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the latest on all student-centered models, leadership development, strategic planning, teacher retention, and all things innovation in k-12 education. we answer questions before you think to ask them.
district leadership | 瑞士vs喀麦隆亚盘赔率 | personalized learning | school districts | school leadership
nation-wide, building literacy in our children is a persistent challenge. so much of a challenge that according to the national assessment of educational progress, more than 60 percent of american fourth graders are not proficient readers. other research has shown that 95% of students are cognitively capable of reading proficiently, which indicates that lacking literacy isn’t the result of students’ capabilities; it’s the consequence of instruction failing to access and amplify students’ potential as readers and writers. the implications of this are serious. it’s often said that reading opens doors. for students who can’t read proficiently, many of those doors remain closed and the paths behind them go unexplored, so further opportunities to learn, grow, and achieve are rendered inaccessible.
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district leadership | organizational leadership & change management | school leadership | science of reading
change is a constant in public education. these changes range from shifts in student demographics, and associated learning needs, shifts in curriculum standards (think common core), to broader shifts in public policy. consider how lyndon b. johnson’s war on poverty influenced how schools planned for meeting students’ nutritional needs, or the federal idea act, which required public school systems to provide free and equitable education. typically, the core rationale offered for such policy changes is to improve student outcomes (college and career readiness, achievement, attendance) and/or ensure our public education systems are preparing the next generation’s workforce. regardless of the type of change or the rationale for the change, one of the constants in school systems is that they struggle to achieve meaningful and lasting change.
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district leadership | school leadership | science of reading | teachers
at the start of this year, several state leaders kicked off the year with strong commitments of money and resources to improve literacy in their schools through the immediate implementation of evidence-based reading instruction, often referred to as the “science of reading.” the governors of new york and maryland offered guidelines, not mandates, for school districts to focus on adopting reading instruction practices and materials that are evidence-based. in january, the maryland state board of education approved a resolution declaring that all public schools align with the science of reading by the 2024-2025 school year but delayed these plans due to extensive revisions finalizing its comprehensive science of reading policy on october 22, 2024. with this, maryland joins 39 other states and the district of columbia that have committed to aligning with the science of reading over the past ten years. these states’ goals are overarchingly the same, but their plans, timelines, and benchmarks differ. what do they need to consider and include to be successful in improving student reading outcomes?
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curriculum strategy & adoption | district leadership | school leadership | strategic planning
the creation of a shared instructional vision brings many benefits to a school or district. an instructional vision can provide a shared understanding of what instructional excellence looks, feels, and sounds like. it aligns classroom practices to a clear set of principles and expectations. it can also bring instructional unity to any district plagued with uncertainty about instructional practices. there is a common misconception that a superintendent should create an instructional vision in isolation and only rely on the most current research and best practices. and that once an instructional vision is in place and shared, then it will be easily understood, accepted, and adopted by district leaders, school leaders, teachers, staff, and students.
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district leadership | school leadership
picture this...you are a principal conducting a classroom observation, witnessing a teacher skillfully utilize data to drive instruction, and form small groups tailored to individual student needs. suddenly, a crackling voice interrupts through the walkie-talkie, demanding your attention.you are needed in room 203 for a discipline matter, then in the girls' 5th grade bathroom for a busted pipe, and finally, to join an iep meeting. maybe this scenario also sounds familiar: you are a district leader, and you are in a strategy meeting to discuss the implementation of a new curriculum, yet you don’t have all of the key players in the room or a clear timeline to make decisions yet you continue to meet and get nothing accomplished.
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knowledge is power! measure what matters! if our cliches are an indicator, we all know that data collection, review, analysis, and understanding is important. we all hear of data-driven decisions, and the importance of data in education and educational systems, but we are often challenged to incorporate data review and the next steps into our everyday lives. in some cases, schools may have deeply embedded practices where data are used only superficially to check a box. data use may be inconsistent across the organization or only occurs in silos. some school districts may even have beliefs and norms – a culture – that actually diminish the potential benefits of assessment and data collection. the truth is that the work to dismantle bad habits and unhealthy systems is really, really hard. as we built the essential elements of a data culture, we considered how an organizational culture can shift from a culture in which data is in the periphery, pulled to the center for high stakes discussions and decisions, to one in which data is an integral part of every day, informing the small moves that reinforce the vision, clarify decisions, and advance progress. this is where our love of habits comes in…
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