LIST OF EXHIBITS FOR STANDARD 1

EXHIBIT  1e.6

Action Research Example 

                                  EDL School Leader Program  

Assessment #7 Strategic Plan: Seminar III Human Relations and School-Community Relations  

 1. Description: The Strategic Plan Report requires that the candidate critically evaluates, analyzes and develops a strategic plan document of a school, or school district. The candidate demonstrates that she/he has the ability to critically assess, articulate, document and implement a strategic plan that is based on vision, goals, objectives, reflective practice, and research-based best practices of student learning.  

2. Alignment of ELCC Standards: The candidate will conduct a comprehensive review of the school’s or district’s strategic plan by critiquing the vision and explaining how it has been implemented (1.1,1.2). The candidate will provide a narrative with relevant data and cultural diversity (1.2b, 6.1e, 6.1f). In the analysis they will describe change efforts tried in the past and the difficulties (6.1a, 6.1h). They will conduct a needs assessment showing resources of families and community and their involvement in decision making (4.1a, 4.1b, 4.1f). It will also show public information sources and the outreach to businesses (4.1c, 4.1e, 4.1h). It will show the views of community agencies, health, social, and services (4.1g). Then they will create a new and/or revised strategic plan with a strategy for seeking new resources (3.3)b; involvement of the community (4.2a); leadership to programs of special education students (4.2c);  a plan for implementing assessment strategies to understand diversity and meet the diverse needs of all students (4.2b, 4.2d); how to use of public and community resources to encourage communities to provide new resources (4.3a, 4.3b, 4.3c); a strategy for engaging students, parents, and the community in advocating for adoption of policies and laws that benefit learning and promote equitable services to benefit families(6.3a, 6.3b, 6.3c);  a respect for the rights of others with regard to confidentiality and dignity and engage in honest interactions (5.1); how to combine impartiality, sensitivity to diversity, and ethics. (5.2). Finally the candidate will provide ways to implement and monitor the strategic plan. The candidate will explain the initiatives necessary to motivate the learning community (1.3a, 1.3b); explain a strategy to use current technologies for management, business, and scheduling. (3.3c); a way to apply appropriate models and principles of organizational and management for student safety, student learning, curriculum and instruction (3.1a, 3.1b); a way to maximize time effectively and deploy financial and human resources (3.1c). explain the use of problem-solving skills and knowledge of strategic, long-range, and operational planning in the effective, legal, and equitable use of fiscal, human, and material resource allocation and alignment that focuses on teaching and learning (3.3a); Explain the use of communication skills with members of a school community concerning trends, issues, and potential changes in the environment in which the school operates (6.2a) 

3. Summary of data findings: Data was from summer 2006 and fall 2006. The faculty is striving to improve teaching and learning strategies in order to move more students to the accomplished level.

4. Interpretation of data: Data are presented that indicate expectations in eleven areas of standards and descriptions were met or exceeded by candidates in summer and fall 2006. Ten percent of candidates (less than 2) did not meet expectations in three areas.  

Attachment A 

Directions to Candidates: Meet with your mentor to talk about the school’s strategic plan document(s). Plan an action strategy to meet with a team of school personnel to critically evaluate and analyze the strategic plan document(s). The parts of the report must include the following:

¨      Comprehensive Review of Strategic Plan: Include the following:

o        Critique and/or development of a vision (1.1a, 1.1b)

o        Analysis of how the vision has been implemented or not implemented (1.2a)

o        Narrative and graphics showing the relevant data, economics and cultural diversity (1.2b, 6.1e, 6.1f)

o        Describe how norms and values affect the school in promoting social justice.   (6.1g)

o        In your analysis show the use of educational theory, theories of change and concepts appropriate to the school context (6.1a, 6.1h)

o        Explain how you made decisions based upon ethical and legal principles. (5.3)

¨      Construct and Conduct Needs Assessment that shows the following:

o        The resources of families and community and their involvement in decision making (4.1a, 4.1b, 4.1f)

o        Public information sources (media, newspapers, etc) and outreach to businesses and community (4.1c, 4.1e, 4.1h)

o        Views of community agencies, health, social, and services. (4.1g)

¨      Create a New and/or Revised Strategic Plan that shows the following:

o        A strategy for seeking new resources to facilitate learning (3.3b)

o        Involvement of the community, including those of conflicting perspectives.( 4.2a)

o        Leadership to programs serving students with special and exceptional needs. (4.2c)

o        A plan for implementing assessment strategies to understand diversity and meet the diverse needs of all students. (4.2b, 4.2d)

o        How to use of public and community resources to encourage communities to provide new resources (4.3a, 4.3b, 4.3c)

o        A strategy for engaging students, parents, and the community in advocating for adoption of policies and laws that benefit learning and promote equitable services to benefit families(6.3a, 6.3b, 6.3c)

o        Explain how to show a respect for the rights of others with regard to confidentiality and dignity and engage in honest interactions. (5.1)

o        Explain how to combine impartiality, sensitivity to diversity, and ethics. (5.2)

¨      Plan for Implementation and Monitoring the Strategic Plan

o        Initiatives  necessary to motivate the learning community (1.3a, 1.3b)

o        Strategy to use current technologies for management, business, and scheduling. (3.3c)

o        A way to apply appropriate models and principles of organizational and management for student safety, student learning, curriculum and instruction. (3.1a, 3.1b)

o        A way to maximize time effectively and deploy financial and human resources (3.1c)

o        The use of problem-solving skills and knowledge of strategic, long-range, and operational planning in the effective, legal, and equitable use of fiscal, human, and material resource allocation and alignment that focuses on teaching and learning. (3.3a)

o        The use of communication skills with members of a school community concerning trends, issues, and potential changes in the environment in which the school operates (6.2a)  

Attachment B 

Assessment. #7 School Strategic Plan Rubric: Seminar III Human Resources and School-Community Relations

SPA Skills Assessment #7 – Emerging: limited knowledge and little or no evidence of application of the standards; Proficient: good knowledge and clear evidence, but not consistent application of the standards; Accomplished: well versed in leadership knowledge and clear, convincing, and consistent evidence application of the standards.

 Attachment C

Data Tables

Strategic Plan Seminar III Human Resources and School Community Relations  

 In 2005-2006, all candidates met or exceeded expectations on the 14 areas for the Strategic Plan  

Strategic Plan Seminar III Human Resources and School Community Relations

 Action Research Project

Technology Leadership Example

Creating of an Academic Improvement Plan - Proposal for Action Research

Background Information:

Use all information from the course.

Written Assignment:

Write a comprehensive description of what you could do next semester to address a specific educational technology need at your school.  This should be considered a proposal for an action research project that could be implemented as part of your Educational Technology Practicum (ETEC 680).  This should include Chapters 1, 2 and 3 as described below.  Chapters 4 and 5 will be developed as a part of the Educational Technology Practicum (ETEC 680).

Chapter One: Introduction
This chapter should provide an introduction to your proposed research project.  It should include a brief description of the problem, a statement of the hypothesis and any definition of special terms.  It should also include:

• Leadership Role - A brief (3 to 4 sentence) overview of how you plan to assume a leadership role to help your school improve student achievement.
• School Description - A description of the school or insitution where this study will be conducted.
• Student Needs – A description of available data that supports the specific academic need that you will address at your school.
• School Goal – A listing of a measurable, student-oriented, results-oriented, focused goal that address a specific academic need of students at your school.  (This could be one of your school goals – rewritten.)
• School Ecology and School Climate – A description of the school ecology and school climate that will help you address the measurable goal.  Also identify specific barriers and how you will overcome those barriers to carry out your plan.
• Paradigm shift – A description of the paradigm shift that will have to occur at your school in order to successfully implement your plan.
• Risks – A description of risks that you will have to take as you implement your idea and risks that will be taken by other students, teachers, and your principal when your plan is implemented.

Chapter Two:  Review of the Literature
    This chapter should provide the theoretical and research basis for your project.  The literature review describes and analyzes what has already been done related to your problem.  It is not a series of abstracts or annotations but rather an analysis of the relationships and differences between related studies and reports.  At least 12 articles or research studies should be reviewed to provide the philosophical underpinnings for the research.

Chapter Three:  Methodology
    This chapter should include a description of the subjects (students or faculty participants), research design and procedure, and a description of any survey instruments.  It should also include:

• Forms of Inquiry – A description of additional information that you will need to gather in order to be prepared to carry out your plan next semester to address the identified goal.
• Collaboration – A description of collaboration that will occur between you and other school personnel as you develop your plan and/or implement your plan.
• Sense of Community – A description of how you will create a sense of community as your plan is being developed/implemented so that others have a sense of ownership and involvement.
• Resources – A description of resources that you will need to implement your plan, and a description of how you will secure the resources.
• Measurement of Incremental Progress – A description of how you will measure incremental progress toward reaching your overall school goal as you implement your plan.
• Proposed Assessment Activities - A description of how you will determine the efficacy of your project.  Include questionnaires and other possible assessment instruments and strategies.
• Plan of Action – A listing of the steps that you are going to take to implement your plan next semester.  Identify what will occur, who will be responsible, and deadline dates.
   

Chapter Four:  Results

Chapter Five:  Conclusions