A School Leaders Guide to Closing Achievement Gaps and Improving Learning for All Students

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A School Leaders Guide to Closing Achievement
Gaps and Improving Learning for All Students

• Carolyn Kelley and Jim Shaw
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• WILA Doubling Performance Conference
• July 10, 2008

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What does leadership look like in schools that
double performance?

• The Evidence Base
• Wisconsin Urban School Leadership Project
• Worked closely with 18 urban principals from
  Madison and Racine identified by their districts
  as master principals
• UW-Madison Master Administrator Capstone
  Certificate Program
• Worked with about 30 school leaders in the
  development and documentation of leadership
  practice
• Wisconsin Master Administrator License
• WILA Doubling Performance Conference 2007
• Research on the leadership in schools that have
  closed achievement gaps and advanced learning for
  all students

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• So, what does leadership look like in schools
  that close achievement gaps and advance learning
  for all students?

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Socio-Cognitive Leadership

• Socio because all learning is social, and
  organizations that advance share a common
  approach, or cognitive framework for
  decision-making and action.

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The Cognitive Roadmap Leadership for Doubling
Performance

• The What Socio-Cognitive Leadership
• Shared Vision
• Data Profile
• Evidence-Based Plan
• Value-Added Results
• Reflection for Continuous Improvement

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• The Where - Dimensions of Leadership
• Advancing Equity in Student Learning
• Developing Teacher Capacity
• Managing the Organization
• Building and Engaging Community

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• The How Levers of Change
• Individual Leader
• Organizational System
• External Community

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Theoretical Foundations

• Grounded in practice, but consistent with
  research on learning and organizations
• Learning Theory
• All learning is social
• Learning is based on experience
• Communities of Practice
• Learning, Meaning, and Identity

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Tools

• Socially Intelligent Leadership
• Socio-Cognitive Leadership Rubric
• Community Audit