Reading First Implementation Beyond Year 4:

1
Reading First Implementation Beyond Year 4

• Building Capacity and
• Moving Toward Sustainability
• at the School and District Levels

Shari L. Butler, Ph.D. Denise Bradley, Ph.D.
3rd Annual National Reading First
Conference Reno, Nevada ? July 1820, 2006
2
Building Capacity and Moving Toward Sustainability
We are not where we want to be, We are not where
we are going to be, But we are not where we
were. Rosa Parks
3
We are not where we want to be, We are not where
we are going to be, But we are not where we
were. Rosa Parks
4
Definitions
sustainability does not simply mean whether
something will last. It addresses how particular
initiatives can be developed without compromising
the development of others in the surrounding
environment now and in the future. (Hargreaves
Fink, 2000, p. 30)
5
Sustainable Improvement

• sustainability does not simply mean whether
  something will last. It addresses how particular
  initiatives can be developed without compromising
  the development of others in the surrounding
  environment now and in the future.
• (Hargreaves Fink, 2000, p. 30)

6
Sustainable Improvement
Enduring Commitment Rate of support matches pace
of change Does not deplete resources needed by
others Adaptation
7
Research

• Few studies on sustainability of reform over long
  periods of time (Anderson Stiegelbauer, 1994
  Cuban, 1986, 1992)
• Resources dissipate over time when the external
  developers turn their attention to other sites or
  other issues (Datnow et al., 2002 MacIver, et
  al. McLaughlin Mitra, 2001 Stokes, 1997)
• Teachers with a deep understanding of the
  pedagogical principles of reform are better able
  to respond to new demands and changing contexts
  (Coburn Meyer, 1998 McLaughlin Mitra, 2001)
• Coburn reviewed 44 publications on efforts to
  scale up external reforms and found only 18
  involved investigations of schools involved in
  the reform for 4 or more years (Coburn, 2003)

8
Research

• Longitudinal study of 13 schools implementing CSR
  programs
• Results after 3 years, 5 schools implementing

Questions Why do reforms sustain in some
schools and not in others? How do changing state
and district contexts influence reform
sustainability in schools? (Datnow, 2005)
9
School-Level Factors that Hinder Sustainability

• The presence of competing reforms
• Instability of leadership
• Teacher retention
• Poor student outcomes
• Teacher commitment to innovation

(Datnow, 2005)
10
School-Level Factors that Lead to Sustainability

• Genuine interest in change
• Teacher and administrator support
• Critical mass involved in implementation
• Sustained professional development
• Practical plan for implementation
• Monitoring of the change effort

(Datnow, 2005)
11
Institutionalization
12
Sustainability Institutionalization
Building Capacity
13
Institutionalization
Institutionalization involves a multilevel
process during which an innovation becomes an
established practice

• Structuralinnovation reflected in a concrete
  fashion throughout the organization
• Proceduralactivities associated with the
  innovation become standard operating procedure
• Culturalnorms and values associated with the
  innovation are embraced by members of the
  organization

(Curry, 1991)
14
Institutionalization

• Schools whose reforms were well institutionalized
  did not suffer or experience conflicts in the
  face of changing district and state demands.

(Datnow, 2005)
15

• Characteristics of Schools with Effective
  Reading Programs
• A sense of urgency and commitment to learning
• Strong instructional leadership
• Accountability
• Regular assessment and monitoring of student
  progress
• Ongoing professional development
• Targeted instruction and intervention
• High expectations and a no excuses approach
• (Denton, Foorman, Mathes, 2003 Foorman
  Moats, 2004)

School Factors for Institutionalization Genuine
interest in change Teacher and administrator
support Critical mass involved in
implementation Sustained professional
development Practical plan for implementation Moni
toring of the change effort (Anderson
Stiegelbauer, 1994 Moffet, 2000)
16
Key Elements of Reading First to Institutionalize
in Schools

• Dedicated instructional leadership
• Research-based instructional strategies and
  programs
• Valid and reliable instructional assessments and
  data-based decision making
• Ongoing professional development and coaching

17
Institutionalizing Reading First within Districts

• Incorporate Reading First elements throughout
  district offices
• Spread implementation of Reading First practices
• Other grade levels
• Other (non-funded) schools
• Create knowledgeable leaders who can influence
  policy, procedures, and values

18
Building Capacity

• Leadership
• Coaching and support
• Aligning curriculum and instruction
• Interpreting and using data
• Targeting interventions on low-performing
  students/schools
• Ongoing professional development

(Massell, 2000)
19
Lasting Leadership

• The good news for most of us is that charismatic
  leaders are actually a liability for sustained
  improvement.
• individuals who blend extreme personal humility
  with intense professional will
  
  
• (Collins, 2001)

20
Lasting Leadership

• As Leaders, how do you affect the following
• Buy-in and depth at all levels including central
  office
• and instructional leaders?
• Commitment to analyzing and using data?
• Supporting staff in the change process?
• Facilitating and providing resources?
• Fostering motivation What else can we do?
• Fostering the sense of ownership and pride?
• Celebrate successes?

21
Building Capacity Leadership

• Base hiring decisions on knowledge of schools RF
  programs
• Attend administrator professional development
• Attend and show value for teachers professional
  development
• Develop parental support
• Create a culture of learning
• Encourage and develop leadership within the
  school and district

22

• I am still learning.
• Michelangelo

23
Leadership Create a Culture of Learning

• Five mutually reinforcing sets of strategic
  activities
• Nested learning communities
• Principal institutes
• Leadership for instruction
• Peer learning
• Individual coaching

I believe that no effective learning can go on
without very strong personal relationships, but
relationships cant substitute for deep
knowledge. (Fink, 2001)
24
Building Capacity Coaching and Support

• Promote collaboration within and across grades
• Horizontal teaming
• Vertical teaming
• Consider integrating other coaching models if
  funds will not be available for a coaching
  position after Reading First funding ends
• Peer coaching
• Collegial coaching

25
Building CapacityAligning Curriculum and
Instruction

• Developing curriculum documents reinforced by
  professional development, oversight, and
  assessment
• Creating an abbreviated set of outcomes linked to
  state standards to guide schools
• Using performance assessments to align
  instructional practices and curriculum to new
  goals

(Massell, 2000)
26
Building CapacityInterpreting and Using Data

• Analyze and discuss data
• Develop in-house expertise
• Use data to drive decision making
• Planning professional development activities
• Identifying achievement gaps
• Assigning and evaluating personnel
• Identifying students for special services

(Massell, 2000)
27
Growth on Screening Measure Fall 2003 to Spring
2004
28
Building CapacityTargeting Interventions

• Assisting schools in interpreting and using
  performance data for improvement planning
• Targeting additional resources and support, as
  well as increased oversight and feedback, to
  low-performing schools

(Massell, 2000)
29

• These classrooms have a very high need for
  support for intensive need students
• Is classroom set up for small group instruction?
• Is small group instruction taking place every
  day?
• Is intervention being conducted every day?
• What is being done in intervention?
• Analyze documentation for every student.
• Are professional dialogues occurring during
  weekly grade level meetings?
• Time to meet with teachers--use of teacher preps?
  Other times?
• Plan and implement a workshop monthly for grade
  level groups of teachers.

30
Building CapacityUse of Data

• Self-Monitoring
• Continue to collect and analyze data and make
  data driven decisionsboth instructional
  decisions and administrative decisionsto
  increase student achievement
• Share the schools data and tell the data story
• Train teachers to use data to inform instruction

31
Building CapacityOngoing Professional
Development

• Develop a coherent, systematic professional
  development plan and follow-up rather than
  one-shot PD or a menu of options
• Ensure new teachers receive foundational training
• Encourage teachers as leaders
• Put in place a system for reviewing and renewing
  knowledge of experienced teachers
• Identify critical elements for continued training
• Commit to making grade-level meetings, study
  groups, professional learning communities, and
  mentoring part of the school culture

32
Planning Coordinated Professional Development
1Determine PD needs
2Develop a plan
4Evaluate success of PD and communicate results
3Implement plan
(Adapted from Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and
Language Arts, 2006)
33
Determine Needs Sources of Information

• Prioritized needs identified by schools
• Schools student performance data
• Additional information
• Campus needs assessment data
• Student assessment data
• Screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring,
  outcome
• Process data or indicators
• Teacher needs survey data

(Adapted from Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and
Language Arts, 2006)
34
Considerations

• Always focus on student outcomesbe inflexible
  about the reason for the professional development
  
• Plan creativelybe flexible when it comes to the
  format of professional development
• Build in ongoing support to promote teachers use
  of effective practices and change over time

(Adapted from Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and
Language Arts, 2006)
35
Develop a Plan Identify Resource Needs

• Time needed (hours/days, number of meetings) for
  PD that will promote change
• Expertise needed
• Funds (consultants, participant travel)
• Other

(Adapted from Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and
Language Arts, 2006)
36
Develop a Plan Determine Schedule
Use prioritized PD topics to determine time to be
allocated for initial and follow-up PD to promote
sustainability

• Initial PD
• All staff, one day by vendor, 1/2 day observation
  
• Coach, principal, 1/2 day of observation
  checklist
• Follow-up PD
• Teachers 1 combined grade-level meeting monthly
• Teachers coach observes intervention instruction
  weekly principal observes intervention
  instruction monthly
• All staff quarterly follow-up PD to enhance
  implementation

(Adapted from Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and
Language Arts, 2006)
37
Develop a Plan Determine Schedule (continued)

• Compare topic and time needed to develop schedule
  for school year
• Determine when teachers will have a high need to
  know for Just in Time PD
• Align PD time to district schedule (tentative,
  pending meeting with central office)
• Determine time needed for campus PD
• Consider formats and alternative avenues to
  support teacher implementation

(Adapted from Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and
Language Arts, 2006)
38
Planning Coordinated Professional Development
1 Determine PD needs
4Evaluate success of PD and communicate results
2Develop a plan
3Implement plan
(Adapted from Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and
Language Arts, 2006)
39
Evaluate Success of Current Plan

• Review the implementation of the plan
• Did we implement it as planned?
• What did we do well?
• How did it have an impact on teachers reading
  instruction?
• How did it have an impact on student reading
  outcomes?
• What do we need to keep in mind OR do differently?

(Adapted from Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and
Language Arts, 2006)
40
In Sum Building Capacity Leads to Sustainability

• Leadership
• Coaching and support
• Aligning curriculum and instruction
• Interpreting and using data
• Targeting interventions
• Ongoing professional development

41
Building Capacity Leads to Sustainability

• Within RF schools, put a system in place that
• brings new teachers up to speed
• reviews/renews what is known about SBRR/SBRI
• prevents slippage
• Across the district, reach out to departments
  such as Title I, ELL, bilingual/migrant,
  assessment, special education, and so on

42

• Change for Keeps
• for Good

43

• Determine that the thing can and shall be
  done, and then we shall find the way.
  Abraham Lincoln

44

• As you travel down the road of progress,
  tradition will place 10,000 soldiers at every
  crossroad to protect the past.
• Author unknown

45
Contact Information

• Shari Butler, Ph.D.
• levy_at_mail.utexas.edu
• Denise Bradley, Ph.D.
• denise.bradley_at_mail.utexas.edu
• Central Regional Reading First
• Technical Assistance Center
• The University of Texas at Austin

46
References

• Datnow, A. (2005). The sustainability of
  comprehensive school reform models in changing
  district and state contexts. Educational
  Administration Quarterly, 41(1), 121153.
• Denton, C. A., Foorman, B. R., Mathes, P. G.
  (2003). Perspective Schools that beat the
  odds Implications for reading instruction.
  Remedial and Special Education, 24, 258261.
• Elmore, R. (2002). Testing trap. Harvard
  Magazine, SeptemberOctober, 105(1), 16.
• Foorman, B. R., Moats, L. C. (2004). Conditions
  for sustaining research-based practices in early
  reading instruction. Remedial and Special
  Education, 25(1), 5160.
• Gersten, R., Chard, D., Baker, S. (2000).
  Factors Enhancing Sustained Use of Research-Based
  Instructional Practices. Journal of Learning
  Disabilities, 33(5), 445-457.
• Jacobs, S. (2006a, January). Sustainability
  Lessons from the comprehensive school reform
  program. Presented at the Reading First Technical
  Assistance Workshop.
• Jacobs, S. (2006b, January). Sustaining Reading
  First. Presented at the Reading First Technical
  Assistance Workshop.
• King, M., Newmann, F. (2000). Will teacher
  learning advance school goals? Phi Delta Kappan,
  81(8), 576580.
• Massell, D. (2000). The district role in building
  capacity Four strategies. Philadelphia, PA
  Consortium for Policy Research in Education.
• Oxford English Dictionary. Available from
  www.askoxford.com
• Shanahan, T. (2006, February). Beyond Reading
  First Now what? Presentation at the Central
  Regional Reading First Directors Meeting,
  Austin, Texas.
• Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language
  Arts. (2006, March). Planning for sustainability
  in Reading First Districts and Campuses Technical
  Assistance Information Session. Austin, TX
  Author.