AB 430 principal training program core content overview
CTAP Region 11 Los Angeles County
AB 75 provides funding for professional development focused on building principals; leadership skills and capacity to serve effectively in their critical and complex roles. The goal is to develop principals who come from a variety of contexts and challenging environments, who are able to establish sound and clear instructional goals, who collaboratively develop data-driven instructional strategies, and who lead a school through powerful instructional change.
CTAP Region 11 and the California School Leadership Academy (CSLA) have developed the AB 75 Principal Training Program through integrating Modules 1-3. The goal is to give administrators a cohesive way to gain the strategies and tools to implement a standards-based, data-driven system designed to improve student achievement. Principals participating in this intensive training program will have the opportunity to gain skills, knowledge and understanding, while interacting with site administrators form many other districts in Los Angeles County. The program consists of 80 hours of core training over one year and 80 hours of follow up practicum over two years.
The Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) training program has been approved by the State Board of Education and can be selected provide AB 75 services to your district.
Core Content Overview
The State Board of Education has provided explicit content objectives and outcomes for the 80 hours of core training. The following paragraphs represent a summary of these requirements, with essential questions representing the required outcomes. Each section below represents a day of training (unless otherwise notated) designed to support principals to implement the content at the school site as the training is provided.
State/District Vision, Plan & Expectations
Site administrators are facing a new educational paradigm; that of a standards-based, data driven system. This system brings challenges to administrators, no matter what their experience or background. Understanding the national, state, and local vision and mission of preparing ALL students to master world-class, grade level content standards is a critical component of AB 75 training. This module will assist principals to understand their new leadership role in this standards-based system and gain a deeper awareness of the research base behind the movement, including that of Richard Elmore, Joe Johnson, and Larry Lazotte, and the studies from Rand and The Education Trust.
Essential Questions:
- What is the intent of AB 75 training?
- What does the research tell us about improving student achievement?
- How do we create systems that support student learning?
- How do new state level initiatives affect practice at the district, site and classroom level?
- What are the necessary actions and support systems required to move a school from low to high performing and/or to improve the achievement of ALL students.
- How does the district's instructional plan support the teaching of content standards through full implementation of State Board of Education adopted instructional materials for mathematics and reading/language arts?
Culture and Climate (.5 day)
Issues of change are paramount in a new system. Classroom practice, student performance and school accountability measures that were once virtually 'private' are now becoming 'public' through accountability measures and the resulting data. It is important that site administrators be skilled at facilitating the change to an assessment focused, data-driven system where all students are expected to achieve academic standards. A positive school climate, which promotes and values high expectations, learning, respect, diversity, and positive relationships between all stakeholders, does not exist by accident. It is made through creating effective channels of communication, mutual collaboration, ethical professional practices and positive relationships among staff, high expectations for students, and the belief that all children will achieve standards. These form a pervasive atmosphere of mutual respect and high regard for learning. Principals will explore strategies and methods to handle the change process and build a collaborative culture at their schools.
Essential Questions:
- Through the leadership role, how does a site administrator affect school climate and culture?
- What tools can the principal use to facilitate the change process?
- What actions can the principal take to build a culture that values high expectations, accountability, learning, collaboration, ownership, involvement, respect, diversity, positive relations, and ethical professional practices?
- What strategies does a leader use to move forward when there is a desire for the status quo with some staff members?
Implementing Standards-based Practice (1.5 days)
The state content standards chart the course of instruction for all students. More than the traditional objectives, standards have a real connection to how a teacher develops a lesson, assesses its success, and provides intervention and enrichment. Using a standards-based system calls for major changes in the way educators carry out their work. Developing a deep understanding of the grade level/content area standards is essential if an instructional leader is to be effective. This module will present the content standards and the growing body of print and electronic resources available to educators and useful in the support of teachers and students.
Essential Questions:
- What is "standards-based practice"?
- What is the meaning of "data-driven decision making"?
- How do the use of standards and data affect practice at the classroom, site and district levels?
- What are the district expectations for and responsibilities of its leaders in support of the district's instructional plan for implementing standards?
- How do curriculum frameworks support effective instructional strategies, especially for English learners?
- What electronic resources support the leader in the use and understanding of state standards?
Understanding and Using Summative Data
Becoming data-driven is the foundation of standards-based practice. Use of summative data (STAR, API, Multiple Measures, etc.) will assist the school to identify areas of focus and improvement that are directly tied to student needs. Navigating through these and other sources of summative data will be explored, as well as communicating student performance data to the community. Participant outcomes will include a deeper understanding of norm-referenced testing.
Essential Questions:
- What are the uses and limitations of norm-referenced testing?
- What leader actions lead to an organization becoming data-driven?
- What data systems are most useful and time-efficient?
- How are data used to establish student achievement goals?
- How does the leader effectively communicate data to staff, parents, and other stakeholders?
- How does the leader collect, store, and access student achievement data that supports specific school mission and identified outcomes?
Understanding and Using Formative Data to Inform Decision Making
Formative data is the fuel that drives the data-driven school. It provides touch points for the leader and staff to evaluate the path determined by summative data analysis. These data are essential to the teacher in assessing the efficacy of instruction and the measures of student learning. Analyzing formative data becomes a tool to establish collaborative practice among staff.
Essential Questions:
- What are the most effective ways to initiate the use of formative data in the school and classroom?
- Where are effective assessment tools in the new adopted materials and in addition to these materials, including assessment of English Language Learner needs, assessing student entry level, and instruction-embedded assessment methods that are enhanced through technology?
- How does the principal use data to assess the effectiveness of the instructional delivery of program content?
- How does the leader use data-driven strategies to help teachers reach instructional goal?
General Overview of Adopted Instructional Materials
Appropriate use of the adopted instructional materials can leverage student achievement through appropriate implementation, use of embedded assessments, and teaching strategies based on content standards. It is essential that site administrators have a comprehensive awareness of the district-adopted standards-based instructional program and be able to apply their knowledge of key components of these programs when working with teachers.
Essential Questions:
- What are the key elements of the district-adopted, standards-aligned instructional materials?
- How do these materials support differentiation in the classroom that meets the needs of ELL, GATE, and Special Education students?
- How do the electronic resources (software, videos, and tapes, CDs, online resources) support instruction?
- How does the principal lead and effectively support teachers with these materials?
- How do the assessment systems in the materials align with other grade level, district, and site level assessments?
Developing a Single School Plan/Action Plan
A site specific, data driven action plan that aligns instructional, fiscal and human resources is necessary if the school is to maintain its focus on student needs and achievement. The plan should contain clear, measurable goals and identify key activities, costs, responsibilities, due dates, and measures. It should provide focus on, and accountability for, priorities across human resources, financial, and technology areas and be developed with the participation of all stakeholders. The Single School Plan, under SB 374, is a template that may be used to develop all of these areas. The development and implementation of this plan will be a focus throughout the training.
Essential Questions:
- How is a useable action plan effectively developed?
- How are school wide, measurable goals established?
- How are priorities established and reinforced?
- How is resource allocation managed to focus on goals, programs, and activities that further the (newly) articulated mission?
- How is the plan used as a tool to drive and communicate measurable improvement in student achievement?
- What methods of communication are most effective in sharing results with various stakeholders?
- How are lead indicators within and across major categories followed and evaluated to ensure success, including the use of technology to assist in managing this task?
Instructional Strategies and Teacher Support
To be an instructional leader, the principal must understand what effective instruction looks like in a standards-based classroom. A deep understanding and knowledge of how assessment and data are used to inform classroom practice and instructional decision making, and key teaching strategies and scaffolding techniques that meet diverse student needs are essential if principals are to support and facilitate effective instructional practices.
Essential Questions:
- What are the essential contents and concepts covered in the adopted program?
- What does a "standards-based classroom" and "standards-based instructional practice" look like?
- What does a principal look for as evidence that the teacher is addressing the needs of diverse learners in the classroom?
- How can the principal support teachers in using appropriate assessment measures and data to make effective instructional decisions?
Teacher Observation and Instructional Support
An effective principal uses classroom observation and the evaluation process as the foundation for improving instructional practice. In addition to understanding how to observe and conference with a teacher and conduct a classroom observation that gathers evidence (versus opinion) regarding teacher effectiveness, a principal must also understand how to design and facilitate additional instructional support and other support systems for teachers. This module will assist the principal to recognize effective instruction and assist teachers in achieving optimum instructional practice.
Essential Questions:
- How does the principal conduct teacher classroom observations on the delivery of key instructional components?
- What are effective instructional strategies for diverse learners and what evidence of their use does the principal look for during classroom observation?
- How are needs for additional teacher support determined through the observation process?
- What are effective support systems for teachers and how are they used?
Communication and Technologies
Effective use of technology in all aspects of information management and communication is essential if the principal is to move from beyond running the school site to providing instructional leadership. The principal must understand how to gather, store, access, share and use data to drive instructional decision making and inform stakeholders of progress toward accomplishment of the action plan. During every aspect of the principal's day, time can be saved, efficiency improved, and communication facilitated through the thoughtful use of technology. Principals will learn how to use technology to improve communication, manage data and knowledge, and increases efficiency.
Essential Questions:
- How does the principal use existing district technology resources to assist with the management of instructional and student data?
- How does the principal foster attitudes of open sharing of information and facilitate its use to improve student performance?
- How is time leveraged and communication improved with online tools and web-based technologies?
- What are some effective systems that support school and teacher monitoring, the reporting of assessment data for purposes of improving the instructional program, and meeting student needs through appropriate interventions?
- What are effective ways to present data and information to teachers, students, parents, and other stakeholders?
Fiscal Management: Aligning Resources for Student Success
The strategic alignment of fiscal resources to the action plan is fundamental to the success of that plan. The overall operating budget should have fiscal targets that are linked to the school mission, goals, student growth targets, and strategic action plan. Methods for monitoring and communicating the achievement of these fiscal goals must also be established. The principal, more than ever before, must ensure that selection of fiscal targets is data-driven and linked to student needs and outcomes. This module will assist principals to look at fiscal resources in light of performance targets based on data, then align and allocate these resources to meet student achievement goals.
Essential Questions:
- What is the relationship between, and linkage of, budget with strategic goals/priorities and allocation of resources?
- How are fiscal targets established, monitored and communicated?
- What are effective uses of technology for fiscal management?
- How does the principal effectively use technology to communicate budgets, key measures, progress and results?
People and Performance: Supporting Effective Instruction
Implementing the new standards-based system, which requires a change in practice and places stress on the system as this change occurs, requires an understanding of human resource related functions and measures. Principals need effective strategies to address district and site needs such as hiring, training, supporting, retaining, and motivating quality teachers. Professional development for staff that is tied to the school plan is essential. Principals will explore issues around maintaining a competent, knowledgeable teaching staff.
Essential Questions:
- What are effective strategies for teacher selection and retention and how are they applied?
- How is an effective, district-specific, and focused professional development plan created and implemented?
- How does the principal use databases to collect, track, and store human resource management and personal information?
- How can online professional development be used to support instructional practice?
Using Technology to Improve Performance: Systems, Management and Communication
Understanding how technology can leverage school improvement is important to principals as they strive to balance site management responsibilities with instructional leadership. Technology can improve communication, save time, manage information, and improve efficiency. Learning how to effectively use technology is critical for today's leaders. This training will be integrated throughout the training modules and will teach principals to use spreadsheets, databases, presentation and business management software.
Essential Questions:
- What are the technological resources currently available in the district/school?
- How can the Internet and portals like TICAL be used as information resources?
- How can the Internet facilitate communication between principals?
- What are some key software applications and how can they be used to effectively manage fiscal planning and monitoring, human resources, data and other aspects of the principal's responsibilities.
- What are some online learning resources and how is a site evaluated for quality?
- How can web, voice, and video reports be used to connect home and school?
Related Web Site