SCHOOL LEADER TASK FORCE October 31, 2007 Chair: Steve Tozer University of Illinois-Chicago

1. SCHOOL LEADER TASK FORCE October 31, 2007 Chair: Steve Tozer University of Illinois-Chicago

2. LEADERSHIPRock Solid Leadership, Simple Truths, 2006 • Long Term Vision • Excellence • Advance Planning • Discipline, Drive & Determination • Enthusiasm • Responsibility • Sacrifice • Humor & Humility • Influence • Perseverance

3. Research Documents the Importance of School Leadership • Balanced Leadership: What 30 Years of research tells us about the effect of leadership on student achievement (McRel, 2003) • Performed a meta-analysis of 70 research studies to examine the effects of leadership practices on student academic achievement • Found twenty one specific leadership responsibilities which statistically correlated with student academic achievement • Demonstrated a significant relationship between leadership and student academic achievement • Increase in leadership competencies resulted in an average increase of 10 percentile points in academic achievement • Decrease in leadership competencies resulted in a negative impact of 1 percentile point in student academic achievement • Developed an initial balanced leadership framework based on 21 leadership responsibilities with practices appropriate for the change process

4. Research Documents the Importance of School Leadership • How Leadership Influences Student Learning (Leithwood, et. al, 2004) • Conducted extensive research on empirical studies as well as related literature to better understand the links between leadership and student learning • Found evidence to: • suggest that leadership plays a significant role in improving student learning • conclude that leadership is second in strength only to classroom instruction • conclude that leadership accounts for about a quarter of the total direct and indirect school effects on student learning • demonstrate that successful leadership is the catalyst for change especially in high need schools • support the wide spread interest in improving leadership as the key to the successful implementation of large scale educational reforms • Efforts to improve recruitment, training, evaluation and ongoing development of educational leaders should be considered highly cost effective approaches to successful school improvement.

5. Publications Document the Importance of School Leadership • Leading for Transformation in Teaching, Learning & Relationships (Sparks, D., 2005) • Leaders matter in the creation and long term maintenance of professional learning communities because they: • shape a school or school system’s structure and culture to promote learning, collaboration, and environments in which all members of the community feel cared for and respected • believe in quality teaching and high levels of learning for all students • have the authority to shape conversations by offering their values, intentions, and beliefs • move learning into action and sustain the momentum of change over time

6. Publications Document the Importance of School Leadership • Best Leadership Practices for High Poverty Schools (Lyman, L, & Villani, C., 2004) • Leaders grounded in a moral commitment to equity have the power to: • educate every student at a high level • change the beliefs and attitudes about poverty, including belief in the inevitability of low student achievement in high poverty schools • Authentic leaders are consistent in words and actions, committed to a moral cause and willing to take a stand (Shields, 2003) • Transformative leaders work for change wherever they find inequity (Shields, 2003) • Cross-cultural leaders work with people from many different cultural groups in order to enhance equity (Shields, 2003)

7. Think of the Possibilities • Over the course of the next few months, we are given the opportunity to make a difference in the: • quality of preparation programs for our school leaders in Illinois • direction of our school improvement efforts in Illinois • advancement of academic achievement for all of our students in Illinois • promotion of initiatives that are in the best interest of our students, their families, their schools, their teachers and their communities in Illinois

8. Commission Background • Established by IBHE in August 2005 • Comprised of leaders from K-12 schools, colleges & universities, business & professional education organizations, ISBE, IBHE • Charge • Review Educating School Leaders (Levine, 2006) • Examine school leader preparation in IL • Propose strategies for improving preparation

9. Challenges Facing Illinois • Recruiting & admitting the best potential leaders • Focusing preparation programs on improving & sustaining P-12 student achievement • Ensuring quality programs

10. Goals • Recruit Strategically • Focus Preparation Programs • Improve Statewide Assessment & Coordination

11. Goal One:Recruit Strategically Recommendation 1: Restructure admission criteria & recruit high quality principals • Holistic evaluation of applicants based on attributes known to improve student learning • Targeted recruitment • Grow-your-own programs • Work with teacher education faculty

12. Goal Two:Focus Preparation Programs Recommendation 2: Improve programs using rigorous assessment data • Assess candidates’ capacity to be effective school leaders; counsel candidates & adjust programs as needed • Participate in Education Administration Graduate Assessment project • Provide data to the state & public • Utilize advisory groups • Establish guidelines that distinguish Ph.D. from Ed.D.

13. Goal Two:Focus Preparation Programs Recommendation 3: Create meaningful clinical & internship experiences • Require meaningful experiences that connect coursework to the workplace • Strengthen & utilize university-school partnerships • Train mentors • Secure funds for internships from a variety of sources • Assess internship experiences • Revise Illinois standards to align with ELCC standards • Utilize clinical faculty

14. Goal Three: Improve StatewideAssessment & Coordination Recommendation 4: Establish a rigorous certificate exam • Utilize School Leaders Licensure Assessment & School Superintendent Assessment (ETS)

15. Goal Three: Improve StatewideAssessment & Coordination Recommendation 5: Revise the certification & endorsement structure • Reserve Type 75 for principals only • Review other positions requiring Type 75 & revise requirements • Develop programs to prepare individuals for non-principal leadership positions

16. Goal Three: Improve StatewideAssessment & Coordination Recommendation 6: Coordinate rigorous program approval & review processes • Conduct third party review of all current programs • Develop joint approval & review processes between ISBE & IBHE • Provide IBHE with authority to recommend probation or closure of programs • Participate in national review of ELCC standards

17. Dissemination of Report • Report was presented to the IBHE Board members in August, 2006 • Disseminated to: • Commission members • Legislators and their staff • Illinois higher education deans and presidents • Researchers and professional organizations in educational leadership

18. Discussion • In our view, the MOST promising suggestions made by the Blueprint for Change Commission in the two areas assigned to us are these: 1)_______; 2)_______. • The recommendations that we think offer the LEAST opportunity for significant change are these: 1)______; 2)_______. • Finally: if we could supplement the recommendations in these two areas, we would suggest the following:____________________________. • Our reasons for these three positions are: a)____; b____; c_____