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Preparing leaders for the urban school context: a case study analysis for effective leadership
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Content
PREPARING LEADERS FOR THE URBAN SCHOOL CONTEXT
A CASE STUDY ANALYSIS FOR EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP
by
Shawna Petit Dinkins
____________________________________________________________
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
August 2009
Copyright 2009 Shawna Petit Dinkins
ii
DEDICATION
This dissertation is dedicated to my grandmother Florine Baker Herring who
inspired me to trust in God, in all of my ways. Her words of wisdom have stayed in
my heart and have guided me in my life choices. My grandmother lived her life as a
servant to God, and she always gave her love through words of wisdom and great
soul food. The example she set before me is unmatched by any person I know and
the legacy she left for me will continue to inspire me to be a better servant for God. I
love you and I miss you, and know because of your encouragement, I have
accomplished more than I could have ever dreamed or imagined.
This dissertation is also dedicated to God’s man, Daniel Dinkins. I am so
blessed to have you by my side encouraging me and cheering me to the end. You are
the epitome of what God has called a husband to be. You have provided and
protected all of us, and have always professed your unending love for me and the
girls. You never doubted that I could do anything, and most importantly you made
this your priority. Your constant praise and encouragement to “push through” has
made all of the difference in the world to me, and I love you for allowing me to be a
woman and a half.
To my beautiful angels Kenady and Nia, I did this for you. You two have
made the ultimate sacrifice of sharing with me during this experience. I never would
have made it, without being constantly reminded that I wanted the two of you to see
that you can dream the impossible and that dreams can come true. I hope that by
walking with me on this journey that I inspired you to reach far beyond anything you
iii
could think of or imagine, because dreams do come true. When you two enter
adulthood, I want you to do better than Mommy. I know that you will exceed those
expectations.
It is my earnest prayer that you continue to be God’s girls. Your Dad and I
are anxiously anticipating your development into God’s women. No matter how
great this accomplishment is for me, you two are, and always will be, my greatest
accomplishment.
iv
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To my wonderful parents who instilled in me the importance of an education
and a strong work ethic. It is by the example that the two of you lived before me that
I was able to accomplish this. Thank you for encouraging me to the end.
If it were not for the supportive and loving environment that God placed me
in, this journey would have been impossible. I wish to thank Dr. Edmond Heatley,
who has inspired and demonstrated that good is never enough. Thank you for taking
me under your wing, and showing me how to be the exception and not maintain the
“status quo.”
Dr. Stephanie Phillips, who from day one on the job has supported and
mentored me, I will always cherish your guidance and support. As I always say to
you, you make me want to be a better person.
I believe that if you can start this journey with a friend and end as friends,
you indeed have found a special someone. Darnise Williams, from the day we
applied to the day we graduated you have stood in the gap with me. I applied to this
program, and you supported that dream. You are more than a friend. I am so glad we
finished this together.
To my girls who had me when I was down and I didn’t think I could make it,
or wanted to quit: Dawn Hickmon, Lisa Winston, Danielle Richardson, Darneika
Davis, Shawnda Smith and Stephanie Johnson. In more ways than one you kept me
lifted through this experience by your prayers, babysitting, counseling sessions, hair
v
appointments and kick in the pants, to get the job done. I love you all, now maybe
you can actually see me at an event.
To my Thursday night cohort, we did it. Can you believe that someone told
us, only half of us would make it and we crossed the finish line together? I knew we
were a special group from the first night of class. I wish each of you the best in your
endeavors.
My dissertation Chair, Dr. Reed thank you for encouraging me to excellence.
Your feedback and guidance will stay with me as I continue in my pursuit of
learning. I am grateful to have been a part of your group.
Dr. Kathy Stowe who has been more than supportive along this journey.
Your support and guidance have been tremendous. I am lucky to have experienced a
program in which you have provided excellent support and mentoring.
In this program, I was blessed to meet some dynamic professors and I
appreciate the support and guidance from Dr. Dennis Hocevar, Dr.Hentsckhe, Dr.
French, and Dr. Maxwell for providing encouragement and feedback along the way.
Each of you has inspired me and I am grateful to have had a remarkable learning
experience with you all.
Last but not least, my extended family: The Petit, Washington, Lattimore,
Hunter, and Herring Families. You have been there for me through the good and
bad. Words cannot express how grateful I am for what you have done for me.
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication ……………………………………………………………………… ...ii
Acknowledgments ………………………………………………………………...iv
List of Tables …………………………………………………………………. ...viii
List of Figures ………………………………………………………………….. ...ix
Abstract …………………………………………………………………………. ...x
Chapter One: Introduction ……………………………………………………… ...1
Chapter Two: Literature Review ……………………………………………… ...10
Chapter Three: Methodology ………………………………………………….. ...37
Chapter Four: Analysis of Data and Findings …………………………………...57
Chapter Five: Summary, Discussion, and Recommendations ……………….. ...114
References ……………………………………………………………………. ...134
Appendix A: Observation Protocol ………………………………………….. ...138
Appendix B: Document Review Protocol …………………………………… ...140
Appendix C: Principal Interview Protocol ……………………………………. ...141
Appendix D: Teacher Interview Protocol ……………………………………. ...142
Appendix E: Mentor Interview Protocol …………………………………….. ...143
Appendix F: Letter of Support Pennsylvania Department of Education …….. ...144
Appendix G: Mentor Interview Protocol …………………………………….. ...145
Appendix H: Mentor Interview Protocol …………………………………….. ...146
Appendix I: PIL Homework Assignment Unit 1 …………………………….. ...149
Appendix J: PIL Homework Assignment Unit 2 …………………………….. ...150
vii
Appendix K: PIL Homework Assignment Unit 3 …………………………… ...151
Appendix L: PIL Unit 4 GROW ……………………………………………... ...152
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. The project had a one year timeline beginning in the fall of 2008 ….. ...42
and concluding in the spring of 2009
Table 2. Triangulation Matrix ………………………………………………… ...48
Table 3. Leadership Standards Rubric ………………………………………... ...55
Table 4. President Elementary School Disaggregated Pennsylvania System of ...60
School Assessment (PSSA) Student Data
Table 5. Summary of Core Components Scores ……………………………… ...73
Table 6. Key Processes ……………………………………………………….. ...73
Table 7. Integrated Summary …………………………………………………. ...75
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Conceptual Framework …………………………………………….. ...36
Figure 2. Sample VAL-ED Survey …………………………………………… ...46
Figure 3. Creswell Six Steps to Data Collections …………………………….. ...54
Figure 4. Overall Effectiveness Score Sample ……………………………….. ...54
x
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to investigate how participation in the
Pennsylvania Inspired Leaders (PIL) program influenced the practice of an urban
leader. The study explored the impact of leader practice on principal practice and
principal practice on teacher practice, and student outcomes. Ultimately, the purpose
of this study was to examine effective leader practice for leading in the urban
context.
The study described how one K-8 principal in an urban setting participated in
a principal preparation program, and how that program enabled the practice of the
leader in the urban context of schooling. The key design elements of this study, was
of major importance to this study. The principal and teachers participated in pre and
post interviews, observations, and the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in
Education (VAL ED) for the data collected in this study. One on one interviews
with the principal, and focus group interviews with the teachers were conducted with
one K-8 principal and six teachers.
Analysis of the data collected indicated that participation in the PIL program
impacted the practice of the principal to influence teacher practice and ultimately
student outcomes. Further indications were that participation in the PIL program
will result in successful leader practice for leading in the urban school context. The
results of this study provide a roadmap for effective preparation programs for leading
in the urban context.
1
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
American education has seen a plethora of school reforms which aim to
increase accountability in public schools. One of the mandates of NCLB (2001)
requires that all children are proficient by 2014 and this measure of accountability is
high stakes for all leaders in the country from the Superintendent down to the
classroom teacher. The new accountability inherent in No Child Left Behind
(NCLB) 2001 has placed a laser-like focus on how well all students are achieving in
the areas of English Language Arts and Mathematics. Schomoker (2006) describes
the increasing demand for student performance by “how well students are mastering
the standards and by implication how well schools are teaching them” (p.35). The
rigorous mandates for states, districts and schools to improve student achievement
have impacted education by mandating that schools disaggregate the data to identify
achievement gaps, and identify research-based practices to close those gaps (Cowan,
2005). Inherent to NCLB(2001) are the requirements for schools to provide highly-
qualified teachers, research-based professional development, standards-based
curriculum, school choice, parent involvement, distribution of resources, and
stringent accountability for schools to close achievement gaps between ethnic, socio-
economic disadvantaged, second language learners, and students with special needs
(U.S. Department of Education, n.d.). These challenges have implications for
American educators as well as administrators.
2
The research by Leithwood, Louis and Anderson (2004) found that leadership
is only second among school factors that contribute to improved learning. The
expectation of leaders is at its highest as a laser focus has been aimed at closing the
achievement gap. With that, there is a burgeoning need for effective administrators
to provide for a climate and culture that is conducive to learning and no longer allow
the status quo of low expectations for student learning (Marzano, 2000).
The demand of increased accountability has created a paradigm shift for
leaders in schools today (Schmoker, 2006). Instead of leaders as managers, leaders
are being pressed to do more than manage the day to day activities of the school.
Emerging theories in leadership are focusing on the issue of leadership to change the
context of urban schooling (Marzano, Waters, McNulty, 2005). The research of
Murphy, Hallinger and Heck (1996) on transformational leadership and learning
centered leadership are emerging theories of leadership. This emerging research
espouses the importance of the need for specific leadership practices in order to meet
the demands of the increased accountability of NCLB (2001).
At the core of this increased accountability, state departments of education
and districts around the country have turned their focus to building the capacity of
quality leaders (administrators and teachers) to serve a diverse student body and
improve academic performance (Walter, Marzano, McNulty, 2003). However, the
tenets of the NCLB law such as highly qualified teachers, proficiency by 2014 for all
students, and alternative governance, have placed considerable pressure on school
leaders, to change a culture they have little control over (Marzano, 2000). The
3
mandates are often met with resistance by the teaching staff. Teachers are resistant
to increased accountability because it forces them to teach a standardized curriculum
and otherwise take the creativity out of teaching (Marzano, 2000). Additionally,
teachers are consumed by the culture of poverty which exists in their schools and in
turn feel constrained due to the social and emotional issues that students are arriving
to school with (Bennett; 2001, Delpit, 1995).
The implications of the increased accountability affects all schools across the
nation in the urban context, as NCLB(2001) requires that schools disaggregate data
for underserved sub-groups (Anderson, 2004). The implications for school leaders
who are leading in the urban context are daunting. Leaders are faced with high
poverty, low test scores, high teacher turnover and parents who are not educated
(Gay, 2000). As a result, the need for training new leaders is essential to impacting
the urban context in order to change student outcomes (Dufour, 1999).
Statement of the Problem
The notion of principal as leader is drastically changing as the increased
accountability is requiring leaders to lead and share the responsibility of educating
all students. Schools at the elementary and secondary levels have struggled with
leader capacity to grapple with the daunting challenges of the urban context to
improve student achievement and the performance gap of students on standardized
tests. (O’Day, J. Bitter, C., Kirst, M., Camoy, M., Woody, E., Buttles, M., Fuller, B.,
Ruenzel, D. 2004).
4
NCLB (2001) requires that school districts increase the academic
performance of all students in English language arts and mathematics by the year
2013-2014. School leaders in the context of suburban, rural and urban are under
immense pressure to support an environment that is conducive to learning and
garners results for students in the area of academic achievement. Urban leaders are
faced with many challenges such as high-poverty, gangs, cycles of generational
dysfunction, parents who are not connected to the business of school, and other
cultural and social influences (Bennett 2004; Delpit, 1995; Gay, 2000). Urban
settings are impacted by mitigating circumstances imposed by the social, political
and economic infrastructure, socio-political stratification and unequal access. The
urban leader needs to be prepared to create a culture of social justice that addresses
the gaps in learning between race, class and culture (Bennet, 2001). Urban school
leaders, are often unprepared or unwilling to deal with the persistent issues of race,
ethnicity, language and class (Goldring & Cohen-Vogel, 2000; Resnick and Glennan,
2002; Murphy, 2006).
Research has shown that principals are one of the important factors in
determining outcomes for students (Leithwood, et al, 2004; Marzano, 2006). Other
researchers posit that there is no empirical evidence to measure the direct effect that
principals have on student outcomes (Bossert, Dwyer, Rowan, & Lee, 1982;
Goldring & Pasternack, 1994; Hallinger, Bickman, & Davis, 1996; Hallinger & Heck,
1996; Supovitz & May, 2003; Supovitz, Poglinco, & Snyder, 2003). Elmore, (2003)
and Heifetz, 1998) posit that preparing and supporting urban school leaders to
5
successfully address the adaptive challenges presented by their context and provide
all students with access to a high demand, rigorous curriculum that closes
achievement gaps requires a dramatic change in the traditional way in which urban
school leaders are identified, prepared to lead, and supported.
What is not known is what specific, effective leader practices impact
improved outcomes for struggling schools, as evidenced by the impact on
instructional practice of teachers and ultimately student outcomes. Within the broad
topic of leadership, what remains problematic are the essential skills and practices
that make a leader successful in an urban context.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to determine whether a fully developed
leadership intervention program complemented by leadership mentoring support and
assessment of leadership practice, is effective in promoting and sustaining change in
leader practice, instructional practice, and student learning outcomes. The overall
purpose of the longitudinal study is to examine the effect of leadership preparation,
support structures, and practice on professional practice and student outcomes. The
focus for this case study will be on the effects of leadership preparation and support
on leader practice.
Research Questions
This study aims to address the following overarching question: How does
participation in the Pennsylvania Inspired Leaders (PIL) leadership program
6
influence the knowledge and leadership practice of school principals? In conducting
this case study, the following sub-questions are also addressed.
1. How does participation in the Pennsylvania Inspired Leaders (PIL)
program influence the practice of urban principals?
2. How do organizational support structures enable their practice?
3. How does the leadership practice of the PIL participants influence
professional practice of teachers over time?
Significance of the Study
As stated previously, research about the role of principals is somewhat
limited, although growing. The research in the area of leadership is not complete.
This case study will contribute to the growing body of literature on the role of the
principal in improving teacher practice and ultimately student outcomes. This study
should prove useful to school districts and administrators in order to identify best
practices to improve effective leadership and thus student outcomes for schools that
are underperforming. Additionally, this study will contribute to the knowledge base
regarding effective urban school leadership capacity building models.
Limitations
As principals are the second strongest indicator of indirectly improving
student outcomes (Leithwood, et. al., 2003, Marzano, et al., 2003) and teacher
practice (Dufour, 1999, Darling-Hammond, 2003) it is essential for effective
practices to be evidenced as the need for administrators to mitigate the challenges of
7
the urban context are needed in America’s schools. The following assumptions,
threats to internal and external validity, and ethical considerations can be made:
1. Although rich, thick description and analysis of a phenomenon may be
desired, a researcher may not have the time or money to devote to such an
undertaking.
2. Case studies can oversimplify or exaggerate a situation, leading the reader
to erroneous conclusions about the actual state of affairs (Guba and
Lincoln, 198, p. 377).
3. Qualitative case studies are limited, too, by the sensitivity and integrity of
the investigator. The researcher is the primary instrument of data
collection and analysis.
4. Further limitations involve limited time observed change in practice;
mandated participation by PIL, not voluntary; inability of study design to
be random as a result of the PIL mandate (Hamel, 1993, p. 23).
Organization of the Dissertation
This study is organized in the following way: Chapter 2 reviews the relevant
literature and establishes the historical perspective of urban schools and
accountability reforms. Chapter 3 explains the methodologies, data collection,
protocols and processes and analysis for the study. Chapter 4 presents an analysis of
the data collected for this study. The findings from the interviews, observations and
focus groups will be analyzed and discussed. Chapter 5 discusses key connections,
implications and conclusions in relation to determining whether a fully developed
8
intervention program is effective in promoting and sustaining change in leader
practice, instructional practice and student outcomes.
Definition of Terms
Achievement Gap - differences in academic performance between and among
groups of students who are identified by ethnicity, income level, language
proficiency, gender, special needs, etc.
Culture - is a part of every group of people who gather together, whether in
work groups, neighborhoods, schools or larger corporations. Culture is a visible tool
in schools where relationships tend to hold more power than official roles and titles
(Goldring, 2002).
Culture of Power - the attitudes, behaviors, beliefs and knowledge of the
middle-class. The culture of power is explicitly taught through a framework which
acknowledges and affirms the culture that students bring to school with them, and
uses that culture to teach the culture of the dominant class thus making it easier to
acquire power (Delpit, 1995).
Effective Schools - is a framework that is based on the belief that all children,
regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or gender, have the capacity to learn as well
as their peers. (Edmonds, 1979).
Idealized Influence - is the description of a leader who acts as a strong role
model for followers; followers identify with these leaders and want to emulate them
in the literature it is often referred to as charisma (Northouse, 2003).
9
Inspirational Motivation - when leaders communicate high expectations to
followers inspiring them through motivation to become committed to and a part of
the shared vision in the organization (Northouse, 2003).
Intellectual Stimulation - when the leader stimulates followers to be creative
and innovative; the leader challenges followers to examine beliefs and values as well
as those of the organization (Northouse, 2003).
Individualized Consideration - when leaders provide a supportive climate in
which the leader listens to the needs of the followers. The leader acts as coach and
advisor to help followers attain goals (Northouse, 2003).
Social Advocacy - According to Lee and Walz (1998), a social advocate is
“called upon to channel energy and skill into helping clients challenge institutional
and social barriers that impede academic, career, or personal-social development” (p.
9).
Social Justice - the framework in which an effective leader is explicit in
advocating for underserved populations (Delpit, 1995).
Urban Schooling - the process of teaching and learning that takes place in
complex urban-metropolitan settings typically characterized by broad diversity in
race, ethnicity, gender, class, culture, and language abilities. Urban settings have a
mature service-delivery infrastructure characterized by socio-political stratification
and unequal access by citizens to services.
10
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Leadership is like being a servant; in order to lead you must first know how to
follow. ~ (author unknown)
Introduction
Since the enactment of No Child Left Behind (2001), which mandates that all
students be proficient in English Language Arts and Mathematics by the year 2014,
leaders have faced pressure to improve student outcomes. Increased accountability
has leaders in the urban context mitigating challenges with low test scores, poverty,
parents who have little education, and children with increased social and emotional
issues (Bennett, 2001). The increased demand to improve student outcomes is
changing the role of the school leader in the urban context (Leithwood and Reihl,
2003).
This chapter provides a review of the literature related to leadership in urban
school settings and how the preparation of the leader impacts teachers’ practice and
student achievement. This chapter is divided into five sections: (a) Leadership
Theories (b) Effective Schools Research (c) Urban Context; (d) Preparation
Programs-NISL: and (e) Organizational Support Structures.
Leadership
A leader is someone who builds relationships through trust, respect,
distributed authority and has every confidence that goals will be achieved through
the collective talent of the team (Marazano, 2005). Most leadership theories can fall
11
under the categories of transformational and or transactional leadership (Northouse,
2003). Several theorists have coined terms for leadership to encompass various
components that range from inherent characteristics the leader is born with to
competencies and skills that a leader can be trained in, such as instructional or
transformational leadership (Bennis, 2003; Block, 2003; Buckingham and Clifton,
2001; Collins, 2001; Covey, 1989; Elmore, 2000; Fullan,1993; Heifitz and Linsky,
1994; Hallinger, Heck,1986; Leithwood, 2000; Marzano, 2003, 2005, and
Northouse, 2003). The definition of leadership has traditionally served as a
descriptor for what a leader is. However the function of leadership has become
much more complicated as increased accountability to improve student outcomes has
placed immense pressures on leaders in multiple contexts. Through the decades the
definition of leadership has constantly evolved and has become in a word
“sloganistic,” Leithwood (2002, page 5) argues that whatever label you put on it we
must define leadership as something that serves two functions, “setting directions
and exercising influence”. Murphy (2002) attempts to redefine the traditional
definition of leadership by using a metaphor to explain what is necessary to reculture
leadership. He uses the trinity of community builder, moral steward and educator to
define the needs of those who lead in today’s urban schools.
Northouse (2003) provides a comprehensive study on various leadership
styles and how those styles translate into how leaders develop relationships with
their subordinates. Northouse (2003) further explains the common leadership
theories of instructional leadership, transformational leadership and the most recent
12
Learning-Centered Leadership. Northouse (2003) provides a historical perspective
of leadership styles and frameworks. The most common ones related to this study
are: 1.) Trait Approach; 2.) Contingency Theory; and 3.) Skills Approach.
Trait Approach
This approach is grounded in the belief that leaders are born with the ability
to be effective leaders for change in any organization (Northouse, 2003).
Additionally, Northouse describes the Trait Approach as one that lends itself to
leadership profiles, that is finding the right people by using personality assessments.
This approach has been criticized for lack of empirical evidence of what specific
traits a leader must have and if the leader can lead in various contexts. However, this
approach has been one of the most studied and can,” provide benchmarks for what
we need to look for in leaders” (p.22).
Contingency Theory
Northouse (2003) sites Fielders (1967) research on this theory which argues
that contingency theory is in essence, a leader-match theory in which the leader’s
effectiveness depends on how well the leader’s style fits the context. The strengths
of this theory are the empirical studies in which it was found to be a valid and
reliable strategy for identifying effective leader practice (Fielder, 1967, as cited in
Northouse, 2003). The research further argues that this theory is not grounded in the
expectation that “all leaders are successful in every context” (p. 113). The criticisms
to this approach as it applies to preparing leaders to be effective is the failure of the
constructs of this theory to explain why certain leadership styles are favorable in one
13
setting, but other styles are not; nor does it explain how leaders should adapt their
leadership style to the context or change the context in which the leader is assigned.
Skills Approach
This approach is grounded in research by Bass (1979, as cited in Northouse,
2003) who believed that the knowledge and skill of the leader directly or indirectly
affects the leaders’ ability “to solve complex organizational problems” (p. 35).
Definitive effective leadership skills are necessary for preparing leaders for the
context in an environment in which increased accountability has redefined the
principal’s role in providing additional resources, becoming instructional leaders and
ensuring high quality professional development (Portin, 2000). The strength in the
Skills Approach is the focus on the leader and effective skills. It provides a frame for
leadership development programs to develop leaders who can build their capacity in
problem-solving skills, which is an essential component of the conceptual
frameworks of this study. However, the Skills Approach has been criticized for
being similar to the trait approach and weak in predictive value on how variations in
these skills affect performance (Northouse, 2003).
These theories lend themselves to this study, as the aim is to examine
effective leader practice and its implications for leader preparation programs. The
conceptual frameworks of Transformational Leadership and Learning-Centered
Leadership encompass some of the constructs of these theories; however it leaves
some essential matters unanswered. Essential to this study is how do we prepare
14
leaders to lead in the urban context and what are the definitive practices that aid a
leader in mitigating the challenges inherent in the urban context.
Additional emerging theories of leadership are posited by Bolman and Deal
(2002) who suggests that there are four frames of leadership. They describe four
areas in which a leader needs to have a high level of efficacy in order to truly impact
the organization that he /she leads. They define their framework in the four areas of:
structural, human resource, political and symbolic. These frames are the lenses
through which leaders need to understand and respond to challenges that are inherent
in the organizational context. Current research is popular with definitions and
frameworks for leadership. Out of these frameworks have come conceptual ideas
about leadership. Leadership has been studied as a process of power relationships
(Northouse, 2002). In the various ways that this phenomena has been described, a
review of the extensive research identified common topics among them: mission and
vision, environments conducive to learning, problem solving ability, years of
experience, duration at a particular sight, social justice and knowledge and skills to
bring people together to work toward a common goal (Marzano, 2005; Northouse,
2002; Leithwood, 2005, Hallinger, 2003).
Urban school leaders are under immense pressure to support an environment
that is conducive to learning and results in increased academic outcomes for
students. Urban leaders are faced with many challenges such as high-poverty, gangs,
parents who are not connected to white, middle-class values, and other cultural and
social influences (Bennet, 2001; Gay, 2000). The question is how should preparation
15
programs build the capacity of principals in order for them to mitigate the challenges
of an urban context?
This paper will not explore all of the commonalities inherent to relevant
leadership theories; however it will identify the salient components of
Transformational Leadership, and Learning Centered Leadership. These two
leadership frameworks provide a lens for examining the role of effective leader
practice that leads to improving student outcomes. The essential components of
these two frameworks provide insight on how effective leadership works.
Additionally, the frameworks are grounded on research-based conclusions on
successful school leadership that is well-documented and well-accepted knowledge
about leadership (Leithwood and Riehl, 2003).
Transformational Leadership
The transformational leader must have the ability to negotiate power
relationships with their staff (Marzano, 2005, Northouse, 2002, and Delpit, 2003).
Marzano (2005) draws on the research of Burns (1978) and Bass (1985) and
describes the transformational leader as one who is relational and converts followers
into leaders. Leithwood (2004) articulates transformational leadership as one that
emphasizes emotions and values and shares in common the fundamental aim of
fostering capacity development and higher levels of personal commitment to
organizational goals. Transformational leaders influence people to be leaders and
initiate change. Transformational leaders often influence people to do things based
on their personality attributes; however, when that leader decides to move on, the
16
movement of the school becomes stagnant (Murphy, 2005). Northouse (2003)
describes transformational leaders as having the following characteristics: Idealized
influence; Inspirational Motivation; Intellectual Stimulation; and Individualized
consideration. The application of these values results in employees of organizations
being motivated and having high self efficacy that is related to their performance
(intrinsic) versus to what they will receive as a result of their performance
(extrinsic). The key components of transformational leadership are delineated under
four major domains: Influence, Motivation, Intellectual Stimulation and
Individualized Consideration. Under each of these domains are behaviors that
support effective leadership practice and the urban context. The influence of a
transformational leader is grounded in the effective practices of leadership. The
transformational leadership approach has proven successful in many different
cultural and organizational contexts (Bass, 1997). Critical to leadership approaches
in different context is the need for leaders to encompass the practices that have been
proven to lead to success. Based on this framework, it is apparent that an effective
leader will need to encompass these four domains as part of an action plan that will
guide the leader in effecting change for improved student achievement (Marazano,
2005). In the next section I will review the conceptual framework for the learning
centered leader, posited by Murphy, Elliot, Goldring, and Porter (2006) to improve
schools and leader practice.
17
Learning Centered Leader
The learning centered leader is one who establishes clear vision, exhibits
instructional proficiency, aligns the curriculum to assessment, personally knows their
staff, implements a culture of learning for adults and children, encourages a safe and
orderly environment, and communicates with all actors in the teaching and learning
process. Leithwood (2002, 2003). Murphy (2003) and Marzano (2003) explain that
this type of leader is knowledgeable in several aspects of the school environment.
Murphy (2002), in his framework, explains that a learning centered leader
creates and establishes an environment that is safe and orderly, influences and or
encourages faculty to learn as professionals where collaboration is key to examining
student data and making curriculum decisions about what students should learn.
Marzano (2000) argues that without effective leadership, best practices will not
guarantee results. The practice of learning centered leaders is viewed by Murphy, et
al., (2006) as based on four conditions: previous experience with expertise in
curriculum; knowledge acquired over a period of time and the types of personal
characteristics a leader brings to the job and the set of values and beliefs that define a
leader. Leadership in a broad perspective encompasses a set of conditions that have
direct effects on teacher practice and indirect effects on student outcomes.
Learning centered leaders encompass the following behaviors as defined by
the research: 1) vision (vision for learning that impacts the curricular decisions at a
school), 2) instructional program, 3) curricular program, 4) assessment program, 5)
18
communities of learning, 6) resource acquisition and use, 7) organizational culture,
and 8) social advocacy.
Leaders play a critical role in improving student outcomes by direct and
indirect effects (Leithwood, Louis, Anderson and Wahlstrom, 2004); which implies
that effective leaders indirectly impact student outcomes by their influence on the
people they work with and or through specific features of their organization.
Indirectly, leaders influence student practice “through events, people, and structures”
(Marazano, 2005, p.24). A leader who exemplifies these practices influences others
to build their capacity, is engaged with the learning community and provides a safe
and orderly environment in which learning takes place (Hallinger &Heck, 1996;
Marzano, 2003, 2005; Leithwood, et. sl., 2004, Darling-Hammond, 2007).
Leithwood’s (2004) learning-centered framework evidenced two integrated
approaches to leadership 1) student-related leadership practices and the 2) building
of social capital. The first set is aimed at practices to implement policies and
initiatives which are research-based evidence that serve a diverse student population.
The second approach is aimed at building social capital. Leithwood (2004) describes
examples of this approach as “practices associated with heightening the awareness of
school community members to resolve inequities and provide opportunities to be
involved in correcting the inequities” (p.17).
Murphy (2002) argues that within the profile of the learning centered leader
is someone who is capable of creating teaching and learning environments that
tightly couple curriculum with assessment. Meaning, that what is taught in the
19
classroom is closely aligned to the knowledge dimensions required of high stakes
testing. Implicit in this argument is the notion that this type of leader must inhabit the
knowledge and skill set that allows the leader to have a deep understanding of
instruction and implement a rigorous curriculum for all students to achieve at high
levels.
While the learning-centered leader framework is necessary for uncovering the
gaps in the literature, the notion of leading in the urban context is relatively scant in
the research on effective schools. In the next section, the effective schools research
posited by Edmonds, (1979) will be discussed as an additional framework for
uncovering what effective practices a leader will need to know and be able to do in
the urban context.
For the purposes of this study the tenets of Murphy’s framework will be used
as the lens for examining effective leader practices.
Effective Schools Research
The review of the literature suggests that there is a gap between the role of
the principal and the expected leadership practices for promoting environments of
continuous improvement under the increased accountability of No Child Left behind
(2001). This raises the question of what practices and/or models can be employed to
prepare leaders to lead in urban schools beyond the traditional practices?
Effective schools are described as schools where students attain academic
achievement as defined by outcomes of standardized tests given once a year
(Marzano, 2000). Inherent in the effective schools research is the role of the
20
principal and his impact on teacher practice and student outcomes. This research
presented by Edmonds (1979, 1982) delineates the inherent conditions in high
performing schools that perform at high levels in spite of the demographics: SES,
ethnicity, and large groups of second language learners in these schools (Edmonds,
1978; Hallinger, et.al., 1996).
Edmonds (1978) describes effective schools as having the following
characteristics; 1) strong principal leadership; 2) an understood instructional focus;
3) a safe and orderly environment conducive to learning; 4) high expectations for
student learning; and 5) the use of measures for student achievement as the basis for
evaluation of programs. Additionally, the effective schools research calls for all
students performing at minimum mastery. This is in alignment with the No Child
Left Behind Act (2001) which calls for all students to be proficient by 2013-2014.
The research is thin on the exact variables that influence the behaviors of
teacher practice and academic excellence in a high performing school (Hallinger,
et.al., 1996). Therefore, to only examine the results of high performing schools
discredits and or ignores the cultural context, which research has shown affects the
school and the leader (Leithwood; Hallinger, Bickman and Davis; Hallinger and
Heck 1996; Marzano, 2003). High Performing schools research indicates that if you
implement certain practices then ultimately you will get the desired result, except
that in addition to putting into play practices that influence teacher practice, student
outcomes, and school climate and culture, the leader in urban schools is also being
impacted by diverse challenges inherent in the urban context (Portin, 2000; Hallinger
21
and Murphy, 1985). Most studies tend to focus on the variable of economics, but
there are other variables that influence culture and values (Hallinger, et.al, 1996).
Parent education level, family structure, grandparents as parents and circumstances
under which children are born have been found to also be significant when predicting
the academic attainment of students by the time they are in elementary school
(Hallinger and Murphy, 1985; Hallinger al, 1996). Edmonds (1979) describes the
five factors of effective school leadership as defined by 1) strong administrative
leadership; 2) a climate of high expectations for all students; 3) an orderly though not
rigid, atmosphere that is conducive to performing the primary tasks of the school,
instruction; 4) a norm that emphasizes the precedence of basic skills instruction over
other school activities; and 5) a system for monitoring school progress. This
research is derived from schools that have been effective at supporting students in
the urban school context. This research makes an effort to provide the behaviors and
practices that an effective principal should have as a leadership skill.
Effective schools research leadership practices have been identified that
promote conditions for academic achievement amongst diverse populations
(Leithwood, 2003). Some of the tenets of a leader in a diverse context are as
follows:
1. Building environments that are conducive to teaching and learning
2. Creating strong communities
3. Expanding social capital (the experiences that students bring to the school
context)
22
4. Nurturing Diverse Cultures within the community
The research on effective schools research has evolved since the framework
presented by Edmonds (1979). However, there is little research delineating the
leadership practices explicitly needed to aid the urban leader in reforming schools to
enable them to meet challenges that are different from those encountered in suburban
and rural schools. In the next section, the context of urban schools will be discussed
along with the implications for effective practices that impact instructional practice
and student outcomes.
Urban School Context
The context of the school is a source of constraints, resources, and
opportunities that the principal must understand in order to lead effectively
(Hallinger and Heck, 1996). There is continuous debate on the role of the principal
as a key factor in influencing student achievement (Hallinger, et al., 1996). Portin
(2000) suggests a framework for examining the challenges of the urban environment
and he defines the urban school context as having characteristics that make it a
unique challenge. Additionally, she warns educators not to assume too many distinct
differences related to the urban context as it is not that different from the suburban,
and rural. According to this research a school leader should be prepared for a myriad
of challenges, regardless of the context.
The urban context presents challenges that can be attributed to social and
economic challenges. A study by the National Center for Education Statistics (2000)
as cited in Portin (2000) characterizes the urban context as schools with high
23
percentages of students at risk, living in poverty and with limited English
proficiency. The study of principals in these context also reported that in the urban
setting there was an increase in layered responsibility; shifts in of leadership
practices from instructional to managerial practices; lack of clarity and complexity in
decision making and problem solving; and issues of declining morale. Examples
cited in the study were: 1) the lack of decision making authority; 2) bargaining
contracts; 3) school site decision making; and 4) not enough time to attend to
important factors such as staff morale. Portin (2000) describes the subtleties between
suburban, rural and urban contexts as more alike than different, while citing that the
following categories were inherent to all three: 1) increased responsibility; 2)
managerial pressure; and 3) complex social needs of students in schools. However,
those challenges that were more complex in relation to the urban context are as
follows: 1) entrepreneurial requirements; 2) managing social complexity; 3) and
political skill. An example of the entrepreneurial requirements was partnering with
alumni and or community members in order to fund school projects.
A leader in an urban context should be equipped to deal with various
situations and influence improvement within the context of the urban school setting.
The role of principals in any school setting is challenging at best. Urban school
principals have an even more daunting challenge as they are faced with having to
play different roles in addition to that of school leader. Hallinger (2003) noted that
within the framework of transformational leadership there may also be variance by
which its enactment is based on culture.
24
School reform is also a factor that influences leadership as there are
increasing demands to prepare students for high-stakes testing (Marzano, 2003).
Principals are often called upon to be instructional leaders yet the demands of
accountability, federal guidelines and restrictions become barriers to implementing
school reforms due to local and state policies, and negotiated agreements with unions
(Hallinger, et.al., 1986; Portin, 2000). It is likely that principal behaviors will prove
more or less effective for different schools and under diverse conditions (Hallinger &
Murphy, 1985) as studies have shown that not all effective practices are transferable
to all settings (Hallinger, et al., 1996, Marzano, 2003; Hallinger and Murphy, 1986).
The context of urban schools calls for leadership that is able to mitigate the
challenges that principals face. In the next section, I will review the implications for
preparation programs in preparing leaders for the urban school setting.
Preparation Programs
In an era of increased accountability how do you prepare leaders to face the
rigors of urban schools whose needs vary and that require someone who can
influence and impact student learning outcomes? Preparation programs that build
this skill set in leaders for American schools in the 21
st
Century are critical to the
success of principal effectiveness (Darling-Hammond, et al., 2005; Beaty, n.d.).
Preparation programs have traditionally ignored the issue of diversity in preparing
leaders to lead effectively in urban contexts (Fullan, 2000; Contreras, 1992 cited in
Rosemary, 2000).
25
In one study conducted by Vanderhaar, Munoz, and Rodsky (2007) they
examined the following variable for implications for principal practice. Their
exploratory study analyzed principals, school setting, preparation programs, and the
impact of preparation programs on student achievement using descriptive and
inferential statistics. The authors found that there is a difference between the
challenges of an urban school principal versus that of a principal in a traditional
setting. The authors found that the challenges of leading a school in the urban
context presented challenges that were minimal in the traditional setting. They
conclude that those principals who are destined to become principals in an urban
setting should be in specialized programs that prepare them to be successful. The
authors suggest that these programs build on leader capacity to understand the
interconnectedness of systemic components and how they affect one another. These
specialized programs should also refer to research in which the authors found that
“schools where the concentration of poverty rose above 40%, student achievement
was negatively impacted and the reverse was true for schools with low poverty”
(p.29). The authors further argue that this finding is indicative of a different set of
knowledge and skills, beyond what traditional programs currently teach, are needed.
The research over years has shown that there is a connection between the principal
and student achievement (Marzano, et. al, 2005), however, the evidence is lacking on
the best ways to develop these effective leaders (Darling-Hammond, 2005).
Leadership is contingent upon the setting and many other factors, including
the characteristics of leaders themselves (Hallinger and Heck 1996b; Leithwood and
26
Duke 1999). Hallinger and Heck (1985) posit that the context in which leadership
takes place matters and should be considered in the design of preparation programs.
Leaders in these settings need support to mitigate the challenges of school violence,
strategies for overcoming hopelessness, support in coordination of non-instructional
needs, and managing diminishing resources (Leithwood, et al., 2006).
Jackson and Kelly (2002) give a comprehensive overview of some of the
nation’s top programs while identifying the key components that make these
programs worth studying. These programs aim to develop the skills of leaders that
are essential to the role of principal. They selected programs based on their level of
rigor in how participants were admitted to the individual programs. They identified
the trends in each of the programs that were considered quality and in line with the
National Standards as defined by several professional organizations. Effective
preparation programs had the following components: faculty, process, knowledge
base, strategy, students and structure. In their discussion they concluded that
preparation programs are not the end all of cultivating highly successful leaders;
however, they were significant in the success of the individuals who participated in
these programs.
The next section will describe an intervention program the State of
Pennsylvania has implemented to help leaders mitigate the various problem inherent
in leading schools for the 21
st
Century.
27
Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership Program
The Pennsylvania Inspired Leaders (PIL) program is a statewide K-12 public
school leadership development and support initiative funded by the Pennsylvania
Department of Education. PIL is a comprehensive, long-term principal development
strategy that uses the National Institute for School Leadership’s (NISL) executive
leadership curriculum to prepare principals to lead instructional improvement in their
schools. To facilitate implementation of key leadership practices learned in the
program, participating principals are assigned a mentor for one year of support.
Participants are selected by the State for this statewide (3,019 schools) mandated
intervention, based upon school performance criteria, from rural and urban public
schools serving ethnically diverse and low SES student populations.
National Institute for School Leadership Program
The National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) offers an executive
development program for school principals as well as other school district, and state
leaders. Specifically, NISL targets populations (districts) with a history of high
poverty, low performance and urban dynamics. The NISL program is the result of
six years of extensive research related to the most effective leadership programs
worldwide (overview). In this section the NISL program will be discussed in relation
to the content, process and context provided to enable school instructional and/or
transformational leaders to improve professional practice and student learning
outcomes in an urban context of schooling.
28
Program Background
NISL was created in July 2001 to provide states and school districts with a
highly sophisticated executive development program for school leaders. The
organization was supported, in part, by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, The
Broad Foundation, the Stupski Foundation, and the New Schools Venture Fund. The
leading researchers in the development of this program are Marc Tucker and Judy
Codding from the National Center of Education and the Economy. Through this
initial research it became evident that the field of educational leadership had much to
learn from other professions such as law, medicine and engineering. The study found
that these other professions had a higher standard for the identification and
implementation of best practices (www. naesp.org) whereas the field of educational
leadership held a position of “once trained and certified, always trained and
certified.” With the current state of education in the United States and the mandates
presented by the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) requiring educators to become
highly qualified, it is quite evident that this position of mediocrity is ineffective and
more importantly intolerable. Our educational system requires rigorous training and
continuous certifications for our leaders. It cannot be assumed that our leaders will
always know what they need to know without extended training throughout their
careers (www.naesp.org). In addition, the study found that many college and
university programs were disconnected from current knowledge in teaching and
learning. The study also revealed that these formal training programs, for the most
part, did not focus on building leadership capacity through strategic thinking, data
29
analyses strategies or gap analysis strategies. To conclude, the study found that many
principals did not feel prepared to lead their schools to high student achievement.
Principals spent the majority of their time on issues such as schedules, bussing, food
services, facilities, sports programs and discipline; only 15 to 30 percent of their time
was spent on improving instruction in their schools.
Program Purpose
The purpose of the NISL program is to build district and state capacity to
sustain long term instructional improvement. At the core of the organization is the
belief that great schools have great leaders. NISL’s theory is rooted in the notion that
effective school leadership ultimately leads to increased student achievement. The
program focuses on the principal as a strategic, instructional leader who creates a fair
and just community of learning in which all students achieve high standards.
Specifically, the program trains participants to build and sustain a collaborative and
ethical learning culture with shared decision making, to train principals on how to
use data to improve instruction. Additionally, leaders are trained to develop strategic
and systemic processes for sustained improvement. Specifically, NISL has adopted
Richard Elmore’s view, that instructional leadership is the core that provides
guidance and direction for improved instruction, which then leads to higher student
achievement.
Content
According to the program developers, the NISL curriculum is closely aligned
with the Interstate School Leadership Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards.
30
Program developers purport that after a thorough review of exemplary leadership
programs worldwide, the NISL program is composed of roughly 65% face-to-face
interaction, 15% web-based learning and 20% individual work in the field. The
curriculum includes several case studies (printed and video), simulations and
computer-assisted exercises. Each unit is designed to use practical application and
gap analysis strategies to identify and problem solve areas of needed improvement.
Not only does the curriculum equip leaders with the knowledge, skills and tools
necessary for being an agent of change it is designed to shape the attitudes and
beliefs of participating school leaders to deepen their capacity as an instructional
leader. The NISL curriculum stresses the importance of the principal as the
instructional leader. Principals learn how to align instructional materials, teaching
strategies and curriculum frameworks.
Process and Context
Principals also learn how to develop processes for creating distributed
leadership teams who become entrenched in the fidelity of instructional strategies. In
all, the program has fourteen units with two simulations and two institutes. The
program is supported by instructors who have experienced great successes as
principals, superintendents or state department of education officials. NISL also
utilizes facilitators with expertise in other backgrounds applicable to effective
leadership in education (e.g. business, military, and government). The program was
purportedly designed to provide limited direct instruction, but weighs heavily on
31
interactive methods of learning (i.e. Socratic questioning, group discussions, role
playing and case studies).
The program design is modeled after that of the corporate university with
cohorts of leaders within a single district or state. The model incorporates strategies
or approaches currently being used in the education agency to enhance student
achievement. Within this design NISL trains a leadership team from the local
district. This team is then responsible for working with NISL facilitators to train
subsequent cohorts of leaders throughout the local education agency. This process
not only builds local capacity but sustains leadership capacity as the training
strategies and approaches remain consistent throughout the agency regardless of
turnover or transfer of leaders within the institution. In addition to the initial training
of the cohorts NISL provides technical assistance and continuing support for up to
three years.
As of 2008, the cost of the Leadership Team program is $12,000 per
leadership team member. The cost of the Principals Program which is taught by the
state or district team leaders is $5,000 per participant. The Leadership Team training
is composed of roughly thirty days of training delivered in two phases. This training
typically takes one and one half to two years to complete. Since the development of
this program four state departments have adopted NISL as their executive training
for school leaders: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, and Minnesota. With
regard to program evaluations the Consortium for Policy Research in Education
(CPRE) at the University of Pennsylvania has begun a five year longitudinal study
32
(2005) of the effects of the NISL program on leadership practices and ultimately
student learning outcomes.
In summary, the NISL program is designed to build instructional leaders who
are able to think strategically, build effective academic programs, lead instructional
improvement efforts, design effective professional development programs and create
a culture of ethical and moral behavior.
Organizational Structures
Organizational structures are important to organizations in meeting their
goals (Clark and Estes, 2001). Organizational structures such as mentoring and
coaching are known as best practices to ensuring that leaders are prepared for
effective leadership (The Wallace Foundation, 2007). This section aims to outline
the importance of internal support structures, in alignment with preparing leaders for
the urban context. A review of the literature also finds mentoring as the next critical
step in supporting leaders as change agents. (Spiro, J., Mattis, M., and Mitgang, L.,
2007).
The new accountability has forced school leaders to consider an out of the
box thinking that will bring innovative change to education. However, the support
structures in place to support and sustain innovative thinking are not in alignment
with current research and practice. Our organizational structures are not set up to
build and or sustain the systems for urban leaders because of the barriers of school
boards, community interest and negotiated union contracts (Beaty, n.d.). A coherent
and comprehensive system of support is critical to supporting principals who lead in
33
urban schools. School districts also play a role in building the capacity of their
leaders. A study conducted by Childress (2006) found that most principals view the
district office as a waste of resource.
Mentoring to “change the status quo”
Mentoring can be used as a resource to support principals in navigating the
challenges of the urban context such as time constraints that keep principals from
being in classrooms. A study conducted by Bloom, et al., 2003), found identified that
most candidates were not able to get to what they considered to be their first priority,
monitoring instruction. Additionally participants concluded that it is the managerial
tasks of parent calls, district paperwork, and demands from the district and student
problems that kept them from monitoring instruction. In several vignettes presented
by the author, new principals were perplexed with problem solving skills. They were
faced with the daunting challenges of either dealing with the angry parent in their
office and keeping the appointment for a classroom observation. Bloom (2003)
identifies guiding principles for effective preparation programs and suggests that the
alignment between national standards for the profession and coaching programs be
tightly aligned in order to meet the intended outcomes of increased student
achievement.
Mentoring
The Wallace Foundation defines mentoring as the process by which
principals are matched, oftentimes with a sitting principal for guidance. They
conducted a study due to the overwhelming response in the field on the lack of
34
quality leaders to lead in some of the nation’s large urban districts. In a study
conducted in conjunction with New York and Kentucky, the foundation identified
quality indicators for high quality and or improved existing mentor programs. They
found that a common barrier was lack of data, unclear goals, instruction, weak or
non-existent training for mentors, insufficient time to spend with mentees, and
underfunding.
Effective leaders in the 21
st
century will need to be able to work alongside
experts who can model skilled practice (Resnick, 1999). This confirms the need for
structures to support principals as they assume the role of leader in any context.
Mentoring must in effect not be mentoring to keep the “status quo,” but a vehicle for
preparing leaders to inhabit the knowledge and skill set to improve schools and
outcomes for students (Spiro, et al., 2007).
In essence the researches should continue to identify guiding principles and
empirical studies for effective school leadership. Learning organizations must ensure
that they have appropriate and high quality criteria for their support structures.
This section highlighted the importance of organizational support structures
to support the learning of effective urban school leaders.
Summary
This literature review focused on (a) Leadership Theories- Transformational
and Learning-Centered Leader (b) Effective Schools Research (c) Urban Context; (d)
Preparation Programs-NISL and (e) Organizational Support Structures.
35
Although school reforms have made many attempts to solve the dilemma of
leading, teaching and learning in an urban context, transformational leadership and
learning centered leadership are inherent to meeting the demands of increased
accountability. Transformational and Learning Centered Leadership were presented
in an effort to connect theory to practice and uncover what the gaps in the literature
are for effective leader practice in the urban context. Effective schools research
served as one of the conceptual frameworks for examining practices that have been
proven effective in schools that have the characteristic challenges of urban and rural
schools.
It is clear that we need empirical research in order to effectively measure the
impact of preparation programs on principal behavior and how their behavior
impacts teacher practice and leads to improved student outcomes. To improve the
practice of leaders in the field we must ensure that all leaders are prepared to lead in
any context and close the achievement gap.
In essence, preparation programs are designed to enhance the field of
education in order to build capacity of leaders. However, if preparation programs do
not consider re-designing programs to encompass new emerging theories on what the
next wave of leaders will need to know and be able to do, to mitigate the challenges
of the urban context, we will continue to maintain the status quo.
Figure 1 on the following page is a conceptual framework for leadership
practice and the contexts in which they are embedded.
36
Figure 1. Conceptual Framework
37
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter described the design, sample, instrumentation, data collection
and data analysis of the proposed study. The purpose of this study was to determine
whether a fully developed leadership intervention program complemented by
leadership mentoring support and assessment of leadership practice, was effective in
promoting and sustaining change in leader pactice, and teacher practice. The data
collected in this study should assist school districts and secondary administrators in
improving and supporting leadership practices.
Research Design
The research method for this investigation consisted of a mixed-methods case
study approach. The purpose of this study was to examine how principal
participation during the 2008-09 school year in the Pennsylvania Inspired Leaders
Program (PIL) influenced their practice in ways that also influenced the practice of
the teachers they lead in urban settings. The purpose of this mixed method design
was to better understand a research problem by converging both broad numeric
trends from quantitative data and the detail of qualitative data (Creswell, 2003). In
this study, the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education (VAL-Ed) survey
was used to measure the relationship between PIL participation and leadership
practice for one PIL principal participant. At the same time, effective leadership
38
practices were explored using qualitative interviews observations with principals and
teachers, of schools in Region I, Pennsylvania School Districts.
The case study design was appropriate for this study because it was
particularly suited to situations in which it was impossible to separate the
phenomenon’s variables (e.g., leadership practice, leader knowledge, etc.) from
context (Yin, 1994) as is the case in the study of leadership practice in schools. In
case study research, data collection usually “involves all three strategies of
interviewing, observing, and analyzing documents” (Merriam, 1998, p.136). Patton
(2002) contends that multiple sources of information are sought and used because no
single source of information can be trusted to provide a comprehensive perspective.
By using a combination of observations, interviews and document analysis the
researcher is able to use different data sources to validate and cross-check findings.
Sample and Population
Participants in this study were drawn from an underperforming, urban,
independent public high school in Pennsylvania that served a predominance of
students from racial and ethnic minorities and low income families. The participant
in this study was selected from the cohort of (N= 3,000) principals in the
Pennsylvania Inspired Leaders Program (PIL). Priority was given to schools based
upon school performance criteria from urban public schools serving students from
ethnically diverse and low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds. Participation
in the PIL program is mandated for all school administrators within the first five-
years of employment. For the purposes of this study, one K-8 school principal
39
participating in the PIL intervention was the focus of the investigation. In addition to
the selected principal, teachers, at the school site, were invited to participate in the
study.
Access to Site and Participants
The dissertation chair for my committee was instrumental in securing access
to the districts and schools across Region I in Pennsylvania. Region I had scheduled
executive leadership training with The National Institute for School Leadership
(NSIL) beginning in the fall of 2008. As a part of the State’s evaluation of the PIL
program, all participants were scheduled to take the on-line version of the VAL-ED
survey on the first day of the training prior to any training taking place. Although
this process enabled most participants to take the survey, others opted to take the
survey at their school sites. Principals were also given the option of taking the post-
intervention survey in spring of 2009 on the last day of their training. To facilitate
administration of the on-line version of the VAL-ED, participants for the in-depth
case study were selected from among those scheduled to begin the training in
October. Region 1 is the only region that began the program during the data
collection time frame. This region is composed of school districts in the following
counties: Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Philadelphia, and Montgomery.
Informed consent letters were drafted to all principal participants from this region
and sent to them in September inviting them to participate in the case study. Those
principals that expressed interest in the study were given a second informed consent
40
letter to be distributed to their teachers informing them of the school’s decision to
participate in the study and inviting them to volunteer as well.
Unit of Analysis
The unit of analysis in this study is principal leadership practice. The sample
consisted of one current K-8 principal who participated in the PIL leadership
preparation program for the 2008-2009 school year. In addition to the principal
participants, teachers, were surveyed using the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership
in Education (VAL-ED) survey and interviewed as a means of responding to the
proposed research questions.
Intervention
In response to the “No Child left behind Act (2001), which requires schools
and districts to prepare students to perform at proficiency or above in English
Language Arts and Mathematics by 2013-14, the Pennsylvania Public Schools Act
45 (2007) requires all school administrators to participate in a leadership preparation
program. The Pennsylvania Department of Education has selected The National
Institute for School Leadership (NSIL) program to achieve this mandate.
Pennsylvania Inspired Leaders Program
Research demonstrates that effective school leaders have a measurable
impact on student achievement. Principal practice is mediated by school structure
and teacher practice. Principals influence both teacher practice and school
organization which in turn promote effective teaching and learning environments
(Murphy, Porter, Elliott, and Goldring, 2006). A focused program of continuing
41
professional education can help leaders develop the knowledge and skills they need
to become more effective in improving the learning environment for teachers and
students. In Pennsylvania, State leaders have taken a proactive approach to making
sure that quality leaders are at the helm in public schools. The State’s Inspired
Leaders Initiative (2005) provides a statewide, cohort-based, standards-based
leadership professional development and support system for school leaders at all
levels. The Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership (PIL) program is focused on leadership
to improve student achievement. Principals and assistant principals in years one
through five participate in a series of courses (GROW) designed to prepare school
leaders to meet the challenges of increased accountability and results for student
learning. Using curriculum from the National Institute for School Leadership
(NISL), that is delivered through a regional collaboration of Intermediate Units and
their partners, the State is focused upon building capacity in school leaders by
focusing on what they need to know and be able to do in order to provide the
guidance and direction of sustained instructional improvement leading to higher
student achievement. Principals who meet the state’s criteria for participation in PIL
register for the two year program across eight regions in the state.
In addition, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has partnered
with the Principals Leadership Induction Network to provide mentors for novice
principals. Each principal is assigned a mentor to support their implementation of the
NISL training. The program matches new principals (within their first through fifth
year) with experienced school administrators to mentor them as they learn the
42
responsibilities of school administration. The program offers a monthly face-to- face
visit and weekly contact through e- mail, phone, or fax. Mentoring sessions provide
time for open conversation about the challenges of the position and development of a
leadership plan within a confidential supportive relationship.
In summary, the PIL program is designed to build instructional leaders who
are able to think strategically, build effective academic programs, lead instructional
improvement efforts, design effective professional development programs and create
a culture of ethical and moral behavior.
Data Collection Procedures
The following section describes the type of data used in the study.
Additionally data collection procedures are outlined. Table 1 below provides a
timeline of the data collection procedures.
Table 1. The project had a one year timeline beginning in the fall of 2008 and
concluding in the spring of 2009.
Task Timeline
Administer Pre- VAL-ED Survey Assessments to PA NISL
Cohort Program Participants (Principal and teachers)
October 2008
Principal Interviews
September 2008 and
March 2009
Teacher Interviews
September 2008 and
March 2009
Observations (Classrooms, Principal) September 2008
School Improvement Data (3-year data) Fall 2008
Administer - VAL-ED Survey Assessments to PA NISL
Cohort Program Participants (Principal and Teacher)
January 2009
43
Instrumentation and Procedures Ratings, Surveys, Observational Checklist and
Questionnaires
Measures of the principal’s practice came from both quantitative data and
qualitative data. The study included principal pre and post assessment surveys
(VAL-ED) administered to principals and teachers. The Principal was observed in
the context of his/her daily work. Observations (prior to the PIL training and
implementation practice), and interviews were used to determine how program
participation affects the knowledge and practice of participating principals and their
influence on teacher practice. Teacher survey (VAL ED) and interview responses
were used to examine how principal practice influences teacher practice and create
the conditions for effective teaching ad learning.
Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education Assessment (VAL ED)
According to the researchers, the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in
Education assessment (VAL-ED) is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of school
leaders and leadership teams. The VAL-ED is a paper and on-line assessment which
utilizes a multi-rater, evidence-based approach to measure the effectiveness of school
leadership behaviors known to influence teacher performance and student learning.
The VAL-ED measures core components and key processes. Core components refer
to characteristics of schools that support the learning of students and enhance the
ability of teachers to teach. Key processes refer to how leaders create those core
components. The VAL-ED is user-friendly. Respondents are requested to complete a
44
twenty to twenty-five minute 72-item inventory of behaviors. Because the surveys
are administered completely anonymously, confidentiality is protected.
The conceptual framework for VAL-ED is based on a review of the learning-
centered leadership research (Porter, Goldring, Murphy, Elliott, and Cravens, 2006)
and alignment to the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC)
standards. Every item in the Principal, Supervisor, and Teacher Response forms
represents a cross-section of one core component and one key process. The six core
components are: 1) High Standards for Student Learning, 2) Rigorous Curriculum; 3)
Quality Instruction; 4) Culture of Learning and Professional Behavior; 5)
Connections to External Communities and 6) Performance Accountability. High
Standards for Student Learning requires the incorporation of individual, team and
school goals to determine the rigor of social and academic learning. Rigorous
Curriculum encompasses the academic content that is provided to students in all
academic areas. Quality Instruction relates to the pedagogy of instructional practices
that assist in maximizing student learning. Culture of Learning and Professional
Behavior focuses on the integration of professional practice, and the provision of a
positive school environment with student learning and well-being at its center.
Connections to External Communities focuses on building the relationships between
the school, families and additional community resources to benefit students and their
learning. Performance Accountability asserts that the performance of students’
academic and social learning is linked to the individual and collective responsibility
garnered by both faculty and students. These six core components work in tandem
45
with the six key processes to identify and evaluate the effectiveness of school leaders
and school teams (Porter, Goldring, Murphy, Elliott, and Cravens, 2006).
The Key Processes “are leadership behaviors, most notably aspects of
transformational leadership traditionally associated with processes of leadership that
raise organizational members’ levels of commitment and shape organizational
culture” (Porter, Goldring, Murphy, Elliott, and Cravens, 2006, p. 2). Planning
demonstrates a need for a collaborative direction and policies, practices and
procedures to foster high expectations for student learning. Engaging individuals,
their ideas and various resources are the activities that encompass implementing.
Supporting creates conditions needed for securing and using financial, technological,
and political and human resources to promote learning. Advocating is defined by
promoting the needs of students both within and beyond the scope of the school’s
walls. Communicating develops, utilizes and maintains exchanges between the
school and the external communities. Monitoring relates to the strategic collection
and analysis of data to drive decisions surrounding continuous improvement. Figure
2 is from the VAL-ED survey that includes the subscales described above.
An effectiveness rating scale with five levels is used: 1 = ineffective, 2=
minimally effective, 3 = satisfactorily effective, 4 = highly effective and 5 =
outstandingly effective. Each respondent must indicate the source of evidence for
the rating as follows: reports from others, personal observations, school documents,
school projects or activities, other sources or no evidence. Figure 2 provides a
46
sample of how respondents rate leadership effectiveness while providing evidence
sources.
Figure 2. Sample VAL-ED Survey
These profiles provide a picture of the respondents’ perception of a
principal's relative strengths and weaknesses regarding leadership behaviors that
support the learning of students and enhance the ability of teachers to teach. To
further interpret these scores, it is anticipated that in the fall of 2009, normative
profiles for principals from across the country will be provided along with a set of
proficiency levels.
The VAL-ED assessment is a reliable instrument and has been constructed to
be used in multiple settings to provide reliable and non-bias results. The authors of
the VAL-ED instrument adhered to a multi-stage development process that involved
47
cognitive labs, pilot tests, and field tests. At each stage of the design and
development process, the properties of the instrument have been investigated through
empirical study and expert review. The process was guided by the American
Educational Research Association's 1999 Standards for Educational and
Psychological Testing. Some of the steps that have been taken to ensure sound
psychometrics include:
• Item & Response Scale Development
• Pilot/Cognitive Interviews
• Nine-school pilot test
• Bias review
• Field test
• Proficiency standards
The results of a 360 degree assessment with VAL-ED are summary profiles of the
six core component scores and the six key process scores based on the ratings of
each of the three types of respondents.
Analysis
Data collected from VAL ED surveys, interviews, and focus group interviews
was coded to identify changes and patterns related to the behaviors of effective urban
or rural school leaders which influence teacher practice and student achievement
outcomes (Creswell, 2003). The ultimate goal was to identify a relationship between
leadership preparation and practice and the influence of leadership practice on
teacher practice. Once the quantitative and qualitative data are collected, the
48
triangulation method was implemented. Triangulation of the data was completed
because it employed various methods of data analysis and enhanced the findings of a
study (Patton, 2002). For the purpose of this research, methodological triangulation
was utilized as the research draws on both a quantitative and qualitative approach.
The use of multiple methods strengthened the validity of the study as it provided
opportunities for “cross-data” examinations (Patton, 2002, p. 248). Table 2 below
illustrates both the quantitative and qualitative methods of investigation that were
triangulated.
Table 2. Triangulation Matrix
Data Collection Instrument
Research Questions Pre/Post Principal Interviews
Pre/Post Teachers Focus Group
Interviews
Spring VAL-Ed
Surveys
(Principal and
Teachers)
How does
participation in PIL
influence practice of
urban principals?
Core Process
High Standards for Learning
Key Process
Planning/Implementing/Supporting
Questions
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 5
Core Process Rigorous Curriculum
Key Process Planning
6, 7 and 8
Core Process
High Standards for Learning
Key Process
Planning/Implementing/Supporting
Questions
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 5
Core Process Rigorous Curriculum
Key Process Planning
6, 7 and 8
Six Key Processes
Questions 1-72
How do organizational
support structures
enable their practice?
Core Process
High Standards for Learning
Key Process
Planning/Implementing/Supporting
Questions
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 5
Core Process Rigorous Curriculum
Key Process Planning
6, 7 and 8
Core Process
High Standards for Learning
Key Process
Planning/Implementing/Supporting
Questions
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 5
Core Process Rigorous Curriculum
Key Process Planning
6, 7 and 8
Key Process
Supporting
Questions 5, 6, 17,
18, 29, 30, 41, 42,
53, 54, 65 & 66.
How does principal
practice influence
professional practice
over time?
Key Process
Planning/Implementing/Supporting
Questions
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6
Key Process
Planning/Implementing/Supporting
Questions
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6
Key Process
Implementing
Questions 3, 4, 15,
16, 27, 28, 39, 40,
51, 52, 63 & 64.
49
Validating the Findings
Validity is used to determine whether the findings are accurate from the
standpoint of the researcher, the participant, or the readers of an account (Creswell &
Miller, 2000, as cited in Creswell, 2003). To check the accuracy of the findings in
this study, two strategies were utilized: triangulation and peer debriefing. To
triangulate data, I conducted a principal interview, teacher focus group interviews,
and administered the VAL-ED prior to the intervention and after the intervention to
garner multiple perspectives, thus producing multiple sources of data that was used
to build a coherent justification for changes. Peer debriefing was also utilized by
locating a person (a peer debrief) who reviews and asks questions about the
qualitative study so that the account resonates with people other than the researcher.
Peer participants were selected from among the team of researchers who are also
working on the Pennsylvania Inspired Leaders’ Program.
Internal Validity
Internal validity has to do with the approximate truthfulness of inferences
about program effectiveness. Some threats to internal validity are:
1. The principal in the study had only completed one of the two required
NISL program courses during the time period of the study.
2. The fact that there was no post-PIL administration of the VAL-ED survey
only a pre-administration (approximately one month prior to the start of
NISL Course 1) limits the degree to which it can fully measure the
50
principal’s growth in the areas assessed. The data were analyzed as base-
line data.
3. The pre-post design of the study has inherent issues of validity, in that
changes reflected in the post-treatment data collection could be results of
factors other than the intervention.
4. Time for the fieldwork in this study is limited to four months.
5. Another limitation is the “halo effect.” Due to the nature of the measures
used in the VAL-ED (ratings of self and colleagues), participants may
have a tendency to assume specific traits or behaviors based on a general
impression. However, to mitigate against this phenomenon, by design,
the VAL -ED survey required that raters identify the primary source of
evidence for their rating on each item (i.e., personal observation,
documents, etc.)
6. Selection bias may lead to an erroneous conclusion about treatment
effectiveness (Patton, 2000). Selection bias is a problem because the
participants who register for the fall PIL program cohort and are
accepted, may be more highly motivated than those who postpone
registration for a later cohort.
External Validity
External validity is the extent to which results can be generalized to other
populations, settings, NISL interventions, and measurements. Since this is a
51
purposive study, sampling is focused on insight about the phenomenon, leadership
practice and its impact, not empirical generalization from the sample to a population.
Follow-up interviews were utilized. They are critical to determine why and
how the changes have occurred. In addition, interviews are effective ways to get at
what leaders think they do, as well as to determine who teachers identify as leaders.
Interviews are also important venues for learning about leaders and teachers.
Interviews provide a critical opportunity to identify the instructional goals that
leaders and teachers have.
Instrumentation and Procedures Semi-Structured Interviews and Focus Groups
Interviews with the principal and teachers (See Appendices) were conducted
as a means to identify “key phrases, terms, and practices that are special to the
people in the setting” (Patton, 2002). These changes were representative of the
knowledge, behaviors, and practices of an effective urban school leader. In addition,
this study aims to examine the practices of effective urban school leaders through the
lenses of the leader and the teachers.
Interviews were conducted before and after the selected principal received
NISL intervention training and assignment of a mentor. The interviews were
conducted within a six month period starting in the fall of 2008 and concluding in
spring of the 2009 school year. Interview questions used in this study have been
adapted from the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Improvement Unit. The
interview protocol was used with K-12 principals, coordinators, teachers and support
staff members in school identified as program improvement years two to five. Each
52
interview session lasted thirty to forty minutes. Two interviewers served as a team
where one assumed the responsibility of the recorder and the other as the principle
interviewer (Patton, 2002). The same process was used to facilitate focus group
interviews with teachers, coordinators, secondary students, teachers and parents.
These questions were useful in identifying changes in the following areas:
climate/culture, vision, curriculum and instruction, and assessment and
accountability. For the purposes of this study the same interview protocol was
employed.
Data Analysis
Learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, generally can be divided into two
categories: procedural knowledge, meaning that a person is now able to do
something better than S/he could do it before; and declarative knowledge, meaning
that the person now possesses knowledge they previously did not possess, the
evidence being that the person can say what it is that S/he (now) knows (Anderson &
Krathwohl, 2001). All measures primarily focused on instructional improvement
situations and in some cases were school subject specific. Each measure was coded
to determine the extent to which there was evidence that expertise and/or knowledge
was apparent in the responses around each of the measured constructs. Measures
were coded for knowledge on six core components and six key processes (Porter,
Goldring, Murphy, Elliott, and Cravens, 2006).
According to Creswell (1999) there are six steps that every researcher should
follow when analyzing data. These six steps are as follows:
53
1. Organize and prepare data for analysis. For this study types recorded
information from respondents were transcribed and field notes were
organized.
2. Read through all data. Data collected from this study was reviewed and
organized by related topics.
3. Use a coding process to organize data into chunks. The coding process
was used in this study as means of categorizing information from
principal interviews, pre observations, and teacher focus group
interviews.
4. Use coding process to generate a description of the setting, participants,
and themes for analysis.
5. Use narrative passages to convey findings of the analysis. In this study
figures, tables, and other visuals were used to represent the qualitative
aspects of the study.
6. Use predictions and interpretations of the data.
These six steps were utilized to facilitate the qualitative nature of the study. Figure 3
summarizes Creswell’s Six Steps to Data Analysis. Figure 4 provides a sample of
how respondents rated leadership effectiveness while providing evidence sources.
54
Figure 3. Creswell Six Steps to Data Collections
Figure 4. Overall Effectiveness Score Sample
55
The VAL-ED behavior inventory provides a total score, six core component
subscale scores and six key process subscale scores for each of the three respondent
types. The scores from the teachers are all based on the average item scores across
all teacher respondents. The total leadership core components and key processes
effectiveness ratings are interpreted against a national representative sample of
principals for which a percentile rank score is provided. These scores are also
interpreted against a set of performance standards ranging from Below Basic to
Distinguished as defined below in Table 3.
Table 3. Leadership Standards Rubric
Below Basic Basic Proficient Distinguished
Leadership
behaviors of core
components and
key processes of
insufficient
effectiveness and
consistency that
over time are
unlikely to
influence teachers
to bring the school
to a point that result
in acceptable value
added to student
achievement and
social learning.
Leadership
behaviors of core
components and key
processes of
sufficient
effectiveness that
over time are likely
to influence teachers
to bring the school
to a point that results
in acceptable value-
added to student
achievement and
social learning for
some sub groups of
students but not all.
Leadership
behaviors of core
components and
key processes of
sufficient
effectiveness that
over time are likely
to influence
teachers to bring
the school to a
point that results in
acceptable value-
added to student
achievement and
social learning for
all students.
Leadership behaviors
of core components
and key processes at
levels of effectiveness
that over time are
virtually certain to
influence teachers to
bring the school to a
point that result in
strong value-added to
student achievement
and social learning
for all students.
56
Ethical Considerations
Several ethical considerations were made during the design and throughout
the course of this study. Primarily, all University of Southern California Institutional
Review Board (IRB) guidelines and procedures were strictly followed, as well as
those of the school district in Pennsylvania. Additionally, the security of the VAL-
ED surveys was maintained, as was the confidentiality of all of the participants in the
study. Informed consent was acquired from all participants, meaning that prior to
consenting to participation in the study all participants were informed of the nature
and purpose of the study, as well as any obligations assumed by them. Additionally,
steps were taken to protect the anonymity of all participants; VAL-ED surveys are
numerically coded and distributed to participants. Participants were informed of the
confidential nature of their responses.
Conclusion
This study discusses the importance, dilemmas, and methodological and
conceptual questions raised by my efforts to measure the mediating variables of
principal knowledge and practice within the context of a mixed method purposive
case study. The next chapter will focus upon the analysis of the data collected for
the case study in response to the research questions.
57
CHAPTER FOUR
ANALYSIS OF DATA AND FINDINGS
Introduction
The purpose of this chapter is to present and analyze the data collected for
this study and to report the findings for each research question presented. The
primary data for this research were collected through principal interviews; teacher
focus group interviews; and responses to the VAL-ED self assessment from the
principal and her teachers. This chapter will begin with a description of the case
study school and its context. That will be followed by a summary of the data
collected, an analysis of the data through the lens of an analytical framework, and a
discussion of the findings for each of the research questions.
Case Study School: President Elementary School
School Context
As I traveled down the road on a metropolitan area in west Philadelphia, the
sound of sirens blared as I approached the intersection of King and First streets, on
my journey into President Elementary School. As I drove down the main street
headed toward the campus I observed the elderly sitting on their stoops and young
children hanging on corners talking to their associates, while others waited for the
morning bus. The playground was surrounded by police cars, as mothers and
children scurried into the dilapidated school, which was in disrepair. The front office
was mayhem, as a parent was screaming at the vice-principal concerning their child’s
suspension from class, the telephone was ringing and went unanswered as the school
58
secretary had quit and the district office was not likely to find someone to replace
her. Volunteers and teachers commandeered the front office and assisted with
substitutes and children who were late to class. The bell for the beginning of school
blared and within seconds students were everywhere as they yelled and screamed
offensives at each other. A young lady approached me, as I stood and waited for
someone to be available. She was certain that I was a visitor, as she said to me, “you
must be here to see Ms. Kaye.” I responded with a surprising yes, wondering was it
my grey wool suit in 70 degree weather that gave her some suspicion that I was a
visitor. I waited in the office for Ms. Kaye and was surprised at how young, vibrant
and most notably calm, she was as she approached me. Her voice was quiet and she
spoke in hushed tones, as if the chaos surrounding us, was not happening. Ms. Kaye
handled approximately twenty questions on the path from the Main Office to her
desk with the same demeanor that she approached me. It was impressive to see her
her ability to negotiate with ease.
Student Population
President Elementary is a K-8 school situated in the urban context of West
Philadelphia. The student population is predominately African-American 84.9% and
Hispanic 10.9%. Ninety percent of the students qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch,
which means they have an annual household income that is below the poverty line.
The school is surrounded by urban blight, as seen in the row houses and their
decrepit condition. The doors and windows of this urban landscape are boarded up
and yet people descend from the dilapidated doors out of the shadows of severely
59
weather worn awnings to begin their day on this humid Monday morning. According
to the principal, the neighborhoods are poor and populated by an even divide of
working and non-working class residents. The parents’ demographic data, as
indicated by the school’s report card, states that the parents are primarily high school
educated and are on some form of public assistance. In turn the parents are very
involved and participatory in the new discipline process.
Staff
President Elementary School has a certificated staff of over forty teachers.
The school is organized by communities in which support staff are assigned. These
community groupings are based on grade-level. In addition, the school is staffed
with teachers who serve as a support to the individual grade levels. Their role in
supporting instruction involves team teaching, facilitator during collaboration, and
lead teacher in the area of math, technology, science, and literacy. The teaching
experience of the staff is fairly novice with some veteran teachers serving in
leadership positions.
Accountability
The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) is the testing system
used in the School District of Philadelphia that measures student performance in
English Language Arts and mathematics for grades 3-8 and 11. Students are
administered the exam in the spring of every year (School District of Philadelphia
website). The performance bands are advanced, proficient, basic, and below basic.
Schools are accountable for meeting performance levels in both Language Arts and
60
mathematics. The numerically significant sub-groups are: African-Americans,
Special Education and Socio-economic Disadvantaged.
Table 4. President Elementary School Disaggregated Pennsylvania System of
School Assessment (PSSA) Student Data
Percent Proficient, 2008
Student Group
Proficient in
Reading
Change from
Previous Year
Proficient in
Math
Change from
Previous Year
Overall 24.0% +.8 25.1% +1.4
African
American
25.0% +2.0 25.4% +2.1
Special
Education
0.0% -2.1 2.2% +2.3
Economically 24.1% +.9 25.2% +1.3
Illustrated in Table 4 are the percent of students who demonstrated
proficiency on the state’s standards based achievement tests in reading and math in
2008. President Elementary School had seen an increase in the percent proficient in
reading for all of their numerically significant sub-groups over the past two years,
except for students who were participating in special education programs. This
group of students realized a 2.1 percent decline in percent proficient in Reading in
2008. In mathematics, President Elementary had experienced growth in the percent
proficient for all of their numerically significant sub-groups.
61
School Improvement
The results of the PSAA were one of the measures used to evaluate a schools
progress in making Adequate Yearly Progress as mandated by No Child Left Behind.
If a school failed to meet progress, they enter into sanctions, in which the school will
have to provide a School Improvement Plan for exiting Corrective Actions.
President Elementary had not met its proficiency targets in the last five years and are
currently in Corrective Action III. In order to exit Corrective Action, it was essential
for them to continue to show steady improvement.
Principal
The principal of President Elementary School was Ms. Kaye. She had been
in this position for one full academic year and at the time of the study, was serving
her second year. Prior to having become principal, she had served in the district as a
teacher and as a School Based Teacher Leader for Literacy. To prepare for the
principalship, Ms. Kaye had participated in a Resident Principal program sponsored
by the District. This was Principal Kaye’s first administrative assignment. Her
mission for the school community of President Elementary School was “to focus on
literacy and build life long learners.”
Summary of the Data
This mixed methods case study investigated the impact of participation in the
Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership (PIL) program on principal practice and
professional practice of teachers. Data were collected from a variety of sources.
According to Patton (2002), “Multiple sources of information are sought and used
62
because no single source of information can be trusted to provide a comprehensive
perspective on the program. By using a combination of observations, interviewing,
and document analysis, the fieldworker is able to use different data sources to
validate and crosscheck findings” (p. 306). In addition, Patton (2002) also pointed
out that each type of data source has its strengths and weaknesses. “Triangulation
(the use of multiple data sources) increases validity because the strengths of one
approach can compensate for the weaknesses of another approach” (Patton, 2003, p.
306).
The findings in this study were based on data collected from three data
sources: 1) principal interviews (pre and post participation in PIL); 2) teacher focus
group interviews (pre and post principal participation in PIL); and 3) VAL-ED
survey results (spring 2009). This Chapter will proceed with a summary report of the
data collected for this study.
Summary Report of the Data
Principal Interview Data Fall (2008)
Ms. Kaye, principal of President Elementary school, was interviewed in the
fall (2008) and in the spring (2009). The purpose of the interviews was to collect
information regarding the principal’s professional practice and ability to impact
teacher practice before and after her participation in the PIL program. The three
themes that emerged from the data were: vision, curriculum and instruction, and
creating a culture and climate conducive to learning.
63
During the fall (2008) interview, Ms. Kaye discussed three school priorities:
the importance of the 1) school vision, 2) curriculum and instruction, and 3) creating
a culture and climate conducive to learning. As she spoke passionately about her
commitment to the learning community at President Elementary School, her
dedication became evident. She shared that “the school had experienced a
considerable amount of change, and it was critical “that the vision developed by the
previous administration be maintained to keep some semblance of consistency.”
In addition to her concerns for the school community, she highlighted her
priority for using her previous instructional experience and aligning the curriculum
to the existing school vision. She affirmed, “I am clear on the instructional pathway
that must be fulfilled as a means of aligning district and school site goals to support
instructional integrity.”
In discussing her greatest challenges, she described her concerns for creating
a learning culture. “I am concerned about the violence in the surrounding
community and how it impacts the learning environment. I saw my teachers facing
constant classroom interruptions from their students.” Ms. Kaye was aware that she
must continue to implement school-wide behavior goals and implement support
structures that will support her goal of creating a learning environment that is
conducive to teaching a standards based curriculum. “We are understaffed for the
challenges we face. I am missing key staff, such as security to assist us with
discipline.” When asked about her greatest challenges, she shared, “discipline in the
classroom and violence.” She bemoaned the fact that with limited resources, she was
64
doing the best she knew how and she has been trying to hire someone to fulfill the
role. She shared, “I want the school to be safe, and I want a culture where learning is
the priority with everyone.”
In summary, Ms. Kaye was focused on the priorities of vision, curriculum
and instruction and creating a climate conducive to learning for the learning
community of President Elementary School.
Principal Interview Data (Spring 2009)
During the post interview, after Principal Kaye had participated in the PIL
program for about three months, she reflected on what the program had contributed
to her knowledge base for effective leader practice. She discussed her strategic plan
for vision, professional development and creating a school culture conducive to
learning. Ms. Kaye reflected on her feelings regarding the vision from the previous
interview, and the need to maintain the integrity of the prior administration’s work.
Principal Kaye maintained her stand for her earlier decision; however, she re-
directed the implementation of a school-wide vision through a global lens. She
explained,
“I was focused on school level problems and school level vision. As a result
of the PIL program, I learned to examine the vision through a global lens. By
focusing on school level factors, we were missing the mark for creating a vision for
life long learners. Students must be prepared for the world, and not just surviving the
school.” Additionally, she explained the strategies in the NISL curriculum that
helped her achieve results. She shared, “for one of the activities of the NISL
65
curriculum, we had to evaluate the vision with criteria for effective vision. This
activity was instrumental in my implementation of the vision development plan. I
was able to keep the vision in place; however, the articulation of the vision
changed.” Ms. Kaye further acknowledged that the NISL curriculum provided
homework and other resources that supported her with the articulation of the schools
vision. She highlighted the features of Course I in the NISL curriculum and how the
homework, activities, reflective practice, and collaboration with colleagues,
supported her goal of vision development.
The PIL program provided resources and strategies through rich discussion
and collaboration with colleagues. We read and discussed articles on best
practices for setting high expectations for staff and students. This contributed
to a deeper understanding of the teaching and learning process. Prior to the
program, I was narrow in my focus regarding my role in implementing the
vision and standards-based instruction. I presently view my staff as partners
in the teaching and learning process and our work as initiators and
implementers of the school’s vision.
During the post-interview Ms. Kaye was asked to explain the difference in
how she set instructional priorities for the school. Ms. Kaye responded, “I came to
President with a background in literacy, so I thought I clearly understood how to
implement curricular coherence and align instructional practice for standards-based
instruction.” Ms. Kaye commented on the NISL curriculum, and the focus on
building a climate of around the principles of teaching, learning, and curriculum.
Ms. Kaye shared, “during the PIL program, we were given strategic plans for
instructional leadership in a standards-based context, in which we learned the salient
features for implementation.” Ms. Kaye highlighted the strategy she shared with her
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teachers and the difference it made for the school community. Ms. Kaye
communicated, “I implemented a process whereby I would increase visibility in
classrooms, focus on trends and patterns, and bring those back to the grade group
meetings for collaboration. As a result, we are now focused on the teaching and
learning principles for building curricular coherence.”
Ms. Kaye explained the culture and climate she wanted to produce for all
students and adults at President Elementary school. Ms. Kaye had implemented
some supports for her teachers, by dedicating the assistant principal’s work to issues
related to student discipline. She discussed, “by assigning the assistant principal to
discipline, we send a cohesive and consistent message to students, and in turn the
staff felt supported with the challenges of classroom management.” She also
affirmed her commitment to supporting teachers by hiring additional staff to co-teach
with classroom teachers while working with students in smaller groups. Ms. Kaye
relayed her vision for this strategic plan, “I was hopeful, and anticipated a reduction
in classroom interruptions, due to the additional support staff assigned to the
classroom. This resulted in less interruptions and more time on task for learning.”
Ms. Kaye attributed her participation in the PIL program as integral to the
implementation of strategies to support a culture conducive to standards-based
instruction. She shared, “collaboration with my colleagues who had similar issues as
me, supported my decision-making and problem solving knowledge, as I was able to
collaborate for solutions.”
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In summary, the data collected during the post interview demonstrated that
Ms. Kaye maintained her focus on the three priorities identified during the fall
interview: 1) vision 2) curriculum and instruction and 3) learning environment for
standards based instruction.
Teacher Focus Group-Interviews (Fall 2008)
Six teachers from President Elementary School were interviewed in the fall
(2008) and three in the spring (2009). The purpose of the interviews was to collect
information regarding the principal’s professional practice and ability to impact
teacher practice before and after her participation in the PIL program. The three
themes that emerged from the data were: vision, curriculum and instruction, and
creating a culture and climate conducive to learning. These themes were consistent
with those that had been identified by the principal.
During the teacher focus group interviews, teachers were asked to discuss the
vision and its implementation in the daily practice of President Elementary School.
The sentiment regarding the vision, was expressed through their collective responses.
As the discussion ensued, teachers admitted that they had experienced tremendous
change and were initially unsure of how their previous work on the vision with the
prior administration would be impacted by the new principal. Mr. Track added,
“The vision is heavily centered on the priority of the PSSA and how it drives
everything…. I am concerned about the vision being too focused on passing a test.”
Mr. Track’s concerns were confirmed when Mr. Cummings reflected, “the vision is
focused on instruction which is too narrow of a focus. The vision needs to include
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accountability for all parents, teachers, and students as well as align with curricular
goals.” Additional comments from teachers highlighted the uncertainty of vision
development. Ms. Shields noted, “Ms. Kaye is under pressure to turn the school
around; I’m not sure she has had much time to focus on the vision.” Mr. Cummings
echoed a similar sentiment. He noted, “we spent so much time on the vision; now,
we barely use it for directing goals for learning.”
During the focus group interview, teachers were asked about the instructional
priorities of the school and how they drive decisions. Teacher responses indicated
that professional development was heavily centered on Central Office initiatives and
was not aligned as one teacher noted, “sometimes it is as though it just fell out of the
sky.” Other respondents had similar sentiments about the mandated professional
development. Mr. Cummings stated, “Collaboration time was focused on data-
driven instruction; however, the mandated professional development was
haphazardly aligned.” Teachers acknowledged Ms. Kaye’s instructional expertise.
Mr. Track noted, “Ms. Kaye is a strong instructional leader; however, the demands
of the Central Office have created too much pressure for her to align practice with
student learning outcomes.” Mr. Track continued, “We have been provided with so
many programs, that often there is not enough time to implement a strategy or
curriculum because we are on to something new.”
While discussing with teachers the school culture and climate and their
impact on instruction, the theme of support emerged as a pivotal concern. Ms.
Shields acknowledged, “The school grapples with constant disruptions and
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classroom management is an issue.” To which Mr. Guillory added that, “the
emotional needs of students are important; however, I am constantly overwhelmed
and not able to implement the instruction that I know the students need.” As the
discussion continued, Ms. Shields contributed, “the home lives of our students often
manifest in behaviors not conducive to learning. If supports were in place, we may
be able to support students both academically and socially.” Additionally, when
responding to the questions about support for professional growth, teachers’
responses indicated that there was support through formal and informal feedback.
Mr. Track noted, “Ms. Kaye provides feedback formally and informally.” Ms.
Guillory added, “Ms. Kaye’s feedback is generally positive and helpful, offering
ideas and suggestions for instructional strategies.”
Teacher Focus Group Interviews Spring 2009
During the spring 2009 three teachers were interviewed. Teachers were
asked to respond to similar questions from the fall. Following is a summary of the
data collected from post teacher interviews. Teachers reported on the vision
development and how it has changed as a result of the principal’s participation in the
PIL program. Ms. Shields commented, “The vision is implemented in our daily
practice, it is apart of our professional developments, staff meetings, and undergirds
the decision making process during collaboration.” Other teachers noted a similar
sentiment. Mr. Cummings shared, “the vision is how we align the way we are
conducting conversations in collaboration groups. Mr. Guillory added, “The vision is
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definitely in the forefront of our school, it is shared with parents, students and
community members.”
Additionally, Ms. Kaye exhibited a change in practice in building curricular
coherence and support structures for decision making. Ms. Shields, “the
conversations in our collaboration and grade groups centers on the need of students
and teachers.” Mr. Cummings supported the sentiment when he shared, “curriculum
and instruction aligned with the professional development have supported me in my
professional growth.” Additionally, teachers’ comments supported a change in
practice in the relationship building for professional growth. Mr. Guillory noted, “I
felt a sense of hesitancy initially, however, I am more comfortable attending my one
on one session with Ms. Kaye, in which I was freely able to share my areas of
growth.”
Finally, teachers commented on the implementation of standards-based
system and the culture and environment of learning for President Elementary. Ms.
Shields noted, the increased collaboration and support systems for implementing
standards-based instruction have supported me in my professional practice.” Mr.
Guillory added, “the collaborations are instrumental in expanding my knowledge as I
am able to share with colleagues who are facing similar challenges.” Lastly, Mr.
Cummings shared, “we are focused on learning, and the protocols in systems in place
have contributed to my understanding of standards-based instruction.”
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In summary, data collected during the teacher focus group interviews were in
concert with Principal Kaye’s goals of vision, curriculum and instruction, and
learning environments conducive to standards-based teaching.
Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education (VAL ED) Survey Spring 2009
The Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education survey (VAL-ED)
was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of school leaders. The VAL-ED survey
was administered once during the period of this study in the spring (2009) to the
principal and five teachers (N=5 out of 35) or 14% of the teachers participated in the
survey. When response rates are lower than 50%, the results should be interpreted
with caution. The VAL-ED survey was administered to Ms. Kaye about one month
prior to having participated in the PIL program. These survey data along with the
pre interview data collected from the principal and her teachers in the fall were used
as baseline data to gain a sense of leader practice prior to the PIL intervention, from
the perspectives of the teachers and the principal.
Overall Effectiveness Score
Prior to her having participated in PIL, the principal’s mean effectiveness
score was 3.14. This score was based on the average ratings across all respondents,
including the principal. This put her overall effectiveness level at Below Basic. The
rating was based on a 5-point effectiveness scale where 1= Ineffective; 2=Minimally
Effective; 3=Satisfactorily Effective; 4=Highly Effective and 5=Outstandingly
Effective. According to the VAL-ED (2009, pg. 3), “A leader at the below basic
level of proficiency exhibits learning-centered leadership behaviors at levels of
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effectiveness that are unlikely to influence teachers positively nor result in
acceptable value-added to student achievement and social learning for students.” For
each of the Core Components and Key Processes on the survey, the principal and the
teachers rated the principal within close range of one another.
Summary of Core Components and Key Processes
Tables 5 and 6 summarize Ms. Kaye’s scores for the spring administration
under Core Components and Key Processes.
As illustrated in Table 5, the principal scored highest in Rigorous Curriculum
(3.28%) and Quality Instruction (3.42%) while her lowest scores were in the area of
Culture of Learning and Professional Behavior (2.85%) and Performance
Accountability (2.88%). The principal’s overall performance level dimensions were
Below Basic. The low percentage of respondents to the survey threatens the validity
of the data and it should be interpreted with caution.
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Table 5. Summary of Core Components Scores
Table 6. Key Processes
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As illustrated in Table 6, Ms. Kaye scored Basic in the area of
Communicating and Monitoring and Below Basic in the areas of Advocating,
Supporting and Implementing. The principal scored proficient at communicating
high standards and basic at monitoring high standards; she scored Below Basic on
planning, implementing, supporting and advocating high standards. The areas where
she performed lowest (below basic) become areas for improvement to build her
capacity to enact learning centered behaviors.
Strengths and Areas of Growth
The VAL-ED results can be used to identify Ms. Kaye’s professional
strengths and areas for growth based on her mean item scores for the intersection of
Core Components by Key Processes. Illustrated in Table 7 is an integrated summary
of Ms. Kaye’s areas of strength and growth based on the spring assessment results.
Each leadership behavior assessed is identified in the table as P= Proficient; B=
Basic; and BB=Below Basic.
As illustrated in Table 7, Ms. Kaye’s relative strengths are most evident in
The Core Component of Quality Instruction in which Ms. Kaye scored Basic in
Planning, Proficient in Implementing, Basic in Supporting, Proficient in
Communicating and Basic in Monitoring. In the Core Component of Rigorous
Curriculum Ms. Kaye scored Basic in Supporting, Communicating and Mentoring.
Next, in the Core Component Connections to External Communities, Ms. Kaye
scored Basic in the Key Processes Advocating and Communicating. Lastly, in the
Core Component of Performance Accountability Ms. Kaye scored Basic. Ideally, to
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determine whether or not there was a change in the results on the survey, Ms. Kaye
would have taken the survey again in the spring following her participation in the
PIL program. However, due to the timeframe for data collection for this study, the
window had closed. Given that this case study is a part of a longitudinal study, it is
expected that the principal will be invited to take the survey again in the fall. Those
results will then become the post intervention survey results for Ms. Kaye.
Table 7. Integrated Summary
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Data Analysis
The study was designed to examine the following three research questions:
1. How does participation in the Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership (PIL)
program influence the leadership practices of urban school principals?
2. How do organizational support structures enable principal practice?
3. How does the leadership practice of the PIL participant influence teacher
professional practice over time?
The data in this analysis were organized according to each research
questions. Three frameworks were used to analyze the data, 1) The Learning
Centered Leader (Murphy, 2000); 2) Four Frames of Leadership (Bolman and Deal’s
(2007); and 3) Transformational Leadership theory (Bass, year; Leithwood, 2003,
Marzano, year). As previously stated in the report of the data section, three themes
emerged: vision, curriculum and instruction, and culture and climate conducive to
learning.
The presentation of findings is organized by each research question. The
framework used to guide the design and data collection instruments will be reviewed
first. Next the findings regarding the framework data will be discussed. Finally, this
section closes with a summary of findings for the research question.
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Research Question One
How does participation in the Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership (PIL) program
influence the leadership practices of urban school principals?
The data collected for research question one were from two sources, pre and
post principal and teacher interviews, and baseline VAL-ED survey data. The data
were collected over a period of seven months. Pre and Post interviews were
collected in the fall 2008 and again in the spring 2009. The VAL-ED was
administered in spring prior to the principal’s participation in the PIL program.
Pennsylvania Inspired Leaders Program (PIL)
The Pennsylvania Inspired Leaders (PIL) program is a statewide K-12 public
school leadership development and support initiative funded by the Pennsylvania
Department of Education. PIL is a comprehensive, long-term principal development
strategy that uses the National Institute for School Leadership’s (NISL) executive
leadership curriculum to prepare principals to lead instructional improvement in their
schools. To facilitate implementation of key leadership practices learned in the
program, participating principals are assigned a mentor for one year of support.
Participants are self-selected during a five-year period for this statewide (3,019
schools) mandated intervention.
Framework: Pennsylvania Inspired Leaders Initiative
One of the frameworks used to analyze the data collected for Research
Question One will be the Pennsylvania Inspired Leaders Initiative. The initiative has
two major components: 1) leader capacity building through the National Institute for
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School Leaders (NISL) curriculum and 2) Support: offered in the form of a
professionally trained mentor for the principal to enable their ability to enact the
research-based practices aligned with the NISL curriculum and the state’s core
leadership standards. These two components are described in detail in Chapter 3.
Research demonstrates that effective school leaders have an indirect impact
on student achievement. Principal effects are mediated by school structure and
teacher practice. Principals influence both teacher practice and school organization
which in turn promote effective teaching and learning environments (Murphy,
Porter, Elliott, and Goldring, 2006). A focused program of continuing professional
education can help leaders develop the knowledge and skills they need to become
more effective in improving the learning environment for teachers and students. In
Pennsylvania, State leaders have taken a proactive approach to making sure that
quality leaders are at the helm in public schools. The State’s Inspired Leaders
Initiative (2005) provides a statewide, cohort-based, standards-based leadership
professional development and support system for school leaders at all levels. The
Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership (PIL) program is focused on leadership to improve
student achievement. Principals and assistant principals in years one through five
participate in a series of courses (GROW) designed to prepare school leaders to meet
the challenges of increased accountability and results for student learning. The PIL
program uses curriculum from the National Institute for School Leadership (NISL),
which is delivered through a regional collaboration of Intermediate Units and their
partners.
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The core standards for success are :
• The leader has knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically,
creating an organizational vision around personalized student success.
• The leader is grounded in standards-based systems theory and design and
is able to transfer knowledge to his/ her job as an architect of standards-
based reform in the school.
• The leader knows how to access and use appropriate data to inform
decision-making at all levels of the system.
• The leader manages resources for effective results.
• The leader collaborates, communicates, engages, empowers others inside
and outside of the organization to pursue excellence in learning.
• The leader operates in a fair and equitable manner with personal and
professional integrity.
• The leader advocates for children and public education in the larger
political, social, economic, legal and cultural context.
• The leader supports professional growth of self and others through
practice and inquiry.
Support
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has partnered with the
Principals Leadership Induction Network to provide mentors for novice principals.
Each principal is assigned a mentor to support their implementation of the NISL
training. The program matches new principals (within their first through fifth year)
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with experienced school administrators to mentor them as they learn the
responsibilities of school administration. The program offers a monthly face-to- face
visit and weekly contact through e- mail, phone, or fax. Mentoring sessions provide
time for open conversation about the challenges of the position and development of a
leadership plan within a confidential supportive relationship.
Expected Outcomes
The PIL program is aligned to the PA Core Leadership Standards with
expected outcomes for participants in each course of the National Institute for School
Leaders (NISL) curriculum. Participants are engaged in discussions, simulated
activities and reflective practice for becoming an effective leader. During the first
course: World Class Schooling: Vision and Goals of the PIL training, the expected
outcomes were: 1) for principals to accept and embrace the goal of getting every
student ready for college without remediation by the time that student leaves high
school, 2) make a realistic assessment of the challenges that schools must meet, 3)
think strategically about the challenges and complete a clear and powerful strategy
for addressing those challenges; 4) analyze vision against criteria for effective vision
development; 5) develop understanding of a standards-based system; 6) distinguish
assessments aligned to standards;7) build curricular coherence;8) analyze materials
for effective standards-based implementation; 9) role of the principal in a standards-
based environment; and 10) assess designs of school reform that best contribute to
the teaching, learning and curriculum principles. Ms. Kaye exhibited characteristics
of the PA Standard of a strategic thinker.
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Strategic Thinker
In accordance with the expectations laid out by PIL and NISL, Ms. Kaye
exhibited the characteristics of a principal who was enabled to think strategically
about the challenges the school must meet. During pre principal and teacher
interviews, the participants responded to questions based on vision, curriculum and
instruction, and creating a climate for learning. Ms. Kaye shared; “violence was one
of my greatest challenges due to staff shortages.” When responding to questions, on
how the violence impacted teaching and learning, Ms. Kaye explained, “this year we
have been faced with many challenges, with staffing. I did not have a security
officer when school began and I do not have a replacement, therefore it is gravely
impacted.” Teacher responses to the questions on greatest challenges undergirded a
similar frustration. Mr. Cummings shared, “the environment in which we taught had
obstacles, due to neighborhood tension spilling over into the school environment.
Mr. Cummings shared, “classroom management is an issue, due to the challenges in
an urban school and lack of security.” Ms. Shields added, “classroom management
would not be such a challenge if we had additional resources to handle all of the
classroom interruptions.”
During post interviews with the principal and teachers, the sentiment of
strategic thinking of the challenges being met surfaced in regards to the violence at
the school. Ms. Kaye communicated, “as a result of the PIL program, I was able to
reflect on inherent issues within my school.” Ms. Kaye also explained how she
participated in strategic thinking activities with other principals to solve some of the
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issues they all faced. She shared, “during discussion, I shared my challenge with the
group, and a colleague across town shared their strategies for mitigating staffing
shortages.” The PIL program involved participants with the available or attainable
resources they already had in order to solve problems. This learning contributed to
Ms. Kaye’s problem solving skills. Ms.Kaye shared, “I collaborated with colleagues
about my challenges, however the activities of reflective practice enabled me to
problem solve with others and as a result, I created a process by which discipline
would be handled.” Teachers were asked about possible differences in the way
discipline had been handled since Ms. Kaye’s participation in the PIL program. Mr.
Cummings communicated, “classroom disruptions have been minimized, we have a
long way to go, but things are looking up.” Additional teachers shared the same
sentiment. Ms. Shields responded, “clear communication on the discipline referral
process and assigning a point person has supported teachers in maintaining order.”
Findings
Research question one asked: How does participation in the Pennsylvania
Inspired Leadership (PIL) program influence the leadership practices of urban school
principals? Field research on effective leadership practice highlight the importance
of leaders ability to have a “balcony view” of their organization (Heifetz and Linsky,
2002) and to distribute responsibilities (Marzano, 2005). The activities inherent in
the NISL curriculum substantiate this claim as evidenced by Ms. Kaye’s strategy for
solving classroom disruptions and violence at her school. The PIL activities for
reflective practice enabled the principal to examine her organization, with a macro
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view for meeting challenges through the engagement with her colleagues. The
participant was provided with resources, professional readings, and collaboration
with colleagues which enabled her practice as an effective leader. Ms. Kaye
indicated, “the program lessened my feelings of isolation, as I was able to collaborate
with principals who shared some of my challenges.”
The data collected evidenced that Ms. Kaye was enabled by her participation
in the PIL program to be a strategic thinker to meet the challenges of the urban
context. Ms. Kaye utilized the characteristics of a strategic thinker when she
appointed the assistant principal over discipline and communicated a process for
discipline referrals.
Learning Centered Leader
The Learning Centered Leader framework provided an additional lens for
analyzing the data collected for Research Question 1. The demands of increased
accountability have created a paradigm shift for leaders in today’s schools
(Schmoker, 2006). Instead of leaders as managers, leaders are being pressed to do
more than simply manage the day to day activities of the school. Emerging theories
in leadership are focusing on the issue of leadership to change the context of urban
schooling (Marzano, Waters, McNulty, 2005). This emerging research espouses the
importance of the need for specific leadership practices in order to meet the demands
of the increased accountability of NCLB (2001).
According to Murphy (2000) there are seven characteristics of a learning
centered leader. This construct consists of a leader who establishes: clear vision,
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exhibits instructional proficiency, aligns the curriculum to assessment, personally
knows their staff, implements a culture of learning for adults and children,
encourages a safe and orderly environment, and communicates with all actors in the
teaching and learning process. Leithwood (2002, 2003, Murphy (2003) and Marzano
(2003) explain that this type of leader is knowledgeable in several aspects of the
school environment. According to the data via the pre and post principal interviews,
pre post teacher focus group interviews and the VAL-ED responses, Ms. Kaye,
exhibited three of the four characteristics of a Learning Centered Leader.
Clear Vision
The first characteristic of a Learning Center Leader is one who is able to
establish and articulate clear goals for an organization (Lambert, 2005). According
to fall and spring 2008-09 principal and teacher interview data, Ms. Kaye
communicated, “[She] had inherited a school that had completed a vision protocol
and process with the former administrative team and it was important to her to
maintain the integrity of the work that had been done by a staff that has experienced
so much change.” Ms. Kaye reported that the need for stability within her school
and the district gave her the resolve to keep focused on the instructional aspect of
President Elementary School. She further explained her frustration, “with all of the
changes within the District leadership, I was compelled to not to make any changes
to the vision, and maintain some stability at the school.” Teacher pre-focus group
data aligned to the sentiments outlined by Ms. Kaye. Teachers were initially unsure
of how their previous work on the vision with prior administration would be
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impacted by the new principal. Mr. Track said, “The vision is heavily centered on
the priority of the PSAA and how it drives everything that is done and decided for
teachers and students and I am concerned about the vision being too focused on
passing a test.” The sentiment of high stakes testing driving the curriculum was
further supported when Mr. Cummings stated that, “he believes that a focus on
instruction is too narrow of a focus, and the vision needs to include accountability for
all parents, teachers, and students.”
During the principal’s interview following her participation in PIL, Ms. Kaye
reflected on a change in practice as a result of her participation in the PIL program.
She recalled, “the NISL curriculum provided homework and other resources through
which to view the problems inherent in school culture.” She further expounded on
how the curriculum focused on themes and concepts related to vision, accountability,
changes in the economy, instructional leadership, standards-based instruction, and
raising student achievement. She further added,
The PIL program provided resources and strategies, through rich discussion
and collaboration with colleagues; we read and discussed articles on best
practices for setting high expectations for staff and students, and this
contributed to a deeper understanding of the teaching and learning process.
Prior to the program I was narrow in my focus regarding my role in
implementing the vision. I presently view my staff as partners in the
teaching and learning process and our work as initiators and implementers of
the school’s vision.
Teacher focus-group interview data from the spring (2009) indicated a shift
in the principal’s thinking in the implementation of the school’s vision. Ms. Shields
said, “Children come first, we are all one team, for all our students to succeed to the
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best of their abilities. It is communicated to the staff weekly in memos, at PDs, at
grade group meetings, and is posted in the school.” The teachers’ reviews of Ms.
Kaye were complimentary in that the teachers, although worried about her
experience, were delighted in her efforts to bring about changes for the good of
students. Mr. Cummings noted that since her arrival, “I see more than the
importance of test scores, I see my job as a system by which I am a facilitator of the
learning.” In addition, Mr. Guillory added, “Ms. Kaye has provided a clear focus for
our schools by the transparency she has created, through continuous communication
of the vision in multiple ways.”
Principal interview and teacher focused group interviews present some
evidence that Ms. Kaye exhibited the characteristics of a leader who implemented a
clear vision.
Exhibits Instructional Proficiency
The second characteristic of the Learning Centered Leader is one who
exhibits instructional proficiency. In the field literature, a leader who exhibits
instructional proficiency is one who is knowledgeable about and deeply involved in
the school’s curricular program (Murphy, 2000). Analysis of data collected from the
fall (2008) principal and teacher interview data, as well as VAL ED survey responses
provide some evidence that Ms. Kaye exhibited instructional proficiency. Ms. Kaye
reflected on her previous experience as an instructional literacy coach and was
strategically focused on a clear implementation of the mandated professional
development. Ms. Kaye summarized the mandated professional development plan
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and her activities to implement it with fidelity. Ms. Kaye indicated, “upon my
arrival at President Elementary, the integrity of the curricular goals and instructional
practice, lacked cohesiveness, within the professional development plan. I wanted to
focus on how to bring the professional development in alignment with standards-
based instruction.”
Fall (2008) teacher focus group interview data suggest that teachers were
unclear of curricular initiatives and focus. Mr. Cummings reflected, “professional
development included multiple strands, and I am not sure which strand of
professional development I am supposed to implement.” Other respondents shared a
similar concern about the mandated professional development. Mr. Track stated,
“Grade groups were focused on instruction; however, the mandated professional
development was haphazardly aligned.”
After participation in the PIL program Ms. Kaye shared, “I learned in the
NISL program how curriculum and instruction were inherent in implementing
curricular coherence.” Ms. Kaye further communicated that, “I learned in PIL, that it
not enough to implement a mandated curriculum, without the components of clear
effective instructional practice.” Ms. Kaye affirmed, “It was critical to provide
feedback in order to facilitate the needs of the teachers.” Ms. Kaye furthered
discussed trends and patterns across her classroom observations in weekly
collaboration meetings. She explained, “I collected lesson plans and provided
feedback to my staff, because I considered instruction to be the first priority and if I
saw a trend of teachers not checking for understanding, then it was critical that
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feedback and resources be provided to staff.” The principal also deemed it critical to
engage in discussion about the inconsistencies she observed during her daily
classroom visits. She shared, “Maintaining visibility in the classroom is critical to
my role as principal, teachers needed to see me in order to get to know me, and it
enabled me to engage in discussions during grade groups to begin curriculum
alignment.” Ms.Kaye further attributed her ability to strengthen the curricular focus,
through the engagement of the NISL curriculum which engages the participants to
create standards-based environments. Ms. Kaye noted, “that while I had a
background in literacy and curriculum, the NISL activities allowed me to drill down,
by collaborating with teachers to strengthen practice.”
Teachers acknowledged Ms. Kaye’s instructional expertise noting, Ms. Kaye
was a strong instructional leader. To which Ms. Shields responded, “we have
stronger understanding of the focus for our professional development practice.” Mr.
Cummings shared, “my understanding of standards-based instruction has improved,
due to our focused discussions during grade group. Additionally, the trends and
patterns Ms. Kaye shared supported a deeper implementation of standards.” Mr.
Guillory completed the question about curriculum coherence. He communicated,
“we noted earlier she was a strong instructional leader, and she is also more focused
on creating understanding for the staff through grade group discussion on standards-
based instruction.”
The PIL program contributed to her knowledge base of instructional
proficiency. As a result of the activities in the NISL curriculum, she was able to
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implement curricular goals. Ms. Kaye offered, “the NISL curriculum provided keys
to success and stressed the importance of alignment/coherence of all the elements of
a standards-based system.” Additionally she shared, “the program provided ways to
strategically think about students achieving at high levels.” The vision for
professional development had involved increased collaboration between the
Principal, AP, and Teacher Leads. The principal shared, “we (leadership team)
began the conversation about implementation of the professional development plan
and then we implemented benchmark assessments given every six weeks, in which
grade groups reviewed the data; problem solved, and aligned professional
development to the instructional practices of the classroom.” She explained, that
“while learning to implement the six effective instructional practices in the PIL
program, I was able to clearly delineate the roles and primary responsibility of
aligning instructional practice and build coherence.” She further explained that she
realized that as a result of her participation in the PIL program, she had gained a
deeper understanding of organizing for effective instruction. Ms. Kaye additionally
commented that, “the teacher leads, specialist and coaches positions were vital to the
instructional program as one person could not do it all. I learned that my role was to
monitor instruction, and provide support through my coaches and teacher leads for
teachers, which in turn provided me time to address lesson development during grade
group discussions.”
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Implements a Culture of Learning
The third characteristic of a Learning Centered Leader is one who
implements a culture of learning for adults and children. Field research suggests that
the learning centered leader is one who understands and supports others in their
understanding, that communities of professional practice offer the most sufficient
avenue for professional learning and the forging of new instructional skills (Murphy,
2000).
Principal and teacher interviews during the fall (2008) and spring (2009)
indicated a change in practice that exhibited the learning centered leader
characteristic of: implements a culture of learning. In interview data conducted in
the fall of 2008 the principal noted her observations about the development and
capacity of staff. Ms. Kaye indicated, “I was concerned about the instructional
practices of staff when I observed classes, as I felt the focus on classroom
management, at the expense of the learning focus.” She further communicated,
“teachers were not collaborating around an instructional focus.” During pre teacher
focus group interviews, the teachers shared a variety of views on the value of
collaboration time. Mr. Track declared concern about current grade group work, in
which he opined, “we focus some of the discussion on data; however, we spend most
of the time discussing classroom management or operational issues.” To which Mr.
Guillory responded, “our school has a discipline issue, and we cannot focus on
learning, when students aren’t ready for it.”
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Following her participation in the PIL program, Ms. Kaye reviewed the
critical lessons from the PIL program. She stressed the importance of creating a
climate and culture conducive to learning in which she learned strategies in how to
effectively enact practice. She highlighted the features of the program, “I learned
strategies which enabled me to develop the professional knowledge and skill of the
staff, by creating opportunities for teacher collaboration.” Additionally, Ms. Kaye
explained how her experience in the PIL program expanded her knowledge base for
creating communities and cultures for learning. She shared, “my colleagues and I
engaged in rich discussion and simulated learning activities, in which we were taught
how to enable learning for teacher and students, and this is done by creating
structures for the learning to take place.” Post teacher focus group interview data
suggested that Ms. Kaye created a revised structure for collaboration after her
participation in the PIL program. One teacher noted, “The revised grade group
meeting structure has supported me in my professional practice. It has helped me
come up with new ideas to use in the implementation of effective strategies and
helped me with behavioral strategies to use in the classroom.” Additional
commentary from Mr. Cummings concerning the revised structure was as follows,
“during collaboration times, we were strongly focused on the behavior and discipline
of our students, due to the increased pressure from the Central Office. However, Ms.
Kaye has since provided research-based strategies for improving professional
practice, while addressing fundamental needs of classroom instruction.”
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The principal and teacher interview data provide some evidence that Ms.
Kaye exhibited some of the characteristics of a Learning Centered Leader through
setting a clear vision, exhibiting instructional proficiency and implementing a culture
of learning. The VAL-ED survey data suggest that there may be a change in practice
as Ms. Kaye scored below basic in the Key Component of Culture of Learning and
Professional behavior. This discrepancy may be attributed to the implementation of
a strategy, that was not yet indicative of a habit of practice.
There is some evidence to show that Ms Kaye is one who implements a clear
vision as she ensures the integrity of her staffs’ work, while developing and infusing
the vision in the daily practices of her school. The vision development and
implementation is revealed through teacher reflections of Ms. Kaye’s daily practice
of infusing the vision throughout the school, professional development, and
collaboration meetings. Moreover, data revealed Ms. Kaye exhibited instructional
proficiency by leading collaboration groups through the process of curricular
coherence. Ms.Kaye’s experience in the PIL program enabled her to enact the six
frames of effective instructional practice. Finally, the data provide some evidence
that Ms. Kaye focused on implementing a culture of learning through the knowledge
gained in the PIL program. Participation in the program provided her with strategies
for revising collaborative structures for learning as a result, she was able to center
the collaboration meetings on instructional and classroom management needs.
These findings contribute to the research on effective leader practice as
evidenced by the reflective activities Ms. Kaye engaged in through the NISL
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curriculum. The data collected for this study should be interpreted with caution;
however there is some evidence that Ms. Kaye’s participation in the PIL program
enabled her practice through her implementation of strategies to improve outcomes
for President Elementary School. Principal and teacher interview data provided
some evidence that Ms. Kaye expanded her repertoire through the activities in which
she engaged through the NISL curriculum. Ms. Kaye shared, “the PIL program
provided me with the knowledge and skill set that enabled effective practice in the
urban context. I learned about the importance of establishing a clear vision and the
impact of that vision on creating a culture and climate conducive to learning.
Additionally, I was empowered as an effective leader through time spent in
discussions with my colleagues on the implementation of clear instructional goals.
Lastly, I was given the tools to support my teachers learning in the context of
collaboration.” It is critical for school leaders to have support in place that impact
the teaching and learning relationship. This was further evidenced with teacher data,
which highlighted the difference in practice pre and post Ms. Kaye’s participation in
PIL. Mr. Cummings shared, “clear communication on the discipline referral process
and assigning a point person has supported teachers in maintaining order.” This
assertion evidenced that the teachers witnessed change in leader practice.
Summary
In summary, according to the data from the fall (2008) and spring (2009)
principal and teacher focus interviews, Ms. Kaye’s participation in the Pennsylvania
Inspired Leadership (PIL) program influenced her leadership practices.
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Research Question Two
How do organizational support structures enable principal practice?
Analytical Framework
Four Frames of Leadership and PIL Outcomes
Bolman and Deal’s (2003) four frames provided the analytical framework for
this research question. The authors posit that organizations function through four
frames: political, structural, symbolic and human resource. For the purposes of
analysis the structural and human resource frames will be used for data analysis.
Structural Frame
The structural frame is centered on creating patterns of well thought-out roles
and relationships. According to Bolman and Deal (2003), “Leaders who make
change using this approach focus on structural elements within the organization as
well as strategy, implementation, and adaptation,” (pg. 47). Fall (2008) and spring
(2009) principal interview and teacher focus group interview data, and VAL-ED
responses were collected to inform this analysis.
Strategy and Implementation
Principal and teacher interview data suggested that Principal Kaye, enacted
the characteristics of an effective leader through the structural and human resource
frames. As noted earlier in Chapter 2 inherent in supporting effective principal
practice are support structures to ensure implementation of the organization’s goals
(Clark & Estes, 2002). The NISL program provided Ms. Kaye with systems thinking
strategies, in order to implement structures for effective practice. Ms. Kaye shared,
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“part of the PIL curriculum is to focus on the systems within your school. We
learned to examine our practices, by reflecting on our daily habits for solving
problems, what systems are in place for decision making, and restructuring for
effectiveness.” Additionally, Ms. Kaye noted that the activities focused on effective
decision making models, in which she was able to learn, about operational
excellence, and ensure that actions are employed to carry out decisions. Ms. Kaye
explained,” my first year at President, the structures for carrying out decisions were
inherently weak. Additionally, the structures for supporting curricular coherence
were not transparent.”
Through teacher focus group interview questions, similar concerns about
curricular decisions were raised. Ms. Chatman reflected on the grade level meetings
and noted, “Meetings are oftentimes venting sessions, where we have not made any
decisions about the implementation of programs, and we have to stop venting and be
focused and organized.” To which Ms. Shields confirmed, “We struggled with
collaboration as we were often focused on our problems and not what students were
learning.” Teacher focus group discussions highlighted the strengths considered to
be important for implementing effective curricular decisions. According to Mr.
Cummings “we lacked structure, and the roles and responsibilities were not clearly
defined.”
Spring (2009) principal interview data indicated that the activities that Ms.
Kaye employed to resolve the structural changes made the decision making
meaningful. Ms. Kaye noted, “Through implementing procedures and protocols in
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the grade level meetings, teachers were able to stay focused on the objectives for
learning and performance goals.”
Teacher spring (2009) interview data highlighted a similar sentiment. Ms.
Shields, commented, “We now conduct our meetings with our protocols in place. As
a result, the focus remains on student learning. As we focus on making curricular
decisions for intervention and enrichment.” Mr. Cummings supported this claim,
when asked about the structural changes within grade group meetings, he noted, “I
was ambivalent, because I thought a protocol would make our meetings more formal,
however our meetings are more focused as a result.”
Human Resource Frame
According to Bolman and Deal (2003) another frame for effective
organizational practices is the human resource frame. The human resource frame
describes leaders as one who approaches leadership with a focus on people. This
approach emphasizes support, empowerment (perhaps through distributed leadership
mechanisms), staff development, and responsiveness to employee needs.
The PIL program participants were required to consider the implications of
the leaders’ role as it relates to learning, teaching and curriculum. Ms. Kaye
emphasized,
The activities in program focused on the leader’s role in engaging with staff
for the purposes of teaching, learning and curriculum in which we were
required to reflect and dialogue with colleagues on the five principles of
teaching. The discussion and dialogue with my colleagues was instrumental
as we coached each other through role plays, and computer assisted activities
on the importance of the role of the teacher, in which I reflected in my
journal how important it was for me to build relationships with my staff.
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After having participated in the PIL program, there is some evidence that Ms. Kaye
exhibited the characteristics of a leader who focused on people. Ms. Kaye reflected
on her first year as principal of President Elementary school in which she noted, “I
was concerned about the relationships I would have with teachers as a result of the
many changes they were experiencing, and I decided I would see how it goes.”
However, as a result of the PIL program I am equipped with strategies I have used to
build teacher capacity thus changing the context for our collaboration and grade level
meetings.
Fall (2008) teacher interview data commented on Ms. Kaye and her capacity
building and support. Ms. Shields commented, “When grade group began, Ms. Kaye
would facilitate most of the meetings, and while she would work with us, it was her
trying to bring us along.” Mr. Cummings responded, “Ms. Kaye always participates
in collaboration, however she seemed hesitant to inserting herself.” Teacher
interviews also indicated Ms. Kaye was always approachable, however she did not
seem comfortable with addressing teacher needs.
Spring (2009) teacher interview data suggest that there may have been a
change in Ms.Kaye’s practice as a result of her participation in the PIL program.
Teachers responded to the significant changes they saw in the collaboration. One
teacher noted, “Ms. Kaye sought me out to lead a session on effective literacy
strategies to support my fellow teachers. She told me that she noticed how strong
my implementation was in the classroom, and how imperative it was to support
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colleagues.” Mr. Cummings noted, “Ms. Kaye is not intimidating, nor is she
insecure about her teachers’ abilities, and she often offers us opportunities to work
with each other above and beyond collaboration.” To which Ms. Shields added, “Ms.
Kaye is always a participant in our collaborations; however, she seems more
comfortable in allowing teachers to develop in their areas of strength.”
Findings
The data collected from principal and teacher interviews were used to
answer: How do organizational support structures enable practice? Participation in
the PIL program enabled the practice of the participant in multiple ways. First, the
program provided Ms. Kaye the opportunity to establish a vision development
process by which she was able to maintain integrity of prior work, while instilling
the vision in the habits and daily practices of her work. The activities and
assignments completed during the PIL program were instrumental in building the
capacity of Ms. Kaye to enact effective leader practice to support systems thinking
and establishing relationships with her staff. Secondly, as a result of the knowledge
and skills gained through participation in the NISL curriculum, Ms. Kaye was able to
build capacity and support of her teachers. The PIL program helped to develop Ms.
Kaye’s knowledge and skill in analyzing and establishing systems of support for
decision making, implementation and adaptation of structures and systems. Based
on teacher interview data, there is some evidence that Ms. Kaye exhibited some of
the characteristics of a leader operating in the structural frame.
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Summary
Organizational support structures are critical to supporting effective leader
practice. The PIL program was instrumental in providing the participants with
knowledge and skills to enact effective practice with colleagues and with and
amongst other leaders. Ms. Kaye exhibited some of the characteristics of one who
employs effective leader practice through structural and human resource dimensions.
Ms. Kaye employed the knowledge and skills from her participation in the PIL to
support curricular coherence and build teacher capacity. The structures within the
program supported Ms. Kaye’s capacity as a leader with the focus on systems
thinking, where participants are required to analyze how problems are handled at the
school site, and redesign systems for effectiveness. Ms. Kaye also enhanced her
knowledge and skill set by collaborating with colleagues who were facing the same
challenges. Additionally, the role play and enactment of activities were instrumental
in creating opportunities for Ms. Kaye to support her teachers by supporting their
learning and focusing on their strengths.
PA Inspired Leaders Program Mentoring
Inherent in the Pennsylvania Inspired Leader Program is the expectation for
participants to work with a mentor throughout the year. By design the mentors are
provided the identical mandatory training in the PIL framework. The expected
outcome is for the mentor to support the principal in expanding and implementing
effective leader practices, and building a relationship between the mentor and the
principal. Mentors are experienced former or current administrators who
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volunteered to become a part of the learning community of school leaders. Mentors
are expected to share their experience, give guidance and support and provide
resource materials to novice principals.
Field research supports the practice of assigning mentors, as data has shown
mentor support to be, “critical to sustaining effective practices in supporting
principals’ progress in decision making, vision, and instructional focus” (The
Wallace Foundation, p.20, 2007). The benefit of this initiative in the State of
Pennsylvania was the guiding principal for all leaders to attend. This was a critical
component as it underlined the role and structure of the Central Office to support
participants in effective practices. The intended outcomes for PIL program are for
the mentor to be utilized as a resource for supporting participants in the field.
Data Summary
According to the data collected for this study the mentor was assigned, as
designed by the PIL program to support the effective practice of Ms. Kaye. Ms.
Kaye noted in post interview data, “my mentor was assigned, and we talked on the
phone, however we never established a relationship that enabled my practice as an
effective leader.”
Findings
The findings in this study found inconclusive evidence that the mentor was
indeed an organizational support structure that enabled the effective practices of the
principal. Based on the data collected the mentor would have been of great benefit
to Ms. Kaye as a resource to support in implementing structures to build capacity and
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support.for her teachers. As a result of participating in the PIL program Ms. Kaye
was able to focus on the structural needs of her school and build capacity and support
of her teachers. Had Ms. Kaye and her assigned mentor established a relationship,
the mentor in conjunction with fellow principals, may have enabled the principal to
continue to build culture of professional learning, by building on the experience and
relationship of the mentor.
Summary
The second research question was aimed to identify the organizational
support structures that would enable the practice of the urban leader to meet the
demands of the urban context.
The data gathered for this question evidenced a clear practice on the part of
the administrator to improve Ms. Kaye’s leadership skills. The principal participated
in collaborative problem solving with her colleagues during the PIL program. The
support from this program then enabled her to implement support structures for her
teachers, which would further the goals of improving teacher capacity, as well as her
own. In order to meet the challenges of urban schooling, the principal strategically
focuses on the resource acquisition and support of teachers through participation and
active listening of the needs of her support staff.
The overarching goal of implementing support structures is to enable the
practice of the principal as an effective leader. In essence, the principal provides the
primary structure (Phillips, 2005) which in turn supports the collaboration process,
thus improving the teaching and learning relationship. Inherent in organizational
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structure that enables principal practice is the decision making process. There is
evidence that the support structure of collaboration with her colleagues in the PIL
program, and central office support in guiding teacher collaboration, were
instrumental for Ms. Kaye, as she mitigated challenges within her school. The way
in which the principal manages the aspect of curriculum and instruction that allows
for the input of all stakeholders, which may attribute to the school having one of the
lowest turnover rates in the past two years. Finally, support structures such as
mentoring should be a part of preparation programs as field research has concluded
that there are multiple benefits of mentoring novice principals’ progress in effective
practice (The Wallace Foundation, 2007). Additionally, in a study conducted by
Darling-Hammond, et.al, whereby the components of effective preparation programs
were studied, she posits that principals who are involved in preparation programs
with organized support structures were perceived to be more effective in managing
their schools.
Research Question Three
Research Question Three: How does principal practice enable teacher practice over
time?
The analytical framework used to analyze data collected for this research
question was the theory of transformational leadership.
Analytical Framework: Transformational Leadership
Bass (1985) has been credited with extending the concept of charismatic
leadership to a theory of transformational leadership where the leader’s behavior
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inspires and motivates subordinates to "perform beyond expectations" while
achieving goals beyond those normally set (Bass, 1985). Leithwood (2004)
articulates transformational leadership as one that emphasizes emotions and values
and shares in common the fundamental aim of fostering capacity development and
higher levels of personal commitment to organizational goals. Transformational
leaders influence people to be leaders and initiate change. Transformational leaders
often influence people to do things based on their personality attributes; however,
when that leader decides to move on, the movement of the school becomes stagnant
(Murphy, 2005). Northouse (2003) describes transformational leaders as having the
following characteristics: Idealized influence; Inspirational Motivation; Intellectual
Stimulation; and Individualized Consideration. Under each of these domains are
behaviors that support effective leadership practice and the urban context.
The application of these values results in employees of organizations being
motivated and having high self efficacy that is related to their performance (intrinsic)
versus to what they will receive as a result of their performance (extrinsic).
Individualized Motivation
The first characteristic of a transformational leader is one who is able to
communicate expectations to staff enthusiastically. Research by Leithwood (1994)
found that principals are effective when they are modeling the behaviors of someone
who supports staff, are approachable, and spend considerable time developing
capacity. The data collected from pre and post principal and teacher interview data
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suggest that Ms. Kaye exhibited the characteristics of a transformational leader who
supports the staff at her school.
The principal indicated in the fall (2008) interview that a major area of
concern was teacher instructional practice. Ms. Kaye said, “I was not sure where
staff was in regards to instruction and curriculum.” Observations of instructional
practice, led her to the conclusion that the teaching was good; however “there,
needed to be further program and monitoring in order to evaluate the effectiveness of
instruction.”
Fall (2008) teacher focus group interviews alluded to the notion that the
principal was concerned with curriculum and instruction. Mr. Track commented,
“The principal conducts walk-thrus and provides feedback on a daily basis.” Ms.
Shields responded, “Feedback is always reflective and considerate and I feel that she
is supporting me.” Ms. Shields commented that there had been so much instability
with turnover, “I was not sure of the instructional expectations.” Additionally several
teachers mentioned the PSAA and AYP. One teacher mentioned, “It is critical for
the school to exit program improvement status.” The teacher communicated that
while they were focused on instruction, the fact remained that there was a need of
improvement, “like a black cloud, hanging over us.” Mr. Cummings added to the
comment by saying, “we are here for students and we realize that the students may
arrive to school with academic deficits, however it would be nice to teach them
without constantly having to discuss the test scores.” When Mr. Cummings was
asked a follow-up question to this statement, he responded, “my instructional priority
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was to fully make our students capable at the next level of schooling.” When a
probing question was posed, several teachers responded with their belief system in
regards to teaching and learning to which the comment was made by Ms. Shields,
that teaching and learning, are what school use to be about, “and now there is the
buzz word of accountability, and everyone has equated that to test scores.” Probing
questions were posed about the instructional priorities of the school and its alignment
to what is stated in the school vision. Ms. Shield’s responded, that she sees the
instructional priorities of the school as one in which “teaching and learning is
demonstrated when we have created life long learners who are globally minded and
able to compete in society.”
Spring (2009) interview data indicated that with the participation of Ms.
Kaye in the PIL program, they noted some differences in behaviors as they relate to
Curriculum and Instruction. Teachers stated, they were already accustomed to the
walk-thrus for instruction in addition to feedback. Mr. Track stated, that “the
collaboration meetings became more focused and she was more of a participant than
a facilitator.”
Mr. Cummings was excited that Ms. Kaye was a highly visible instructional
leader. He has been at the school for ten years, and feels that, “she is professionally
vested not only in student achievement, but the teachers’ professional growth as
well.” He explained, feedback was frequent and both formal and informal, and that
he appreciated that he did not feel her visits were a “gotcha” situation.” Mrs. Fuller
expressed that, “she appreciated the expectations put forth by Ms.Kaye from the
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start.” She also indicated, “Ms.Kaye operates as a leader who believes in being
transparent.” A majority of the teachers expressed that Ms.Kaye is visible, open,
warm, and friendly. Mr. Cummings stated that, “her feedback forms as well as her
pats on the back, are truly appreciated.”
Individualized Consideration
The second characteristic of a transformational leader is individualized
consideration. This construct is indicative of a leaders’ ability to meet the needs of
staff. Pre and Post principal and teacher interview data suggest that Ms. Kaye
exhibited the characteristics of a leader who encompasses Individualized
Consideration.
During the principal interviews, Ms. Kaye shared her commitment to
building curricular coherence by supporting the needs of her staff. She noted,
“Teachers are struggling with the demands of implementing a standards-based
system, and I want to provide resources to support their learning.” Additionally, she
noted the demands of the professional development schedule and the lack of
sufficient time to implement. This sentiment was also echoed by teachers who were
frustrated by the multiple in-services they were required to attend. Mr. Cummings
shared his frustration, “I have stopped trying to implement all of the things we are
required to learn from the mandated professional development schedule, it takes too
much time.” Each teacher emphasized that the goals for professional development
were clearly articulated from the district office and at times missed the mark for what
is best for President. The in-services were described as being focused on a variety of
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topics such as literacy strategies, teacher support, and test scores. Several teachers
responded that the one day professional development was better for them, because
the half-day in-services were often “disconnected from classroom practice.” The
group further explained that oftentimes there is a lack of cohesiveness in the
articulated plan, because on Saturdays the in-services were provided and conducted
by the, “folk’s downtown,” while the school’s “one day” and “half-day” in-services
were directed by the administration and support personnel. Mr. Track
communicated, “We have been provided with so many programs, that often there is
not enough time to implement a strategy or curriculum because they are on to
something new.” It was also explained by two teachers, Ms. Shields and Ms.
Guillory,“the programs are segmented in such a way, that it is often confusing to
staff, what the topic will be and what they will be required to implement.”
Post PIL program data suggest that as a result of the learning activities,
professional readings, and collaboration with colleagues, Ms. Kaye was able to
support the needs of the teachers by clearly articulating the goals of President
elementary; by participating in collaboration meetings and conducting a
comprehensive needs assessment of her staffs’ needs. She communicated, “Prior to
the program, I don’t think I would’ve made my self vulnerable to the staff by asking
them, “What were their specific need?” Teachers noted a similar sentiment when
discussing her participation in the collaboration meetings. Mr. Cummings added to
the conversation by adding, “Ms. Kaye has evolved as a leader, in that while she has
instilled protocols, the collaboration meetings are not ‘top down’ in fashion.” Ms.
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Kaye reiterated that the PIL program gave her the idea to implement a model of
professional practice with her teachers.
The principal implemented a system of support through a semi-coaching
protocol. This program aims to develop teacher capacity in the area of instruction.
The program encompasses the principal and teacher(s) engaged in one-on-one
dialogue. After the principal has collected data through instructional observations,
test scores, and student engagement, the principal meets with each teacher regarding
that data. There is then an agreement where these areas would be developed with her
through one-on-one professional development with built in progress monitoring.
The principal strongly reiterated to her staff that participating in the coaching model
is in no way evaluative. Participation in the program is not reflected in teacher
surveys or formal observations. The coaching model’s protocol is designed to build
capacity while differentiating support for individual teachers. This program is a
built-in support system for Ms. Kaye in establishing a professional learning
community and has been integrated into the overall professional development plan.
Teacher focus group interview comments communicated how effective
teachers found this practice. Mr. Guillory noted, “at the beginning of the school year,
I would’ve been insecure in seeking help, as I would not want to be perceived as a
teacher in need of help.” Ms. Shields added to the sentiment, “Ms. Kaye taking the
time to support as often as she can on an individualized setting, in a non-threatening
environment, has enabled me to be more transparent about my instructional strengths
and weaknesses.”
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Findings
In summary the data collected for research question 3: How does the
leadership practice of the PIL participant influence professional practice over time?
The data collected through principal interviews, teacher interviews, and VAL-ED
responses have highlighted the contributions the PIL program had made to Ms.
Kaye’s professional practice. First, the participation in the PIL program contributes
to the knowledge and skill set of the urban leader. Second, the organizational
support structures enable the leader to implement effective practices to build
conducive environments to teaching and learning.
Summary
In summary according to pre post principal and teacher interviews, Ms. Kaye
exhibited the characteristics of a transformational leader through two of the four
elements of the transformational leadership framework. Ms. Kaye was able to enact
the knowledge and skills learned during the PIL program to support the needs of her
teachers by establishing a communication system for feedback and encouragement as
evidenced in daily monitoring of instructional activities. Ms. Kaye also exhibited the
characteristics of a transformational leader by providing support structures she
believed to be critical in supporting teachers and creating cultures and climates
conducive to learning.
Summary of Findings
The data from the interviews and surveys provide some evidence for several
findings in this research study.
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Research Question #1
The first research question was focused on identifying how participation in
the PIL program influence urban principal practice over time. The data collected
for this study via principal interviews, teacher focus group interviews and the VAL
ED survey were instrumental in responding to this question.
There is some evidence that through participation in PIL Ms. Kaye was
trained in the concepts of standards-based instruction and curriculum, to build her
capacity to address the instructional challenges of the urban context. Through the
tools, strategies, and opportunities for reflection on her practice, Ms. Kaye was able
to learn and take back to her school site effective learning centered leadership
behaviors that potentially can impact school improvement goals. Darling-Hammond
et.al ( 2007) point out that an effective preparation program is, “ one that links goals,
learning activities and candidate assessments around a set of shared values, beliefs,
and knowledge about effective administrator practice”(p.8).
Research Question #2
The second research question focused on identifying the organizational
support structures that would enable the practice of the urban leader to meet the
demands of the urban context.
The data gathered for this question provided some evidence that the PIL
program was designed to provide support structures to enable the leader’s ability to
put into practice the concepts and strategies that she had learned in the program. The
principal participated in collaborative problem solving with her colleagues during the
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PIL program. The support from this program then enabled her to implement support
structures for her teachers, which would further the goals of improving teacher
capacity, as well as her own. In order to meet the challenges of urban schooling, the
principal strategically focuses on resource acquisition and support of teachers
through participation and active listening to the needs of her support staff.
The overarching goal of implementing support structures is to enable the
practice of the principal as an effective leader. In essence, the principal provides the
primary structure (Phillips, 2005) which in turn supports the collaboration process,
thus improving the teaching and learning relationship. Inherent in organizational
structure that enables principal practice is the decision making process. There is
evidence that the support structure of collaboration with her colleagues in the PIL
program and central office support in guiding teacher collaboration were
instrumental for Ms. Kaye, as she addressed challenges within her school. The way
in which the principal manages the curriculum and instruction allowed for the input
of all stakeholders may have attributed to the school having had one of the lowest
turnover rates in the past year.
Research Question #3
The third research question focused on: How does principal practice
influence professional practice of teachers over time? Teachers indicated that while
building teacher capacity, Ms. Kaye was able stay focused on teacher classroom
practice. The teachers further indicated that monitoring of instruction alone was not
sufficient for promoting improved teacher practice. They understood that critical to
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the instructional program were the elements of the effective practices that Ms. Kaye
implemented as a result of her participation in the PIL program.
Leadership, Teacher Practice, and Student Outcomes
This study highlighted the need to continue research in the area of leadership
and its influence on teacher practice and student outcomes. As noted earlier the
teachers were concerned about Ms.Kaye’s experience and her ability to handle a
“difficult school.” After observing Ms. Kaye handle difficult situations at the school,
teachers took note and were convinced of her commitment not only to the staff but
the students as well. Further, Ms. Kaye exhibited leadership skills that were
supportive of teachers and building professional practice.
Conclusions
The findings in this study collected from principal and teacher interviews and
VAL-ED responses underscore the need for preparing leaders to be effective in the
urban context. The mitigating factors of the urban context are challenging, and in
this context principals need to model effective practices to overcome the challenges
and barriers to increased academic achievement. There is a preponderance of
evidence in this case study that Ms. Kaye’s participation in an effective program
expanded her s knowledge and skills to lead in the urban context.
Moreover, quality preparation programs are needed to meet the demands of
the new accountability of NCLB (2001). The features of the PIL program would
greatly be of benefit to tomorrow’s leaders as the context of schooling is constantly
evolving. Professional development for leaders who serve in challenging
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environment should be a continuous learning process, as it is evident that the
demands of this unique challenge will continue to require leaders to be well prepared
to support schools for the 21
st
Century.
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CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, DISCUSSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
The preceding chapters in this case study provided the rationale,
methodology, and analysis of the data collected for this study to investigate the
impact of participation in the Pennsylvania’s Inspired Leaders (PIL) program on
leader practice and teacher professional practice. This chapter concludes the study
by elaborating on the implications of the findings while illuminating conclusions
drawn from the data collected in the context of the theoretical frameworks reviewed
in chapter two for this study. Recommendations will also be provided for practice
and future research.
Statement of the Problem
The notion of principal as leader is drastically changing as the increased
accountability is requiring leaders to lead and share the responsibility of educating
all students. Schools at the elementary and secondary levels have struggled with
leader capacity to grapple with the daunting challenges of the urban context to
improve student achievement and the performance gap of students on standardized
tests (O’Day, J. Bitter, C., Kirst, M., Camoy, M., Woody, E., Buttles, M., Fuller, B.,
Ruenzel, D. 2004). What was not known is what specific leader practices impact
improved outcomes for struggling schools, as evidenced by the impact on
instructional practice of teachers and ultimately student outcomes. Within the broad
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topic of leadership, what remained problematic were the essential skills and practices
that make a leader successful in an urban context.
Methodology
This mixed methods research study involved a case analysis of a single
principal in an urban school setting. The research focused on “how” did
participation in the Pennsylvania Inspired Leaders program influence the knowledge
and leadership practice of an urban school principal in Philadelphia. Additionally,
the research focused on identifying the organizational support structures that enabled
leader practice and the principal behaviors that influenced teacher practice. Data
were collected utilizing the following methods a) interviews with the principal and
teachers; b) field observations; and c) the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in
Education (VAL-ED) surveys, administered to the principal and teachers.
The following is a summary of findings for each research question.
Summary of Results and Conclusions
The findings from this research study centered on the following themes
which emerged from the data: vision, curriculum and instruction, and creating a
culture and climate conducive to learning.
Research Question One: How does participation in the Pennsylvania Inspired
Leaders (PIL) program influence the knowledge and practice of school principals?
There is some evidence that participation in the PIL program enabled the
principal’s practice of learning centered leadership behaviors.
116
1. The PIL program provided Ms. Kaye with strategies, tools, and rich
experiences around a standards-based curriculum in collaboration with
her peers, to develop her practice.
2. Additionally, through her participation in the PIL program, Ms.Kaye was
able to organize for effective curriculum and instruction with a focus on
student learning, by implementing NISL protocols that supported teacher
collaboration.
3. Ms. Kaye was given the opportunity to reflect on her practice and
implement best practices learned in the PIL training.
4. Finally, through Ms. Kaye’s participation in the PIL program, she created
a culture and climate conducive to learning by providing thoughtful
feedback to her teachers and setting high expectations for learning.
In summary, the PIL training impacted the leader’s practice by providing the
principal with a framework for effective leadership practice. Ms. Kaye was
empowered through the design of the program to enact effective leader practices.
Research Question Two: How do organizational support structures enable their
practice?
There is some evidence that PIL organizational support structures enabled the
principal’s practice in the following ways:
1. The PIL program provided Ms. Kaye with systems thinking knowledge
and skills to build her capacity to examine her school through the lens of
systems to support the school vision, organize the school structure for
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results, and create an effective learning environment for adults and
children. The principal’s deepened understanding of support structures
came from her study of the NISL curriculum in which she learned how to
monitor instruction and facilitate teacher collaboration. Ms. Kaye
acknowledged, “The collaborative discussions and components of the
NISL curriculum were supportive in my ability to effectively provide
feedback, monitor instruction, and manage with limited resources.”
2. Participation in the PIL program enabled the principal’s practice through
rich collaboration and discussion and a focus on five principles of
teaching and learning which espoused the importance of building
relationships to foster an environment that impacts teacher practice and
student outcomes.
Research Question Three: How does the leadership practice of the PIL participants
influence professional practice of teachers over time?
There is some evidence that the leadership practice of the principal, as a
result of having participated in the PIL program, influenced the professional practice
of teachers over time in the following ways:
The principal was able to:
1. work with teachers in setting curricular goals
2. establish a system for building teacher capacity
3. establish clearly defined roles for each staff member by collaborating
with teachers on curriculum and their individual needs
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4. conduct a comprehensive needs assessment which gave her insight into
the collective learning culture of her school community
Specifically the findings of this research suggest that the principal established
an environment conducive to collaboration, capacity building and improved
academic achievement for the teachers and students at President Elementary.
However, the degree of the measurable change in teacher practice, and therefore, its
impact on student achievement, remains unknown.
Connections to Literature
Research Question #1- How does participation in the Pennsylvania Inspired Leaders
program influence the knowledge and leadership practice of school principals?
Murphy’s Learning-Centered Framework (2000) described the characteristics
and behaviors of an effective leader as one who establishes clear vision, exhibits
instructional proficiency, aligns the curriculum to assessment, personally knows their
staff, implements a culture of learning for adults and children, encourages a safe and
orderly environment, and communicates with all actors in the teaching and learning
process. Through the lens of this theoretical framework the data collected was
analyzed for research question one.
First, the principal demonstrated effective leadership practices by establishing
clear expectations for student learning with a focus on curriculum and instruction.
Ms. Kaye demonstrated a strong instructional leadership style by having a clear
focus on instruction. The principal created an environment in which instructional
goals and priorities were clear. Teachers were clear about her commitment to
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student learning and her commitment to them as teacher leaders in their classrooms.
Mr. Track stated, that he felt supported by leadership in implementing curricular
programs. He also appreciated the additional support offered by the principal’s
presence during collaboration and grade-group meetings. These have been essential
to his growth as a teacher. Mr. Cummings added to the sentiment by stating that the
principal’s support was important to him, because it empowered him as an
instructional leader.
Second, Ms. Kaye demonstrated effective communication with her staff by
creating effect paths for teachers to collaborate with her in improving instructional
practice. The findings suggest that it was important to Ms. Kaye to maintain open
lines of communication in order to foster an environment of collegiality and
cooperation among the staff. This was demonstrated in her implementation of
collaboration time focused on student learning. Teachers commented, “The
feedback she provides and the ability to speak with her have made me feel supported
because she is not untouchable.” Additionally, Ms. Shields stated, “the expediency
in which feedback is provided is instrumental in my professional growth, as it
supports me in the areas in which I need to grow.”
In summary, Ms. Kaye implemented support for her teachers by providing an
open-door policy, participating in meetings, and providing additional resources
through the addition of support staff for instruction. Ms. Kaye explained to her staff
how her main focus was on student learning and increased academic achievement.
She further supported her teachers by providing teachers with leadership
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opportunities for those staff members who had exhibited leadership skills and
expertise. The findings suggest that Ms. Kaye was focused on providing clear
expectations for students and staff.
Research Question #2: How do organizational support structures enable their
practice?
Bolman and Deal’s (1997) four frames framework: 1) human resource, 2)
structural, 3) symbolic, and 4) political was used as the lens for analyzing the data
collected for research question two. Data collected from teacher and principal
interviews and the VAL-ED survey data were examined through the component of
the structural and human resource frames.
Bolman and Deal (1997) describe the structural frame as the way in which a
leader enacts systemic change. Through the structural lens, an organization is
responsible for developing goals. The authors posit, that using an assembly line as a
metaphor there must be rules for the division of labor, policies, procedures, and
hierarchies to coordinate activities. The structural frame is centered on creating
patterns of well thought-out roles and relationships. According to Bolman and Deal
(2003) “Leaders who make change using this approach focus on structural elements
within the organization as well as strategy, implementation, and adaptation” (pg. 47).
Findings from the principal and teacher interviews and VAL-ED responses
indicate that Ms. Kaye exhibited the characteristics of a leader who examined the
practices of her school and restructured systems for effective practice. Ms. Kaye
responded, “The NISL curriculum covered systems thinking in which we were
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required to reflect on our daily practice and the systems in place that support
decision making. As a result, I focused on the systems at President and restructured
the collaborative process by implementing protocols.” Teacher interview data
validated the protocol process and how Ms. Kaye adapted the collaborative process.
One teacher noted the difference in collaboration discussions, “I see a difference in
the way our conversations take place. We are focused on the data and student
learning, and the venting of our frustrations have been minimized as a result.” Ms.
Kaye’s ability to reflect on her current practice and use the knowledge gained from
the NISL curriculum to implement a protocol, provided some evidence that she
exhibited the characteristics of a leader operating in the structural frame.
According to Bolman and Deal (2003) another frame used in this analysis for
assessing effective organizational practice is the human resource frame. The human
resource frame describes effective leaders as those who approach leadership with a
focus on people. This approach emphasizes support, empowerment (perhaps through
distributed leadership mechanisms), staff development, and responsiveness to
employee needs.
As a result of participation in the PIL program Ms. Kaye exhibited the
characteristics of a leader operating in the human resources frame as she focused on
building support systems for improved instructional practice. Ms. Kaye responded,
“The curriculum in the training provided frameworks for focusing on effective
instructional practice in which we reflected and discussed ways to support teacher
practice. This enabled me to use the framework for my staff in regards to their
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professional practice and individual needs.” Teacher data validated Ms. Kaye’s
focus on the needs of the staff through her invitation for teachers to share individual
strengths and practices with colleagues. One teacher responded, “Prior to Ms. Kaye,
I would be concerned about opening up to my colleagues. Through her constant
recognition of my strengths, I now feel confident to share with my colleagues.” Ms.
Kaye exhibited the characteristics of a leader who operated through the human
resource frame by focusing on the strengths of her teachers. The training provided a
framework for focusing on teaching and learning, with the focus being on the
teacher. Ms. Kaye was able to apply the framework within the context of her school,
and support teachers, by focusing on their strengths.
As a result of the PIL training, Ms. Kaye was able to enhance the culture of
the learning environment through the activities and strategies learned in
collaboration with colleagues in the NISL curriculum.
In summary, Ms. Kaye exhibited the characteristics of a leader operating in
the structural and human resource frames by supporting teachers in their professional
practice.
Research #3: How does the leadership practice of participants influence professional
practice of teachers over time?
Leithwood (2004) articulates transformational leadership as emphasizing:
emotions and values, the fundamental aim of fostering capacity development, and
higher levels of personal commitment to organizational goals. Transformational
leaders influence people to be leaders and initiate change. Transformational leaders
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often influence people to do things based on their personality attributes; however,
when that leader decides to move on, the movement of the school becomes stagnant
(Murphy, 2005). Northouse (2003) describes transformational leaders as having the
following characteristics: idealized influence and inspirational motivation.
Ms. Kaye encompassed the qualities of an effective leader in the urban
context, as evident in her implementation of transformational leadership practice.
She communicated, “Curriculum and instruction are a priority.” Ms. Kaye
implemented several strategies to support her teachers, thus creating an environment
where teachers felt supported through her helpful and enthusiastic feedback. Ms.
Kaye noted, “Instructional leadership is fundamental to student achievement;
however, I have to implement strategies to support their practice.” In turn Ms. Kaye
strategically focused on the way in which she provided feedback to her teachers. It
was important that feedback given would be structured in a positive way in order to
support teachers’ professional growth. Ms. Shield’s comments undergirded this
claim when she communicated, “Ms. Kaye is always in our classrooms. She
communicates formally and informally her observations with a congenial spirit.”
Other comments from teachers noted the environmental changes of monitoring of
instruction as a result of the ways in which Ms. Kaye worked with staff during
collaboration meetings. Mr. Cummings noted, “Ms. Kaye’s participation in
collaboration is not top down in fashion. She problem solves with us as we discuss
students and effective instructional strategies.” Ms. Kaye communicated her
commitment to building the support for teacher growth as a result of her participation
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in the NISL curriculum. She noted, “Collaboration and simulated coaching activities
in the training provided me with strategies to engage in conversations that would
build a culture of learning by providing strategic feedback to promote reflection on
practice.”
Additionally, Ms. Kaye implemented strategies within the construct of a
transformational leader through idealized consideration. As a result of participating
in the PIL training, Ms. Kaye was able to implement strategies to assess teacher
needs and support their professional instructional practice. She noted, “Teachers
need support in the area of instruction and I want to support them by implementing a
system whereby they feel comfortable in sharing their needs.” Teachers noted how
this system of support was critical to their professional growth. Mr. Track
commented, “The engagement with my leader on my individual needs has been
helpful and impactful to my implementation of instructional strategies.” As
evidenced by teacher interview data Ms. Kaye was able to implement a system of
support for her staffs’ professional growth by implementing a coaching model with
her staff.
In summary findings from this study indicated that Ms. Kaye’s participation
in the PIL program developed her capacity to be an effective learning centered
leader. The three theoretical frameworks provided an objective lens through which
to analyze the findings with regards to Ms. Kaye as an effective leader who
influenced teacher practice over time. As stated earlier, however, the degree to
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which Ms. Kaye’s impact on teacher practice can be measured is inconclusive at this
time.
Summary
This study examined the ways in which participation in PIL influenced one
leader’s practice; what organizational support structures enable their practice; and
how leader practice influenced teacher practice. In this climate of reform as
mandated by No Child Left Behind (2001), the challenge of leading in the urban
context is daunting at best. However, the findings provide some evidence that Ms.
Kaye had put into place a system that has the potential to foster success for students
and staff. She demonstrated some of the components of effective leader practices for
leading in an urban context. She influenced teacher practice by encouraging high
expectations and clear goals. However, the degree of the measurable change in
teacher practice, and therefore its impact on student achievement, remains unknown.
Limitations
A considerable amount of effort was taken to ensure the validity of the data,
which were gathered from the principal and teacher interviews, field observation of
the school leader, and the results from the online VAL-ED surveys. However, there
remained limitations to the study. One major limitation was the generalizability of
this study. Given a single case study of a particular Pennsylvania principal in an
urban school setting, the findings from this study may not be generalizable to every
school leader in the urban school context. In addition, there were threats to internal
126
validity as a result of the low teacher participation on the spring administration of the
VAL-ED survey (N= 5 out of 35). Additional limitations are outlined as follows:
1. Length of the Study: The duration of time for the fieldwork in this study
was limited to four months. The principal in the study had only completed
one of the two NISL program courses during that time. The fact that the
VAL-ED survey was not administered as a pre/post assessment of leader
practice and only as a pre-intervention assessment (approximately one
month prior to participation in PIL) limited the degree to which it can
fully measure the principal’s growth in the areas assessed.
2. The “halo effect:” Due to the nature of the measures used in the VAL-ED
(ratings of self and colleagues), raters may have a tendency to assume
specific traits or behaviors based on a general impression. However, to
mitigate against this phenomenon, by design, the VAL-ED survey
required that raters identify the primary source of evidence for their rating
on each item (i.e., personal observation, documents, etc.)
3. The design of this purposive case study is that of a descriptive, qualitative
analysis in which the investigator sought to describe, in depth, the
phenomenon of changes in leader behavior as a result of having
participated in the PIL program and their impact on teacher practice. The
results of this study are specific to this sample only and should be
interpreted with caution when attempting to generalize to the population
at large.
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Recommendations for Future Research
Findings from this study suggest the need for future longitudinal research
studies on 1) how the behavior of principals is influenced through participation in
leadership preparation programs; 2) how leader practice influences teacher practice
and 3) the identification of organizational support structures that enable leader
practice in urban schools. In order to further gain an understanding of the practice of
the principal in the urban context, there should be additional case studies in similar
environments.
1. Additional studies on effective principal leadership practice in urban
schools. Studies have been conducted on the “direct” and “indirect”
effects of the practice of principal on student achievement. However, few
longitudinal studies have examined leader practice and its impact
following participation in preparation programs designed to enable a
principal to lead effectively in the urban environment.
2. Create a coherent focus on the training of principals aligned to leadership
standards. An example of an effective preparation program was
researched by Linda Darling-Hammond (2005) in which the components
of an effective program were identified.
3. The essential standards inherent in this study should be strongly
considered for future preparation programs. The ISLCC standards were
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created as a measure of effective leader practice and yet preparation
programs aligned to these standards are relatively new. The findings
from these studies should guide colleges and universities in the design of
preparation programs for effective leaders. Federal and State agencies
should also partner in these efforts.
4. Additional research is needed in examining the direct effects of
leadership practice on creating and sustaining increased academic
achievement. Findings have been inconclusive regarding the direct
effects of principal leadership on student academic growth. This study
demonstrated limited evidence of influence on teacher practice; however,
the impact on increased student achievement remains inconclusive.
5. Lastly, school reform and the mandates of No Child Left Behind require
fundamental change in order to affect the “status quo”. Leaders of the
21
st
century will need support as they overcome the challenges of leading
in the urban context. Additionally, Central Office will need to implement
support to guide principals in mitigating the various challenges of urban
schooling. Additionally, the barriers to supporting student achievement
such as teacher contracts, and lack of resources will need to be
restructured in order to support leaders in making decisions, and enacting
effective leadership strategies to close the achievement gap. Efforts to
think outside of the traditional norms of education will need to be
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amended to support innovation of new ideas to have all students
proficient by 2013.
Implications for Policy and Practice
Implications for Policy
There is a critical need for policymakers and stakeholder to reach consensus
on accountability for all schools. The demands of high-stakes testing and a tightly
coupled curriculum and assessment focus are minimal in the larger picture of
accountability. The urban school context presents challenges that are not the status
quo for most schools, yet policies are implemented as broad sweeping reforms that
do not necessarily address the urban context. The challenge before the nation is to
implement reform for the schools of the 21
st
Century, schools that are diverse in
language, socio-economic status, and non-traditional family structures. Until there is
a clear and strategic focus on the needs of the leader in the urban context, schools
will continue to fail students in meeting the expected outcomes of
proficient/advanced for 2013-14.
Principal preparation is a needed focus for the next wave of school reform.
Strengthening the skill set of our next generation of leaders is critical to improving
practices for all schools. Further, in strengthening effective principal practice,
teacher practice will continue to improve. Future implications for teacher practice
will be heavily influenced by the leader’s capacity to implement quality instructional
programs. Teachers must be supported in this endeavor and without a leader to
support the instructional program, we will continue to build islands of excellence,
130
whereby some teachers are implementing best practices for learning and some are
maintaing the “status quo”. The aim is to build schools where the culture and
climate support student learning and increased academic achievement.
Preparation for tomorrow’s leaders can be viewed through various lenses;
however, the research conducted by Darling-Hammond et.al,(2005) suggests that
these programs must have specific key components in order to address today’s
schools. These key components must be evident in all aspects of principal
preparation and professional development in order to implement the mandates of No
Child Left Behind. A paradigm shift may be needed in order to fully see the closing
of the achievement gap. The new accountability does not give credit for growth and
further, the measures are not conducive to supporting diverse environments in which
the mitigating factors of the urban context are present. Improvement in the how and
why of accountability for student achievement will need to be structured through the
dimensions of research-based preparation programs in order to garner the expected
outcome of all students proficient by 2013-14.
In essence, the achievement gap is not a problem created by accountability.
The achievement gap has long existed and will continue to do so, if the policy-
makers continue to view the dilemma of student achievement as a variable of federal
funding. Student achievement is a fundamental right of every child, including the
children that are being educated in the urban context. The status quo of educating
future leaders to serve as administrators in this environment does not serve the urban
school. The demands of increased accountability are adding even more pressure to
131
the local school administrator, as serving in the challenging context of the urban
environment is not a part of the administrative credentialing program, nor is it
explained or supported in the general practice of professional development for school
administrators.
The legislation of NCLB (2001) aims to close the achievement gap, and it is
necessary for preparing students for the world. However, the preparation of leaders
is critical as well, for without them, where will our teachers receive the necessary
support and resources that are so fundamentally needed in all schools, especially
those that are in critical need? How will future school leaders overcome the
challenges without adequate preparation and continued professional development?
How will the teachers build their capacity? How will the students meet
expectations? Additionally, what will the impact on society be if our graduation rate
continues to fall because we have yet to grasp the attention of many of the students
who are experiencing the challenges of the urban context?
Implications for Practice
Departments of Education must continue to examine the preparation
programs for school leaders through a framework conducive to preparing
administrators for the urban context. The expansion of the PIL program to other
school level positions could be of benefit in creating environments that are
conducive to student achievement. Literacy Coaches, Content Experts, counselors
and other certificated staff, would benefit from the key processes and components
applied in the PIL program. The addition of a component that would support
132
classified staff in the implementation of the key principles of the program would also
be of benefit in the strengthening of instructional programs. The district office, in
partnership with the Department of Education, should further explore this option, as
the key purpose of these positions is to support the instructional programs for all
students.
The PIL program provides essential learning for 21
st
Century leaders. The
administrators are participating in the program while serving as administrators. They
are supplied with homework and have participated in discussions in which they are
reflective about their leadership roles. One aspect of the PIL program is currently
the measurement of the levels of implementation by each site administrator. An
integrated approach to assessing the impact of the PIL on leader practice would
provide useful formative information to the state department leaders. An instrument,
such as the VAL-ED, if adopted for ongoing assessment of the programs impact
could provide ongoing guidance to the policy makers regarding the effectiveness of
the program.
It is essential that research theories and frameworks be utilized in the
development of preparation programs, in order to avoid duplicating status quo
programs, which only scratch the surface in preparing leaders to lead in the urban
context. There should be clear goals and expectations, aligned to the instructional
needs of school districts, where mitigating factors of urban schools are present.
Ultimately, if states are to meet performance targets that will in essence close the
achievement gap, then preparation programs will need to be on the cutting edge of
133
research in implementing these practices in schools. The fact that Ms. Kaye was able
to implement strategies learned in the PIL training with her staff indicated the need
to continue preparation program models, which enable leaders to implement
strategies that support teacher professional growth. Further, an implementation rubric
along with performance targets would enhance preparation programs even further.
The measure of program effectiveness should be based on more than increased
outcomes on high-stakes tests, but on multiple indicators.
The implementation of effective preparation programs coupled with
continued professional development would benefit school leaders, teachers and
students in meeting the expectations of NCLB (2001). The alignment of expected
outcomes with that of School Level plans would serve to enhance instructional
programs, teacher practice, and student outcomes.
Conclusion
Effective leaders are needed to change the urban landscape from a culture of
despair to a culture conducive to academic achievement for all students. In order, to
mitigate the challenges that continue to exist in this context, leaders will need
additional support and training to augment what is traditionally offered in
preparation programs and licensure exams. Preparation to lead in any context and
impact student outcomes is what is sorely needed to erase and eradicate the failures
of schools for poor and minority students.
134
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Policy.
Murphy, J., Beck, L., Crawford, M., Hodges, A., & McGaughy, C. L. (2001). The
productive high school: Creating personalized academic communities.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Murphy, J., Hallinger, P., & Peterson, K. D. (1986). Administrative control of
principals in effective school districts: The supervision and evaluation
functions. The Urban Review, 18(3), 149-175.
O’Day et al., J., Bitter, C., Kirst, M., Camoy, M., Woody, E., Buttles, M., Fuller, B.,
Ruenzel, D.(2004). Assessing California’s Accountability System: Successes,
Challenges, and Opportunities for Improvement. PACE Policy Brief, 4(2).
Retrieved November 14 2005 from http://www-
gse.berkeley.edu/research/PACE/Policy brief.04-2.pdf.
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (3rd ed. ...
Dictionary of statistics and methodology: A non-technical guide for the social
Resnick, L. (2003). Principles of Learning for Effort-Based Education. IFL.
University of Pittsburgh.
Stecher, B, Hamilton, L & Gonzalez, G. (2003). Working Smarter to Leave No
Child Left Behind. Retrieved November 14, 2005, from
http://www.rand.org/pubs/white papers/WP138/WP138.pdf
West Ed. (2003). Moving Leadership Standards into everyday work: Descriptions of
practices. San Francisco, CA. West Ed.
138
APPENDIX A
OBSERVATION PROTOCOL
1. Content: What is the activity being observed? Who are the participants?
2. Strategies: How are the participants being observed learning/practicing/applying
skills, knowledge and concepts?
139
3. Alignment: How does the behavior correlate to the ISLLC Standards –
Descriptions of Practice?
CPSEL ____
Adapted from California Network of School Leadership Coaches 2007-2008
New Teacher Center @ University of California Santa Cruz
140
APPENDIX B
DOCUMENT REVIEW PROTOCOL
1. Content: What is the document?
2. Alignment: How does the document provide evidence of professional leadership
standard implementation?
ISLLC Standard ______
141
APPENDIX C
PRINCIPAL INTERVIEW PROTOCOL
1. How was the school’s vision developed and how does it drive the instructional
program? How does it impact decision-making? (Provide examples)
2. What experiences and training have you had to prepare you for your current
position?
3. Tell us about your greatest accomplishments and challenges at this site
4. How is the Professional Development plan developed, implemented &
monitored?
5. What systems are in place to analyze and use data to improve instruction?
6. How often do you observe classroom instruction? How do you provide
feedback?
7. What systems are in place to support instruction? What are the roles of AP’s,
Coaches, Coordinators and other staff?
8. What systems are in place to ensure that the school is a safe, clean, and orderly
environment that is conducive to learning?
9. Where do you see the school at this time next year, and how will you get there?
142
APPENDIX D
TEACHER INTERVIEW PROTOCOL
1. What is the school’s vision and how has it been communicated to the staff?
2. What are the instructional priorities at your school?
3. How do they teaching and learning in your content areas?
4. What are the instructional priorities at your school? How do they impact
teaching and learning in your content areas?
5. Tell us about the Professional Development opportunities you’ve had.
6. How has PD impacted your instructional practice?
7. How often do administrator(s) visit your classroom? What kinds of feedback do
you receive?
8. How do you use data to improve teaching and learning?
9. What opportunities do you have for collaboration?
10. How has collaboration impacted your instructional practice?
11. How do you encourage parents to participate in their children’s learning process?
12. Is the school a safe, clean, and orderly place that is conducive to learning?
143
APPENDIX E
MENTOR INTERVIEW PROTOCOL
1. What influenced your decision to accept the position of mentor for the PIL
program?
2. What was the selection process?
3. What are the state’s anticipated outcomes for the principals as a result of their
participation in PIL mentoring?
4. What district support structures currently exists to facilitate leadership
development?
5. How are the school principals reacting to the PIL program and participation in
NSIL training and mentoring?
6. How do you see your role as a mentor in supporting the goals of the PIL
program?
144
APPENDIX F
LETTER OF SUPPORT PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
333 MARKET STREET
HARRISBURG, PA 17126-0333
SECRETARY OF EDUCATION 717-787-5820 Fax 717-787-7222 TTY 717-783-8445
June 16, 2008
To Whom It May Concern:
The Pennsylvania Department of Education fully supports the University of
Southern California’s (USC’s) proposal to undertake a three-year, longitudinal study
of the impact of the National Institute for School Leaders Executive Leadership
Development program on leadership practice, teacher practice and student
achievement in Pennsylvania public schools.
The Pennsylvania Public Law, Act 45 of 2007, requires school administrators
to participate in professional education activities that are focused on practices that
have the greatest impact on improving student achievement and which are aligned
with the Pennsylvania School Leadership Standards. The Pennsylvania Department
of Education has selected the National Institute for School Leaders’ Curriculum for
this purpose. Research demonstrates that effective school leaders have an impact on
student achievement. A focused program of continuing professional education can
help leaders develop the knowledge and skills they need to become more effective in
improving the learning environment for teachers and students.
We will encourage the proposed sample of participants and schools to
participate in the study and to provide the researchers with full access to the PIL
program and the information necessary to accomplish the evaluation study.
Sincerely,
Gerald L. Zahorchak, D.Ed.
145
APPENDIX G
MENTOR INTERVIEW PROTOCOL
June 10, 2008
Dr. Margaret Reed
USC, Rossier School of Education
Waite Phillips Hall, 904D, MC 4039
3470 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, CA 90089-4039
Dear Professor Reed,
I am writing in support of your proposal to the Institute for Education Sciences to
identify the features of leadership training programs that produce effective principals
who exhibit desired knowledge, beliefs and behaviors. It is both important and
timely work. I understand that one of your measures will be the Vanderbilt
Assessment of Leadership in Education (VAL-ED) which is an instrument that I and
my colleagues have constructed with Wallace support. As you know we have
completed a number of studies, all of which support both the high internal
consistency reliability of the resulting total score and subscales, as well as support
for validity in the sense of a) being content valid for our 6x6 conceptual framework,
b) practitioners find it clear, easy to use and valuable, and c) assessment of
leadership behaviors from principals and supervisors correlate with assessments from
the principals’ teachers. We have received IES funding to continue this work and
those studies will begin in the fall.
Good luck with your proposal and please keep me informed of your findings.
Sincerely,
Andrew C. Porter
146
APPENDIX H
MENTOR INTERVIEW PROTOCOL
1961 Chester Avenue
Abington, PA 19001
P: (215) 830-8940
C: (215) 287-0610
rodgersej@verizon.net
Joseph W. Rodgers
PA Inspired Leadership Initiative
Region 1 Site Coordinator
(IU 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
July, 2008
Dear
I was a high school principal for seventeen years and an assistant principal for seven
years before that. One powerful memory that I have from the month of July is that at
some point there was a line that was crossed in the calendar. That which had
formerly been called or considered “next year” became “this year.” As most of you
have crossed, or are crossing, this line I thought this letter to be especially timely.
While there is much that is unknown about the challenges and opportunities the new
academic year will bring, one thing is certain. You will be participating in an
executive leadership development program through Pennsylvania Inspired
Leadership. It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the program. I very truly
believe that you are about to participate in one of the finest professional education
experiences of your career.
The purpose of this letter is to confirm your place in one or more of the PA Inspired
Leadership Program’s courses for 2008-2009 and to provide you with additional
information about how that course will unfold for you in the year ahead.
147
The course in which you are registered is NISL Course 1, World-Class Schooling:
Vision & Goals. This is the course to which you applied. It is the first course of the
Principal’s Induction Program but it is also open to those seeking continuing
professional education in an enriched leadership development course. It is composed
of four 2 day meetings or units. The dates of the course meetings and the locations of
each meeting are listed below. Each session begins with registration at 8:30 AM and
ends at 3:00 PM. Breakfast items, coffee or other beverages, and lunch are provided.
October 6 and 7, 2008 PaTTAN, King of Prussia
November 12 and 13, 2008 Chester County IU
December 8 and 9, 2008 PaTTAN, King of Prussia
January 21 and 22, 2008 PaTTAN, King of Prussia
Before each session information regarding preparation for the session and directions
to the session location will be provided. Most course sessions do require preparatory
reading, activities and/or online work. All preparatory materials will be provided to
you free of charge. For those of you enrolled in courses that begin in October, books
and/or articles will be mailed to you in late August or early September. At the same
time you will receive a listing of the other cohort members. Those in cohorts which
have their first session in the winter or spring will receive these materials in the late
fall or early winter.
If you are enrolled in the fall or spring cohort of the Principal’s Induction Program
and you are a “novice” principal or assistant principal, (less than six years of
experience), you will receive a mentor assignment as part of the program. An
additional attachment accompanies this letter which explains the mentorship in
greater detail and outlines the steps you should take to register for a mentor. It is
possible, (likely for those in the spring cohort of the Principal’s Induction Program),
that the individual selected to be your mentor will contact you before your course
actually begins.
It is worth noting that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is really leading the other
states in its investment in leadership development for its schools. Pennsylvania’s
“story” is well told by state secretary of education, Dr Gerald Zahorchak, on the
“Commentary” page in the July 16, 2008 issue of Education Week. If you have the
opportunity to read this article you will understand the importance that Dr.
Zahorchak attaches to program evaluation. Accordingly I would advise you that our
programs are regularly evaluated. Currently PDE is working closely with researchers
from the University of Southern California to conduct a state-wide study of the
impact of the Principal’s Induction Program. This research project is headed by Dr.
Margaret Reed and it is possible that some of Dr. Reed’s graduate assistants may be
in contact with you before or during your participation in the program. It would be
most helpful if you would support this research effort.
148
It is my hope that this letter has provided you with a basic orientation to your PA
Inspired Leadership course. Should you have additional questions or need further
information please do not hesitate to contact me. Additional information about PA
Inspired Leadership and Act 45 may also be found on the ED Hub,
www.pde.state.pa.us/pil. I will be back in communication with you as I have
described above. Until then I hope that you have a great summer. I look forward to
our work together in the year ahead. Please know that we still have openings in most
of the cohorts so please feel free to encourage colleagues who are also Pennsylvania
school leaders to apply. It is not too late.
Sincerely,
Joseph W. Rodgers
149
APPENDIX I
PIL HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT UNIT 1
PREPARATION FOR UNIT 1
Enclosed in this mailing are the materials that you will need to prepare for January
16 and 17, Unit 1 GROW. All of the GROW units require some amount of reading
and/or online activity to prepare the participant for the content of the training
session. The Participant’s Guide, a binder which you will receive on the January 16,
provides directions for preparation for the other units. Likewise, I will always
provide an outline of preparation activity for you prior to each session. You are
asked to do 5 things in preparation for Unit 1.
First, read the printed material that is not in book form. This is a copy of the
first chapter of a book entitled The Principal Challenge. The chapter will
provide insight into the condition of principals and the principalship in the
United States today, the challenges that principals face, the kind of help that
has been available to them in the past to meet these challenges and the kind
of help that is needed now. The chapter also tells the story of the National
Institute for School Leadership, (NISL), the program source for GROW.
Next, please scan chapter 2 of The World Is Flat, by Thomas Friedman,
(2005 edition, updated and expanded). Please read chapter 8 of this book,
also.
Please read the “Executive Summary” of Tough Choices or Tough Times.
There is one additional reading, a case study, which you will receive on the
first day of training to read for the second day. Please save some time on the
evening of January 16 to read this case study.
Lastly, please bring to the first training session a copy of your school’s vision
statement. These will be collected for use, without school or district names
attached, during the Unit 2 training sessions in March.
I know that these materials are arriving at a time that is unbelievably busy, hectic and
chaotic. Please do not think the timing of this delivery to be insensitive or worse. I
thought it best to give you the greatest amount of time to fit this preparation into
your individual schedules so I sent these materials to you as soon as I was able to get
them. May your pre-winter vacation days and weeks of school go smoothly and
successfully. I will be back in touch after the New Year with final information and
directions to the Unit 1 training sessions.
150
APPENDIX J
PIL HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT UNIT 2
PREPARATION FOR UNIT 2
As you know we will gather for Unit 2, The Principal As Strategic Thinker, on
March 4 and 5 at the Bucks County Intermediate Unit. Unit 2, in my opinion, is one
of the most challenging in the NISL curriculum. The pre session work is outlined
below.
READING
Page 7 and page 22 in the Unit 2 section of your Participants’ Handbook binder
outlines the reading assignments for each day. All of the readings, except the one
from Kotter’s book, Leading Change, may be found in the “Unit 2 Readings” section
of your binder. You will be utilizing The Transformation at Ford case study so you
do not need to prepare the other case study, Thinking In Time. An item listed on page
7 and one on page 22 are no longer in use for this unit. The Leadership Challenge by
Kouzes and Posner and Standards for Our Schools by Tucker and Codding are no
longer part of the readings.
NISLONLINE
This is the first time that you will be using the NISLONLINE “for real” in preparing
for a unit. While you do have the option of using the CD that you received to access
the Unit 2 preparation, doing it online is better. Please try to get into NISLONLINE
Unit 2 now using the address, http://nisl2.nislonline.org, user ID and password that
you were given on the first day of GROW and that you tested when you played the
21
st
Century Challenge Game. If you have any trouble getting into the NISL website
or into Unit 2, please email me and I will work with NISL staff to resolve the
problem.
Once in the NISLONLINE Unit 2 please be sure to complete at least the “Overview”
and the “Strategy” sections for March 4. The rest should be completed for March 5.
At various places in the online you will be asked to “journal” something. This is not
a formal assignment that you are expected to complete. Rather, it is a call to reflect
on some topic or issue. You may choose to “journal” some, all or none of these
prompts-but please do reflect on each
151
APPENDIX K
PIL HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT UNIT 3
PREPARATION FOR THE UNIT 3 SESSIONS
As always your preparation for the sessions is a key ingredient in the success of the
unit. The reading preparation for this unit comes from the Participant’s Guide binder,
Unit 3 Readings. The articles or excerpts by Marsh and Codding, Tucker, and
Wiggins and McTighe, should all be read for May 28. The other articles in the Unit 3
“Reading” section of your binder, all by Peter Hill or Hill and Crevola, should be
read for May 29. Please check to insure that you have these articles right away.
The online assignment preparation for these sessions is particularly noteworthy.
While no more time consuming than past online work, the computer-based work for
Unit 3 does require that you produce a “product,” or set of questionnaire results
which you should print and bring to the Unit 3 sessions. Please complete the online
components of Unit 3. You are reminded that it would be wise for you to plan to do
the online work, or at least the 7 questionnaires and “Authority Scale,” in one sitting
at a computer with a printer so that you can complete and print the 4 pages of results.
(The questionnaires and Authority Scale are part of an overall online Diagnostic
Tool. Using this tool you assess the current status in your school regarding standards,
assessments, curriculum, instruction, instructional materials and safety nets as well
as the authority that you feel you have in each of these areas). These printed results
should be brought to the May 28 session of Unit 3.
You are also asked to do one additional thing by way of preparation. Please bring a
piece or two of student work from any level or classroom in your school which
addresses the Report of Information standard. Also bring the assignment that is
associated with the student work. The designers of the NISL curriculum utilize the
example of reports of information as a vehicle for understanding standards-based
instructional systems. For sake of comparison think standard 1.4(.3, .5, .8, or .11)
Types of Writing-Informational in the PA Academic Standards for Reading, Writing,
Speaking and Listening. The authors of the NISL materials define reports of
information this way: “All teachers ask students to read informational text and to
complete writing that reports information from the specific content.”
152
APPENDIX L
PIL UNIT 4 GROW
General Information for Participants, Facilitators and Guests
Region 1 Unit 4 GROW
June 26 and 27, 2008
Bucks County Intermediate Unit
Unit 4, Foundations of Effective Learning, brings us directly into the instructional
core to examine a set of research-tested fundamental principles of learning, teaching
and curriculum. It is, I believe, an empowering unit for school leaders. Much of what
we need to do as we lead change in our buildings involves confronting beliefs held
by others about learning, teaching and curriculum. Unit 4 will enable you to do so
with greater power and conviction.
Preparation for Unit 4:
The pre-session work is outlined for you on page 6 of the Unit 4 Participant’s
Handbook.
Please complete all of the online activities for Unit 4.
You are asked to construct a thoughtful list in response to the following
question: “What are three assumptions or beliefs that drive learning, teaching
and/or curriculum in my school?”
Read the two articles by Peter Hill, “Principles of Learning and Their
Implications” and “Focused Teaching.” These articles can be found in the
Unit 4 Readings section of your binder.
Read chapters 1, 5 and 6 in The Teaching Gap by James Stigler and James
Hiebert. This book was distributed to you at our Unit 3 sessions. Please let
me know if you did not receive it.
Bring your journaling up to date, (see below).
Pre-session preparation for this unit is essential. Please insure that you are prepared
for these sessions by completing the reading, (the articles for day one, the chapters
for the second day), online work and the list of three beliefs.
153
Journals/Embedded Practice:
Throughout our semester together in GROW you have been maintaining a journal in
a white loose leaf binder wherein you have been documenting progress on a
particular area of instructional focus or maintaining a record of personal growth.
Between each unit prompts or questions were offered to guide your journaling.
With Unit 3 in the immediate background, a unit that was rich in opportunities for
you to reflect on your school and the role or potential role of you leadership going
forward, it is a good opportunity to “push the pause button on our remotes” to
consider where we have been and where we are heading.
The purpose of the journal is to provide a vehicle for you to assess the embedding of
your GROW experience in your practice of leadership. Some of you have chosen to
do this by focusing on a particular initiative for your school in the instructional core.
We have called this the “area of focus project” and I suspect that that most of these
align pretty nicely with some of the improvement opportunities that you identified in
Unit 3. Several of you have chosen a more introspective alternative. You are looking
at yourself as a leader and assessing your personal improvement opportunities,
growth and development.
Please take some time to bring your journal up to date. Nothing formal-this is for
you; it is not being collected. But the end of a school year is a good time to take
stock. Maybe you will want to add some artifacts to it to illustrate a particular
initiative that you tried or a change effort that you launched or something that would
illustrate a skill you are attempting to strengthen. You could consider responding to
some mid-point summary questions. What are your next steps in your area of focus?
Has participation in GROW aided your personal development as a leader? How and
in what way? How will you be different, as a leader, next year?
All of us are on a personal journey in leadership. Your journal is, or could be, a
captain’s log of that journey. If it is anything like this, (and I know that some of your
journals are), then it contains some rich observations, insights, thoughts, ideas and
wisdom. I would like to create an opportunity for the sharing of some of that richness
in small groups at the beginning of our Unit 4 session on June 26. Please bring your
journal with you. If you have not yet provided me with the brief description of your
work that was requested for Unit 3, please email it to me or give it to me during our
unit 4 sessions.
154
Supplies, Materials and Equipment:
Please bring your list of 3 beliefs, your Participant’s Handbook binders, your
journals, (the smaller white binder), and The Teaching Gap. Laptop computers are
not needed for Unit 4.
Mode of Dress:
Please remember that some of our meeting rooms can be a bit cool. Please plan
accordingly.
Food:
We were at Bucks IU earlier this year and I believe that you found the food, provided
by Our Towne caterers, to be excellent. Delicious food, the beautiful Bucks County
art work which is all over the building and the setting of the IU’s campus produces a
wonderful environment for our sessions.
Completing Course 1; Completing the Principal’s Induction Program,
(GROW):
With the completion of Unit 4 you will have finished NISL Course 1. During the
summer you will receive 3 CPE credits for the completion of this course. The
remainder, the other half, of the Principal’s Induction Program, (formerly known as
GROW), is NISL Course 4. Course 4 is composed of three units one of which is a
one day unit that will be delivered in the fall, (please see the listing below). Unless I
hear from you differently I am planning for you to be part of Course 4 and to
complete the Principal’s Induction Program in the fall. If you wish to take additional
PA Inspired Leadership programs or courses you may certainly do so. You may
apply for this directly through the ED Hub or contact me. You may also see
advertised two new NISL “Institutes,” (stand alone 2 day units), Leadership in
English Language Learning and Leadership in Students with Disabilities. PaTTAN
will be offering the SWD Institute and PA Inspired Leadership may be offering the
ELL. I will endeavor to keep you informed about these opportunities.
Schedule for NISL Course 4
Unit 11 The Principal as Driver of Change October 28 & 29 Chester
County IU
155
Unit 12 Leading for Results November 20 Delaware
County IU
Unit 13 Culminating Simulation December 15 & 16 Bucks
County IU
I hope that the above has provided you with the information that you need to prepare
for and be comfortable at the Unit 14 sessions. Please contact me if you have
additional questions or need further directions. Thank you.
Abstract (if available)
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate how participation in the Pennsylvania Inspired Leaders (PIL) program influenced the practice of an urban leader. The study explored the impact of leader practice on principal practice and principal practice on teacher practice, and student outcomes. Ultimately, the purpose of this study was to examine effective leader practice for leading in the urban context.
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Dinkins, Shawna Petit
(author)
Core Title
Preparing leaders for the urban school context: a case study analysis for effective leadership
School
Rossier School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education
Degree Program
Education (Leadership)
Publication Date
01/09/2010
Defense Date
05/13/2009
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
(digital)
Tag
OAI-PMH Harvest,urban leadership
Language
English
Contributor
Electronically uploaded by the author
(provenance)
Advisor
Reed, Margaret (
committee chair
), Heatley, Edmond T. (
committee member
), Hocevar, Dennis (
committee member
)
Creator Email
petitdin@usc.edu,shawna_petitdinkins@chino.k12.ca.us
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-m2340
Unique identifier
UC1472570
Identifier
etd-Dinkins-3035 (filename),usctheses-m40 (legacy collection record id),usctheses-c127-563640 (legacy record id),usctheses-m2340 (legacy record id)
Legacy Identifier
etd-Dinkins-3035.pdf
Dmrecord
563640
Document Type
Dissertation
Rights
Dinkins, Shawna Petit
Type
texts
Source
University of Southern California
(contributing entity),
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
(collection)
Repository Name
Libraries, University of Southern California
Repository Location
Los Angeles, California
Repository Email
cisadmin@lib.usc.edu
Tags
urban leadership