The Time is Now: Leadership that Matters

1. The Time is Now: Leadership that Matters Margie McGlinchey; Ph.D. Kimberly St. Martin; M.A. June 14, 2010

2. Agenda • “What” and “Why” of RtI • Stages of Implementation • Barriers Impeding RtI Implementation • Importance of Principal Leadership and Its Impact on Student Outcomes • Leadership Necessary for RtI Implementation • Managing Second Order Change

3. Defining RtI

4. Response to Intervention (RtI) • Response to intervention integrates good instruction, assessment, and intervention with a multi-level prevention system to maximize student achievement and to reduce behavior problems

5. Fundamental Beliefs • Prevention is better than the “wait to fail” approach • Early intervention is more effective than later remediation • Use of screening assessments helps to prevent students from falling through the cracks • Tiers of instruction and intervention are available to meet the needs of all learners

6. Core Principles of an RtI Framework • We can effectively teach all children. • Intervene early. • Use a multi-tier model of support. • Use a problem-solving method for decision making. • Research-based interventions/instruction to the extent available. • Monitor student progress to inform instruction. • Use data to make decisions. • Use assessment for different purposes.

7. Implementation of RtI • Three stages (broad perspective) • Consensus: continuously working to achieve • Infrastructure: Beginning to develop the infrastructure necessary for implementation • Implementation: Occurs at multiple levels. Data is used to determine the effectiveness of the systems created and adjustments are made as needed

8. Continuum of Supports Intensive Intervention Individualized, functional assessment, highly specific for few(5%) Intensity of Supports Targeted Intervention Supplemental, some(15%) students, reduce risk Universal Prevention Core Instruction, allstudents, preventive, proactive and should meet the needs of at least 80% of the students relating to mastery of critical skills. A good core has materials to use with lower-performing students as well Academics Behavior Students within Schools

9. Implementing a RtI Framework • Addressing the essential components of RtI in the context of reading and behavior require a specific lens when thinking about the data and practices associated with each BUT they are both intimately connected • Depending on beliefs, assumptions, or philosophies about the data and practices in the subject area, a leader may encounter varying degrees of challenges throughout the process

10. Implementing a RtI Framework • The systems necessary for implementing an RtI framework can be applied to both reading and behavior • Tiers of interventions • Use of research to determine selection of practices, interventions, and programs • Problem solving process • Focus around reliable and valid data • Frequent progress monitoring • Frequent adjustments to the intervention/instructional plan

11. Activity • To what degree do your staff know about the core principles of RtI (slide 6) ?

12. Setting the Context for Today • Many principals and central office administrators believe that RtI is the right thing to do • The prevention as opposed to intervention model is very appealing • A common roadblock is lack of a clear vision of what RtI looks like in practice • Leaders need a clear picture of what it looks like and sounds like in practice in order to lead effectively

13. Why RtI? It’s what is best for our kids!

14. Let us not forget why we are here….

15. RtI: Fact and Fiction RtI is…. Rti is not…. Pre-referral system Done by one classroom or one teacher Special education program A separate, stand alone initiative Flavor of the month • General education led effort that is implemented in the general education system; coordinated with all other services (special education, title I, ELL) • Fluid system to support instructional needs of all students and intervene on behalf of low-performing students • Problem-solving process • Alternate approach to the diagnosis of learning disabilities

16. So, what’s so difficult with implementing an RtI framework?

17. The Science of Implementation • An “intervention” is one set of activities • “Implementation” is a very different set of activities This session is about “Implementation” of Response to Intervention

18. Key Elements of Implementation Research • Innovation Fluency • Implementation Fluency • Implementation Stages • Implementation Drivers • Improvement Cycles

19. Stages of Implementation Implementation occurs in stages • Exploration • Installation • Initial Implementation • Full Implementation • Innovation • Sustainability 2 – 4 Years Fixsen, Naoom, Blase, Friedman, & Wallace, 2005

20. Exploration: The Big Picture • What happens during Exploration? • Formalize Structures and Promote “Buy in” for the innovation and for implementation supports • Determine Need and Identify Options • Assess “Fit” and Feasibility • Re-Assess

21. Installation • Initiating RtI infrastructure by planning for: • Coaching and Supervision • Staff Fidelity Evaluation • Identifying Administrative Issues • Identifying Broader Systems Issues • Creating feedback loops • Ongoing problem solving • Rapid Cycle Problem-Solving Teams

22. Installation What’s Needed: • High-level protection, problem solving, and support • Reduced expectations and higher costs during start up • Help in evolving organizational supports at every level • Help in establishing new school, community, and organizational climate and culture

23. Motto for Initial Implementation “Anything worth doing …..is worth doing poorly.”

24. Survive the Awkward Stage! • Initial Implementation • Change practices, and manage change • Put infrastructure components in place (Drivers) • Provide services • Change school and community structures & culture, • Overcome fear & inertia • Moving Toward Full Implementation

25. Full Implementation • Full Implementation • Components integrated, fully functioning • Skillful teaching and interventions provided to Students • Ready to be evaluated re: consumer outcomes

26. Innovation • Innovation • First do it right (high fidelity) • Then do it differently and better • Consult with content experts • Model the Masters • Evaluate Impact • Institutionalize Innovations • Ability to retain function while changing form given turnover, changing needs and context

27. Sustainability • Goals of Sustainability • Programmatic: Ensure high fidelity and positive outcomes through: • Consistent attention to competence • Infrastructure improvement and maintenance • Ongoing use of data • Financial: Ensure funding streams for school programs and services and infrastructure

28. Sustainability (con’t) • Characteristics and Activities • Starts during Exploration Stage, never stops • Information sharing and trust building • Achieve and tout good outcomes – stories and data • Remain financially and politically vigilant • Expand support base during all stages • Champions and Parent Support

29. Issues Impeding Successful RtI Implementation begin with Beliefs and Common Vision • Reading wars • Assessments for different purposes (timed vs. untimed; meaningful vs. quick assessments of discrete skills) • Use of intervention “programs” and possible pitfalls for being responsive to students’ needs • Explicit and systematic instructional practices • Inclusion of students with disabilities in core instruction • Belief that ALL kids can learn • Elements of “scientifically based research” • Anger toward state and federal involvement in educational policies • Philosophies around the role schools play in student behavior

30. The leader’s role in eliminating issues that are impeding RtI implementation is magnified

31. Challenges of the Principalship So much to do…so little time!

32. Activity • Describe a “typical” day in your life as a principal. • Create a list of things that occupy your time and attention on a daily basis.

33. Principal’s∧ Job Description? Real • Many principals report, much of the administrator’s job is spent engaged in important but fundamentally non-instructional activities

34. Allocation of Time and AttentionResearch Findings: • 17%- managing by walking about the school • 14%- human resource related activities (i.e. teacher evaluation) • 13%- discipline • 20%- office related tasks • 25%- meetings or schedule conferences with parents and/or students • 11% for interruptions and working on the culture of the building Bledinger, Arirata, Jones (2000)

35. The Principalship: A Historical Perspective

36. Changing Role of the Principal:Historical Perspective Then…. Now… Instructional leaders Create a culture of high expectations Establish clearly defined goals Create a safe and orderly environment Engage with staff in frequent professional development Increase parental involvement • Principals were primarily expected to be managers • Maintain the status-quo by “keeping a lid on things” • Buffer teachers from outside distractions (competing district priorities, behavior problems, angry parents)

37. Leader or Manager…or Both? • Principals experience a constant pull between wanting to be an instructional leader (to do what they thought they were hired to do) and finding the time to complete the necessary managerial tasks so the school can function smoothly

38. What does the research say about effective schools and the role of the principal?

39. Key Components of Effective Schools • Two lines of inquiry emerged from the research: • Key characteristics that constituted “effective schools” • Principal’s involvement with the school’s instructional program

40. Characteristics of “Effective Schools” • Strong administrative leadership • Instructional leadership by the principal • High expectations of students and staff • Safe and orderly environment • Primary focus on learning • Resources focused on achieving key objectives • Regular monitoring of student learning progress (Lezotte, et. al)

41. Missing piece in the Effective Schools research: specific leadership practices that are well defined and provide direction as to how to proceed

42. Principal Actions that Support Student Achievement Synthesis of the Research

43. What do Principals Need to do? • Focus time and attention on the things that will improve student outcomes • Bottom Line: “the correlation between the leadership behavior of the principal in the school and the average academic achievement is .25 Marzano, Waters, McNulty, 2005

44. Interpreting “.25” Figure 3.2: Marzano, Waters, McNulty, 2005

45. Principal Behaviors…All Equally Important? • No, the responsibilities are NOT all created equal • The rank order of the responsibilities changes depending on what type of innovation (i.e. RtI) principals are trying to lead • Depending on how staff view the change required of them for the innovation (RtI), the principal needs to deploy one set of leadership practices over another

46. Principal Behaviors…All Equally Important? “The extraordinary principals…embody all or nearly all these traits and actions. And as we shall see, the picture that emerges of their effectiveness is much more than a mere collection of behaviors” (Cotton, 2003, p. 7). The 21 responsibilities “are, or at least should be standard operating procedures for effective principals” (Marzano, Waters, McNulty, 2005, p. 62).

47. 21 Leadership Responsibilities • Affirmation • Change Agent • Contingent Rewards • Communication • Culture • Discipline • Flexibility • Focus • Ideals/Beliefs • Input • Intellectual Stimulation • Involvement in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment • Knowledge of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

48. 21 Leadership Responsibilities • Monitoring/Evaluating • Optimizer • Order • Outreach • Relationships • Resources • Situational Awareness • Visibility

49. Activity • Review the document entitled, “21 Leadership Responsibilities….” • Read through the principal responsibilities and their definitions • Identify the top three leadership responsibilities that had the highest effect sizes • Looking back at your time allocation activity from this morning, were the duties/tasks identified as occupying more of your time the same as the leadership responsibilities having the largest effect sizes?

50. Considering “Change”