Research on teacher quality increasingly shows a correlation between the caliber of classroom teaching and student achievement.

The issue of teacher quality is one of the most important topics in K-12 education today. States have long required some form or level of standardized certification to gain entry into our profession. The traditional certification involves training in pedagogy and grade level content. This training is dominated by universities who prepare pre-professional teachers to meet the licensure requirements of a given state. As student performance data becomes increasingly accessible, the impact of classroom teachers becomes more obvious. The notion of value-added has also changed the conversation about teacher quality. With more emphasis placed on accountability and greater access to data, it is logical to look at student gains in a given year and credit at least some of that growth to the quality of classroom teaching. Was this the intent of NCLB's emphasis on highly qualified teachers? What is a highly qualified teacher? How do we measure the value added in a given year? What measures are appropriate for better understanding the impact teacher quality has on student achievement?

Research in the field of teacher quality emphasizes the benefit of a high quality teacher and negative impact of a low quality teacher. This is not a new understanding. Hanushek (1992) found "that all else equal, a student with a very high-quality teacher will achieve a learning gain of 1.5 grade level equivalents, while a student with a low-quality teacher will achieve a gain of only 0.5 grade level equivalents" (Goldhaber, 2004, pg. 4-5). The cumulative effect of this range of teacher quality is significant. Why is there so much variance in the quality of instruction our students receive? Are there common elements, characteristics, or preparation programs that lead towards higher or lower teacher quality?

There is enough data to support the notion that teachers matter, but much less consensus around how and why they matter. What are the immediate next steps for classroom, school, and district leaders? What role must post-secondary institutions play in identifying and preparing future educators? Ultimately, what are the most logical and effective means of ensuring the highest level of teacher quality in classrooms across our country? To meet the needs of our savvy and sophisticated students, and to prepare them to thrive in the complex world in which they live, we must transform the K-12 learning environment and consistently identify, support, and incentivize high quality teaching.

Dave Dimmett

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During the last several months, our school district has worked to identify areas of strategic importance to dramatically improving life opportunities for our students. Our focus is squarely on student achievement, and we are approaching this focus through four key areas: Leadership, Engagement, Data, and Collaboration. While we are moving forward in each of these areas, I want to highlight the work we are doing in Leadership.

As we assessed our leadership needs in the district, we determined that, like many other K-12 districts, we had a critical need for leadership development. As we planned to meet this need, we committed to expanding the traditional view of school leadership to include classroom, school, and district levels. Too often we've seen phenomenal plans from school or district leaders, but the real classroom impact was missing. We knew we wanted to lift up the experience of classroom leaders and provide models for others in our district. We really wanted to incentivize the role of classroom leader. In considering school and district leaders more specifically, we wanted to prepare real change agents for current and future leadership opportunities.

Our efforts to address this leadership need have resulted in a partnership with Brown University in the form of the Learning Leadership Cadre. The Cadre is composed of teachers, academic coaches, counselors, and current administrators who will begin intensive study around the areas of Leadership, Engagement, Data, and Collaboration. Each participant was selected after a rigorous application and interview process. One of my colleagues called the process "heartening." He was referring to the powerfully positive impression many of our applicants left on him. Each Cadre member will identify, develop, and deliver on an action research or change project for a school or the district.

Much of the power of this model comes from non-traditional thinking about K-12 education needs and how best to meet them. The spirit of collaboration evident in this work is also key to the effective design and delivery of such an option. While our sense is that the Cadre is an effective design for meeting our leadership development goals, the work of an outside evaluator will really help quantify the results we see through this fairly unique partnership. I invite you to visit the Learning Leadership Cadre website and look more closely at the model as we work through this first year. I believe this is another example of how K-12 educators across the country are thinking more about "how we can" rather than "why we can't."

Dave Dimmett

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"Simon says, 'Touch the sky'"
Meg Dimmett (age 3)

Read a little about the current state of education and you will likely encounter explicit statements decrying the state of our schools and our emphasis on standardized measures of student achievement. I, too, struggle frequently with traditional education's focus on these one-size fits all summative assessments. My recent work with district administrators has sought to shift the focus beyond the usual metrics to also include measures of engagement, leadership, and collaboration. What does it look like to measure student achievement in more expansive terms? How do we retool evaluation so that our work fosters the kind of creativity and curiosity that allows a young child to think she can touch the sky? These are difficult questions to be sure, but the power of answering them holds much promise for the future of our schools.

When do students stop asking questions? How do curious young people turn into sometimes apathetic, disenfranchised teens and adults? My untested hypothesis is that our drive to standardize learning and assessments is part of the answer to these questions. What can we do differently? Would measures of student engagement provide information that would be helpful in modifying what we teach and how we teach it? What could be gained from focusing some of our efforts on incorporating student voices in the conversation about education?

The short answer is much can be gained from student inclusion in the design, delivery, and evaluation of learning. A good example of a student engagement measure is the High School Survey of Student Engagement. High Schools That Work provides similar information through limited surveys of students in participating schools. Another approach worth exploring comes from the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations (QISA). QISA promotes Three Guiding Principals, a focus on self-worth, active engagement, and purpose. In a survey of approximately 500,000 students in grades six through twelve, QISA reports some astounding statistics.

-"Teachers care about me as an individual: 45%"
-"Teachers respect students: 51%"
-"School is boring: 46%"
-"My classes help me understand what is happening in my everyday life: 40%"
-"Teachers make school an exciting place to learn: 32%"
-"I know the goals my school is working on: 37%"

On a slightly more positive note, the survey indicated that 63% of student respondents believe they can make a difference in this world.

What does all this mean? If we take the six previously noted statements alone, turn them into objectives, and establish target percentages, what changes would take place in the average school? What can be gained by having more students know the school goals, or, better yet, help determine those goals? What does a school look like when 80% or more of students believe their classes help them understand their everyday life? What does a school feel like when 80% or more of students believe teachers care about them? Furthermore, how successful are students when 80% or more of them believe school is an exciting place to learn?

By listening to student voices and responding to only a few such metrics, much can be gained in the area of student learning, and it's possible that more students will believe they can touch the sky.

Dave Dimmett

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in·no·va·tion (noun) 1: the introduction of something new; 2: a new idea, method, or device
Merriam-Webster online

The term innovation is becoming more and more prevalent in education-related discussions. Schools from coast to coast are adopting "innovative" models to address educational needs in local communities. The range of practice associated with these models is wide. Some models are prescribed programs with detailed requirements for professional development and implementation. Other models are more tailored to an individual community and somewhat less specific in structure and delivery. The development of these K-12 programs has been accompanied by university programs designed to facilitate growth, increase successful outcomes, and analyze results.

At the core of these innovative school models are a couple of key ingredients that greatly benefit students. First, innovative models are thoughtfully designed to meet student needs in a variety of ways that are highly relevant for the 21st century. These schools are not delivering a curriculum that has slowly evolved over decades into an often disconnected series of topics. Second, innovative models strive for small school characteristics that create fewer opportunities for anonymity between and among students and staff. Third, innovative models attempt to maximize school and community partnerships. By harnessing the resources and support of the wider community, learning is more powerful and connected for children and adults alike.

What are the predominant innovative models being implemented in K-12 schools around the country? Here are a few models with links to relevant websites. Keep in mind that some of these models are relatively new, while others have been around for many years.

KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) - This program was started by Dave Levin and Mike Feinburg. A recent USA Today article noted that there are currently "66 schools in 19 states and the District of Columbia. It educates more than 16,000 children from preschool through high school, virtually all of them low-income." In a nutshell, KIPP has a demanding college prep curriculum that is delivered through extended hours and days throughout the year. Parent involvement is also a key component of the program.

Expeditionary Learning - EL is a K-12 model that grew from the original work of Kurt Hahn and Outward Bound. EL has a strong constructivist approach to education. Students are highly active in this model and curiosity in encouraged.

Early College High School - ECHS is a model designed primarily for secondary students, but preparation for successful ECHS experiences often extends into middle grades. The ECHS model grows the traditional dual credit opportunities for high school students into a structured program designed to deliver associates degrees or two years of transferable credit concurrently with high school graduation. ECHS models partner with universities and colleges to add high levels of support to high school students who are largely underserved in the traditional programs.

There are other examples including The Project School, New Tech High School, Project Child, language immersion schools, Key Learning Community, and countless other programs ranging from magnet schools and charter programs to redesigned traditional settings. Information about these programs is scattered across the Internet and in a range of publications. I encourage readers to visit these links and add others in comments. I would love help identifying the best of these programs from communities across the country. If you have a model you'd like to share or a school you'd like to highlight, be sure to share it with us.

Innovative models are not the solution to all that ails us, but the conversations surrounding design and delivery of these many programs has fostered great enthusiasm for our work even in these difficult times.

Resolve Revisited - In my December post (Resolve for the New Year) I offered several suggestions for resolutions that would be appropriate for educational leaders. I mentioned the high failure rate of many resolutions and encouraged thoughtful consideration of both the resolution and planning the support to make it happen. If we all could reflect now on the resolutions we made (I know some people don't believe in annual resolutions), how many of us are on track? One resolution I made was to be a mentor to a student in our district. While that effort got off to a slow start, I have now met with the student twice and talked with the parents and teachers on multiple occasions. The student and I are meeting every other week, and since we started, his attendance has improved and his organizational skills are being addressed. If you are on track with your resolutions great. If not, this is a great time to refocus your efforts.

Dave Dimmett

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Current improvement efforts in schools frequently look to business models of successful change and leadership. Customer service is one aspect of the business model that gets talked about more regularly and is actually delivered to varying degrees in schools around the country.

What does it mean to provide good customer service? How do we ensure service to our community on par with our expectations of service in other sectors of our lives? What can be gained through a focus on customers? Who are the customers?

For the purposes of this post, I am considering two distinct forms of customer service:

1. Internal customer service - how we engage students and staff in the education process, both at building and district levels
2. External customer service - how our schools and central office personnel engage the community

Internal customer service can go a long way towards helping us understand the unmet needs of our students and staff and improve the quality of our work as a result. External customer service can garner community support in ways that empower our work and strengthen partnerships that are beneficial for students. Few would deny these positive outcomes, but how do we begin this work and is it really necessary?

As school safety became an urgent priority in our schools, districts around the country conducted security audits to identify needs and build support for the necessary changes. Nora Carr (2007) encourages a similar "'triggering event' to break through staff denial" and ultimately determine customer service priorities. She and others suggest secret shoppers who email, call, and visit schools and district offices to determine the level of service in place currently and how best to improve. For internal customer service, I would recommend a similar gathering of information through student interviews, panels, and surveys such as the High School Survey of Student Engagement (or a similar tool for other grade levels).

Another important factor in considering a more thoughtful customer service approach is the changing nature of school funding. As families have more choices and can more easily enroll students across traditional district lines, schools who not only meet academic needs but are also responsive to their community will see the greatest benefit. This competitive push has the potential to focus our work around academic needs as well as community input. In this way, the benefits and challenges of an educational community can be owned more broadly and solved more collaboratively. In an era where family and community partnerships are growing and reaping results, it only makes sense to engage more thoughtfully in community service efforts.

What tools can we use to measure customer service?

• online customer satisfaction surveys
• parent/guardian/teacher/student exit interviews (real interviews, not just a piece of paper)
• feedback cards in front offices and on desktops
• secret shoppers

What strategies can be used to improve customer service?

• training for all staff on customer service
• establishment of first-contact resolution culture
• empowerment of individuals, schools, departments to meet identified needs

This work is exciting and holds much potential. If you have a story or example of effective measures in action, please share.

Dave Dimmett

Carr, N. (2007). The customer service approach. American School Board Journal, 194 (9), 62-63.
Gagnon, E. (2009). A mystery shopper in the public school market. School Administrator, 66 (1), 42-43.
Toothman, E. (2004). Mention customer service...and then run. School Administrator, 61 (6), 35.

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! As we pause to celebrate with family and friends, this time of year naturally lends itself to the reflection necessary for a promising 2009. My post this month contains 5 professional resolutions for the new year. I encourage you to pick one and make it your own. In thinking about this post, I was reminded of the core definitions of resolution and resolve. There's no way around the words solution and solve in this thinking. While resolutions seldom seem to really solve a problem or provide a solution, I believe the collective impact of thousands of educators taking one of the actions below would be significant. I'm also interested in hearing of other resolutions relative to the professional lives we live. I read recently that only 30% of new year's resolutions meet with success. The keys to upping our odds are proper planning, measurable outcomes, and collegial/familial support.

Best of luck...

1. Write a personal mission statement relative to your professional life. Post it visibly, perhaps inside your closet door, as your screen saver, in the lap drawer of your desk, on the backside of your office door, or under the visor of your car. Share it with someone who will help you measure your progress and partner with you to grow professionally.

2. Become an unofficial (or official) mentor to a student in your building or district. Commit to having regular contact with the student, at least twice each month, perhaps during lunch. I recommend communicating with the parents/guardians as well. Let them know that you will be providing an extra level of support and encouragement for their child. There are many online resources for mentors, some of which apply more directly to the type of relationship I propose here. I recommend visiting the Mentor site for guidelines on individual mentoring or even starting a mentoring program.

3. Develop a professional growth plan, whether you are required to or not. Align it with standards, devise measurable outcomes, and detail the action required. I recommend looking at the standards developed by the American Association of School Administrators and the International Society for Technology in Education.

4. Learn the names of all the support staff in your building and those who frequent your building. Make a point of knowing at least one thing about their lives outside of work. If you struggle at times with names and details such as this, I recommend using a personnel directory that can be annotated as you pick up details through conversation. If you have a handheld device, much of this information can be recorded in your contacts.

5. Write to your elected officials regarding issues important to your school and community. Use your Entourage (or Outlook) Calendar to set a monthly reminder to email your thoughts and concerns. There are numerous online directories with emails for Members of Congress and other state and local officials. With this monthly reminder and saved email addresses in your online address book, you can easily send 12 messages to local, state, and federal policy makers in the new year.

These are five resolutions to get you started. I intend to take one of these and form another, more personal, resolution to begin my new year.

Happy Holidays and best wishes for wonderful New Year.

Dave Dimmett

[cross-posted at the old LeaderTalk blog (including comments)]

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