Closing the Closing the Achievement GapAchievement Gap

Leaving No Child BehindLeaving No Child Behind

Developed from the Contents of Developed from the Contents of Reginald Leon Green’sReginald Leon Green’s

Practicing the Art of Practicing the Art of Leadership: Leadership:

A Problem-based Approach to A Problem-based Approach to Implementing the ISLLC Implementing the ISLLC

StandardsStandards

Chapter 7Chapter 7

Closing the Achievement Closing the Achievement Gap Gap

To close the achievement gap, leaving no child To close the achievement gap, leaving no child behind, the school leader must formulate a behind, the school leader must formulate a planning team and guide the faculty through a planning team and guide the faculty through a series of sequential steps, making instructional series of sequential steps, making instructional decisions based on data analysis.decisions based on data analysis.

The Sequential The Sequential StepsSteps

Step 1: Define the Standard of Excellence

SEQUENTIAL STEPS for Closing the

Achievement Gap

Step 2: Assess the Current Conditions

Step 3: Identify the Discrepancy

Step 4: Assess the Cause(s) of the Discrepancy

Step 5: Identify the Needed Change and/or Modification

Step 6: Assess the Capacity for Change and/or Modification

Step 7: Build the Capacity if It Does Not Exist

Step 8: Implement the Change

Step 9: Conduct a Formative Evaluation

Step 10: Conduct a Summative Evaluation

Defining the Defining the Standard of Standard of ExcellenceExcellence

Establishing a Shared VisionEstablishing a Shared Vision

Step 1Step 1

Essential QuestionEssential Question in defining the standard of excellencein defining the standard of excellence

What do our students need to know and be What do our students need to know and be able to do?able to do?

Conducting an Conducting an Instructional InquiryInstructional Inquiry

What are the current instructional What are the current instructional trends?trends?

How do children learn?How do children learn? How do adults learn?How do adults learn? What are the most effective What are the most effective

instructional approaches and under instructional approaches and under what conditions do they work best?what conditions do they work best?

Creating the VisionCreating the VisionThe Standard of The Standard of Excellence for Our Excellence for Our

StudentsStudents

Assess Current Assess Current ConditionsConditions

Step 2Step 2

Essential QuestionsEssential Questions

In which areas do In which areas do our students excel?our students excel?

In which areas do In which areas do our students need our students need assistance?assistance?

Assessing Current Assessing Current ConditionsConditions

The ProcessThe Process

Student data must Student data must be collected both be collected both individually and individually and collectively.collectively.

Student data must Student data must be collected by be collected by grade, subject, and grade, subject, and skill sets. skill sets.

Assessing Current Assessing Current ConditionsConditions

The ProcessThe Process

Teacher data must be collected both Teacher data must be collected both individually and collectively.individually and collectively.

Teacher data must be collected by grade, Teacher data must be collected by grade, subject, and skill sets. subject, and skill sets.

Assessing Current Assessing Current ConditionsConditions

Seeking the AnswerSeeking the AnswerReport Cards

Retention Rate

Dropout Rate

Attendance

Graduation Rate

ACT Scores

Terra Nova

Identifying the Identifying the DiscrepancyDiscrepancy

Step 3Step 3

Identifying the Identifying the DiscrepancyDiscrepancy

Making a determination of the difference Making a determination of the difference between current conditions and the between current conditions and the established standards.established standards.

Current Conditions

Established Standards

DISCREPANCY

Creative TensionCreative Tension

Current Conditions The Vision

Discrepancy

Discrepancy

Assessing the Assessing the Cause of the Cause of the DiscrepancyDiscrepancy

Step 4Step 4

Assessing the CauseAssessing the CauseData AnalysisData Analysis

What does the Terra Nova data say to us?What does the Terra Nova data say to us?

What skills do students most often fail to What skills do students most often fail to master?master?

Where are those skills taught?Where are those skills taught?

Who teaches those skills?Who teaches those skills?

What resources are being used?What resources are being used?

Assessing the Cause Assessing the Cause

Assessing the Assessing the internal and external internal and external cultureculture

Assessing the Assessing the internal and external internal and external climateclimate

Reviewing teacher Reviewing teacher readiness levelsreadiness levels

Assessing the Cause Assessing the Cause Teaching stylesTeaching styles

Student learning Student learning stylesstyles

RelationshipsRelationships

Student attendanceStudent attendance

Student disciplineStudent discipline

Understanding Understanding Self and OthersSelf and Others

Understanding OthersUnderstanding Others

Who works in this Who works in this school?school?

What do they believe and What do they believe and value?value?

What do they believe What do they believe about school and the about school and the schooling process?schooling process?

Where does the strength Where does the strength of the faculty lie?of the faculty lie?

Understanding SelfUnderstanding Self

What do I believe?What do I believe?

What are my What are my strengths?strengths?

What is my area of What is my area of expertise?expertise?

Understanding the Understanding the Culture of the Culture of the

School and School and CommunityCommunity

The CommunityThe Community

Knowledge of the Knowledge of the values and beliefs values and beliefs of the people of the people served by the served by the school and those school and those who live in the who live in the communitycommunity

Values

Beliefs

Behaviors

Knowledge

Essential QuestionsEssential Questions

Who does this school serve?Who does this school serve?

What do the parents value?What do the parents value?

What do they believe about the What do they believe about the school and the instructional process?school and the instructional process?

Perceptions of StudentsPerceptions of Students

KnowledgeKnowledge UnderstandingUnderstanding RespectRespect AppreciationAppreciation TeachingTeaching

Interpersonal Interpersonal RelationshipsRelationships

Principal/Teacher RelationshipsPrincipal/Teacher Relationships

Teacher/Teacher RelationshipsTeacher/Teacher Relationships

Teacher/Student RelationshipsTeacher/Student Relationships

Teacher/Parent RelationshipsTeacher/Parent Relationships

Identify the Identify the Needed Change Needed Change or Modificationor Modification

Step 5Step 5

Assessing the NeedsAssessing the NeedsWhat Needs to Be Changed?What Needs to Be Changed?

Instructional materials/programsInstructional materials/programs Professional personnel/ratiosProfessional personnel/ratios Instructional knowledge base/strategiesInstructional knowledge base/strategies Climate Climate Assessment systemAssessment system Time on taskTime on task

Professional Curriculum Professional Curriculum PlanningPlanning

Developing a plan to remove the Developing a plan to remove the discrepancydiscrepancy

The basic question: What do students The basic question: What do students need to know, understand, and be able need to know, understand, and be able to do in order to reach the established to do in order to reach the established standards?standards?

Curriculum RevisionCurriculum Revision

What are we going to change? What are we going to change? Why are we going to change? Why are we going to change? When are we going to change? When are we going to change? What are the anticipated results?What are the anticipated results?

Meeting the Standard Meeting the Standard of Excellenceof Excellence

A Vision Statement

Short and Long Term

Goals

Benchmarks for Leadership, Faculty, and

Student Accountability

Assess the Capacity Assess the Capacity for Change and/or for Change and/or

ModificationModificationStep 6Step 6

Change CapacityChange CapacityConducting Inquiry into Faculty Conducting Inquiry into Faculty

ReadinessReadiness

Level of dissatisfactionLevel of dissatisfaction Short and long term costsShort and long term costs The extent to which the faculty The extent to which the faculty

understands the visionunderstands the vision The consequences of the change The consequences of the change The degree of difficulty in making The degree of difficulty in making

the changethe change

Build the Capacity Build the Capacity for Change if It for Change if It Does Not ExistDoes Not Exist

Step 7Step 7

Build the Capacity for Build the Capacity for Change if It Does Not ExistChange if It Does Not Exist

Establish effective lines of communication Establish effective lines of communication between the school leader and the community.between the school leader and the community.

Secure community support for the change Secure community support for the change concept.concept.

Acquire expertise in the new program concept.Acquire expertise in the new program concept.

Drive fear out of the school.Drive fear out of the school.

Build the Capacity for Build the Capacity for Change if It Does Not ExistChange if It Does Not Exist

Work out collective bargaining regulations Work out collective bargaining regulations that facilitate change.that facilitate change.

Acquire necessary approvals from the State Acquire necessary approvals from the State Department of Education.Department of Education.

Identify sources of the necessary resources.Identify sources of the necessary resources.

Utilize effective change strategies.Utilize effective change strategies.

Implement the Implement the ChangeChange

Step 8Step 8

Program ImplementationProgram Implementation Pool the resources of the school and Pool the resources of the school and

community to implement the plan.community to implement the plan.

Implement a professional development Implement a professional development plan that addresses teacher needs.plan that addresses teacher needs.

Implement an assessment model that will Implement an assessment model that will continuously provide data on both teacher continuously provide data on both teacher and student needs.and student needs.

Program Program ImplementationImplementation

Effective Instructional ApproachesEffective Instructional Approaches

Small Group InstructionSmall Group Instruction Cooperative GroupsCooperative Groups Project-based LearningProject-based Learning CoachingCoaching Interdisciplinary UnitsInterdisciplinary Units

Program ImplementationProgram Implementation

Effective Instructional Effective Instructional StrategiesStrategies

Concepts vs. Facts

Direct Instruction vs. Lecture

Conducting Inquiry vs. Worksheets

Conduct Conduct Formative Formative

EvaluationsEvaluationsStep 9Step 9

AssessmentAssessment

PupilPupil

ProgramProgram

FormativeFormative

Conduct a Conduct a Summative Summative EvaluationEvaluation

Step 10Step 10

AssessmentAssessment

PupilPupil

ProgramProgram

SummativeSummative

Enhanced Student Enhanced Student AchievementAchievement

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FalmerFalmer Press.Press. Goodlad, J. (1994). Goodlad, J. (1994). Educational renewal: Better teachers, Educational renewal: Better teachers,

betterbetter schools.schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Senge, P. (1990). Senge, P. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice The fifth discipline: The art and practice

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