Alaska Staff Development Network – 2012 Spring Leadership Retreat Principal Evaluation:

1. Alaska Staff Development Network – 2012 Spring Leadership Retreat Principal Evaluation: Trends and Issues Across the U.S. April 13, 2012 8:30 – 4:00 p.m. Downtown Marriott Hotel - Anchorage, Alaska Session Leader: Al Bertani, Leadership Development Consultant

2. GREAT TO BE BACK IN ALASKA

3. Session Objectives • Analyze trends and issues reflected in policy and procedural changes regarding principal evaluation across the United States • Identify the key components of principal leadership that should form the basis for improving the frameworks and designs of principal evaluation systems • Examine emerging models for redesigning principal evaluation systems that consider domains, dimensions, and measurement issues for creating new policies and practices in principal evaluation • Discussing implications of these trends and issues for local district and state-level policies and procedures in Alaska.

4. Session Norms • The LEARNING belongs to you, and it rests largely with you. • Enter into the discussions ENTHUSIASTICALLY!!! • Give FREELY of your experience, but don’t dominate the discussion. • CONFINE your discussions to the task assigned. • Say what you THINK… be honest! • Only ONE PERSON should talk at a time… avoid private conversations while someone else is talking… • Listen ATTENTIVELY to the presentations and discussions. • BE PATIENT with other participants… appreciate their point of view… • Be PROMPT and REGULAR in attendance. • Place your cell phones on SILENT or VIBRATE to minimize interruptions.

5. Agenda Flow Part 1 What do Principals do? (Defining the Work of Principals) BREAK Part 2 What are the trends and issues in principal evaluation across the United States? (Outlining a Framework) Part 3 What are the emerging models for redesigning principal evaluation systems? (Exploring Examples and Models) BREAK Part 4 What are the implications of these trends and issues for local schools districts across Alaska? (Bringing It Home)

6. State of Affairs While legislation creating policy and procedural changes in teacher evaluation have grabbed the headlines across the U.S., there has been a quiet parallel effort to dramatically change the ways that principals are evaluated. These changes are all targeted at making principals more accountable for improving student learning and organizational performance at the site or school house level. Al Bertani ASDN Leadership Retreat 2012 Principal Evaluation: Trends and Issues Across the U.S.

7. Blueprint for Reform The focus on teacher and principal effectiveness is also reflected in the Blueprint for Reform in the ESEA Reauthorization… “We are calling on states and districts to develop and implement systems of teacher and principal evaluation and support and to identify effective and highly effective teachers and principals on the basis of student growth and other factors.” Blueprint for Reform U.S. Department of Education December 2009

8. Race to the Top Applications asked states to: “design and implement rigorous, transparent, and fair evaluation systems for teachers and principals that … differentiate effectiveness using multiple rating categories that take into account DATA ON STUDENT GROWTH AS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR.” (Page 34 – Application Process) Race to the Top Application Process U.S. Department of Education

9. The Problem with Principal Evaluation Recent research shows that good principals in K – 12 schools can create dramatic improvement, particularly in the lowest performing schools – but the consistency, fairness, and value of current principal evaluation practices are questionable… Designing Principal Evaluation Systems: Research to Guide Decision Making Matt Clifford and Steven Ross AIR 2010

10. The Work of Principals and Site Leaders

11. “Leadership is second only to classroom instruction among all school-related factors that contribute to what students learn at school.” “The total (direct and indirect) effects of leadership on student learning account for about a quarter of total school effects.” How Leadership Influences Student Learning Leithwood; Seashore-Louis; Anderson; Wahlstrom The Wallace Foundation 2004

12. What Is the Work of the Principal… Work with your table group using the Affinity Protocol to identify the work of the principal… Step 1 Record your ideas on post-it notes – One idea per post-it Step 2 Generate as many ideas as possible in the allotted time Step 3 Place all of your post-its on the chart paper provided – Review and Clarify Step 4 Arrange your post-its into groups with ideas that have an affinity for one another Step 5 Name the groups you created

13. Affinity Protocol • Generate ideas - One idea on each post it. • Review and Discuss. • Organize into groups of similar topics. • Use Labels to identify clusters. • Probe and Refine.

14. Affinity Protocol G enerate data R eview and discuss O rganize U se labels to describe P robe and extend

15. Evaluating the Work of the Principal… • How do you currently evaluate the work of the principal or site leader? • How does your current evaluation framework align with the categories your table group created? • How aligned is your current evaluation framework with the standards for Alaska Administrators?

16. What Makes an Effective Principal… Multiple research studies conducted over the past ten years have helped to identify what effective principals do. Let’s learn about that… • Find two colleagues and form a learning trio • Bring the article with you–The Effective Principal • Use the Think-It-Through protocol to read and discuss the article The Effective Principal Pamela Mendels Journal of Staff Development; Learning Forward; February 2012

17. Think-It-Through Protocol Instructions • Scan the article as a trio – decide how far you are going to read before stopping to discuss your reflections. • Use the Think-It-Through activity sheet to record while you read. • Follow the directions of your facilitator for how long you’ll have to read and discuss the article. • Be prepared to discuss reflections with your colleagues. Protocol Adapted by Al Bertani Primary Source – The Power of Protocols Teachers College Press; 2007

18. Think-It-Through Protocol Adapted by Al Bertani Primary Source – The Power of Protocols Teachers College Press; 2007

19. Comprehensive Assessment of Leadership for Learning(CALL) On-line formative assessment and feedback system designed to measure leadership for learning practices for middle and high schools. Core domains include: • Focus on Learning • Monitoring Teaching and Learning • Building Nested Learning Communities • Acquiring and Allocating Resources • Maintaining a Safe and Effective Learning Environment Currently being validated in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan CALL – Comprehensive Assessment of Leadership for Learning University of Wisconsin – Madison - – Rich Halverson and Carolyn Kelley U.S. Department of Education Grant

20. CALL Sample Items The instructional programs and student services programs at our school: • Appear to have been assembled at random without connecting to one another • Fit together reasonably well • Fit together reasonably well and contribute to improved student learning CALL – Comprehensive Assessment of Leadership for Learning University of Wisconsin – Madison - – Rich Halverson and Carolyn Kelley U.S. Department of Education Grant

21. CALL Sample Items CALL – Comprehensive Assessment of Leadership for Learning University of Wisconsin – Madison - – Rich Halverson and Carolyn Kelley U.S. Department of Education Grant

22. CALL Web-Site www.callsurvey.org CALL – Comprehensive Assessment of Leadership for Learning University of Wisconsin – Madison - – Rich Halverson and Carolyn Kelley U.S. Department of Education Grant

23. Trends and Issues across the U.S.

24. Why Principals Matter District Context Principal Practice Student Achievement The Role of School Leadership Evaluation in a Comprehensive System: Research and Practice Matt Clifford, Senior Associate – American Institutes for Research Leading and Learning Conference – September 2011

25. Current Principal Evaluation Practice • Principals view evaluation as having little impact on their sense of accountability or practice. • Evaluations are inconsistently administered. • Performance assessments are not aligned with existing professional standards and lack psychometric research. • Principal performance assessment is not implemented in ways that maximize rating consistency, validity, and impact.

26. A Developmental Perspective on Leadership • Practice Develops Over Time • While some leaders are born ready, research suggests that • principals go through developmental stages , just a • teachers do. • New Roles and New Identities • Principals’ work is changing from focusing on operations to • focusing on instruction. • Lonely at the Top • Surveys of new principals suggest they lack near peers or • other trusted colleagues to provide feedback and guidance. The Role of School Leadership Evaluation in a Comprehensive System: Research and Practice Matt Clifford, Senior Associate – American Institutes for Research Leading and Learning Conference – September 2011

27. A Developmental Perspective on Leadership The Role of School Leadership Evaluation in a Comprehensive System: Research and Practice Matt Clifford, Senior Associate – American Institutes for Research Leading and Learning Conference – September 2011

28. A Developmental Perspective on Leadership The Role of School Leadership Evaluation in a Comprehensive System: Research and Practice Matt Clifford, Senior Associate – American Institutes for Research Leading and Learning Conference – September 2011

29. A Developmental Perspective on Leadership The Role of School Leadership Evaluation in a Comprehensive System: Research and Practice Matt Clifford, Senior Associate – American Institutes for Research Leading and Learning Conference – September 2011

30. A Developmental Perspective on Leadership The Role of School Leadership Evaluation in a Comprehensive System: Research and Practice Matt Clifford, Senior Associate – American Institutes for Research Leading and Learning Conference – September 2011

31. Assessing Your Current State • How well is your district doing across these different dimensions identified in the Developmental Perspective? • How well is your district doing specifically on the Performance Assessment dimension? 3. What is the alignment between your teacher and principal evaluation processes?

32. PRINCIPAL EVALUATION DESIGNS AND MODELS

33. Principal Evaluation: Better Designs • Standards –Driven • Multiple Measures • Trained Evaluators • Single Scorecard • Systematic Data • Collection • Data Quality Assurance • Strong Feedback • Support Systems Principal Practice The Role of School Leadership Evaluation in a Comprehensive System: Research and Practice Matt Clifford, Senior Associate – American Institutes for Research Leading and Learning Conference – September 2011

34. Developing a Principal Evaluation System Establish Clear Expectations and Goals for the Assessments • Promotes buy-in from principals and site-level leaders • Provides transparency about how principal performance will be assessed • Findings can be used to paint a more complete picture of the principal’s practices, skills, and developmental areas Evaluating School Principals – Tips and Tools National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality June 2010

35. Developing a Principal Evaluation System Establish What Will Be Assessed • Enhances transparency for all parties involved • Establishes clarity for the evaluator and evaluated • Increases the odds of capturing elements or examples of good leadership practices Evaluating School Principals – Tips and Tools National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality June 2010

36. Developing a Principal Evaluation System Establish What Will Be Assessed Resource http://www.nycleadershipacademy.org/knowledge/LPPW Evaluating School Principals – Tips and Tools National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality June 2010

37. Developing a Principal Evaluation System Establish Who Will Help Provide Feedback • Multi-rater feedback helps leaders see a 360 picture • Provides school leaders with multi-stakeholder perspectives • Invites different perspectives and contextual variables into the discussion Evaluating School Principals – Tips and Tools National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality June 2010

38. Developing a Principal Evaluation System Establish Who Will Help Provide Feedback Resource http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/x8451.xml Evaluating School Principals – Tips and Tools National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality June 2010

39. Developing a Principal Evaluation System Establish How Findings Will Be Used • Ensure evaluation instruments are valid and reliable • Link developmental needs with professional learning opportunities • Provide clear feedback about what can be done to improve upon developmental areas Evaluating School Principals – Tips and Tools National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality June 2010

40. Developing a Principal Evaluation System Establish How Findings Will Be Used Resource http://www.slps.org/19621051994153557/lib 19621051994153557/2009/oct_2009/SLA %20Results%20to%20the%20Board.ppt Evaluating School Principals – Tips and Tools National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality June 2010

41. Developing a Principal Evaluation System Establish the Frequency with Which Evaluations Will Occur • Annual evaluations are usually the norm – research supported • More frequent evaluations are needed – formative feedback • Recommendations vary from each semester to as frequently as quarterly Evaluating School Principals – Tips and Tools National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality June 2010

42. Developing a Principal Evaluation System Establish the Frequency with Which Evaluations Will Occur Resource http://www.lsc.state.oh.us/analyses/s0077-ps.pdf Evaluating School Principals – Tips and Tools National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality June 2010

43. LOCAL AND STATE IMPLICATIONS

44. Evaluations That Help Teachers Learn “Before, I had no idea what my principal was looking for – I had to be a mind reader! So I just played it safe, taught a familiar lesson, one I knew would go well – but did the process improve my teaching? Not at all! In my old school, the principal just came in with a checklist, but we never really talked. But this time, we had a great conversation about how to help my students want to write. It really made me think. As a result, I’ve got a new approach: I’m going to engage some students around the things they’re passionate about and have them try to convince their classmates about the value of such interests.” Evaluations That Help Teachers Learn by Charlotte Danielson Educational Leadership – December 2010 ASCD

45. District-Level Scorecard Drawn from District-Level Principal Performance Management Scorecard – Tool to Assess the Strength of a District Evaluation System (AIR 2011) • Frequency of Principal Evaluation • Differentiated Evaluation • Use of the Evaluation • Comprehensiveness of the Evaluation System • Reliability of the Evaluation System • Tying Evaluation to Student Performance • Tying Evaluation to School Conditions • Addressing Ineffective Leadership District-Level Principal Performance Management Scorecard American Institutes for Research 2011

46. Why Do We Evaluate Teachers and Leaders? • The Law - Public schools funded by public money = Public has the right to expect high quality teaching and leadership. • To ensure teacher and leaders quality = Answer the question “Everyone here is good – here is how I know”. • To promote professional learning and development Evaluations That Help Teachers Learn by Charlotte Danielson Educational Leadership – December 2010 ASCD

47. Is Classroom Effectiveness Considered in Teacher Evaluation? 35 States that require States that States that do not student learning be the include some require student preponderant criterion in student achievement achievement data teacher evaluation data in teacher evaluation be considered 10 6 Blueprint for Change: National Summary – 2010 State Teacher Policy Yearbook National Council on Teacher Quality 2010

48. Is Classroom Effectiveness Considered in Teacher Evaluation? States that require States that States that do not student learning be the include some require student preponderant criterion in student achievement achievement data teacher evaluation data in teacher evaluation be considered 26 21 4 Updated from Race to the Top Applicants Compiled by New York State Department of Education 2012

49. Implications for Practice When you consider your learnings across the day, what changes would you advocate to improve the principal evaluation process… • For yourself… • For your school… • For your district… Work with your table group to chart your responses as recommendations for each category. Principal Evaluation: Trends and Issues across the United States ASDN – Al Bertani April 2012

50. Thank You for Your Participation If you would like additional information, please feel free to contact: Al Bertani, Independent Consultant 155 N. Harbor Drive – Suite 3102 Chicago, Illinois Phone: 312-505-1450 E-Mail: AlbertBertani@gmail.com