Alternative Route Principal Licensure: Evaluating Ohio’s New Program

1. Alternative Route Principal Licensure: Evaluating Ohio’s New Program Dr. Julie Edmister Professor Bowling Green State University Melissa AskrenEdgehouse Doctoral Student Bowling Green State University Dr. Ted Zigler Assistant Professor Ohio Dominican University

2. Background • Shortage of school administrators in Ohio • Over 200 temporary license holders • No requirements for professional development for temporary certificate holders

3. Background • November 2001—Commisson on Teaching Success • Recommended temporary license be eliminated • March 2004—Senate Bill 2 • Required ODE to establish an Alternative Principal License (APL) • Input from • Buckeye Association for School Administrators • Ohio Association for Elementary School Administrators • Ohio Association for Secondary School Administrators • Higher Education • Ohio Education Association • Ohio Federation of Teachers

4. Background • ODE releases RFP for $150,000 for pilot programs • Three awardees • Bowling Green State University (BGSU)/Hamilton County ESC (HCESC) • HCESC/University of Cincinnati • Cleveland State University • Pilot program guidelines: adhere to Ohio Code rules for APL

5. ODE/Pilot Program Participant Tracks Four Tracks • Educators with B.A./B.S. • Educators with M.A. • Education Administration Programs • Non-Education Administration Programs • Non-Educators with B.A./B.S. • Non-Educators with M.A.

6. Participants • 25 Practicing Administrators/Supervisors • Master’s Degree: All (n = 25) • Administration & Supervision M.A. Programs (n = 3) • Alternative Principal License (n = 20) • Alternative Administrative Specialist License (n = 5) • Men (n = 10), Women (n = 15) • White/Non-Hispanic (n = 21), Black/Non-Hispanic (n = 4) • 45 Years or Older (n = 18) • School District Settings • Rural (n = 7), Suburban (n = 9), Urban (n = 9)

7. Pilot Program Components • 90 clock hours/six semester hours (BGSU’s program contained 95 hours) • NASSP’s 21st Century School Administrator Skill Assessment (15 hours) • Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) School Leadership Self Inventory pre- and post-assessment • NASSP’s 360 assessment of self and others (ISLLC-based) • Six module-based sessions • Face-to-face (24 hours) • Online sessions (24 hours) • Job-embedded learning (32 hours)

8. Pilot Program Components • Personal learning plan and mentoring program • Approved by mentor and district superintendent • Six semester hours • School Law • School Supervision and Teacher Evaluation • State Licensure Exam/Praxis II Exam (Test 0410)

9. Program Outcome • Completion of program supports ODE requirements for a 2-year Provisional License • Administrators must complete 2-year Entry Year Program to attain 5-year Professional License

10. Instrumentation 3 Instruments for Data Collection • Participant Survey • Instructor Survey • Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) School Leadership Self Inventory

11. Participant Survey • 43-item survey • 5 sections • Demographics • Coursework and Licensure Programs • Practicing and Aspiring Professionals • Ohio Principal Licensure Standards • Pilot Program Strengths and Weaknesses • Administered electronically on the last day of the program

12. Instructor Survey • 15-item survey • 4 instructors • School Law • School Supervision and Teacher Evaluation • Comparisons • Alternative Licensure Program (practicing) • Typical Licensure Program (aspiring)

13. ISLLC School Leadership Self Inventory • 182-item inventory • Administered pre- and post-program • Compared differences between pre- and post-scores • Six ISLLC Standards • Shared Vision • Leading Culture • Managing the Learning Environment • Community Collaboration • Integrity and Fairness • Political, Legal, and Cultural Context

14. Findings: Participant Demographics • 1st year with an APL (n = 13) • Temporary license for 3+ years (n = 8) • Temporary license for 5-9 years (n = 4) • 9+ years of teaching experience (n =15) • Principals or assistant principals (n = 13) • Other positions (n = 12) • ESCs • Supervisors • Consultants

15. Findings: Licensure Program Benefits/Strengths • Shared Experiences • Practicing versus Aspiring • Immediate Application • “Adult learning theory tells us that powerful learning happens through doing, and that adults can most easily remember any knowledge that they put to immediate use” (Stein & Gewirtzman, 2003, p. 21)

16. Findings: Instructor Perspective • “Discussions in the alternative classroom were real life situations. There was a constant reflection about the learning topics and what they were doing in the districts. This led to great dialogue.” • “Although I enjoy teaching both routes, the students in the alternative route were much more able to apply their learning immediately and to have conversations and discussions from their real work. Because the traditional route was a class made up of students studying to be administrators, they had not had the experiences to deeply apply the learning.”

17. Findings: Leadership Practices ISLLC Inventory • Improvement in all six ISLLC standards • Average overall improvement = 0.54 • Single greatest improvement: Shared Vision (Standard I) = 0.60

18. Findings: Use of Ohio Principal Standards • Most Frequently UsedOn-the-Job Standards • Establish and maintain a safe school environment—Standard III • Create a nurturing, supportive learning environment—Standard III • Promote a learning culture—Standard IV • Create opportunities for shared leadership—Standard IV • Greatest Program Impact • Create opportunities for shared leadership—Standard IV • Promote a learning culture—Standard IV • Develop data-driven decision-making skills—Standard I • Least Program Impact • Use community resources to improve student learning—Standard V • Determine ways to connect the school to the community—Standard V

19. Implications • Rigorous professional development • Relevant, hands-on, immediate application learning • Networking opportunities • Distance learning benefits • Viable option for non-administration and supervision Master’s Degree holders

20. Conclusion Questions Thank you!