Transforming Central Office/School Leadership Partnerships to Raise Student Achievement in High Poverty Schools

Dr. Susan Enfield, Superintendent Highline Public Schools (WA) Aurora Lora, Assistant Superintendent Dallas Independent School District Carmela Dellino, Executive Director of Schools Seattle Public Schools

The Case for Transformation

Urban districts take many different approaches to reforming central office:
Adding/removing departments Reconstituting superintendents leadership team Shifting reporting lines Making huge cuts in central office staff and increasing autonomy

over budget control Increasing central office monitoring of alignment between school and district efforts

Changes to structure and roles alone will not produce results. School systemscentral office and schools togethermust change the practices of adults to improve outcomes for students.

The Research Base

The most significant work to date on the role of the central office in improving student achievement came in a 2010 study of urban districts engaged in central office transformation as a district-wide teaching and learning improvement strategy (Honig, Copland, 2010). The study focused on three urban districts:
Atlanta Public Schools Empowerment Schools in New York City Oakland Unified School District (CA)

Findings That Informed Our Work

Developing a theory of action for improving student

achievement through learning-focused partnerships between central office and principals All central office staff working together with principals joint work Moving beyond customer service to providing high quality services to schools in support of student learning Reducing the layers of leadership between the superintendent and principals

The Five Dimensions

1. 2.

Learning-focused central office principal partnerships Assistance to partnerships

3.

Refocusing all central office units on teaching and learning support Stewarding the transformation effort
Using evidence throughout the central office
( Honig, et al., 2010)

4.
5.

Todays Focus

Role of the Executive Director

Work with principals individually and in networks to

strengthen principals instructional leadership

Help central staff and community members understand how

the role of principal has shifted from building manager to instructional leader

Effective Practices of EDs

Providing differentiated support based on the instructional

leadership skills of principals

Modeling instructional leadership Developing and using tools

Brokering resources
Helping principals serve as resources for one another
(Honig, et al., 2010)

What impact does this have on high-poverty schools?

3rd
Roxhill Elementary - 5th Graders Proficient on Math State Assessment MSP
60 50

40 All Students

30

FRL ELL Sped

20

10

0 2010 2011 2012

What impact does this have on high-poverty schools?

3rd
70 60

Roxhill Elementary - 5th Graders Proficient Reading State Assessment MSP

50

40

All Students FRL ELL Sped

30

20

10

0 2010 2011 2012

Evidence that this is Effective

Over the last four years, student growth and percentage

of students proficient on the Reading and Math Washington State Assessment (MSP) continue to improve. Roxhill Elementary moved from a Level 1 (lowest performing in the district) to Level 3 school. Achievement gap for ELL, FRL, Special Ed, Hispanic/Latino and Black/African American students is lower than the district average in all categories.

Learning Focused Principal Partnerships Led to Student Growth

Strategies Implemented
School and district culture focused on excellence for all High quality teachers in every classroom

Use of data to inform instruction and interventions

Frequent progress monitoring Extended learning opportunities after school and Saturday

Academy Highly effective professional learning communities Strengthened family and community partnerships

Considerations for Other Districts: Sharing Our Lessons Learned

People and programs come and go, but practices endure--

focusing on instructional leadership practice at the school and central office level is critical.
The superintendent should be the executive sponsor of the

transformation work, but it must be fully embraced by everyone at the senior level of the organization

Considerations for Other Districts: Sharing Our Lessons Learned

A communication strategy that engages principals early in the

process is critical.
Engage the board in what this transformation work requires

and why it is needed so that policies support it and there is governance support

Considerations for Other Districts: Sharing Our Lessons Learned

Provide regular professional development for Executive

Directors to maximize effectiveness

Kick-off retreat to fully introduce them to the work Monthly professional development on coaching principals Job-embedded professional development/coaching days

Ensure supports are in place at central office to keep

Executive Directors focused on instruction

Be thoughtful about ED:principal ratios

Other central office departments must understand how they can support

EDs and principals Coordinators and parent specialists/ombudsmen can take noninstructional issues off the plates of EDs