K-12 Partnerships, What’s New in Leadership Development, and Forging Better Mutual Relationships

1. K-12 Partnerships, What’s New in Leadership Development, and Forging Better Mutual Relationships School Superintendents of Alabama Fall Conference October 19, 2010 Donna P. Jacobs, Ed.D. Dean, College of Education University of North Alabama

2. Why do LEAs and IHEs need to forge better partnerships? We all have the collective responsibility of ensuring that each classroom teacher and school leader trained in Alabama is equipped to have a positive impact on student learning

3. Major Impact of the Governor’s Congress on School Leadership Overview of critical changes in the Teacher Education chapter of the Alabama Administrative Code (290-3-3-.48) • IHEs and LEAs must work collaboratively to prepare instructional leaders • Candidates must be recommended by their principal or supervisor (no longer allowed to self-select) • Admission interviews must be conducted by a committee that includes both P-12 instructional leaders and higher education faculty

4. Major Impact of the Governor’s Congress on School Leadership Overview of critical changes in the Teacher Education chapter of the Alabama Administrative Code (290-3-3-.48) • The internship must be collaboratively designed by IHE and LEA personnel and anchored in real-world problems instructional leaders face during critical times of instructional planning • LEAs must provide release time for candidates and universities must work with LEAs to ensure that the candidate’s experiences are comprehensive and valuable

5. Major Impact of the Governor’s Congress on School Leadership Overview of critical changes in the Teacher Education chapter of the Alabama Administrative Code (290-3-3-.48) • Clinical experiences must be a part of the preparation coursework, not simply a culminating experience • The residency must be at least 10 consecutive full days in the school with students present • Portfolio must be juried by a committee of university and cooperating school staff before a recommendation for certification can be made

6. Should there be other partners? The University of North Alabama Model

7. Northwest Alabama Educational Partnership Bringing together the best minds from P-12, Professional Development, Higher Education, and Legislature/SBE

8. Step 1: Planning the Partnership • Brainstorming session • Donna Jacobs, Dean, UNA College of Education • Earl Gardner, Director of the UNA Regional Inservice Center • Barry Wiginton, UNA Technology in Motion Tasks: • Identify the stakeholders for the NWAEP • Plan the orientation session • Create a system for sustaining the partnership

9. Step 2: The Orientation Meeting How can we, as partners, work together to have the greatest positive impact on the students we serve?

10. Activity Parameters Four identified constituent groups: • P-12 • Higher Education • Professional Development • Legislature/SBE Two Questions: • What can I expect to receive from this partnership? • What can I contribute to this partnership?

11. Framing Expectations Activity What can I contribute to this partnership? What can I expect to receive from this partnership? Higher Ed Higher Ed Higher education can ensure that pre-service graduates are better prepared for their first year of teaching. (i.e. AMSTI-trained) Higher education needs specific information of knowledge and skills P-12 employers desire in a new teacher. Station 1 Station 2 Station 4 Station 3

12. Contributions and Expectations

13. Putting Our Heads Together • Return to your assigned group. • Work together to organize the information into clusters of ideas. • List your ideas on a separate sheet and prioritize. • Elect a spokesperson for your group.

14. Summary of Ideas

15. Synergy: Working Together Toward a Common Vision • What should P-12 contribute to the partnership? • Serve on advisory committees who design preservice curricula and experiences • Increase access to classrooms for observations, clinical experiences, mentoring, and internships • Provide up-to-date training and resources for preservice and new teachers • Increase diversity in teacher education by encouraging suitable candidates to pursue a career in teaching • Provide space and team with COE to deliver college courses on P-12 campuses • Provide a list of PD offered in system and /or required by state and federal law

16. Synergy: Working Together Toward a Common Vision • What should P-12 expect from the partnership? • New teachers who demonstrate a high level of professionalism and a strong work ethic • New teachers who are prepared for the specific expectations of classroom instruction (ARI, AMSTI) • Access to best teacher models and resources • Better networking among colleagues • Better communication among all stakeholders • High quality, affordable professional development

17. Synergy: Working Together Toward a Common Vision • What should higher education contributeto the partnership? • Provide schools with interns and graduates who demonstrate the expected knowledge, skills and dispositions for teaching (including training and/or certification in ARI, AMSTI, etc.) • Provide schools with interns and graduates who demonstrate a strong work ethic and professionalism • Model best practices in teacher preparation classes • Actively participate in PD with P-12 teachers and leaders • Partner with P-12 teachers and leaders to identify and address common goals focused on improving student learning • Analyze and use data to improve teacher preparation programs

18. Synergy: Working Together Toward a Common Vision • What should higher education expect from the partnership? • Students (candidates) who demonstrate professionalism and a strong work ethic • Professors who model “best practices” instruction • Hands-on field experiences in P-12 settings for candidates modeled by exceptional HQ classroom teachers • Opportunities for professors to engage with exceptional HQ classroom teachers • Opportunities for COE faculty to participate in LEA professional development • Data regarding the performance of interns, graduates, and LEA needs • Feedback on the needs of new teachers • Improved communication among stakeholders

19. Synergy: Working Together Toward a Common Vision • What should professional development contribute to the partnership? • Communicate information about available PD opportunities across the entire service area • When possible, provide embedded professional development into the daily schedule to reduce out-of-class time and travel • Provide results-oriented professional development • Provide PD on professionalism, work ethic, AYP, RTI, and coaching • Provide collaboration on PLU’s for Instructional Leadership Training • Create a total partnership

20. Synergy: Working Together Toward a Common Vision • What should professional development expect from the partnership? • Better communication- knowing what is planned and what is needed • Results-oriented professional development for future planning • PD on professionalism, work ethic, AYP, RTI, and coaching • Collaboration on PLU’s for Instructional Leaders • Total partnership(Example: the UNA College of Education partnered with Inservice Center AMSTI staff and secured SDE approval to provide preservice program completers with K-5 AMSTI math certification. Graduates will enter the workforce prepared to engage students in AMSTI activities.)

21. Synergy: Working Together Toward a Common Vision • What should the legislature/SBE contribute to the partnership? (Summary of Comments from P-12, Higher Education and Professional Development) • Provide full transparency with regard to decisions that effect P-12 and higher education • Become a stronger advocate and representative of P-12 and higher education • Engage all constituents in discussions on issues that could change policies or expectations, allowing LEAs and IHEs to be proactive rather than reactive • Communicate more effectively with all stakeholders in a timely manner • Provide funding, training, and/or resources for LEAs and IHEs to ensure proper implementation of policies • Send a common message that we all support

22. Synergy: Working Together Toward a Common Vision • What should the legislature/SBE expect from the partnership? (Summary of Comments from P-12, Higher Education and Professional Development) • Better communication to ensure that the needs of all stakeholders are met • Opportunities to frequently interact with P-12 and higher education constituents on a regular basis through open Q&A sessions held within the UNA Inservice Region • Become more proactive by aggressively representing P-12 schools and higher education • Adequate funding to support the needs of P-12 and higher education

23. Frequency Distribution Graphic

24. Common Vision of the Partnership

25. Future Plans of the Partnership • Elect a leadership team with representatives from all constituent groups • Create a web-based presence to improve opportunities for communication • Hold face-to-face and virtual meetings as specified by the group • Create sub-committees to address specific issues as they arise • Engage all partners in an on-going dialogue focused on our common goal of improving student learning

26. Obstacles to Forging Better Partnerships • Assigned duties and responsibilities • Lack of free time • Complexity of scheduling large groups • Filters that prohibit ease in electronic communication • Budgetary restraints

27. Benefits of Partnering with Others Open Discussion