef one element of a only but induction, n system. comprehensive inductio ted by online por sup s ork ■ External netw e. technologies can add valu d investment for school ■ Induction is a goo districts. re.

Teaching and America’s Futu National Commission on .

Into Learning Communities ction Indu ).

2005 ust (Aug Washington, D.C.

Collabo

rative Teacher In duction Pro gram w

Ensuring Su ccess for Nov ice Teachers

ATIVE OR T AB

AM

Saphier, Jon, Freedman, Susan, Aschheim, Barbara, Beyond Mentoring: How to attract, support, and retain new teachers, Second Edition (2007). TEACHERS21, Wellesley, MA., p.

31.

6

COL L

4

The Alliance publication cited several issues from research studies and other works related to induction that can be positively influenced through the implementation of a comprehensive induction program: • Induction keeps quality teachers in the profession. Research by Richard Ingersoll and Thomas Smith found that induction retains teachers, even when other factors such as salary, school conditions, and personal background of the teacher are taken into account.

R CHE EA

Ibid., p. 1.

every child to high standards, then we must make comprehensive induction a priority for every teacher in every school.” 6

U IND

3

American Association of State Colleges and Universities (October 2006). Teacher Induction Programs: Trends and Opportunities, p. 2.

HER AC

Based on state and national research studies, it is apparent there is a compelling need for school district leaders to establish strong and supported comprehensive novice teacher induction programs. The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) reports that evidence collected from the National Center for Education Statistics Schools’ and Staffing Survey suggests that beginning teacher participation in comprehensive induction programs can cut attrition in half. Additionally, AASCU has noted that estimates are that for every $1.00

5

D IN

It is also important that the superintendent and other members of the leadership team develop a districtwide plan for induction. Saphier, Freedman, and Aschheim have observed that “at the heart of a comprehensive induction program is the plan.” 4 The plan should contain a vision statement, establish program objectives or goals, identify strategies for accomplishing the objectives, set program timelines, assign responsibilities, and provide for a continuing evaluation of the program to ensure success.

The evidence is clear that a sense of urgency should exist among leaders in school districts in Texas to develop, implement, and provide continuing support for comprehensive induction programs. The Alliance for Excellent Education, in the publication Tapping the Potential: Retaining and Developing High-Quality New Teachers, had this observation: “If America is to attract, retain, and fully develop our teaching force into high-quality professionals who teach

RA M

The proposals resulting from the CTIP project will have implications for superintendents and other district-level administrators in Texas. As previously noted, the model being designed identifies school district leadership as being one of the four major components in the support of novice teachers.

The superintendent has a major role in providing leadership in the development of a comprehensive induction program for novice teachers. Additionally, the superintendent has the responsibility to secure school board support for the induction program through the development of policies and by providing the necessary financial resources.

invested in induction, there is a payoff of almost $1.50. 5

COLL A

• External networks supported by online technologies can add value.

• Induction is a good investment for school districts. 3

CT ION ROGR P

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• Induction weeds out poor teachers.

Some new teachers should not stay in the profession. Comprehensive induction uses assessments aligned with established teaching standards to identify and remove individuals who are not well suited for teaching.

• Induction teaches beginning teachers clinical, practical skills. Academic preparation, even when accompanied by handson experiences like student teaching, can only partly cultivate the teaching skills of a beginning teacher. Novices need “clinical” training in full-time classroom situations to develop the kind of practical, professional skills necessary to consistently improve student achievement.

• Induction builds a community of teachers who are learners. Induction brings

beginning teachers, experienced teachers, and school leaders together in collaborative settings to create a professional culture of ongoing learning, which can lead to positive changes in the school climate.

• Induction orients teachers into their local school. Induction introduces teachers to the type of students their school serves and how best to meet their students’ particular needs.

• Induction orients teachers into the efficacy and worth of their profession. Any successful induction program must focus on the importance of teachers’ beliefs that what they do matters, and that all students can achieve at high levels regardless of race, family income, or other factors outside of school. Equally, teachers must master the skills that lead to student

learning, including continually developing content knowledge, improving teaching methods, and adjusting instruction to diverse learners. 7 The development of a comprehensive novice teacher induction model is scheduled to be completed by December 2008.

Superintendents and other district personnel are invited to contact any of the project leadership team members to address questions or make comments in regard to the CTIP project. It is believed that the induction model, as well as the additional information and research compiled as a result of the project, should be of great benefit to school districts as they endeavor to retain those quality professionals who will positively impact student achievement in the future. t

Charles Patterson is an education consultant/ speaker and former superintendent of Killeen ISD (1988–2004).

7

Ibid., p. 4.

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22

Select Committee on Public School Accountability Receives Specific Recommendations The Select Committee on Public School Accountability met in Dallas on June 16 to hear invited testimony from a panel of stakeholders who discussed models of accountability systems. Components of these systems may be incorporated into the Committee’s recommendations to the Legislature in December 2008, and into proposed legislation by the Committee’s co-chairs Sen. Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) and Rep. Rob Eissler (R-The Woodlands) during the upcoming 81st Legislative Session.

methodologies to evaluate growth for schools and districts that have not met performance targets: • For measures that do not exist at every grade level, a Program Improvement Model will be used; e.g., three years of grade 5 science TAKS scores will be reported and then evaluated to provide a measure of success of science instruction in 5th grade.

• For measures that exist in contiguous grades, such as the grades 3–8 reading TAKS, a Growth Model will be used to evaluate performance and individual student growth from year to year.

Two primary proposals were shared: The Texas Star System developed by Raise Your Hand Texas, and ten guiding principles included in a policy paper developed by the Texas Institute for Education Reform. In addition, the Education Resource Group shared information about a management tool that uses indices for measuring achievement against financial efficiency. The full documents shared at the June 16 hearing may be accessed on the TASA website at www.tasanet.org.

• Measures of comparable improvement amongst schools with similar indicators created so that best practices may be shared

Raise Your Hand Texas: The Texas Star System

• Summaries of the proportion earned for growth and performance provided as a diagnostic profile for each school and district, and a clear identification of areas in need of improvement to be addressed through campus and district improvement plans • A proportional model expressed in an annual diagnostic profile that allows achievement and growth to be demonstrated through many factors and is not determined solely on student assessment performance

Bill Ratliff, advisory board chairman, Raise Your Hand Texas (RYHT), introduced Dr. Cherry Kugle, consultant, RYHT, and explained that their recommendations focus on the reporting portion of the accountability system as it is important to have a plan that will “result in fair and understandable outcomes.” Dr. Kugle gave an overview of the RYHT proposal called The Texas Star System: An Improvement Model for Public School Accountability that focuses on improvement by including:

• An assignment of “stars” that focuses on improvement versus the current system of “labels” • Six stars—highest ranking • One star—lowest ranking • Additional rankings—Academic Watch, Academic Warning, and Academic Crisis

• Analyses of growth for both the program and individual students. There are two

• Rewards and interventions that will compensate growth with a uniform and inte-

grated approach, monetary rewards for demonstrated improvements, a system for identifying schools in need of early interventions, and a timeline that allows districts one year to bring performance up to standards before any further interventions take place • A system design that is fluid and flexible if there are changes required by the state or federal testing systems • Indicators by Tiers to focus on improvement: • Tier 1 reading and mathematics performance and AYP measures • Tier 2 core curriculum areas other than reading and mathematics • Tier 3 college and workforce readiness measures It was noted that RYHT is seeking input from stakeholders across the state and welcomes recommendations that can be incorporated into this work in progress. Committee member Sandy Kress encouraged RYHT to raise the “expected growth” percentages of their system. Bill Ratliff responded that a projection was incorporated through a growth model instead of with an arbitrary number.

Dr. Thomas Randle, committee member and superintendent, Lamar Consolidated ISD, expressed appreciation of the approach RYHT was taking because it “taps into intrinsic motivation” and encourages investment of energy into the system.

Texas Institute for Education Reform (TIER): Ten Guiding Principles Jim Windham, chairman, Texas Institute for Education Reform, introduced ten principles that TIER includes in its latest policy series, Creating the Schools We Need for the 21st Century: The Next Generation of Accountability. The intent is to suggest ways to translate the ten accountability principles into state policy.

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23

Principle One: Make Postsecondary Readiness the Goal of Accountability • Differs significantly from the current goal of our state accountability system which is to “improve student performance” • Adds postsecondary readiness components to grades K–8 curriculum and assessment (postsecondary readiness currently applies only to high school students) and uses postsecondary readiness data to rate schools and districts • Recommends that postsecondary readiness be recognized by absolute scores and by academic improvement (via academic growth and value-added gains) • Eliminates Alternative Accountability System that primarily serves educationally disadvantaged students, such as charter schools and schools devoted to dropout recovery Principle Two: Connect Postsecondary Readiness with Closing the Achievement Gap between Student Groups • Adds “closing the achievement gap” as a twin goal of the accountability system • Asserts that currently schools with large concentrations of disadvantaged students can elect to “opt out” of the state system to be governed by the alternative accountability system, which has less rigorous standards • Asserts that large schools enjoy a “significant statistical advantage” when student performance is disaggregated and proposes the development of two new standards related to disaggregating student performance • Encourages value-added methodology in the assessment of charter school performance, performance-based compensation plans, and evaluation of teacher preparation programs Principle Three: Sound Statistical Design Is Essential • Recommends student assessments be designed to measure the full range of performance for the grade or course, value-added during each school year, and progress toward an exit standard such as 12th grade for high school students

Principle Four: State/Local Partnerships Can Enhance Public School Accountability • Proposes two tiers of accountability: First Tier—state sets standards, reporting requirements, rating system, and consequences for performance, and; Second Tier—districts supplement state accountability with locally designed policies to broaden approach to evaluation and school quality Principle Five: All Stakeholders Should Be Involved in Public School Accountability • Recommends state policymakers establish guidelines for districts to create decisionmaking bodies to design local accountability systems Principle Six: Public School Accountability Must Be Based on Sufficient Capacity and Resources to Enable Schools to Succeed • Recommends development of new state curriculum standards at all grade levels that incorporate postsecondary readiness such as those set by the American Diploma Project and ACT • Recommends development of new state assessments at all grade levels that are benchmarked to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), exemplary states, the Third International Math and Science Assessment, and national college readiness assessments • Recommends creation of a new comprehensive statewide K–20 education system that encompasses current data systems for public education, higher education, and the State Board for Educator Certification (Note: Sen. Shapiro noted that legislation proposing such a system filed during the 80th Legislature was estimated to have a steep price of $100 million) Principle Seven: Public School Accountability Should Be Primarily Based on Final Educational Outcomes and Secondarily Based on Intermediate Education Outcomes • Evaluates and rates schools and districts annually with an alphabetic grade of A, B, C, D, or F

• Provides primary standards and secondary standards for elementary, middle school, and high school Principle Eight: Consequences Are Essential • Recommends that students who do not improve performance after accelerated instruction be given the option to enroll in a Texas Education Agency Commissioner-approved virtual school, or a “transportation-paid transfer” to a public or private school of the student’s choice • Recommends that teacher, administrator, and superintendent employment be reconsidered if standards are not met for two consecutive years • Recommends that a school and district lose state funding and accreditation if a third phase of intervention does not result in an acceptable accountability rating Principle Nine: Multiple Means and Measures Enhance Fairness • Suggests the system be governed by administering several types of assessments; creating a holistic approach to evaluation of student performance and identifying postsecondary readiness; creating a holistic approach to evaluating and rating schools and districts; combining two forms of accountability systems (consequence system and reporting system); and, encouraging districts to create local accountability policies Principle Ten: Full, Transparent, and Accessible Information Is Essential • Asserts that student performance data in Texas disguises the actual number of dropouts and non-high school completion and the true level of student academic proficiency • Recommends that particular items be posted on district Web sites Education Resource Group Paul T. Haeberlen, president and chief operating officer, Education Resource Group (ERG), shared sample reports generated by ERG’s software related to district and school accountability data. Mr. Haeberlen explained continued on page 42

24

INSIGHT

© iStockphoto.com/alexfedo

g n o r t s a g n i t n e m e l p Im g n i r o t n e m d e r u t struc p i u q e d n a m a r g o pr o t a r t s i n i m d a g n pi d e d e e n s l l i k s e h t h t i w n i a t n i a m d n a r e t s o f to i v n e l o o h c s e v i t i s o p a c e n h t o b e r a t n e m n ro e t a m i t l u n a r o f y r a s s e . n o i t n e t e r n o t c impa Novice teachers who rated their relationship with their mentor as “indifferent” left the district at twice the rate of those who rated their relationship as “close.”

26

INSIGHT

CREATE Teacher Induction Study Effects of Mentoring on Novice Teacher Retention and Student Achievement

by Sherri Lowrey and Bill Reaves

H

igh teacher turnover rates or significant numbers of novice teachers within a school or district increase the challenge to provide students with a quality education, and it is expensive to replace The induction study investigated the effects teachers who leave. Teacher turnover and of variations in mentor program organizateacher attrition have been estimated to cost tion and program implementation on retenthe state of Texas between $329 million tion, examined how novice teacher retention and $2.1 billion per year depending on the was impacted by the perceived effects of the cost model used. 1 The Center for Research, workplace environment, and explored the Evaluation and Advancement of Teacher effects of mentoring on student achievement.

Education (CREATE) offers opportunities Although a comprehensive report of the and resources to educators by sponsoring analysis of the data and all findings is beyond relevant research studies on such high-need the scope of this paper, some of the more topics as how to retain novice teachers. We important findings will be discussed. understand that a district’s success is closely tied to its ability to staff schools with compe- The investigators found that the induction tent, qualified teachers. program infrastructure and the quality of the mentor support provided had a signifiRecently, results of a two-year, multi-school cant relationship to teacher retention. Where district-university research study investi- induction programs were more organized gating the effects of mentoring on novice and structured, the novice teacher received teacher retention and student achievement a higher level of support. Higher levels of were released. Principal investigators Drs. mentor support were significantly related to Leslie Huling and Virginia Resta from Texas the retention of novice teachers. The types State University worked with school districts of program infrastructure most important to and other researchers at UT-Arlington, Texas novice teacher retention were related to menA&M University–Commerce, Texas State tor stipend, requirements for documentation University, and Lamar State University to of mentor/mentee work, and the availability interview 451 novice high, middle, and of a common planning period. There were elementary school teachers in 14 Texas pub- few variations in mentor program infrastruclic school districts. Each novice teacher’s ture reported across school levels. assigned mentor completed a survey regarding the structure of the mentoring program. Novice teachers who received more support Student achievement data (classroom pass were more likely to be retained than those rate and scale score) along with retention fig- who received minimal support. Item analysis ures were collected from the school districts revealed the mentor support components on the teachers in the sample and on 2000 most important in novice retention include comparison teachers. the frequency of interaction with the mentor, 1

Huling, Leslie & Resta, Virginia (2007).

CREATE Teacher Induction Study. Phase 2 Report.

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27

the perceived value of the mentor support, and participation in novice teacher meetings beyond orientation. Novice teachers who rated their relationship with their mentor as “indifferent” left the district at twice the rate of those who rated their relationship as “close.”

Another factor important for retention that emerged from the study was the importance of the novice’s perception of the workplace.

Researchers noted that in this study, the overall school environment was as important for retaining novice teachers as mentoring.

Workplace ecology “describes the degree to which the novice teacher indicates the school is a positive, supportive work environment and a “good personal fit.” 2 It is a combination of school climate and workplace conditions. The workplace ecology factors most important to teacher retention related to the focus and supervision of the administrative team, discipline support, and student behavior. Novice teachers who perceived that 2

28

Huling, Leslie & Resta, Virginia. (2007).

CREATE Teacher Induction Study. Phase 2 Report.

INSIGHT

administrator supervision was focused on “weeding out” left the district at more than three times the rate of those who perceived the administrator focus to be on “providing substantial and constructive feedback.”

The study overall results suggest that a multilevel approach is needed to attack the problem of retaining teachers. Implementing a strong structured mentoring program and equipping administrators with the skills needed to foster and maintain a positive school environment are both necessary for an ultimate impact on retention.

To look at student achievement between novice teachers and comparison teachers across different campuses, student populations, grade levels, and subject areas, the researchers developed the concept of “Gap.” Calculating a “gap” score attempted to gauge how a novice teacher was performing instructionally compared to experienced teachers on the same campus. A negative “gap” indicated

the novice underperformed compared to experienced teachers, and a positive “gap” indicated the novice teacher outperformed more experienced colleagues. The student achievement of novice teachers’ classes was slightly below those of comparison teachers at the same campus. There were, however, a few exceptions where novice teachers outperformed comparison teachers. These occurred in middle school language arts and middle school science.

This was a landmark study for several reasons. Few studies have been conducted in which there were such widespread voluntary cooperation and collaboration among university/school district personnel. Through the CREATE-sponsored Texas Public School Research Network, researchers and school district personnel worked together to formulate, plan, and execute a complex research study design, resolve data collection difficulties, and disseminate findings and implicat tions at regular intervals.

Sherri Lowrey is associate director of research and Bill Reaves is director of program development at the Center for Research, Evaluation and Advancement of Teacher Education.

Leadership provides a critical bridge between most educational reform initiatives, and having those reforms makes a genuine difference for all students.

Leithwood, Seashore Louis, Anderson, and Wahlstrom, in How Leadership Influences Student Learning

30

INSIGHT

Š iStockphoto.com/Thomas_EyeDesign

s e d i v o r p p i h s r e d a e L e g d i r b l a c i t i r c a t s o m n e e betw m r o f e r l a n o i t a c edu d n a , s e v i t initia s m r o f e r e s o h t g n i v a h e n i u n e g a s e k a m l l a r o f e c n e r e ff i d s t n e d stu

Researchers Waters and Marzano focused specifically on superintendent leadership and found that effective superintendents can have a significant effect on student achievement.

Answering the Critics of School Administration (Update 2008): Some Highlights Prepared for the AASA Leadership Conference

Does central office leadership make a contribution to student learning?

But are there too many administrators?

The answer from recent research—a resounding “yes”! A wide range of studies in recent years has highlighted the importance of central office leadership to student achievement.

Districts that effectively support improvement efforts engage in behaviors such as: • aligning curriculum, instruction, and assessment districtwide • explicitly tying resource allocation to district goals • aligning staff development opportunities with key programs • aggressively using data to identify areas of both problems and successes • providing a system of support that ensures no student is left so far behind he/she will never be able to catch up

It’s often easy for critics of school administration to sell the idea that there are too many administrators, especially in the central office. But let’s look at the numbers. What percentage of the total school district workforce do administrators represent—and has this changed over time?

Researchers Waters and Marzano focused specifically on superintendent leadership and found that effective superintendents can have a significant effect on student achievement.

They characterize this as a: finding that stands in sharp contrast to the notion that district administration is a part of what former Secretary of Education William Bennett characterized as an amorphous blob that soaks up valuable resources without adding value to a district’s instructional program.

The National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S Department of Education collects staffing data, with the most current data available for the 2005-06 school year.

For that year, only 1.1 percent of all school district employees—slightly more than one in every 100 employees districtwide—were central office administrators, with another 2.8 percent working as principals or assistant principals.

Trend data are also available to address the concern sometimes expressed that central office staffing is growing faster than the number of teachers employed by districts.

While the total number of people employed by public school districts increased over a 10-year period, the proportions of staff employed in the different categories stayed substantially the same. Certainly, there was no significant increase in the portion of overall staff employed in the central office.

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The “65% solution” argument heard in many states was often intended to characterize the level of administrative expenditures as wasteful, with the remedy a channeling of more school district resources to the classroom.

However, data from NCES fail to support the notion that vast levels of resources are being diverted unnecessarily to administration. In 2005–06, only 2.1 percent of district expenditures was used to pay for the wide range of activities included in the NCES definition: • Board of Education Activities (also including related functions such as election services and tax assessment and collection services) • Legal Services • Staff Relations and Negotiations • Office of the Superintendent, Deputy, and Assistant Superintendents • Community Relations • State and Federal Relations There has also been no shift away from instruction to administration over time, as 1995–96 and 2005–06 data from NCES indicate. In fact, the portion of district expenditures has decreased slightly over the 10-year period, from 2.4 to 2.1 percent.

Let’s take a look at this discussion from another angle. Are there any data to support the contention that moving already small resources from functions other than instruction to instruction will have a positive impact on student learning? According to Standard and Poor’s, there is no such evidence: The data show that there is no minimum instructional spending allocation that necessarily produces higher student achievement… The percentage allocated to instruction may need to vary from one district to another for legitimate reasons. For example, districts’ fixed costs and discretionary spending may vary significantly.

Small districts, in particular, may find that their non-instructional spending is largely comprised of fixed costs that cannot be reduced (from The Issues and Implications of the “65 Percent t Solution”).

32

INSIGHT

Public School District Employees, Percentage by Category School Year 2005-06

1.1%

2.8%

School district administrators

School administrators

30.2%

Student and other support staff

(library aides, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, etc.)

51.2% Teachers

3.3%

Counselors, librarians, and instructional coordinators

11.4% Instructional aids

Source: Public Elementary and Secondary School Enrollment, High School Completions, and Staff From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06 (Sable & Garofano, 2007). Used with permission.

Public School District Employees, Percentage by Category Comparison: School Years 1995–96 and 2005–06

1995-96

2005-06

52.0%

51.2%

Instructional aides

9.9%

11.4%

Counselors, librarians, and instructional coordinators

3.4%

3.3%

31.2%

30.2%

School administrators

2.4%

2.8%

School district administrators

1.0%

1.1%

Teachers

Student and other support staff (library aides, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, etc.)

Sources: Public Elementary and Secondary School Enrollment, High School Completions, and Staff From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06 (Sable & Garofano, 2007) and Public School Student Staff and Graduate Counts by State, School Year 1995-96 (National Center for Education Statistics, 1997). Used with permission.

© iStockphoto.com/BonnieJ

Are expenditures for administration draining instruction?

Public School District Operating Expenditures, Percentage by Category School Year 2005–06

4.4%

10.3%

3.3%

Transportation

Other support services

Operations and maintenance

5.8%

School administration

2.1%

…data from NCES fail to support the notion that vast levels of resources are being diverted unnecessarily to administration.

63.5%

General administration

Instruction

5.4%

Student support services

5.1%

Instructional staff support

Source: Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2005-06 (Zhou, 2008). Used with permission.

Public School District Operating Expenditures, Percentage by Category Comparison: School Years 1995–96 and 2005–06

1995-96

2005-06

64.6%

63.5%

Instructional staff support

4.1

5.1

Student support services

5.0

5.4

General administration

2.4

2.1

School administration

6.1

5.8

10.6

10.3

Transportation

4.3

4.4

Other support services

2.9

3.3

Instruction

Operations and maintenance

Sources: Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2005-06 (Zhou, 2008) and Digest of Education Statistics 2004 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2005). Used with permission.

This material is adapted from Answering the Critics of School Administration: What Are the Facts? Second Edition, available June 2008 from Educational Research Service.

To purchase a copy of this publication, contact ERS, 1001 N. Fairfax St., Suite 500, Alexandria, VA 22314-1587, phone 800-791-9308, fax 800-791-9309, email ers@ers. org, web site www.ers.org. Price–Book $30.00; Book and CD Package with Powerpoint and Speaker’s Notes, $80.00. ARC Comprehensive e-Knowledge Portal Subscriber price– $15.00; ARC Basic e-Knowledge Portal Subscriber price–$22.50. Quantity discounts are available. A PDF of this publication can be purchased and downloaded from the TASA e-Knowledge Portal at http://portal.tasanet.org.

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“I particularly like that I can set my own timeframe for learning. Being able to go back and review the things I miss or did not quite understand keeps the information fresh in my mind, which is something traditional professional development has not done for me. I have found I implement what I have learned more fully in the classroom.”

Jaci Earnest, middle school Dyslexia teacher

District Profile Lamesa Independent School District serves over 2,100 students in Lamesa, TX. The staff includes nearly 200 teachers and administrators.

District Needs Professional development in the district was not individualized, flexible, or cost-effective. Assimilating new teachers was a difficult and time-consuming process.

Solution Lamesa ISD chose the School Improvement Network’s on-demand professional learning tool, PD 360.

• Increased professional development flexibility.

• More individualized PD to meet teacher needs.

• Cost savings on professional development activities and resources.

• Improved assimilation of newly hired teachers.

• Highly reliable professional development content and technology.

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INSIGHT

© iStockphoto.com/Mark Hayes

Benefits

With over 110 hours of video content, PD 360 is the most comprehensive Web-based library of professional development resources available.

Case Study: Lamesa Independent School District Reprinted with permission from the School Improvement Network.

District Needs

The Solution

As an assistant superintendent at Lamesa Independent School District in Lamesa, TX, Scott Davis knew something was missing in how he administered professional development to nearly 200 teachers and administrators. Lamesa ISD took part in a curriculum audit that helped them establish a staff development framework. Says Davis, “Although the framework was a big step in the right direction, its downfall was that it emphasized ‘one size fits all’ training. I thought there must be a better way to do this.”

In the fall of 2006, Davis began looking for a method of providing professional development that could meet the individual needs of Lamesa’s teachers. In January 2007, Keith Bryant, superintendent of Lamesa ISD, attended a conference where he learned about PD 360, the School Improvement Network’s on-demand professional learning tool. Bryant passed on the information to Davis.

To determine how he could more fully meet professional development needs, Davis surveyed teachers and administrators. Lamesa educators responded that they wanted time for and access to professional development materials of their own choosing. Although the district provides internal staff development activities and is well-served by its regional service center, individualized training was a gap in Lamesa’s program.

The high cost of professional development activities was an additional worry. To bring in an expert consultant and hire substitutes for teachers cost thousands of dollars and did not meet the need for ongoing professional development throughout the school year.

In addition, Davis felt frustration about the difficulty of integrating a new hire into Lamesa’s culture. As the administrator over personnel, Davis shared this frustration with the district’s principals, who often did not know where to begin training a new teacher.

Davis called the School Improvement Network and received a demonstration of PD 360. Immediately impressed by the flexible and comprehensive nature of PD 360, Davis knew he had found a fit for his school district. “PD 360 provides flexible professional development that fits within our existing framework and enhances it,” says Davis.

PD 360 is the leading on-demand professional learning resource for schools and districts. With over 110 hours of video content, PD 360 is the most comprehensive Web-based library of professional development resources available. Teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, mentors, instructional leaders, and paraprofessionals have available at their fingertips hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that present real, best-practice classroom examples and feature top experts, such as Michael Fullan, Rick DuFour, Doug Reeves, Rick Stiggins, and many others. Educators can instantly find the help they need on nearly every topic, including differentiation, minority achievement,

spring 2008

37

assessment, leadership, and more. PD 360 “I like PD 360 because I can sit down at the bridges the gap between training and class- computer for a few minutes when I have room implementation with job-embedded time and learn something new,” says Lynn McKinney, a third grade reading specialist at follow-up, tracking, and reflection tools.

Lamesa ISD. To begin implementation, Davis chose to focus on one of PD 360’s seventy programs. Adds Jaci Earnest, a middle school Dyslexia He required teachers to go through the teacher, “I particularly like that I can set my program at their own pace over the sum- own timeframe for learning. Being able to go mer; when the new school year started, back and review the things I miss or did not every teacher was on the same page. Lamesa quite understand keeps the information fresh teachers use PD 360 to deepen their under- in my mind, which is something traditional standing, improve their practice, and find professional development has not done for me. I have found I implement what I have individualized support. learned more fully in the classroom.”

The Benefits Since March 2007, teachers in Lamesa ISD have used PD 360 to log 41,452 professional development minutes—or more than four hours per teacher. Davis is pleased with the way PD 360 supports and enhances the district’s existing efforts, as well as the training provided by the regional service center.

Cost-Effective Professional Development

in the process of assimilating newly hired teachers.”

Reliable Content and Technology

Improved Assimilation of Newly Hired Teachers

Davis did not want to invest resources in a company with little experience or in technology that was not reliable. Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network has been producing high-quality, research-based video content that has been used with great satisfaction in thousands of districts in every state and around the world. The School Improvement Network has been providing Web-based video since 1998 and is currently using its third platform. This experience, combined with expertise, assured Davis that PD 360 would yield reliable, positive results.

With PD 360, Davis can quickly activate a newly hired teacher, as can principals when a new teacher begins at their school. Principals can immediately begin training teachers in the most critical areas, even if the school’s other teachers have already been trained and without waiting for the next workshop.

Says Davis, “PD 360 is a tremendous help

For Lamesa ISD, PD 360 is the solution to providing both systemic and individualized professional learning. When asked why he chose PD 360, Davis says, “PD 360 meets the needs of our teachers, and meeting their needs helps us meet the needs of our kids. t Period. It’s as simple as that.”

PD 360 has saved Lamesa ISD thousands of dollars, while at the same time giving the district more for what it spends. The cost of PD 360 for an entire year for all of Lamesa’s staff is comparable to one day of on-site training by a professional consultant. Even better, PD 360’s content features the most recognized and respected experts in education.

In addition, PD 360 has saved the district money by allowing teachers to do professional development without leaving the classroom. The cost of hiring substitutes if the professional development hours logged on PD 360 had taken place out of the classroom would have been $2,500 per school.

“It meets our need to individualize staff development at a department level, vertical team level, school level, or individual teacher level. Because PD 360 is hosted on our server, teachers can access it from school or home, making PD 360 the most flexible and pervasive method of professional development delivery available,” says Davis.

38

INSIGHT

© iStockphoto.com/asiseeit

Individualized, Flexible Learning

wouldn’t you prefer having a study buddy?

Studying alone works sometimes, but there are times when two heads are better than one!

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1-877-403bREG (2734) or 403bREG@AIGRetirement.com Securities and investment advisory services are offered by AIG Retirement Advisors, Inc., member FINRA and an SEC-registered investment advisor.

AIG Retirement is the marketing name for the group of companies comprising AIG Retirement Advisors, Inc.; AIG Retirement Services Company; and The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company; each of which is a subsidiary of American International Group, Inc. Copyright © 2008, American International Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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The School Administrator magazine publishes a back-page humor column called “Leadership Lite,” and the editors are eager to solicit stories from superintendents and other administrators for possible use in 2008–09.

The magazine is seeking short, humorous, or offbeat anecdotes (that generally can be told in no more than four or five paragraphs) that relate to some telling aspect of life in educational administration or the day-to-day work in a school district.

Anecdotes should be based on the contributor’s own experience—something you’ve seen or heard or that’s been shared by a colleague—in a school setting, administrative office, school board meeting, educational administration course, etc.

Please submit your stories to Jay P. Goldman, editor of The School Administrator, at magazine@aasa.org.

Thank you.

40

INSIGHT

12/13/07 9:00:26 AM

TASA selects United ISD and SureScore to showcase college readiness solutions at the 2008 Midwinter Conference.

AUSTIN, TX – During the 2008 TASA Midwinter Conference, United Independent School District and SureScore, an educational consulting firm, outlined how UISD utilized SureScore’s educational model and methodology to create a college-going culture.

The presentation identified key strategies for increasing college readiness in secondary schools and demonstrated how SureScore’s approach created a college-going culture. Since SureScore began its partnership with UISD in 2002, the district has increased English Language Arts Texas Success Initiative by 78%, Math Texas Success Initiative by 16%, surpassed state performance standards, and increased the number of students taking a college entrance exam by 39%.

school districts to implement an educational model that infuses college readiness approaches into the existing fabric of each district’s educational plan.

SureScore’s Executive Vice President for Sales, Joe Guerra, noted, “Watching this presentation, I am proud to be a part of the SureScore team. SureScore is an organization that is focused on college readiness with a particular emphasis on first-generation college bound students, which was my experience. This is something that I am very passionate about, and I’m excited to be part of an organization that is making a difference in students’ lives.”

Pamela Juarez, Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction at United Independent School District, stated, “Partnering with SureScore to address our district needs has been instrumental in increasing college readiness on our campuses. SureScore’s unique approach allowed us to customize the best college readiness solutions for our students.”

Attendees found the presentation informative and inspiring.

“I was looking forward to the session because I have heard great things about SureScore and UISD” said Carol Harle, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction at San Antonio Independent School District. “The information presented was invaluable. I’m looking forward to implementing similar initiatives at SAISD because I know they will help our students”.

SureScore is a leading provider of college readiness solutions and has worked in partnership with public schools since 1995. Based in Austin, Texas, SureScore works closely with

For more information, please contact SureScore at 1.888.545.8378 or visit our website at www.surescore.com.

continued from page 24 that school districts must improve academics and be efficient at the same time, and he stressed that a system of indices versus a single performance indicator should be utilized. Dr. Gene Buinger, superintendent, Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, was introduced and explained how his district benefited from ERG’s management resources.

Public Testimony and Next Steps The Committee heard public testimony from other Texas school superintendents.

Dr. Cathy Bryce, superintendent, Highland Park ISD, asked the group to consider what the appropriate roles for state tests and accountability should be and noted research that indicates classroom assessment is critical and should be the foundation of assessment as opposed to our current system in which the state assessment is the “driving force.” Dr. Bryce also asked the Committee to consider whether students should be seen as test takers or engaged learners as she encouraged legislators to consider the process in which curriculum standards are currently established. Dr. Timothy Powers, assistant superintendent, Wichita Falls ISD, pointed out the benefits of allowing students at particular grade levels a second opportunity to take the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test before scores are included in the system, as he urged the Committee to consider extending this opportunity to students that take the TAKS at all grade levels.

At the conclusion of public testimony, it was noted that the Committee has scheduled two additional meetings this summer: Monday, July 14, in Brownsville; and Monday, August t 4, in El Paso.

t

Come explore TASA’s e-Knowledge Portal today!  Click the eKP logo on TASAnet’s home page or enter http://portal. tasanet.org/  Click the New User button in the login box and complete the brief form.  Be sure to use your e-mail address on file with TASA so that you get the discounts to which you are entitled.

42

INSIGHT

WE PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR STUDENTS AND YOUR SCHOOL. WE CAN HELP YOUR STUDENTS: • Test out of subjects • Earn dual-credit • Earn credit during the summer • Make up credits in failed courses WE CAN OFFER YOUR SCHOOLS: • A drop-out prevention and recovery option • Bulk-quantity Credit by Examinations in more than 100 courses • Special programs and curriculum options For more information, call 800.692.6877, or visit our website at www.ode.ttu.edu/k12.

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President’s Circle Platinum Gold

TASA Corporate Partners 2007–08

Silver Bronze

TASA is grateful to our corporate partners for their support. On pages 45–47, this issue of INSIGHT highlights President’s Circle partners.

President’s Circle Apple Pearson Scholastic SHW Group Platinum CompassLearning ETS LenSec Scientific Learning The Princeton Review

Gold Harcourt Connected Learning Houghton Mifflin LifeTrack PBK Renaissance Learning Silver Horace Mann Indeco Sales Kaplan K12 Learning Services Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP Taylor Balfour TCG Consulting

Bronze Agile Mind AIG Valic Alton Lynch Associates Cambridge Strategic Services DriversEd.com First Southwest Company New Century Education Sodexho SureScore Vantage Learning

Each level of the Corporate Partner Program is designed to offer our partners quality exposure to association members.

Partners at the President’s Circle, Platinum, and Gold levels may customize special events and opportunities.

List current as of 11/15/2007

Do The Math

HELP YOUR STUDENTS CATCH UP & KEEP UP! Arithmetic Intervention Targeting Number & Operations for Grades 2-6

Created by Marilyn Burns INTRODUCING DO THE MATH

2) INSTRUCTION: HOW DO THE MATH TEACHES

Created by Marilyn Burns along with a team of Math Solutions master classroom teachers, Do The Math gives students who have fallen behind the chance to catch up and keep up.

Focusing on Number and Operations, the cornerstone of elementary mathematics, the program teaches students the basics of math-computation, number sense, and problem solving.

Do The Math helps students develop the skills they need to compute with accuracy and efficiency, the number sense they need to reason, and the ability to apply their skills and reasoning to solve problems.

Do The Math is designed around the best instructional practices for struggling students. Explicit, step-by-step instruction anticipates common confusions and is built on a carefully sequenced gradual release model. The math content is scaffolded and the instructional choices provide teachers clear direction for introducing new concepts and skills.

Students are assessed every fifth lesson and teachers are provided with explicit guidance on how to differentiate based on the results.

DO THE MATH HELPS STRUGGLING STUDENTS AND THEIR TEACHERS IN THREE IMPORTANT WAYS: 1) CONTENT: WHAT DO THE MATH TEACHES Do The Math content focuses on the most essential concepts in Number and Operations, all of which are sequenced, paced appropriately, and presented in ways that are accessible for struggling students. Unlike most textbooks, which cover a broad range of topics and treat all equally, Do The Math focuses on the concepts and skills that are essential to long-term student success. Students spend more time on each of these concepts over the course of multiple lessons.

Each lesson is broken into manageable, bite-sized learning experiences.

3) SUPPORT: WHY DO THE MATH WORKS FOR TEACHERS

Do The Math embeds professional development and point-of-use support into every lesson with clear steps for effective and easily managed teaching.

Do The Math includes everything teachers need, carefully organized, so teachers can focus on teaching. Extra support throughout ensures that teachers, even inexperienced teachers, will feel comfortable and confident with the content in Do The Math.

WANT TO LEARN MORE? Visit us at www.scholastic.com/dothemath.

Here you will find more information about this exciting intervention program and how it will help struggling students catch up and keep up!

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always had students “inI’ve my class who fall behind,

who need more help, need more attention. This project has caused me to really figure out what to do to help them. I can’t just say the same things again, these students need different approaches to help them learn.

”

Marilyn Burns, Founder Math Solutions Professional Development

Can you build a Green

school on a budget?

The first Texas LEED®-certified public school answers,“Yes”!

Almost everyone, at some time, faces budgetary constraints, choosing what they must do over what they want to do. No one knows this harsh reality better than education professionals. But as the first LEED® certified public school in Texas, West Brazos Junior High School (WBJHS) of the Columbia-Brazoria Independent School District (CBISD) is a story of “The School That Could.” It achieved this distinction thanks to the project team and the people of that district and community who did not believe the myths about Green buildings.

“When I go to conferences, a lot of what I hear is that people still believe sustainable design is too costly,” said CBISD Facilities and Maintenance Director Fritz Hext. “Ten or 12 years ago that was the case. But things are very different now. And markets are rapidly progressing every day. School officials have to tune into this trend, open their eyes and stand up and say yes, we can accomplish what’s right for the environment and what’s good for our kids at no additional cost.”

Building Green within a strict budget District taxpayers approved a bond to replace their only junior high school, and WBJHS’s building construction costs, at $108.54 per square foot, stayed within a existing strict budget.

“We want what’s best for our kids and we need low operating costs for our buildings,” said CBISD Assistant Superintendent Martha Buckner. “It was our personal conviction that in today’s world, that meant building in an environmentally friendly way. Although our budget was already set, we challenged ourselves to achieve a LEED certification.”

“That school district officials saw doing the right thing for students and doing the right thing for the environment as symbiotic and immutable illustrates Green building’s intrinsic value,” says SHW Group Principal Jennifer Henrickson, LEED AP and lead designer for WBJH. “It also raises the question all decision-makers should ask themselves: How can we afford to not invest in Green building for current and future generations of students?”

To learn more about West Brazos Junior High School and other SHW Group projects, please visit www.shwgroup.com

In challenging students to learn and achieve everyday, CBISD officials recognized their own achievement of this Green goal was both an obligation and lesson to students. It was also an opportunity to model civic and fiscal responsibility to students and to be a good neighbor to the community.

These improvements reflect careful design priorities to foster achievement. The project team also gave priority to design concepts that reduce operational spending so that savings can be spent on student instruction.

Strategic designing In addition to the above priorities, other design strategies include: • Low flow plumbing fixtures, metered faucets and automatic flush control toilets helped reduce WBJHS’s water consumption by 33 percent.

• Native, low-maintenance, drought-resistant landscaping requires no irrigation; minimal disturbance of the pastoral site • Chilled water Variable Air Volume units with aircooled chillers, and instantaneous at-the-source water heaters for energy savings The project team’s strategies and its collaboration with district stakeholders resulted in WBJHS as the standard of a community’s convictions and a physical testimony to the wisdom of Green building.

The truth about Green is, you can make smart choices and build a sustainable building with a modest budget,” Buckner said. “The reward is a clean, healthy and magnificent learning environment for your children and teachers—and we will save money on utilities for years.

To those who want to both build green and budget, The School That Could sends the message “yes, we can.”

www.PearsonSchool.com

The solutions you value. The names you trust.

School Systems Pearson is the industry leader in Student Information Systems and performance solutions, offering schools and districts access to deep expertise and an unparalleled selection of technologies that address the challenges of achievement, reporting, growth and scalability. Our SIS—Chancery SMS®, PowerSchool Premier®, and SASI™—have had a transformational impact on the day-to-day operations of tens of thousands of schools in the U.S. over the past several years, and our performance dashboard, Pearson Inform™, provides unsurpassed levels of student, school and district performance analysis.

PowerSchool Premier®, Chancery SMS®, PowerTeacher™, Pearson Inform™

Digital Instructional technology from Pearson helps you meet the biggest challenges in education. As the leading instructional technology experts for over 40 years, Pearson partners with Texas schools to create technology-driven curriculum solutions and deliver proven implementation models that build foundations, foster achievement, promote graduation, and provide a path for your school’s continuous improvement. Talk to Pearson about the specific concerns that keep you awake at night, and we’ll tailor an approach that delivers benefits to students, teachers, and administrators, and helps you maximize

your investment. Our comprehensive offerings bring targeted instruction and intervention, informed by test results, to every student.

ELLIS™, Waterford Early Learning™, SuccessMaker® Enterprise, NovaNET®, WriteToLearn™

Services Pearson Services provides high-quality technical and product support, training and professional development to help educators develop effective instructional practices across the content areas. Our full range of flexible educational services include: product implementation training and support, regional institutes, onsite workshops and teacher support days, and district-wide professional development solutions that may be customized for your school and district needs. From improving reading and math, to using data for instructional decisions, Pearson’s expert educational consultants support your school or district as partners in improving student academic achievement.

Curriculum Pearson Curriculum group is the leading provider of core, supplemental, and digital educational solutions for pre-K–12 students and teachers. Our comprehensive resources span assessment, student information, and professional development from trusted

imprints such as Scott Foresman, Prentice Hall, and AGS. A renowned community of authors and educational experts contribute to our vast array of integrated solutions that are personalized for each district, school, or child.

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Educational Assessment Pearson’s assessment solutions help administrators, educators, and families gauge student needs, track performance, modify curriculum, and manage information—thereby enabling students to achieve their greatest potential. Our online and paper-based tests, reports, and analysis tools range from individual test instruments to custom state assessments, from standalone tests to those that are deeply embedded in the curriculum. Pearson also offers a full range of psychometrics and scientifically based research focused on measurement and assessment.

PASeries®, Pearson Inform™, Pearson Benchmark™, GRADE, G-MADE, WriteToLearn™

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliates(s). All rights reserved.

sustainability.

sustainable design is good design.

As an Energy Star Partner, we implement cost-effective sustainable design practices that yield the best results – lower operations costs, reduced maintenance expenses and an enhanced learning environment.

To us, sustainable design is a way to exercise greater fiscal responsibility with taxpayer dollars by minimizing the total cost of ownership and adding value for the district.

As a result, we designed the state’s first LEED® certified public K-12 school, and more of our schools have been designed to earn the EPA’s Energy Star than any other firm in the nation.

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