Finding Time for What is Important: Instructional Leadership IASB Convention November 16, 2007

1. Finding Time for What is Important: Instructional LeadershipIASB ConventionNovember 16, 2007

2. Introductions • Linn Mar School Board Members: Bob Crawford, Erik Miles, Ann Stark • Linn Mar Superintendent, Katie Mulholland • Oak Ridge staff: Kent Stock, MS Principal; Dan Ludwig, Elementary Principal; Janelle Steichen- SAM • Linn Grove staff: Shannon Bisgard, principal; Kristi Hicks- SAM • Carol Lensing, Retired Superintendent and Consultant

3. Wallace Foundation Goals • Identify and remedy conditions that interfere with school leaders in driving student achievement gains for all students. • Improve initial leader preparation and ongoing professional development. • Create collaborative relationships that will result in student achievement gains for all students.

4. Wallace Foundation- 2002 (Study of principal use of time) • Louisville- Project Lead • Alternative School Administration Study (ASAS) • Three Schools Selected as pilots to answer five questions: • Can management duties be separated from the principal’s job? • Can a School Administration Manager(SAM) take on those duties successfully? • Will the principal spend more time on instructional improvement? • Will this focus on instruction improve relations with teachers? • Will student achievement increase at a greater rate?

5. Condition: Time

6. Baseline Data- From Ky. Pilots • Time/Task analysis • Teacher survey • Parent survey • Student survey • CATS Trend Data- Kentucky Achievement Tests

7. 1. Management • student discipline • student supervision • employee supervision • employee discipline • office work/prep • building management • parents/guardians • SBDM, committees, groups, meetings • district: meetings, supervisors, others • external: officials, others • celebration Activity Sub-categories telephone computer interaction, individual interaction, group read/write/think • 2. Instruction • student supervision • work with student(s) • employee supervision • office work/prep. • observation, walk through • feedback • parents/guardians • SBDM, committees, groups, meetings • district: meetings, supervisor, others • external: officials, others • teaching/modeling • professional development • planning, curriculum, assessment • Celebration • 3. Personal(lunch, breaks, restroom, errands, personal business) • ASAS data grid.doc

8. Results: Principal Time at School • 10 hours, daily • 20 minutes, lunch and personal time • 66.7% management • 29.7% Instruction

9. Changing the Role SAMs and Principals

10. Change of Practice • SAMs schedule principal time • SAMs protect principal time • Principals review student work with students, parents, staff • Principals coach teachers • Principals establish “hallway conference offices” • SAMs track principal time • Daily Principal/SAM meeting

11. SAM Job description • Protect principal time • Supervise and evaluate all classified staff • Student behavior management • Smooth operation of the school • Budget, office management, schedules • After hours use of school • All things not instruction

12. SAMs track principal time

13. Time/Task Analysis • Week long shadowing of the principal • Surveys administered • Teachers • Parents • Students • Baseline data received and reviewed • Goals set by principal

14. 2.5 4.1 100% 29.7 80% 65.8 60% Personal Instruction 40% 66.2 Management 31.7 20% 0% November 2003 November 2004 Weekly Average

15. Third Shadowing, November 2005 Personal: 2.3% Management: 25.1% Instruction: 72.7%

16. Student/Principal Interaction- Survey (2 yrs. Of data) • What does your principal do? What is his/her main job?

17. Student Achievement • Did student achievement increase at a greater rate?

18. Schools Exceed Trend Data *trend is the average annual gain for five years (1999-2003)

19. Schools Exceed District, State

20. Lessons Learned • Time is a barrier • Data, Data, Data • Professional Development • Principals can change behavior • Students, parents and teachers appreciate the difference • Affordable, sustainable

21. Illinois Iowa New York SAM Expansion Project Delaware Kentucky California Georgia

22. Why Iowa? • Wallace Foundation becoming much more visible in Iowa • Wallace Foundation is very interested in expanding in Iowa because of our state reputation for excellent education • Wallace is already supporting several projects in Iowa (1.3 million grant for three years)

23. SAM Pilot Project in Iowa (2006-2007) • Three school sites within the Linn Mar School District volunteered and are being supported by the Wallace Foundation (training, selection, professional development, data analysis, my time & support, etc. provided) • IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT PRINCIPALS VOLUNTEER TO BE A PART OF THE PROJECT!! • Project is designed for those who are already identified as strong educational leaders- project is not a part of evaluation! • For all participating districts personnel costs are covered by the district & Wallace covers all other costs • SAMS typically have not been from the field of education- business world, etc. • At Linn-Mar they are currently using certified staff for the pilot sites;

24. Status of SAM Project in Iowa • Fall of 2007– four new districts added to the project at this point (Clear Creek-Amana, Spencer, Storm Lake, West Des Moines) • CCA: three buildings (one at each level); Spencer (El. and MS); Storm Lake (MS & HS); West DesMoines (three Elem.) • Three things each site agrees to: • Baseline data collection • Use of TimeTrack tool and daily meeting with SAM/support person • Coaching visit once a month

25. Getting the SAM in Place- Various Models • Hire someone from district or outside to be the SAM (Linn-Mar, CCA, Spencer) • Re-configure the role of existing staff member to become the SAM (CCA, Storm Lake) • Use existing staff member to do daily meetings, etc. within their current job description (West Des Moines)

26. Getting the SAM project in place • Baseline data collection completed • 2-3 day training of the SAMs and the principals (Wallace)- • SAM makes transition to the school sites • SAM begins weekly schedule • Trainer visits with SAM and principal every month; ongoing professional development provided monthly for SAM and principals (Wallace) • SAM tracks principal time and task-collects data • Baseline achievement data gathered with control school • Surveys re-administered, time/task analysis repeated in one year (shadowing)

27. Questions?Thank you!