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E H N T O I T A V O E N IN S S U I REINVENTING THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATION | CRAFTING A CULTURE OF INNOVATION | SCHOOL FUNDING INNOVATIONS |
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TAKE YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM TO NEW HEIGHTS Bring Illinois ASBO facilitators into your district to help grow the leadership acumen of your administrative team! Each participant will focus on their individual growth, as well as how they can better work with other team members.
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Two Proven Trainings: Life Orientations Academy
Leadership Practices Inventory Academy
A full day training where leaders identify their own behavioral leadership style and how to bridge their style to communicate better with others.
A multi-day training where leaders gain perspective into how they see themselves as leaders, how others view them and how to improve their effectiveness.
“The LPI Instrument is very useful for your own development and growth, but to do the training together as a district team made it that much more valuable!” — Greg Himebaugh, Asst. Supt./Finance & Operations, Deerfield Public SD 109
Find out how to bring these trainings into your district at:
www.iasbo.tools/leadershipadmin
INSIDE
Illinois Association of School Business Officials UPDATE Magazine / Summer 2016 / v.23 / i.04
THE INNOVATION ISSUE...
A G N I T F F O A C R U RE N T O L I T U A C V O N IN Crafting a culture of innovation should be what every school is striving to do. It creates deep, powerful learning opportunities for students and attracts and retains some of the very best employees. Cover Story by Arthur Fessler
THE NEXT ISSUE: PURCHASING Spending public dollars effectively, efficiently and wisely.
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LOOKING FOR PAST ISSUES? Visit ISSUU.com and search for Illinois ASBO.
GROUNDED IN INNOVATION:
WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM SUCCESSFUL CHARTER SCHOOLS By putting biases aside and looking objectively at successful charters in Illinois, gain insights on some innovative practices that may be worth replicating. By Greg Richmond
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www.iasbo.org
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PERSPECTIVE
Reinventing the Business of Education
FROM-THE-PODIUM SBOs: Going Beyond the Bottom Line. 07
FROM-THE-OFFICE Embracing Innovation Within Your Organization. 09
In the face of budget constraints and increased demands, Norridge District 80 is leveraging a distributive leadership model to empower teachers and build greater district-wide leadership capacity. By Paul A. O’Malley, Ed.D.
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FROM-THE-FIELD Constraint: The Pathway Toward Innovation. 11
FROM THE DISTRICT Inspiring Engagement Through Personalized Learning. 18
SCHOOL BUSINESS 101 Innovative Practices from Districts: STEM, Makerspaces, Pooling Resources and More. 19
A School Without Walls Some call it virtual learning, others call it blended learning, digital learning and even hybrid learning. Whatever you call it, a clear trend has emerged that will change how schools operate. By Tony Inglese, SFO, CETL
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Redefining Equity and Adequacy The Evidence-Based school funding model is not simply based on a minimum amount to fund schools. It determines the actual amount of resources that are required for a high quality education where every student can succeed. By Michael A. Jacoby, Ed.D., CAE, SFO and Michelle Turner Mangan, Ph.D. 4 |
UPDATE Magazine / Summer 2016
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Creating the Next Generation of Innovators School cannot simply remain the same; to do so is a failure to prepare our future workforce. It is time to shake up our concept of school and reinvent the business of education. By Britta McKenna, MPA and Lawrence Bergie, ME
RESOURCES
40 INNOVATION INSPIRATION: Six Books to Help You Cultivate an Innovative Mindset.
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Future-Ready Classrooms: Making the Digital Transition Make sure your district is not only creating dynamic learning environments that engage today’s tech-savvy learners, but also realizing a return on the investment in new technologies and digital content. By Hall Davidson
44 ON MY LIST
The Innovators
Striving for Personalized Learning
Stories from one district and one Illinois ASBO Regional Organization that exemplify the spirit of innovation.
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THE
MAGA ZINE Illinois Association of School Business Officials
CALENDAR OF
Northern Illinois University, IA-103 108 Carroll Avenue DeKalb, IL 60115-2829 P: (815) 753-1276 / F: (815) 516-0184 / www.iasbo.org
EVENTS
UPDATE Editorial Advisory Board
Check out www.iasbo.org or the latest Calendar of Events included in the UPDATE mailing for full seminar listings including location and PDC sponsorship and register for professional development today. July 2016
June June2016 2014
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8:00am
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August 2016
September 2016
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Event CPS Facilities Certification Training & Exam
10:00am School District Auditing and Reporting Seminar
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Location Champaign Springfield
6/8-10/16
5:00pm
Illinois ASBO Board of Directors' Retreat
Elkhart Lake, WI
6/9/16
8:00am
Debt Issuance from A to Z: Important Topics Administrators Need to Know - AAC #821
6/14/16
10:00am School District Auditing and Reporting Seminar
6/21/16
10:00am School District Auditing and Reporting
6/28/16
8:30am
Using the LIFO Assessment to Grow Leadership & Communications Skills AAC #1500
7/4/16
8:00am
Illinois ASBO Office Closed
7/19/16
8:30am
ISDLAF+ School Finance Seminar
Naperville
7/20/16
8:30am
ISDLAF+ School Finance Seminar
East Peoria
7/21/16
8:30am
ISDLAF+ School Finance Seminar
O'Fallon
7/21/16
10:00am PDC Networking Meeting
7/21/16
12:00pm Community Impact: Feed My Starving Children
8/5/16
8:00am
NextGen SBO Summit
9/5/16
8:00am
Illinois ASBO Office Closed
9/14/16
8:00am
Leadership Expressions (FIRO-b)
9/23-26/16
8:00am
ASBO International Annual Meeting & Expo
10/7/16
9:00am
PDC Networking Meeting
Naperville
10/19/16
9:00am
Delegate Advisory Assembly Meeting
Naperville Wisconsin Dells, WI
Naperville Naperville Webinar Decatur
Elk Grove Village Schaumburg Naperville Naperville Phoenix, AZ
8:00am
Midwest Facility Masters Conference
11/17-19/16
8:00am
IASB/IASA/Illinois ASBO 84th Joint Annual Conference
Chicago
11/17/16
9:00am
Illinois ASBO Board of Directors' Meeting
Chicago
12/2/16
7:30am
SupportCon
UPDATE Magazine / Summer 2016
BOARD & EXTERNAL RELATIONS MEMBERS Susan L. Harkin President Audra Scharf SAAC Chair AT-LARGE MEMBERS Seth Chapman Comm. Unit Sch. Dist. 303 Tony Inglese Batavia USD 101 John A. Gibson Homewood SD 153 Dean M. Langdon Illinois Association of School Boards Eric Miller Glenview SD 34 Paul O'Malley Norridge SD 80 STAFF MEMBERS Michael Jacoby Executive Director / CEO (815) 753-9366, mjacoby@iasbo.org Susan P. Bertrand Deputy Executive Director / COO (815) 753-9368, sbertrand@iasbo.org Rebekah L. Weidner Senior Copywriter (815) 753-9270, rweidner@iasbo.org Tammy Curry Senior Graphic Designer (815) 753-9393, tcurry@iasbo.org John Curry Graphic Designer (815) 753-7654, jcurry@iasbo.org Zach Hildebrand Marketing Assistant (815) 753-9371, zhildebrand@iasbo.org
Illinois ASBO Board of Directors
11/7-8/16
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PDC MEMBERS Catherine H. Chang Ancillary Services Kristopher P. Monn Educational Enterprise Scott Gaunky Facility Management Yasmine Dada Financial Resource Management Eric DePorter Human Resource Management Kevin L. Dale Information Management Janet L. Fisher Materials & Services Management Patrick S. Browne Sustainability
TBD
Susan L. Harkin President Jennifer J. Hermes President-Elect David H. Hill Treasurer Nelson W. Gray Immediate Past President 2013–16 Board of Directors Dean L. Gerdes, Cathy L. Johnson, Lyndl A. Schuster 2014–17 Board of Directors Barry Bolek, Dean T. Romano, Paul Starck-King 2015–18 Board of Directors Mark W. Altmayer, Julie-Ann C. Fuchs, Eric M. Miller
Illinois ASBO Board Liaisons
Audra Scharf Service Associate Advisory Committee Chair Stephen Chassee Service Associate Advisory Committee Vice Chair Terrie S. Simmons ASBO International Liaison Deborah I. Vespa ISBE Board Liaison Perry Hill IASB Board Liaison Paul McMahon Regional Superintendent Liaison Calvin C. Jackson Legislative Liaison
Privacy Policy
All materials contained within this publication are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, displayed or published without the prior written permission of the Illinois Association of School Business Officials. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. References, authorship or information provided by parties other than that which is owned by the Illinois Association of School Business Officials are offered as a service to readers. The editorial staff of the Illinois Association of School Business Officials was not involved in their production and is not responsible for their content.
PERSPECTIVE / Board President
FROM–THE–PODIUM Going Beyond the Bottom Line I have been in the school business profession for over 15 years and my position has changed greatly during my career. When I entered the profession, my primary focus was managing the bottom line for my school district. This issue of UPDATE really highlights how the profession (and my role) has changed since then. With three articles on innovation, the message is loud and clear, we cannot just focus on the bottom line anymore. If we want our voice valued with our central office administrators and superintendents, being innovative is more important than ever. Susan L. Harkin The role of Illinois ASBO has also changed dramatically in the last 15 years. While networking CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER COMM. UNIT SCH. DIST. 300 and professional development continue to be our primary focus, Illinois ASBO is now sitting at the legislative table to help guide what school funding will look like in our state. To aid in this effort, we have modified the association's mission statement this year to reflect the fact that Illinois ASBO has taken on an advocacy role. While advocacy cannot be our sole focus, we should be actively engaged in conversations with our legislators about education. There may be times we do not all agree, but the important thing is that we are all engaged in the conversation. SIMPLY SAYING
If we want our voice valued with our central office administrators and superintendents, being innovative is more important than ever. While writing my last article as your Illinois ASBO president, I want to take a moment to reflect on what an honor and privilege it has been to serve you in this capacity. As we work through these turbulent financial times, the task of educating over two million students in Illinois seems daunting. However, I cherish being a school business official. I am so very proud to be a part of this profession along with so many dedicated school business officials and others who assist us in this enormous task.
for all you have done to make me proud to be a part of this wonderful organization. For those that are currently serving on the Board, thank you for your support this year. If you are currently involved in another capacity, thank you for your time and service. For the Illinois ASBO staff, thank you for all you do to keep our association running smoothly. We are a great organization because of our collective work. My thanks to everyone for your support this year and your work in making Illinois ASBO the best professional organization out there!
I will hand over the presidential reigns to Jennifer Hermes on July 1, 2016. I know she will be an excellent leader of our association. For those that have previously served on the Illinois ASBO Board of Directors, thank you so much
www.iasbo.org
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It is our responsibility as educators to reflect upon the current state of education in Illinois and take action to create an education system that meets the needs of all students.
http://illinoisvision2020.org
@ILVision2020
FulďŹ lling the Promise of Public Education
PERSPECTIVE / Executive Director
FROM–THE–OFFICE Embracing Innovation This is the Innovation issue of UPDATE. But I often wonder what people mean when they use the word “innovation.” Is it just improvement? Doing something better than how you did it before? Is it invention? Creating something new that has never been done? Here are few synonyms for innovation that I collected from several dictionaries and thesaurus:
Change Revolution Upheaval
Transformation Breakthrough Creativity
Ingenuity Inspiration Shake up
Michael A. Jacoby, Ed.D, CAE, SFO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ILLINOIS ASBO
SIMPLY SAYING
When you see innovation taking place do you value and encourage it or shy away from it? Some of these might make educators uneasy. Take “revolution” for example. We tend to push down or quell revolutionary thinking in our organizations. It is usually out of the box and powered by something other than the status quo. How about “upheaval?” How much upheaval do you want to see in your teaching ranks? Or our student ranks? “Shake up” brings forth similar negative connotations but in areas where you really want change, it might be something you desire. But we love some of the other synonyms. Transformation, breakthrough, creativity, ingenuity and inspiration are often seen more positively in our culture. Perhaps a good definition of innovation for educators should be significant positive change. The real question is, when you see innovation taking place do you value and encourage it or shy away from it? I certainly hope the former is true. Let us think about how we encourage innovation in our organizations.
Here are three organizational behaviors that promote innovation and were derived from a reader survey on the InnovationManagement.se website by Hitendra Patel and Chuck Frey:1 1. Create or confirm a case for change (e.g., a burning platform or growth gap). 2. Talk about innovation in terms of tangible results to help create a better future. 3. Provide a step-wise approach to getting to these results and make the journey credible through anecdotes, past successes and even visualizing the story. As you read the articles in this issue, think about how they satisfy one or more of the three behaviors above. Then ask the question — what behaviors does my organization embrace that could lead to significant positive change through innovation? In the end, we must ensure that school business management is a profession of innovation, not one that simply embraces and protects the status quo!
Footnote 1. InnovationTools.com, “How do you Define Innovation and Make it Practical and Saleable to Senior Management?,” http://iasbo.tools/innovativemanagement, accessed on April 1, 2016
www.iasbo.org
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WHAT WILL YOU
NETWORK EXPOSURE COMMUNITY EXPERTISE FRIENDSHIPS SUCCESS NETWORK EXPOSURE COMMUNITY EXPERTISE FRIENDSHIPS SUCCESS OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS REWARDS NETWORK EXPOSURE COMMUNITY EXPERTISE FRIENDSHIPS SUCCESS OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS REWARDS NETWORK EXPOSURE COMMUNITY EXPERTISE FRIENDSHIPS SUCCESS OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS REWARDS NETWORK EXPOSURE COMMUNITY EXPERTISE FRIENDSHIPS SUCCESS OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS REWARDS NETWORK EXPOSURE COMMUNITY EXPERTISE FRIENDSHIPS SUCCESS OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS REWARDS NETWORK EXPOSURE COMMUNITY EXPERTISE FRIENDSHIPS SUCCESS Learn How Service Associates Can NETWORK EXPOSURE Get COMMUNITY Involved and Get Rewarded: www.iasbo.tools/GAINS2016 NETWORK EXPOSURE COMMUNITY
GAIN
THIS YEAR?
SERVICE ASSOCIATE ASSOCIATE PARTICIPATION PARTICIPATION REWARDS REWARDS PROGRAM PROGRAM SERVICE
PERSPECTIVE / SAAC Chair
FROM–THE–FIELD Constraint: The Pathway Toward Innovation Our membership battles financial constraints with every line item, contract negotiation and mandate. What if these constraints were viewed as the pathway to innovation as opposed to impositions that prevent us from doing what we would like? This is the premise behind the book A Beautiful Constraint, by Adam Morgan and Mark Barden.1 I believe this theory is put into action by many Illinois ASBO members on a daily basis. When faced with “beautiful constraints,” these leaders have embraced these constraints and mobilized membership through collaboration to construct opportunities for their districts. SIMPLY SAYING
Audra Scharf VICE PRESIDENT PMA FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC.
What if constraints were viewed as the pathway to innovation as opposed to impositions that prevent us from doing what we would like? Facing constraints divides people into three categories: victims, who lower their ambitions when faced with constraints; neutralizers, who modify their methodology to manage constraints; and transformers, who leverage constraints to achieve greater ambitions. Within Illinois ASBO, small collaborative groups have started to take on this “transformer” mentality. Groups within 5Share such as The Island, The Volcano, The Unit and The Knowledge Garden have spurred innovative tactics and real-time collaboration that have changed the way members negotiate, budget and purchase. Illinois ASBO “Transformers” In light of ACA constraints, Cathy Johnson, Associate Superintendent for Finance and Operations of Twp. High Sch. District 214 was instrumental in the development of a statewide shared data set regarding health insurance, using collaboration and peer groups. The results provided SBOs across the state with not only an understanding of the level of insurance benefits offered, but also specific program design information. The end result allowed districts to maintain a competitive position in the health insurance market and to create long-term sustainable benefit packages. Footnote 1. Adam Morgan and Mark Barden, A Beautiful Constraint, Whiley, January 20, 2015
Another example of frugal innovation comes from Mark Altmayer, CFO/Treasurer of Huntley CSD 158, which has one of the lowest K-12 operating costs per pupil districts in the state. Mark utilized data sets from Forecast5 and The Knowledge Garden, as well as the power of collaboration within his region, to maximize special education revenues and control numerous expense line items, enabling the district to go 1:1 for all 9,600 students. Barry Bolek, Asst. Supt./Finance at Twp. High Sch. Dist. 113, also exemplifies this transformer mentality. Using the “beautiful constraints” of budget restrictions and a competitive hiring pool, Barry utilized small group surveys in 5Share to collect valuable data on extra duty stipends across numerous extra-curricular activities. This comparative data proved valuable in staff negotiations, allowing his district to generate a fair offer that was $100,000 less per year than what was requested, while giving teachers a visual that made them feel confident that they were being fairly compensated. There are transformers throughout Illinois ASBO taking the invisible gift of constraint, combining it with powerful peer collaboration, business intelligence and data analytics to innovate and take the profession to the next level.
www.iasbo.org
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CONTRIBUTORS
Lawrence Bergie, ME
Hall Davidson
Arthur Fessler, Ed.D.
Chief Operations Officer Illinois Mathematics & Science Academy
Sr. Dir. /Global Learning Initiatives Discovery Education
Superintendent Comm. Cons. Sch. Dist. 59
Is an innovative technology leader with his finger on the pulse of the DIY movement. Bud is the Chief Opreations Officer at IMSA and is an active member of the IMSA president’s committee on Social Entrepreneurship.
Has been an educator for more than 40 years. Hall has collaborated with thought leaders including teachers, superintendents and departments of education around the world
lbergie@imsa.edu
hall_davidson@discovery.com
Holds a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Illinois. In 2014, Art was named a Future Ready Superintendent by the United States Department of Education and was invited to attend the Future Ready Superintendent Summit. fessler.art@ccsd59.org
Tony Inglese, SFO, CETL
Michael Jacoby, Ed.D., SFO, CAE
Britta McKenna, MPA
Chief Financial Officer Batavia USD 101
Executive Director/CEO Illinois ASBO
Chief Innovation Officer Illinois Mathematics & Science Academy
Prior to becoming CFO in 2015, he served as Chief Information Officer at Batavia. With nine years leading educational and information technology for the district, Tony implements innovative technologies in the classroom that support enhanced instruction with rock-solid reliability. Anton.Inglese@bps101.net
Served as an educator for 37 years. In the role of Superintendent, he led his Cabinet and Administrative Council to establish an ethic of leadership development that still exists today. Dr. Jacoby has lead many strategic planning efforts for school districts and other organizations. mjacoby@iasbo.org
Has worked at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy for twelve years, first as the founder of the IMSA Kids Institute (KI) and now as their Chief Innovation Officer. Britta draws on her diverse experiences to work with students beyond the classroom. bmckenna@imsa.edu
Paul O’Malley, Ed.D.
Greg Richmond
Matthew Silverman, Ed.D.
Superintendent Norridge SD 80
President/CEO National Assoc. of Charter School Authorizers
Asst. Supt. /Curriculum & Instruction River Trails District 26
Holds a Doctor of Educational Leadership from National Louis University and a Master’s degree in Special Education from Northeastern University. Previously, he taught chemistry, natural science and physics at Adlai E. Stevenson HSD 125. pomalley@norridge80.net
Was appointed by Governor Quinn to serve as the founding chairman of the Illinois State Charter School Commission. Previously, he served as chief officer for new school development for Chicago Public Schools. gregr@qualitycharters.org
Has co-authored a professional development academy for administrators. Matthew has written research in the areas of family engagement, diversity and equity in schools and innovative pedagogical practices for teachers. msilverman@rtsd26.org
Would you like to be an UPDATE Contributor? If you have an issue you feel needs to be brought to the forefront, present your ideas to Rebekah Weidner at rweidner@iasbo.org. Michelle Turner Mangan, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Research Concordia University Chicago
Has expertise in school finance, research methods and statewide educational policy. Michelle has a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. She is a member of the Association for Education Finance and Policy, American Educational Research Association and Illinois ASBO. michelle.mangan@cuchicago.edu
The issue themes that we will be soliciting articles for next year include:
• Accounting • Risk Management • Cash Management • Human Resources We look forward to seeing new faces on this page as we continue to make the UPDATE an indispensable resource for school business management.
www.iasbo.org
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GROUNDED IN WHAT WE CAN
From when they were first authorized in Illinois until now, charter schools have always been about innovation: finding new approaches that benefit students. By putting biases aside and looking objectively at successful charters in Illinois, gain insights on some innovative practices that may be worth replicating.
By Greg Richmond
POINT OF VIEW
PRESIDENT/CEO NATIONAL ASSOC. OF CHARTER SCHOOL AUTHORIZERS
LEARN FROM SUCCESSFUL CHARTER SCHOOLS We live in an era of increasingly strident disagreement in our policy arenas. Heels dig in deeper, harsh words are volleyed and a toxic inability to listen to others, much less discuss our opinions with civility, widen the divide. It’s not pretty. Do you remember a time when both sides of the aisle came together to work on a solution to a problem facing our state? I do. I remember a time, 20 years ago, when something extraordinary happened for public education in Illinois.
AN ALLIANCE TO REMEMBER The first public charter school law in Illinois was passed in 1996 and the Illinois School Management Alliance supported it. Surprised? Many people are. The Management Alliance knew that charters were one way to support innovation. They and many others saw the bill as an opportunity for educators around the state to get the flexibility they craved, to be freed up from some of the rules and regulations that strapped them down and to give legs to the innovations they wanted to see. That is what the charter idea has always been about: innovation. It is what charters are still about today. The schools themselves are about that and are doing that, for the kids they teach, day in and day out. What was the genesis? Lots of events led Illinois to that moment 20 years ago, but some shared beliefs were key: • The belief that there were simply too many kids not graduating from high schools around the state — from urban to rural, from city center to outlying suburb — and that these kids deserved better.
• The belief that we had the capacity to do better and that we needed new models to boost graduation rates.
• The belief that charter schools could be part of the solution — not THE solution, but part of the solution.
It is unfortunate and a disservice to Illinois students that we have strayed from those initial unifying beliefs to separate turfs of pro-this and anti-that. I would like us to recall the common ground we stood on when we embraced the possibility of charter schools as a good idea. I would like us to return to it and let it drive our conversations. But I am practical and I know this takes small, deliberate moves. Let’s begin with three short examples of public charter schools that are doing well. We can learn from their innovations and replicate them in any public school.
www.iasbo.org
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NORTH LAWNDALE COLLEGE PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL: A PACT WITH STUDENTS North Lawndale College Prep (NLCP) students are the first in their family to go to college. NLCP is truly the de facto neighborhood high school for students growing up in this part of North Lawndale, an under-resourced community on Chicago’s West Side. The school, founded in 1998, has always had a strong track record of college placement and does everything possible to support a culture of college success. They have a host of innovative and replicable college prep and support programs, starting with their staffing model: • NLCP has counselors that follow students for the entire four years of high school plus the first year of college. Afterwards, they switch to an alumni counselor who continues to offer support through graduate school.
• Through Phoenix Rising, a summer enrichment program that is mandatory for graduation, NLCP sends students to live and study on college campuses where they “practice” being a college student.
• Every year students complete an extended research paper that explores a topic of interest to the student. This project-based learning gives students the opportunity to hone their writing and presentation skills which is precisely the type of high-quality, academic work their college professors will demand.
All of this translates into a college completion rate four times the national average of schools serving similar populations. But their 40% rate (compared to 10%, nationally) wasn’t good enough for NLCP and they wanted to figure out how to raise it. School leaders noticed something. Every spring, they were faced with a predictable dilemma. Students with strong grades would get into good colleges. But then, they would get their financial award letter. After all the scholarships, grants and loans were applied, students would find there was a gap, requiring families to come up with dollars, often between $2,000 — $5,000, that they simply didn’t have. Students would end up choosing another college that was more affordable but didn’t have as good of a track record of graduating low-income students. NLCP decided to prevent this dilemma and created The Phoenix Pact. Students with a B average or better who choose a “Success College” (a college with a strong track record with low-income students) are given a scholarship to fill that gap between the cost of enrollment and the financial aid package. This pact is a destiny-changer for these students and their families, allowing them to choose the school that will serve them best, not the one that is the most affordable. It requires some additional fundraising, but, as leaders say, may be the best money the school spends in the entire trajectory of that student’s academic life. Chicago Public Schools, which authorizes North Lawndale College Prep, is watching closely to see if The Phoenix Pact might be worth imitating.
A BRIGHT IDEA... In 1974, Ray Budde, a professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, first proposed the idea of charter schools, but his vision did not become reality until 1991 when Minnesota wrote the first charter school law in the United States. Illinois' Charter School law passed in 1996 and The Peoria Alternative Charter School became the first to open its doors. 16 |
UPDATE Magazine / Summer 2016
POINT OF VIEW / Charter Schools
SOUTHLAND COLLEGE PREP CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL: A HIGH EXPECTATIONS OPTION Serving students in the Rich Township School District in the southern suburbs of Chicago, Southland College Prep raised the bar for student achievement of local students and is meeting it.
class, African-American families. She saw that no matter how great her elementary schools were, her graduating 8th graders had few good high school options.
In their own words, “We have lofty goals and we work hard to meet them.” Those goals include, “All students are expected to apply to and be admitted to one or more colleges or universities. Once there, we expect each and every one of them to graduate.”
Dr. Davis decided to do something. She started her own charter high school, grounded in her model of no-excuses and tough love coupled with high expectations. Some replicable ingredients are the nine-hour school day and a required four years of English, mathematics, world language, fine arts, science, social science and physical education.
This high school is the brainchild of Dr. Blondean Davis, a long-serving, award-winning superintendent of Matteson Elementary School District 162 that serves mostly middle
The results are striking: 99% of students graduate within four years, giving local students a quality option when choosing a high school.
PERSPECTIVES CHARTER SCHOOLS: A LOVING DISCIPLINE Two classroom teachers at Dyett Middle School on Chicago’s South Side had an idea about what their students needed. In 1993, with the support of their principal, they launched Perspectives as a school within a school. Their curriculum, “A Disciplined Life” centered on their belief that character development and academic achievement are interrelated. In 1997, Perspectives Charter School became one of the first charters in Illinois. School leaders and staff use the 26 principles of “A Disciplined Life” in their daily work with students, who begin to use this language themselves. This then grows to encompass the parents and families who also live these principles at home.
What’s replicable here? Their benevolent code of conduct: “A Disciplined Life.” Perspectives has a uniform, singular focus on creating and sustaining a productive school culture. This culture focuses on character, social and academic attitudes, actions and habits. School cultures often try to strike this balance of tough love, but not many succeed. They may go too heavy on the tough part and become overly rigid or prescriptive. Or they may lean in on the love part and not expect high performance from students. But having seen this school up close since day one, I know they’ve figured this out. Perspectives has found this magical balance: clear support and concern for students combined with high behavioral expectations.
Today, Perspectives serves nearly 2,300 students in grades six through twelve in five schools spanning a number of Chicago neighborhoods.
JUST THREE OF MANY EXAMPLES These schools stand out, but they are not alone. There are over 100 public charter schools in Illinois, most of them overseen by local school districts. Like any group of 100 public schools, they are not all excellent, but many are. They have teachers and administrators, many of whom are doing great things, working hard to create game-changing education for the kids and families who choose them. More public schools would be smart to emulate them. Let’s go back to that moment, 20 years ago, when we reached across the aisle to embrace charters as one way to improve our schools. Today, Illinois has schools capitalizing on that chance to innovate for the good of their students. Let’s follow their lead. www.iasbo.org
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FROM-THE-DISTRICT / Inspiring Engagement
By Matthew Silverman ASST. SUPT./CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION RIVER TRAILS SD 26
Miriam Cutler ASST. SUPT./SPECIAL SERVICES RIVER TRAILS SD 26
Mary Flessas 2ND GRADE TEACHER RIVER TRAILS SD 26
Inspiring Engagement Through Personalized Learning Innovation in education involves engaging children in 21st century learning strategies designed to leverage the power of creativity, team-based problem solving and the opportunity to take an active role in how and what they learn. While there are a plethora of innovative concepts in teaching and learning, two of the most impactful academic benefits emanate from the application of Universal Design for Learning and Passion Projects (sometimes referred to as Genius Hour). A Universal Design The Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) emphasizes the need for inclusion and access to the general education curriculum for all students with disabilities. While changes to the learning environment will afford those opportunities, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for teaching and learning that reduces barriers to the general education classroom and allows all students, not only those with disabilities, to receive a high-quality education within the general education setting. Within a UDL classroom, barriers such as language and skill level are reduced as children are presented with flexible mediums such as digital books and curriculum, videos, podcasts, hands-on manipulatives and learning simulations. Student engagement is promoted through the use of choice and innovative teaching approaches that are aligned to a student’s preferred learning style.
Moving Forward Research shows that the secret to high performance and personal satisfaction for students is ownership, creating and learning new things and working to solve a problem or helping the world be a better place.1 Students may, and most likely will, fail in their initial plan or at some point in their journey. It is then that they will learn, innovate, adapt and discover how to proceed with the student as leader and the teacher as facilitator, encourager and supporter. The process may be messy, but it is powerful. Innovation revolves around societal changes, student learning needs and creative and passionate educators. Teachers are continuously cultivating new strategies to inspire and encourage innovation in classrooms, curriculum and most importantly, children.
An instructional and innovative practice taking place in classrooms is the engagement of children in Genius Hour or Passion Projects. Children are afforded time and resources to study a topic they are passionate about as a means to conduct research, understand the content in greater depth and connect with experts from across the globe using technology-based communication tools. Students then share these projects with an authentic audience, including classmates, teachers, families and potentially, the entire online community. This launch process of publicly sharing either multimedia portfolios or traditional presentation models motivates students to produce high quality work.
Footnote 1. Pink, D. H. (2009). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. New York, NY: Riverhead Books.
PERSPECTIVE / On the Profession
SCHOOL BUSINESS 101 What is a new or innovative practice you have adopted in your district? received an ISTEM grant through McHenry county for $250 thousand a year, “ We focused on professional development. We are using those funds for some new and exciting science-related professional development and inviting science teachers from surrounding districts. This grant is not only benefitting our school, but the entire surrounding area.” MARY J. TAYLOR Business Manager, Harvard CUSD 50
McDonough, our STEAM/Makerspace teacher in the 5-6 building, has led a “ Kathy Makerspace pilot that has grown from one school to all five. Kathy supports her students by listening, valuing their ideas and allowing student voice and choice to have a place in the Makerspace. She also advocates for student leadership by taking her students to conferences where they present to other students and adults. She has even taken students to Springfield two years in a row to present to our legislators.” MAUREEN CHERTOW MILLER, CETL Dir./Technology, Winnetka SD 36
few years ago we had a Blue Point Alert System installed in our district. Its function is “ Asimilar to that of a fire alarm, but instead it notifies the police and sends an automatic message over the intercom system to tell everyone to go into a lockdown situation. With this type of system we don’t need someone to search for a phone or try to get to the principal’s office when there is an emergency situation. Luckily we have not needed to use it, but we do test it regularly and it is a part of our crisis plan.” DALE WHITE Facilities Supervisor, Berkeley SD 87
small rural districts, high schools may have between 50 to 150 students. Content area “ Inteachers can find themselves in a department of one. As area superintendents worked together to coordinate sharing of resources, we recognized the need to provide collaboration and support for our faculties. Laura Edwards, Assistant Director of our area vocational career center, has successfully facilitated our first area-wide content specific articulation meetings. This has provided a platform to share experiences with and gain valuable input from other professionals in similar situations.” JODI MOORE Superintendent, Leland CUSD 1 www.iasbo.org
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Reinventing the Business of Education
Through Distributive Leadership Given the uncertain state of the U.S. economy and the reluctance to raise taxes to fund public education, public school districts today are pressed to do more with less. In Illinois, where 60 percent of school districts have deficit spending, doing more with less is becoming the norm. According to a recent Chicago Tribune article,1 members and staff of the Illinois State Board of Education are troubled by some of the data recently released in the 2016 School District Financial Profile. The expectation for school districts to accomplish more with less is forcing administrators to provide input into their local board of education’s budget, which can conflict with the quality they are expected to provide under a Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE). Administrative leaders in public school districts are expected to meet the needs of their states and their communities, but they are given little latitude in what the educational day should look like. Reflecting on many years in public education administration, it seems that boards of education are spending increasingly more time delving into the details of their districts’ budgets, while administrative leaders are increasingly expected to redefine how a district moves forward. The money allocated to district budgets is shrinking and district-level support to require state compliance with unfunded mandates is evaporating. All of this is forcing leaders to find new ways to meet contractual expectations and goals.
By Paul A. O’Malley, Ed.D. SUPERINTENDENT NORRIDGE SD 80
Finding a New Way Norridge School District 80 has used this opportunity to improve communication efforts and collaboration with teachers using a distributive leadership model. With a pupil-toadministrator ratio of 360:1, the district does not have assistant superintendents, assistant principals or directors. However, they have an amazing teaching staff that is willing to share in the leadership of the district. According to Rachel Curtis in “Finding a New Way: Leveraging Teacher Leadership to Meet Unprecedented Demands,”2 schools need to harness the leadership potential of their teachers. Administrative leaders need to eliminate the historical divide separating teachers and administrators to create a culture and climate where curriculum development attracts greater input from teachers. Curtis provides the following framework to recognize “leadership capacity” in teachers and put a distributive leadership model in place: 2 • Identifying people who meet leadership criteria and providing them with ongoing training on content and leadership skills. • Integrating leadership competencies into the teacher recruitment and screening process so that leadership capacity can be considered in hiring decisions. • Moving teachers and teacher candidates who have demonstrated leadership promptly into leadership roles and targeting teachers who demonstrate a high potential for skills development for future leadership roles.
Creating Leaders Through Committees
committees to distribute leadership duties. In the first year after implementing a distributive leadership strategy, the district created a number of committees, including: • Curriculum Review (CR) • School Improvement Planning (SIP) • Professional Learning Community (PLC) • Calendar The expectation was that these committees would plan broad programs, comprehensive interventions for learning disabled students and professional development and teaching programs. The teachers of Norridge School District 80 have embraced this committee leadership philosophy. The Curriculum Review Committee, in collaboration with administration, has created a process that uses a systematic approach to review the curriculum. The review cycle ensures that the opinions and research provided by teachers is at the core of the district’s entire curriculum and any future curriculum implemented.
“The distributive leadership approach has allowed the Norridge Education Association of Teachers to have an active role and voice in shaping the program and learning experiences for the students. In committees we focus on what we want for our students in Norridge. It is empowering for our teachers.”
Michele Guzik, Norridge School District 80 Association President
To take advantage of their teacher leaders, District 80 administration and teachers professional association created a series of
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The development of curriculum requires the teachers to ask, “What is best for our students?” The answer can vary from district to district, depending on demographics. However, from a budget perspective, the committee’s work is invested appropriately because the teachers will ultimately be evaluated based on their own input. The SIP Committee creates the professional development curriculum provided to staff throughout the year. Professional development sessions are scheduled during teacher institute days, school improvement days and summer vacation. Crossover planning also occurs with the Curriculum Review Committee because summer curriculum projects fall under the auspices of both curriculum review and professional development. The district is also using committees to share in district functions other than curriculum. Under the Performance Evaluation Review Act (PERA), the administration and teachers professional association are required to work collaboratively on the selection of Type II and III assessments to be used in the assessment process. By using an ad hoc Balanced Assessment Committee — separate from the Joint Committee required by legislation — the district tapped into a talented pool of teachers, providing them with additional opportunities and empowering more of them to become leaders.
Shifting the Discussion Schools have adopted a tradition of moving forward with current programs instead of strategically abandoning what is not working. Therefore, shifting a district’s discussion to focus on student learning could represent a change from past practices. In John Hattie’s book Visible Learning (a phenomenal tool for school leaders), he focuses on how teachers can present clear intentions for lessons and provide students with success criteria (goals).3 Similarly, distributive leadership empowers teachers to create district-wide systems to ensure that strategic plans are implemented and later reviewed to determine whether the outcomes closely resemble the intentions. 22 |
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Leaders need to be cognizant of and focus on best practices. John Hattie uses various influences — such as class size, exposure to reading, homework, vocabulary programs, etc. — to determine effect. Comparing learning outcomes, Hattie ranks these influences from “very positive” to “very negative” based on their impact on student achievement. In short, he was able to answer the question, “What works best in education?”3 By utilizing the most effective influences, leaders can focus attention on what works best for students.
Partnering with Principals With less money available to support education, distributive leadership provides an avenue for administrators and teachers to share in the decision-making process. At District 80, the principals work in partnership with teacher leaders to design the “system.” They value teacher leaders as peers as well as equals who can help relieve the overwhelming expectations put on school districts today. This is vital to creating a systematic process in which teachers can become leaders who are empowered to impact the outcome of district-level decisions. High-quality teaching requires high-quality teachers who have pathways to participate in the development of all programs that lead to a school district’s success. Broad programs and comprehensive interventions for learning disabled students cannot and will not happen unless teachers are involved in the decision-making process. Moreover, working with administrators gives teachers the opportunity to help shape the climate and culture of their schools and districts, ensuring their depth of commitment.
“Principals need to deeply understand what drives student learning, have a cleareyed assessment of where their schools stand and be able to think creatively about ways to recruit or develop top talent.”
Rachel Curtis, “Finding a New Way: Leveraging Teacher Leadership to Meet Unprecedented Demands”
ARTICLE / Distributive Leadership
Reinventing Education Distributive leadership is an innovative pathway to reinvent education in times of budget stress. Using the distributive leadership model, the teachers and administrators at Norridge School District 80 are able to more equally share in the exciting task of improving academic achievement. Administrative leaders are able to put titles aside and work collaboratively with teachers in developing a systems approach, which instills a high level of ownership throughout the organization. In a time of unprecedented expectations, public school districts need to tap their existing talent pool. This strategy can increase the number of viable solutions available to combat shrinking budgets, empower teachers and build greater district-wide leadership capacity.
“The committee structure provides the opportunity for our teachers to have ownership over the work that we do and empowers them to share in the decisionmaking that directly impacts student learning. The work is more meaningful to all involved because we work in collaboration and in partnership with each other. As a principal, I don’t have to spend time convincing teachers that what we are doing is best for students, because we’ve already decided that as a team. We already have the buy-in and can move to the most important part of our work: student learning.”
Dr. Jennifer Ban, Principal John V. Leigh School
An Example From Abroad According to Vivien Stewart, Senior Advisor for Education at the Asia Society, Singapore’s transformation to a modern, sophisticated city is congruent with “high-quality” teaching and school leadership. Stewart notes that since 2000, “Singapore’s students have been consistently high performers on international assessments.”4
Footnotes 1. “State: About 60 percent of school districts deficit spend; CPS stays on ‘watch’ list,” Chicago Tribune, March 17, 2016, <http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-illinoisschool-financial-profile-2016-20160316-story.html>, accessed on March 29, 2016. 2. Rachel Curtis, “Finding a New Way: Leveraging Teacher Leadership to Meet Unprecedented Demands,” March 4, 2013, <http://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/findingnew-way-leveraging-teacher-leadership-meet-unprecedented-demands>, accessed on March 29, 2016. 3. John Hattie, Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement, Routledge, New York, 2009. 4. Vivien Stewart, A World-Class Education: Learning from International Models of Excellence and Innovation, ASCD, Alexandria, 2012.
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A School Without Walls How Technology and Innovation Will Change Everything Some call it virtual learning, others call it blended learning, digital learning and even hybrid learning. Whatever you call it, a clear trend has emerged: no longer is it a question if schools will adopt digital learning, but how soon?
On the Horizon Using an innovation and technology adoption rate algorithm in 2008, Harvard professor Clayton Christensen predicted that 50% of all high school classes would be taught online by 2019.1 While Christensen’s prediction is likely to fall short, he’s not far off. His definition of online learning for innovation was probably too narrow, but most schools are rapidly turning to digital learning, blended learning and digital tools to transform learning. For years, schools and teachers have endeavored, but struggled, to adapt instruction to meet the needs of all learners. “Instruction as usual” prevails — for now. After years of false starts, digital learning is finally making teaching more effective, easier, quicker and cheaper than traditional methods. By embedding digital resources into instruction and the formative assessment process, teachers are better able to judge the quality of their instruction, collect evidence about their effects on students and give students more control over what, how and when they learn.2
Why Now? Historically, we have committed more and more digital resources into our school improvement strategies based upon the tacit assumption that, to be more progressive, 24 |
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we must invest more in technology.3 Using this logic, we’ve invested over $100 billion in classroom technology over the past decade with little impact.4 Educators have learned the hard way that simply acquiring more technology does not improve instruction — that technology, by itself, does little or nothing to change instructional practice. Recent technological trends, however, are education gamechangers. Lower cost personal devices, big data and webbased services are enabling new approaches to instruction through:4 • Adaptive technology — timing of content and modality based on student need allows teachers to personalize instruction based on students’ understanding and interests. • Automation of tedious tasks — such as grading, attendance, assessment and feedback — allows teachers and students to focus more on value-added activities that have a greater impact on student learning, productivity and effectiveness. • Anywhere, anytime access for all — removing barriers of distance, time and cost to learning and resources. Technology is finally affordable and able to address three key issues that hamper every classroom: 1. The personalization of learning. 2. Collaboration and productivity. 3. Access to information and curricular content.4
ARTICLE
Driving Transformation Acquiring these new technologies is the easy part; it is integrating technology into instructional practice that is difficult. It takes vision, leadership, invention and a fundamental cultural shift to create the second-order change that is required to overcome the challenges that educators face.5 Even when armed with all the best technologies, each district, school, teacher and student will need the latitude to discover what works — and what doesn’t work — for themselves. In the end, it isn’t just technology itself, but a new approach to innovation that we desperately need.
Innovative schools have creative business managers that encourage and support innovation in the classroom. Innovation is a way of thinking that creates something new and better. After providing teachers with the tools (and technology) they need to teach, they need the freedom and time to experiment with instruction so that student learning can be improved. We don’t need teachers to think outside of the box, we need to give them the autonomy to innovate inside the box.6 In short, we need to be clear about the ends and the outcomes of student learning, but loose on the means by which they are achieved.
By Tony Inglese, SFO, CETL CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER BATAVIA USD 101
The Role of the Business Manager School business managers have the power to enable or kill innovation in schools. Generally, gradual or incremental budgetary adjustments do not foster innovation. Unless new and miraculous funding sources are identified, fiscal priorities must be reassessed and shifted: • Don’t assume doing more for students requires more money. Focus on priorities. • Don’t equivocate the terms training, professional development and professional learning. To be innovative, schools need to build a culture of professional learning where teachers and administrators are learning every day too. • Don’t double-down on training and professional development. Invest in instructional coaches to support ongoing, job-embedded learning for teachers. • Don’t build staffing plans with current staffing. Start with projected enrollment and fund strategic priorities. Innovative schools have creative business managers that encourage and support innovation in the classroom. Are you working with the your district’s curriculum, instruction and technology leaders to rethink and change how schools operate?
Footnotes 1. Clayton M. Christensen, Michael B. Horn and Curtis W. Johnson, Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns, 2d ed., McGraw-Hill Education, New York, NY, 2011. 2. W. James Popham, Everything School Leaders Need to Know About Assessment, Corwin, Thousand Oaks, CA, 2010. 3. Michael Fullan and Joanne Quinn, Coherence: The Right Drivers in Action for Schools, Districts, and Systems, Corwin, Thousand Oaks, CA, 2016. 4. J-H. Kim and K. Wilkes, “Technology’s Promise,” The District Management Journal, 16, 2015, 12-22. 5. T. Greaves, J. Hayes, L. Wilson, M. Gielniak and R. Peterson, The Technology Factor: Nine Keys to Student Achievement and Cost-Effectiveness, MDR, Shelton, CT, 2010. 6. George Couros, The Innovator’s Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity, Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc., San Diego, CA, 2015.
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A G N I T F F O A R E C R U N T O L I T U A C V O N IN INNOVATION AND CULTURE... are two buzzwords for school districts in Illinois and around the country. Crafting a culture of innovation should be what every school is striving to do. It creates deep, powerful learning opportunities for students and attracts and retains some of the very best employees. Community Consolidated School District 59 (CCSD59) is committed to crafting a culture of innovation. 26 |
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ARTICLE
By Arthur Fessler, Ed.D. SUPERINTENDENT COMM. CONS. SCH. DIST. 59
BUILDING A CASE FOR INNOVATION... The term “innovation” means leveraging new or different methods or tools to improve practice or solve real-world problems. Innovation often represents a new way of thinking without limits and generally results in making life better. If we examine the lives of innovative Americans such as Thomas Edison, the Wright brothers, Marie Curie or Benjamin Franklin, we see that real-world experiential learning, risk-taking and problem solving were paramount in their success. Their experiences allowed them to explore their curiosities and passions and become creative problem solvers. These men and women all embraced the notion that innovation is a process of creating something new that makes life better, which is part of the foundational spirit of America. But are we capturing this same spirit in our education system?
Dr. Tony Wagner of Harvard University has identified a gap between what even our very best schools are teaching and testing versus what all students will need to be successful in today’s globally interconnected, technology-suffused, information economy.1 New educational paradigms require critical thinking, collaborative problem solving, creativity, information fluency, media literacy, data analysis and many other higher-level cognitive skills. All of these must be applied much more frequently than we currently are doing in our classrooms. This change not only requires new and relevant training for teachers, but also for leaders. Creating change, let alone substantial change, is challenging in any organization, including education, which has changed very little in the last 200 years according to Wagner.1 With this in mind, how are school districts reimagining their role and approach to provide students with meaningful learning opportunities?
A DELIBERATE AND ORGANIC PROCESS... It begins with crafting a culture of innovation. An innovative culture, in its purest sense, has the look and feel of something organic and uncontrived, something that emerges over time. The word crafting makes sense because this work is an art form that is simultaneously deliberate and organic. Developing a culture of innovation is a complex process that must be led, nurtured, constantly monitored and adjusted through the process of iteration.
Therein lies the challenge. An innovative culture cannot, will not, ever exist “just because.” It must be purposefully cultivated.1 The transition from a traditional culture of teaching and learning to a culture of innovation requires careful execution at every level. It is a balancing act between elements of human nature and developing new habits. Committed educators across the country are working hard to design and implement new approaches for the success of our students.
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LEADERSHIP MATTERS: BUILDING A FOUNDATION... The journey of innovation at CCSD59 began with the support of a highly motivated school board. The students, families and staff are fortunate to have a board whose strategic plan supports the mission of preparing students for a successful life in the 21st century. Quality leadership is an essential element for building a culture of innovation. Ask any classroom teacher who has had a particularly good, or bad, building principal and they will tell you stories of either triumph or tragedy. CCSD 59 believes that if our expectation for teachers is to become distinguished, our expectations for our leaders must be the same. To achieve this level of performance, CCSD59 created the 21st Century Leadership Academy. Every member of the administrative team participated in 63 hours of specific professional development focused on the skills, content and knowledge necessary for 21st century leadership.
Partnering with renowned leadership trainer Scott McLeod, the senior leadership team facilitated conversations about what should change in education. We discussed how we could move to an environment where student ownership is actualized and learning experiences are moved toward high-level thinking. Throughout the conversations, the leadership team focused on how meaning-making and practical leadership serve as a foundation for our work in understanding best practices for 21st century leaders. To quote Simon Sinek, “There are leaders and there are those who lead.”3 Those who lead inspire staff to follow, build capacity and advance an organization. At CCSD59, the entire administrative team is pushing and challenging one another to be the latter. Even though we still have a great deal of learning, thinking, challenging and inspiring ahead, we are incredibly excited for what that will mean for our students.
MEANWHILE... Based on the National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A), ISTE’s list of Essential Conditions for successful technology integration and implementation, NCTE’s 21st Century Literacies Framework and other helpful models, the district utilized the following as focal points for sessions: • Competency-based education and methods of feedback that shift the focus from seat time to learning mastery. • Project and inquiry-based learning environments that emphasize greater student agency and active application of more cognitively complex thinking, communication and collaboration skills. • 1:1 computing initiatives (and concurrent Internet bandwidth upgrades) that give students powerful digital learning devices and access to the world’s information, individuals and organizations. • The expansion of digital and online (and often open access) information resources that increase the availability of higher and deeper learning opportunities.
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• Online communities of interest that supplement and augment more traditional learning communities limited by geography and time. • Adaptive software and data systems (and accompanying organizational models) that can facilitate greater individualization of learning content and pace. • Alternative credentialing mechanisms that enable individuals to quickly reskill for and adapt to rapidly evolving workforce needs and economic demands. • Simulations and problem-based learning experiences that foster students’ ability to engage in authentic, real world work.
ARTICLE / Culture of Innovation
INNOVATION STRATEGIES THAT WORK... Teachers and district leadership will continue to assess areas of focus in order to build and sustain our culture of innovation. Here are several strategies that we have found valuable to our work in CCSD59....
Begin with wh y Throughout the work, continue to reinforce why you are doing the work. This could mean challenging the status quo of an outdated educational paradigm in order to prepare students to be successful in the 21st century.
Foster continuous improvement Design teacher training with elements of choice that are relevant and meet the needs of each staff member. Whenever possible, partner with staff to plan and deliver professional learning sessions.
Let the momentum build organically Within a safe, comfortable, open workspace, encourage staff to take risks, make mistakes and grow together without being forced or penalized.
Do not micro-manage innovation Creating the space for innovation is incredible, but don’t dive in too early or try to micro-manage the process. Allow staff time to develop and test ideas in a meaningful way.
Measure growth As we know, what is measured matters. The only true test in this environment is positive growth. Measures show how well students do, but there are a number of things teachers do ahead of student assessment which are foundational to student performance. Choose to focus on the meaningful measures.
Celebrate success A quick but public acknowledgement of a teacher’s innovation often spurs increased experimentation and encourages others to develop innovative approaches to pedagogy and instructional practices. Administrators can further cultivate a culture of innovation by providing public recognition as well as teaching opportunities for innovators.
Do not overlook the details Culture is made up of many small actions that, when combined, can create something amazing. There are many things leaders can do to engage staff in the work or the culture-building process. Utilize simple strategies such as visibility, greeting staff, treats and facilitating team-building activities.
Share everything you can An open collaborative culture will motivate and build trust among staff. A spirit of teamwork and collaboration is important to make a team successful. The act of sharing reflects trust, which in turn motivates teamwork that builds culture.4
Model a growth Mindset Be a champion for every staff member. Although the shift to modern learning can prove to be challenging, model a behavior, belief and commentary that it’s only a matter of time and effort to achieve the mission. “People with growth mindsets correctly believe that capability and intelligence can be grown through effort, struggle and failure.”5
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THE CASCADING EFFECT: CULTURE THAT REACHES ALL STAFF... Imagine the power of having these crucial conversations with your entire administrative team first and then doing the same with other staff. This is how crafting CCSD59’s innovative culture began. To spread the fruits of leadership training and conversations, the district utilized an approach characterized by Patrick Lencioni as the cascading effect.6 CCSD59 leaders facilitated similar training at each building, which served as a catalyst to move from traditional education to an environment where students are empowered and given agency in their learning.
Digital tools break the barriers to global communication and create opportunities for educators to design learning experiences!
In order to be successful with staff, it was important to build trust and prove to staff that the classroom was their “laboratory.” Staff needed to be comfortable taking risks, experiencing and modeling failure. They needed the tools to be autonomous in designing powerful learning experiences that provided opportunities for innovation and student agency. For students, it was important they had access to deep, powerful learning opportunities, the necessary tools for innovation and safe learning environments that would enable them to learn, grow and develop the skills needed for success in the 21st century. CCSD59 has embraced the notion of this unprecedented time in education where adults and students possess computing devices so powerful that the sum of all human knowledge is at their fingertips. These resources allow schools and students to dive deep into discovering and advancing their passion in any area of interest. Digital tools break the barriers to global communication and create opportunities for educators to design learning experiences, both inside and outside the classroom, which were unthinkable only five years ago. CCSD59 continues to grow in embracing this paradigm as they reimagine an approach to education that harnesses the power of technology to amplify learning. When this mindset is coupled with effective staff training, innovation flows and the culture and climate soar. Although there is still a significant amount of work ahead, we celebrate significant deliberate progress. Ongoing support will grow and sustain a culture of innovation and moving forward, we have committed to making our culture of innovation a core part of who we are as an organization.
ARTICLE / Culture of Innovation
A CULTURE THAT INSPIRES... Google cofounder Larry Page said that “the people who come to Google are interested in making a meaningful and positive impact on people’s lives and want to participate in Google’s entrepreneurial culture.”7 What if our schools provided this type of inspirational learning culture? What if each of our students graduated with this level of motivation and energy as an inspired learner and contributor? To get to this level of engagement, creating participatory and innovative cultures for staff and students is key. Teachers and leaders in Illinois and throughout the country are ready to do this work. If we as leaders challenge our staff to raise the bar by supporting professional learning, cultivating an environment of risk taking and creating deep, powerful opportunities for learning, we will all develop this type of culture. Crafting cultures of innovation can change organizational mindsets in order to remain relevant and sustainable. It also ensures that we meet our mission of preparing students to be successful in life.
FOOTNOTES... 1. Tony Wagner, The Global Achievement Gap: Why Even Our Best Schools Don’t Teach the New Survival Skills Our Children Need — and What We Can Do About It, Basic Books, New York, 2008. 2. Lisa Duty and Todd Kern, So You Think You Want to Innovate: Emerging Lessons and a New Tool for State and District Leaders Working to Build a Culture of Innovation, 2Revolutions & The Learning Accelerator, October 2014.<http://learningaccelerator.org/media/29004d8f/Assessing%20Culture%20of%20Innovation_2Rev-TLA__10.9_ final.pdf>, accessed on April 4, 2016. 3. Simon Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, Penguin Group, New York, 2009. 4. Jimmy Leach, “5 ways to truly create a culture of innovation in your school,” Daily Genius, 2015, <http://dailygenius.com/culture-of-innovation-in-your-school>, Accessed April 4, 2016. 5. Carol S. Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Random House, New York, 2006. 6. Patrick Lencioni, The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else In Business, Jossey-Bass, CA, 2012. 7. Jamie Field Baker and Lee Burns,“Creating a Culture of Innovation: Lessons from Google,” Independent School Magazine, Fall 2010, <http://www.nais.org/MagazinesNewsletters/ISMagazine/Pages/Creating-a-Culture-of-Innovation.aspx>, Accessed on April 4, 2016.
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REDEFINING
EQUITY AND ADEQUACY
An Evidence-Based
Model of School Funding When we consider the challenge of dealing with our budget crisis and related school funding crisis in Illinois, we are reminded of King Sisyphus, a figure in Greek mythology. Sisyphus was punished for his self-aggrandizing craftiness and deceitfulness by being forced to roll an immense boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down (repeating this action for eternity!) Perhaps after a half-century of pension underfunding and unbalanced budgets made to look balanced, our state is now doomed to this eternal boulder pushing. On the other hand, perhaps the struggle will end and craftiness will be replaced with true financial reforms that are honest and meaningful. Regardless, we certainly cannot give up on the fight to shield our children from the impact of decades of financial failure at the state level. We need funding reform innovation and we need it now for this generation of students. 32 |
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By Michael A. Jacoby, Ed.D., SFO, CAE
ARTICLE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS
Michelle Turner Mangan, Ph.D. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF RESEARCH CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO
Innovation in education can be challenging in just about any area. But in school funding, the challenge is immense. Not only does a great idea have to emerge, but also everyone from legislators to agency leaders to lobbyists to practitioners must reach a level of comfort with the idea and then support it through the long and arduous process of approval and implementation. Illinois Vision 20/20 and many other education association partners are advocating for that in Illinois with a funding framework called the evidence-based model of school finance adequacy.1 These partners and other stakeholders around the state have been working together in various venues over the past decade to bring equity and adequacy to Illinois. The Illinois evidence-based model was studied and vetted in 2010 by the Illinois School Finance Adequacy Taskforce, a broad-based, bi-partisan group of educators, politicians, business community, taxpayers and advocacy groups, with a culminating report laying the groundwork for today’s research and policy efforts supporting the evidence-based model.2
WHERE THE DIALOGUE BEGINS When anyone starts a school funding dialogue, it has to start with key goals of equity and adequacy. Simply using those words allows everyone to bring their own definition to the table. Therefore, we must start with some clarifying definitions that are addressed in the evidence-based model. ••
Equity: Ensures fair distribution of local, state and
federal funds amongst all school districts, schools and students. Often this is measured in educational dollars per pupil with a goal of fiscal neutrality, in which resources expended per pupil are not a function of property value per pupil.1,3,4,5,6,7 •• Adequacy: Refers to the level of funding sufficient for every child to have equal educational opportunities to achieve to state proficiency standards.4,5,6,7,8 How does an evidence-based model approach these two elements? First, an adequate level of funding is determined for each district based on a prototypical educational program for its unique set of students.1 The adequacy in this model is not simply a minimal amount or what some today might call a foundation level. It is the actual amount of resources required for a high quality education where every student can meet state proficiency standards.
The target for adequacy in Illinois is simply found in Article X of our Constitution. A fundamental goal of the People of the State is the educational development of all persons to the limits of their capacities. The State shall provide for an efficient system of high quality public educational institutions and services. Education in public schools through the secondary level shall be free. There may be such other free education as the General Assembly provides by law. The State has the primary responsibility for financing the system of public education. Consider the highlighted phrases above: 1. ...the
educational development of all persons to the limits of their capacities.
This calls for a student-by-student focus. The “limits of their capacities” means any framework of adequacy must be broad and deep. Not an easy or simple fix. 2. ...an efficient system of high quality... Efficiency can be addressed both in operational terms and in outcomes. An inefficient system requires too much effort with little return on the investment (ROI). So, the adequacy model must be evidence-based. That is, it must be built on educational strategies that work. High quality is really the sum of that. A system that has a good ROI and addresses all children’s needs, must by definition be high quality. 3. The
State has the primary responsibility for financing...
This has been one of the elusive elements of our state’s approach to funding schools. Currently, the state only provides 26% of the overall resources spent on Pre-K through 12 education and the reduction in state spending since 2009 has eclipsed $3.7 billion dollars. This is where equity is missing in our state. A funding formula that is designed to compensate for the inability of a local community to provide an adequate education for their children must be implemented. Otherwise, hundreds of thousands of students are provided an educational experience that is woefully lacking in its ability to help them succeed.
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REDEFINING ADEQUACY: THE EVIDENCE-BASED MODEL With all of the above in mind, it is crystal clear that we need a model of funding that is robust in its ability to define adequacy. Then we need a model to distribute state resources effectively so every child has the access and support they need to achieve a high-quality education. The evidence-based (EB) methodology was created by Dr. Allan Odden (Professor Emeritus, University of WisconsinMadison) and Dr. Lawrence O. Picus (Associate Dean and Professor, USC) and has been modeled in multiple states, including most recently Maryland, Vermont and Wyoming. The EB approach to school finance adequacy is really much more simple than many believe. Essentially it identifies how much money per pupil is needed to educate students to ensure their success.1 In fact, most business officials, superintendents and boards of education produce an evidence-based model every year in what they call a budget. The budget is the educational program
written in dollars. And locally that budget describes the evidence-based approach the district is employing with its students. The problem is that each local budget is really driven by what is affordable and each local entity determines what evidential practices or strategies it can implement within their resource limitations. Many privileged students get a fantastic program and students in less affluent areas get a minimal and often insufficient program of instruction. Essentially, the EB model draws from research and evidence-based best practices to identify educational delivery strategies and the corresponding resources that support student proficiency of state standards, which should correlate to success in higher education or careers. The model supports each resource recommendation with research and if studies do not exist in specific areas, then professional judgment panels identify best practices.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EVIDENCE-BASED MODEL The EB approach costs out strategies based on rigorous research. In contrast, our current system of school funding is based on the successful districts approach developed by Augenblick and Myers in 2001.9 These researchers revisited Illinois’ funding system in 2013 and concluded that Illinois should not be using their old methodology.10 The successful districts approach is not based on research; instead it relies on trusting that districts identified as “efficient” and “successful” have the resources necessary for an adequate education.
The EB model assumes that we want to calculate the cost of education for all students (with educational needs accounted for) to meet state standards. Unfortunately for Illinois,
“successful” has been defined as educating 2/3 of all regular education students (with no special education, ELL or poverty-based needs) proficient to state standards. 34 |
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The EB approach is a transparent model that allows schools and districts to see what staff the allocated resources could provide. Informed citizens, school
board members, district office staff and school level administrators and teachers can make sound, researchbased, allocation decisions with the knowledge that their resources provide for specific staff and educational programs.
The EB model does not establish mandates. In fact, it
puts the power of decision making out in the open so that students and teachers receive the support they need to meet the requirements that they are held accountable for by the state.
The EB model focuses the conversation on what it takes to sufficiently support students and teachers, as opposed to an arbitrary dollar amount that is the result of a political process.
The current funding level for schools is devoid of actual costs (discretionary or, ironically, mandated by the same entities that do not fully fund them). The funding debate has previously been focused on a backwards math equation of what the state budget says it can afford and dividing that by the number of students we have to educate. Meanwhile, local funding efforts have risen to make up the difference with the end result being the most pronounced funding gap in the nation.11
ARTICLE / Evidence-Based Model
A FUNDING FORMULA USING THE EVIDENCE-BASED MODEL It is one thing to identify what we want for all students to experience in Illinois schools. It is another to determine how to allocate resources to support that expectation. Below is how the formula would be implemented in Illinois:
(
DISTRICT ADEQUACY TARGET
X
)–
COMPARABLE WAGE INDEX
LOCAL CAPACITY TARGET
District Adequacy Target: This is derived by
applying local district student demographics to the Illinois Evidence-Based Adequacy Model.
Comparable Wage Index (CWI): The CWI allows for a regional cost differentiation to be applied to the Adequacy Target of each district.13 The CWI was initially developed by the National Center for Educational Statistics and further updated by Dr. Lori Taylor at Texas A&M University. The range of the index in Illinois is from .85 to 1.20.
Local Capacity Target (LCT): An Adequacy to EAV
Ratio is used to determine the LCT for each district. Using this method all districts are compared equally based on unique local capacity and the resources they need to fully implement the Illinois Evidence-Based Adequacy Model. The steps in the calculation of LCT are quite technical but in the end the average district in Illinois would provide 49% local funding allowing the state to provide the difference.
–
CPPRT
–
FEDERAL IMPACT AID*
=
NET STATE CONTRIBUTION
Corporate Personal Property Replacement Tax (CPPRT): This is considered local revenue as it is
based on the corporate personal property tax the district received prior to the elimination of the personal property tax in 1979. For purposes of the funding formula, the prior year CPPRT distribution from the Illinois Department of Revenue is utilized.
Federal Funds: Each district in Illinois receives some
level of funds from the Federal government. The allocation and use is set by Federal rules. The Evidence-Based Adequacy Model addresses all student needs, including those associated with poverty and high incidence special education (which are the primary drivers of Federal funding), Federal funds are part of the overall funding that districts need to adequately support students. However, Federal rules associated with ESSA and IDEA prohibits a state from using those funds to reduce state aid. Therefore, the only Federal funds that are considered in the formula are those associated with impact aid, which are intended to offset against the loss of local property taxes due to various types of Federal installations. *If applicable
PROTECTING AGAINST “WINNERS AND LOSERS” – THE BASE FUNDING GUARANTEE The intent of the formula is to make sure that no district receives less in state support as a result of the implementation of a new funding formula. Therefore, under this model all districts would be granted a Base Funding Guarantee and receive no less in state funds per pupil than was received in FY16. FY16 state revenues per pupil from the following funding sources would comprise the Base Funding Guarantee: • General State Aid • Bilingual or ELL • Special Ed Personnel
• Special Ed Pupil (Child Funding) • Special Ed Summer School • Driver’s Education
In order to continually reflect student demographic changes, the original Base Funding Guarantee would be adjusted annually on a per pupil basis.
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EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF STATE FUNDS Equity is achieved when the Net State Contribution due to each district is fully funded. It is likely that it will take several years for the State of Illinois to allocate sufficient dollars to achieve full funding of the Net State Contribution. In order to achieve full funding over time, a scalable phase-in methodology that ensures that districts with the highest gap between current spending and adequacy receive the vast majority of new revenues is applied. The phase-in methodology will allocate more resources in bands of standard deviation from the relative District Adequacy Target. Essentially, districts that are already at adequacy with the combination of local and the Base Funding Guarantee would receive no new state revenue until all other districts are funded at a reasonable level of adequacy. Essentially, districts the farthest away from adequacy would receive proportionately more new revenue. Scaling new resources into school districts over the next five to seven years should have the effect of increasing education funding to districts of most need by several billion dollars and diminishing the gap between adequacy and current spending.
PROTECTION FROM FUTURE DIMINISHMENT OF STATE APPROPRIATIONS Given the history of school funding over the past decade, it is important to include a methodology that would deal with any reduction in overall appropriation to the EvidenceBased School Funding Formula. In that event, a formula, which is the inverse of the equity formula above, would be implemented. Therefore, districts farthest away from adequacy would be insulated against funding reductions and districts in excess of or closer to adequacy would experience the primary proportion of funding reduction.
RECALIBRATION Any model of funding requires periodic recalibration to remain current. It is recommended that all elements based on per pupil allocation and sourced from current expense levels, be recalibrated on an annual basis (O&M, central office, gifted, instructional supplies, assessment). Study based elements that would require periodic recalibration are as follows:
A. AVERAGE SALARIES:
Modified by ECI annually with a new study every five years.
B. COMPARABLE WAGE INDEX: New study every five years.
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FUTURE STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS The following studies are recommended for the future:
A. OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE:
The current facilities allocation is based on the average statewide prior year cost per pupil. A more detailed study could lead to greater efficiency. The EvidenceBased Model proposed for Vermont in 2015 contains a study model for consideration but annual reporting by local school districts that is not currently collected would be required.
B. BENEFITS:
As national health care rules and regulations change, a statewide benefits study on a periodic basis should be considered. The current allocation for benefits is based on prior year expenses stated as a percent of salary (30%). This is a significant component of any adequacy target and additional study would be valuable.
C. TECHNOLOGY:
The per pupil target for technology is based on a California study referenced in the Vermont Evidence-Based Model.1 It reflects the costs of a 1:1 model. With continual advances in technology and embedded technology within the K-12 curriculum, an Illinois study within the next three years is recommended.
ARTICLE / Evidence-Based Model
AN ADEQUATE PROGRAM OF INSTRUCTION FOR ALL STUDENTS Below are the elements of the Evidence-Based model of adequacy:12
CORE STAFFING
CENTRAL SERVICES
(Based on enrolled students)
(Based on current average spending in Illinois)
Full Day Kindergarten
Maintenance and Operations
Core Teachers K-3 (Class Size: 15)
Transportation Services
Core Teachers 4-12 (Class Size: 25)
Central Office Staffing
Elective teachers
Employee Benefits
Instructional Coaches Tier 2 Intervention Teachers
STAFFING/PROGRAMS FOR CHALLENGED LEARNERS
Substitute Teachers
(Based on uniquely identified students in each school)
Guidance Counselors and Nurses
Additional Tier 2 Intervention Teachers (Poverty and EL)
Supervisory Aides
Additional Pupil Support Teachers (Poverty and EL)
Library/Media Specialists
Extended Day (Poverty and EL)
Principal/ Assistant Principal
Summer School (Poverty and EL)
School Site Secretarial Staff
English Learner Students (EL) Special Education (High Incidence)
PER STUDENT (Based on an average per pupil cost) Gifted and Talented Professional Development Instructional Materials Assessment Computer Technologies and Equipment Extra Duty and Student Activities Stipends
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WHY THIS MATTERS Some would argue that any school funding model must not only address the need for equitable and adequate resources for all students, it must also achieve measurable outcomes. Some of the research-based practices supported by the Evidence-Based Model have been tried and tested and “gold standard” research results are quantifiable in terms of student achievement. To summarize, the key research-based resources in the EB model1 include: • Intensive teacher training (trainers, professional development for teachers and instructional coaches) • Extended learning strategies (tutoring, extended days, academic summer school, ESL help for ELL students and special education)
• Full day kindergarten • Smaller classes in kindergarten through third grade • Critical pupil support and parent outreach • Technology for schools
The table below represents the anticipated “effect sizes” on student achievement related to implementation of the strategies listed above.14 Odden et al. note that: Effect size is the amount of standard deviation in higher performance that the program produces for students who participate in the program versus students who did not. An effect size of 1.0 would indicate that the average student’s performance would move from the 50th to the 83rd percentile. The research field generally recognizes effect sizes greater than 0.25 as significant and greater than 0.50 as substantial. (p. 93) It is also important to note that strategies must be implemented in accordance with research-based assumptions.
EFFECT SIZES OF KEY EVIDENCE-BASED MODEL ELEMENTS
RECOMMENDED PROGRAM
EFFECT SIZE
Full Day Kindergarten
0.77
Class Size of 15 in Grades K-3 Overall
0.25
Low Income and Minority Students
0.50
Multi-age Classrooms Multi-grade Classrooms
-0.1 to 0.0
Multi-age Classrooms
0.0 to 0.50
Professional Development with Classroom Instructional Coaches Tutoring, 1-1
1.25 to 2.70 0.4 to 2.5
English Language Learners
0.45
Structured Academic Focused Summer School
0.45
Embedded Technology
0.30 to 0.38
Gifted and Talented Accelerated Instruction or Grade Skipping
0.5 to 1.0
Enrichment Programs
0.4 to 0.7
*Table reproduced from Odden et al. (2006) with extended day programs excluded.15
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ARTICLE / Evidence-Based Model
AN IMMENSE UNDERTAKING
Obviously, the complexity of a new funding model is immense. But so are the potential effects. If both equity and adequacy are to be achieved for students in Illinois, it will take this type of innovation as well as a strong commitment to allocate resources sufficient to apply the model in every district. This, as stated at the beginning, can feel like pushing a rock uphill over and over again without ever getting it over the top. With strong collaboration and buy-in from every stakeholder, it can happen. With many hands pushing, we can make lighter work of ensuring a high quality education for every child.
FOOTNOTES 1. Odden, A. R., & Picus, L. O. (2014). School finance: A policy perspective (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. 2. Mangan, M. T., Purinton, T., & Aportela, A. (2010). Illinois school finance adequacy study part I: A comparison of statewide simulation of adequate funds to current revenues. Chicago, IL: National-Louis University. 3. Alexander, N. A. (2014). Educational equity. In Dominic J. Brewer & Lawrence O. Picus (eds.), Encyclopedia of education economics and finance. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. 4. Brimley, Jr., V., Verstegan, D. A., & Garfield, R. R. (2012). Financing education in a climate of change (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. 5. Baker, B. D., & Green, P. C. (2008). Conceptions of equity and adequacy in school finance. In Helen F. Ladd & Edward B. Fiske (eds.), Handbook of research in education finance and policy. New York, NY: Routledge. 6. Corcoran, S. P., & Evans, W. N. (2008). Equity, adequacy and the evolving state role in education finance. In Helen F. Ladd & Edward B. Fiske (eds.), Handbook of research in education finance and policy. New York, NY: Routledge. 7. Downes, T. A., & Stiefel, L. (2008). Measuring equity and adequacy in school finance. In Helen F. Ladd & Edward B. Fiske (eds.), Handbook of research in education finance and policy. New York, NY: Routledge. 8. Picus, L. O. (2014). Adequacy: Evidence-based approach. In Dominic J. Brewer & Lawrence O. Picus (eds.), Encyclopedia of education economics and finance. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. 9. Augenblick and Meyers, Inc. (2001). A procedure for calculating a base cost figure and an adjustment for at-risk pupils that could be used in the Illinois school finance system. Report prepared for the Education Funding Advisory Board. Denver, CO: author. 10. Augenblick, Palaich and Associates. (2013). Overview of the structure of the Illinois school finance system. Denver, CO: Author. 11. Baker, B. D., Sciarra, D. G., & Farrie, D. (2015). Is school funding fair: A national report card. Newark, NJ: Education Law Center. 12. Odden, A., Archibald, S., Fermanich, M., & Gross, B. (2003). Defining school-level expenditures that reflect educational strategies. Journal of Education Finance, 28(3), 323-356. 13. Taylor, L., & Fowler, W. (2007). Comparable wage index data files: 2005 school district CWI. Washington, CD: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved from: http://nces. ed.gov/edfin/adjustments.asp 14. Odden, A., Picus, L. O., Archibald, S., Goetz, M., Mangan, M. T., & Aportela, A. (2007). Moving from good to great in Wisconsin: Funding schools adequately and doubling student performance. Madison, WI: Consortium for Policy Research in Education, Wisconsin Center for Education Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison. 15. Odden, A. R., Picus, L. O., Goetz, M., Mangan, M. T., & Fermanich, M. (2006). An evidence based approach to school finance adequacy in Washington. Prepared for Washington Learns. North Hollywood, CA: Lawrence O. Picus and Associates. Retrieved from: http://www.k12.wa.us/qec/pubdocs/EvidenceBasedReportFinal9-11-06_000.pdf
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Creating the Next
Generation of
Innovators
ARTICLE
By Britta McKenna, MPA CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER ILLINOIS MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE ACADEMY
Lawrence Bergie, ME CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER ILLINOIS MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE ACADEMY
Our educational system has been designed to test for knowledge and to teach to tests that measure said knowledge. We train our students for tests, but they crave applied learning opportunities to connect their knowledge to the real world. Employers are looking for talent that can problem-solve, work well in teams, ask good questions, communicate and apply knowledge and skills.1
A NEW PARADIGM As the current educational system was influenced by the industrial age, economic forces and trends today are shifting the current paradigm and a new educational system needs to emerge. The world is increasingly crowdsourcing knowledge as evidenced by Massive Open Online Classes (MOOCs) and private enterprises like Khan Academy. Top trends like wearable technology, robotics, digital badges and makerspaces have schools wondering how to keep up, much less plan for the future. Rather than react to the shift, a proactive revolution is needed in the way we think about education; we need to disrupt the “old school” way of educating our students (and teachers). To do this, we need to look outside the school walls and ask, “What’s working?” The winners in the modern economy are using the design thinking process, where problems are framed by asking, “How might we…” The question at hand is “How might we (schools) pivot away from the ‘old school’ model and define the next paradigm to educate the next generation of innovators?” A place to start would be to invite the community to participate and help co-create the future of education. Schools should seek to step away from the “teach and test” mentality and embrace a motivating learning environment that creates opportunities to apply knowledge, investigate problems, apply solutions and learn from the results.
A GROWING VOID The new paradigm requires a commitment to instructional strategy. Schools are filling a growing void of applied learning through electives and extra curricular and co-curricular offerings. Some schools are replacing their traditional Introductory Business class with Entrepreneurship. Faculty are working hard to keep one step ahead of digital natives who may feel more comfortable in these new learning opportunities than most of their teachers.
Schools that are able to find faculty qualified to teach current coding languages and can offer them for computer science class credit are in the minority. Despite a scarcity of qualified instructors to teach current and emerging computer languages, motivated students self-teach through Code Academy or enlist a peer to tutor them. Some, like three recent IMSA alumni, have created their own CS curriculum called Open SCSI. Others register to learn and apply coding through programs like Dev Bootcamp after graduation or take a gap year to supplement their resume before college or as an alternative to higher education.
Our schools need to look for new curricular pathways to keep up with these new language and entrepreneurship curriculum pivots.
During this educational paradigm shift, parents are seeking outside opportunities for their children to supplement traditional education. Workshops, summer camps and educational program offerings on weekends and during the summer become resume builders to prepare their children applying for college. Growth of external providers is quite disruptive, but perhaps this disruption is what we need to motivate school systems to adapt, to create more lean, nimble and responsive schools to prepare our learners. Our schools need to look for new curricular pathways to keep up with these new language and entrepreneurship curriculum pivots.
RETHINKING THE SYSTEM The current educational system needs to embrace a senseand-respond instructional strategy to prepare students to enter the workforce of tomorrow. We must collaborate with the new economy to continuously shape the minds of today to get them ready for the future needs of employers.
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The current educational system needs to embrace a sense-and-respond instructional strategy to prepare students to enter the workforce of tomorrow. A bolder idea would be for the entire pipeline of education to rethink what skills our learners need and reimagine what schools need to look like as a result. Without a strategic commitment, today’s educational systems may not be able to meet the challenge. The journey begins by looking at examples of what’s working.
A NEW SOLUTION: IN2, THE STEVE AND JAMIE CHEN CENTER FOR IMAGINATION AND INQUIRY The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) in Aurora, IL believes that problems have many solutions. IMSA is creating a new physical space (an innovation center) to be an organic, crowd sourced solution to prototype and test new models of educating the next generation of innovators. This non-traditional hub will be chalked with novel programs to pilot a new educational model around innovation and entrepreneurship. A 6,400 square foot renovation at IMSA is currently underway and due to open in the fall of 2016. This innovation center has been named IN2, denoting Innovation and Inquiry, words that represent two of IMSA’s cornerstones. IN2 embodies the ideals of innovation and collaboration that led to the Academy’s founding in 1985. IN2 is a physical place to practice connected learning,2 a concept shared by Dr. Sam Dyson at the 2015 NSTA conference. Connected learning is based upon three learning principles: interest powered, peer supported and academic/career/civic payoff and the three design principles of production-oriented, openly-networked and shared purpose.
IN2 creates what Ray Oldenburg calls a “third space” for a new type of learning community.3 A third space is shaped by its regular clientele and characterized by a playful mood, contrasting with people’s more serious involvement in other areas. Distilled down, education needs to design new spaces for our learners (of all ages) to "Hang Out, Mess Around and Geek Out" (HOMAGO).4 A place that is comfortable, nurtures a feeling of community and openly embraces failure as a First Attempt In Learning. Innovation and entrepreneurship hubs and incubators are a part of our Illinois community and higher education institutions and other innovation centers in industry and government. Connecting IMSA to Illinois innovation centers creates vast possibilities of mentors and problem-solving team members and fuels the STEM pipeline. IN2 is a critical link to the innovation pipeline, connecting secondary schools to higher education and industry, it also acts as an incubator for novel ideas and solutions to the important problems of our time. The beauty of IN2 is that it is agile enough to respond and adapt to the changing needs of its community. IN2 is designed to provide real-time, innovative education. IMSA and other educators, STEM entrepreneurs and community partners will come together to design, co-create and test new technologies, services and methods to advance STEM teaching, learning and talent development.
CONNECTING CLASSROOM LEARNING TO THE REAL WORLD Innovators and early adopters will be able to come together in a dynamic ideation, learning, collaboration
Development of IN2 IN2’s design process began by visiting best practices in Silicon Valley innovation and small start-up spaces and industry icons like Facebook and Google. The search also included the abundant innovation resources in Chicago, Rockford, Peoria and Urbana in Illinois as well as Boston at MIT and Harvard Innovation Hub. The blueprint for IN2 was shaped through active community and stakeholder engagement. Input sessions, a design charrette and fieldtrips to study best practices of physical spaces and programming included students, faculty, staff, alumni and external stakeholders. A resounding theme through all successful innovation spaces is that people in collaboration are the key to success; space, furniture and technology are only tools to encourage people to be present.
ARTICLE / Next Generation of Innovators
School cannot simply remain the same. It’s time to shake up our concept of school and reinvent the business of education.
and makerspace at IMSA that connects and leverages the strengths of entrepreneurial, academic and work cultures. Students will learn coding, start-up principles and how to take an idea from concept to creation. They’ll engage with real time design and product development teams and collaborate with STEM entrepreneurs on real-world start-ups. Students will use tools in a clean MakerSpace (not requiring hazard control or ventilation hoods) to rapid prototype their minimum viable product (MVP) with 3-D design and manufacturing software. The innovation center will host programs and opportunities open to IN2 network partner schools designed to stimulate and support STEMfocused and social entrepreneurship education. These new programs aim to connect classroom learning with real world application. IMSA’s ability to evolve and grow as a thought-leader in STEM education and talent development, with access to the most accomplished educators, cutting-edge technology and a vibrant blend of life and learning, is made possible because of strong public-private partnerships. This is a valuable proposition for IN2 and its educational success will be weighted heavily by the substance of the partnerships we create. We envision several types of partnerships including community, educational, business and entrepreneurial and technology and we are establishing many of these relationships prior to the opening of IN2. Some partnerships have a philanthropic focus while others provide IN2 with cutting edge technology and resources for the users and visitors.
rarely experienced in today’s classroom. Learners leave IMSA with practical real world experience that strengthen and support them as they continue their educational and work careers. Plans for IN2 technology include supporting daily educational and collaborative needs for users when working at IMSA, locally and globally, as well as rapid prototyping software and hardware. Contiguous to the IN2 space is access to more specialized manufacturing equipment that must be used in a controlled environment. Some of our technology partnerships under development may lead to opportunities to showcase new and emerging technology for education or business and/or product development.
REINVENTING THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATION It is time to shake up our concept of school and reinvent the business of education. School cannot simply remain the same; to do so is a failure to prepare our future workforce. The gap between next generation learners and a traditional learning environment widens while we do nothing. IMSA, Illinois’ learning laboratory, is breaking new ground to create the next generation of innovators.
Of utmost importance to IMSA will be those that actively partner with them to support the educational and programmatic elements of student-led and supported entrepreneurial objectives. IN2 provides students with supplementary and supportive educational experiences Footnotes: 1. Jim Turmo, presentation given to IMSA IN2 Intersession, Rockford, IL, January 12, 2016. 2. Samuel Dyson, "Connected Learning: Emerging Contexts for Deeper Engagement," speech given at NSTA National Conference on Science Education, Chicago, March 2015 3. Project for Public Spaces, “Ray Oldenburg,” www.pps.org/reference/roldenburg/, accessed on March 29, 2016. 4. Dr. Samuel Dyson, “Connected Learning: Emerging Contexts for Deeper Engagement,” presentation given at NSTA Conference, Chicago, IL, 2015.
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By Hall Davidson
ARTICLE
SR. DIR./GLOBAL LEARNING INITIATIVES DISCOVERY EDUCATION
FUTURE-READY
CLASSROOMS :
Making the Digital Transition School business officials play an important role in shaping teaching and learning across the country. In many districts, SBOs are leading efforts to create the modern digital classrooms today’s student demand and deserve. But in your capacity as a financial decision-maker, how can you make sure your district is not only creating dynamic learning environments that engage today’s tech-savvy learners, but also realizing a return on the investment in new technologies and digital content your district is purchasing? Creating the Future, Step-by-Step The first step is to present a clear, unified vision for how your effort to build dynamic digital classrooms will help your school system achieve its academic goals. This vision must be shared with critical stakeholders throughout your community, such as fellow administrators, teachers, parents, students, business leaders and others. This will create the unity of purpose that will propel your initiative forward. Without a shared vision, even the strongest of efforts will fail to meet expectations. Next, you must have a plan in place to provide customized, job-embedded professional development to district educators that will help them incorporate new technologies and digital content into classroom instruction. This step will support teachers as they evolve their instruction to meet new goals and standards and will help ease transitions in school culture, such as the shift from textbooks to digital content as a core instructional resource. Once a vision and a professional development plan are in place, it is time to create a content strategy. A comprehensive strategy offering teachers high-quality standards-based digital content that is embedded in district pacing, scope and sequence documents is essential to the effort to create future-ready classrooms. Support Learning Initiatives With stakeholders knowing and understanding the vision for building digital learning environments and a professional
development and content strategy in place, it is time to consider how you will deliver your digital content to students. At this point in the planning process, the entire spectrum of access issues becomes important. Is your school system’s wireless infrastructure adequate? Is the district’s online security adequate? What types of devices should students use? Should your district go 1:1? Should your district have students bring their own devices? The answers to these questions will be important moving forward in implementing future-ready classrooms. The goals of the district’s learning initiatives should help dictate all technology decisions. It is during this decisionmaking process that your seat at the table becomes most important. Other stakeholders in this discussion may find themselves aligned to one particular position or another due to their educational philosophy. However, as the district’s business official, you can serve as a dispassionate arbiter ensuring all technology decisions are made with the goal of supporting learning objectives in mind, and serve as a consensus builder throughout this process. Finally, it is critical that an evaluation and continuous improvement plan be implemented. That plan should include a rigorous process that celebrates successes while addressing deficiencies and should be designed and implemented to ensure continuous improvement. Making the Digital Transition In addition to improving teaching and learning, making the digital transition can have positive financial ramifications for your district. Many school systems have found they can actually realize additional savings by moving from textbooks to digital content. For example, one school district in Illinois found that the six-year site license for a popular digital “techbook” cost approximately $45, when the traditional textbook equivalent cost around $75. Additional savings can be realized as digital content is rolled out to students, as there is no need for shipping or warehouses and there are no charges for missing books.
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ARTICLE / Future Schools
FINDING DYNAMIC DIGITAL CONTENT The digital content you choose is critical, as all digital content is not created equal. For example, online PDF files of a current hardcopy textbook may be digital, but they will not engage today’s students, who are adept at multitasking with interactive content and social media. Here are some basic characteristics to look for when considering digital content for your students: Dynamic Updates – If content lives in the digital age, it should be capable of dynamic updates. This means that when data, facts or new discoveries emerge in the real world, your content reflects those changes almost immediately. In addition, the chosen content should be cloud-based and accessible on any device online wherever and whenever learning takes place. Digital Tools – Digital content should be interoperable with extended digital tools, such as cameras, microphones, built-in whiteboards, protractors or calculators, now found on most devices. It is an additional bonus when sharing and collaboration functions, common to social media, are built into these resources and can be controlled and monitored by teachers or school administrators. Student Content Creation – When content lived solely in books, it was inappropriate for students to cut it out, draw on it or otherwise manipulate the content. When content moved to film and video, it was difficult for students to edit and get the portions they wanted. The digital content you choose should encourage students to edit, manipulate and create their own new content in ways previously unimaginable.
Account-Based Resources – When students have their own, individual logins, teachers can view, assign and distribute content in ways that make them wonder how they ever taught otherwise. Likewise, with individual logins, students can begin to create their own digital portfolios. While data security has become a serious issue for school business officials to consider and outstanding security issues must be addressed, we must not disregard the tremendous impact appropriately managed data can have on informing instruction. Not Device-Dependent – Digital content should be accessible on any device – school laptop, home PC or a student’s smartphone. It should be accessible in the public library, or anywhere outside the classroom where learning is taking place. If students can get movie information, instant messages and pictures on their phone or tablet, they should be able to get homework on it too. Personalization – The digital resources you choose should allow the same content to be accessible in multiple languages and it should be flexible enough to let students explore any number of different learning paths. Finally, it should be diverse enough to engage any student, regardless of learning style.
The role of the school business official has never been more important. From finance to transportation, to food service and beyond, the challenge of allocating school resources in an era of diminishing budgets continues to grow. To ensure you are seeing a return on your technology investments as your school system makes the digital transition, it is important to consider these factors. Your students and your community will thank you for doing so.
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UPDATE Magazine / Spring 2016
RESOURCES
Innovation Inspiration Six Books to Help You Craft a Culture of Innovation All titles are available for sale at Amazon.com COHERENCE: THE RIGHT DRIVERS IN ACTION FOR SCHOOLS, DISTRICTS, AND SYSTEMS By Michael Fullan and Joanne Quinn If initiative overload and fragmentation are keeping your best plans from becoming reality, it’s time to lead with coherence. Using the right drivers as your foundation, you’ll bring people and ideas together — and implement the kind of lasting change that maximizes results. THE INNOVATOR’S MINDSET: EMPOWER LEARNING, UNLEASH TALENT, AND LEAD A CULTURE OF CREATIVITY By George Couros Kids walk into schools full of wonder and questions. How you, as an educator, respond to students’ natural curiosity can help further their own exploration and shape the way they learn today and in the future. DRIVE: THE SURPRISING TRUTH ABOUT WHAT MOTIVATES US By Daniel. H. Pink This book examines the three elements of true motivation—autonomy, mastery and purpose — and offers smart and surprising techniques for putting these into action.
A WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION: LEARNING FROM INTERNATIONAL MODELS OF EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION By Vivian Stewart Designed to promote conversation about how to educate students for a rapidly changing and increasingly borderless and innovation-based world, this comprehensive and illuminating book is about understanding what the best school systems in the world are doing right.
VISIBLE LEARNING: A SYNTHESIS OF OVER 800 META-ANALYSES RELATING TO ACHIEVEMENT By John Hattie This book builds a story about the power of teachers, feedback and a model of learning and understanding. The research involves many millions of students and represents the largest ever evidence-based research into what actually works in schools to improve learning.
THE GLOBAL ACHIEVEMENT GAP: WHY EVEN OUR BEST SCHOOLS DON’T TEACH THE NEW SURVIVAL SKILLS OUR CHILDREN NEED — AND WHAT WE CAN SO ABOUT IT By Tony Wagner Highlighting discussions with young people and the adults who work with them, Wagner explains the ways in which today’s generation is differently motivated to excel.
INNOVATORS TWO STORIES OF INNOVATION FROM ILLINOIS ASBO MEMBERS Entrepreneurial Lab at Buffalo Grove High School
Township High School District 214
Redefining Ready AMY K. MCPARTLIN District Purchasing Supervisor, Twp. High Sch. Dist. 214 In the effort to ensure students are college and career ready, Township High School District 214 has embraced a new initiative of “Redefining Ready.” Looking at ways to infuse the classroom experience with relevant, real world experiences, the district is better preparing students for their future career pathways. One way they are accomplishing this goal is through the district’s entrepreneurship program. Leaders in the business community team up with groups of students to assist and mentor them as they prepare for careers in organizing, directing and evaluating business functions essential to efficient and productive business operations. Many of their courses allow for real world experiences that focus on developing the skills to coordinate and control the resources needed to produce a business’ goods and services and market that business to potential investors. These entrepreneurial classrooms function as models for the “classrooms of the future,” where students are involved in real-world problem solving. Activities are structured to emphasize collaborative, active, student-based learning. Designed around desired student-outcomes, older classrooms have been transformed into “laboratories” where clusters of lightweight, movable furniture can accommodate workgroups of various sizes, replacing traditional desks.
By creating innovative spaces for student learning, the stage is set for meaningful collaboration between students and business leaders as they work to bridge the gap between businesses and classrooms. As District 214 is fully 1:1, technology enhancements in these collaborative environments include wall mounted displays with Apple TV’s for group work, in addition to student iPads. Small white boards are easily removed from the glass paneled walls, allowing for easy and accessible writing space for team brainstorming and collaboration. The inter-play of multiple technologies, video conferencing and a 24/7 response time will more accurately reflect today’s entrepreneurial environment. The teacher desk is now the “Genius Bar,” and reinforces the concept of the teacher as a resource, serving as a facilitator, answering questions, providing feedback and moving around the room quite easily. Classroom spaces are reflective of today’s workplace. In District 214, changing the way they talk about college and career readiness means meeting students where they are and enhancing their classroom time with real-life experiences that better prepare students for their career pathway goals. By creating innovative spaces for student learning, the stage is set for meaningful collaboration between students and business leaders as they work to bridge the gap between businesses and classrooms. 48 |
UPDATE Magazine / Spring 2016
Township High School District 113 and the Northeastern Illinois ASBO Regional Organization
Teaming up for School Security BARRY A. BOLEK Asst. Supt./Finance, Twp. High Sch. Dist. 113 Township High School District 113 has developed a healthy and sustainable relationship with their police departments and all sender schools. With the recent increase in school shootings and other safety events, they have developed a task force to meet regularly to share, build, foster and develop plans that are understandable and visited frequently by all parties. By fostering this relationship, the police and fire departments are not strangers to staff, facilities and most importantly security and safety plans. Barry Bolek, from District 113, teamed up with Dr. Stephen Johns, the Illinois ASBO Northeastern Regional Organization Chair, to coordinate the first ever school security forum hosted by an Illinois ASBO Regional. This forum was held on February 19, 2016 with over 90 in attendance — including School Resource Officers (SROs), business officials, school security personnel, architects, principals and other school and security professionals The goal of this meeting was to create a network of security managers/leads and police SROs to share resources, successes and failures.
Participants in this school security forum discussed topics including: • Secured entrances and parking lots • Security cameras and “Blue Point” • How to conduct security assessments • Active shooter drills • Working with SROs and other local officials • Security committees and communication plans
Northeastern Regional Organization
As a follow up, they have created an email list that serves to continue the conversation online. Everyone in attendance left with a better understanding of how to keep their school safe and secure. This innovative gathering, facilitated through the Illinois ASBO network, will have a positive and enduring impact.
Illinois ASBO members can share their innovations on the peer2peer Network online community.
RESOURCES Striving for Personalized Learning Debates have raged on about how technology should be used in schools and whether or not it should be used at all. But research shows that our factorystyle education system simply doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t meet the needs of enough students. In Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools, the authors point out that just because students are the same age doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean that they all learn at the same rate or even have the same needs. Some learn more quickly than others and teachers are just unable to give personalized instruction to each student even though they try valiantly. Schools Have Reached a Tipping Point Over 75% of schools across America are beginning to awaken to the possibilities of online learning. The Blended authors talked with over 150 schools who have implemented blended learning programs with different needs driving them to that point.
School leaders desire personalization to aid struggling students, access to a broad range of learning opportunities that blended learning offers and an ability to control costs by giving every student a tutor-like experience without the added cost. The Power of Online Learning Differentiating instruction for each child is difficult in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s factory-model education system. Personalized and competency-based learning, implemented well, will form the basis of a student-centered learning system. Just as technology enables mass customization in so many sectors to meet the diverse needs of so many people, online learning allows students to learn any time, in any place and at any pace and scale. Blended learning is the engine that can power personalized and competency-based learning.
On My List Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools By Michael B. Horn and Heather Staker
Overview: Technology has changed every aspect of our lives. In a span of twenty years the Internet has transformed from a novelty into a necessity that influences everything we do, from how we enjoy our free time to how we conduct business. With modern technology influencing our daily lives on such a massive scale, it makes sense to utilize this technology in the education of our children. In Blended, authors Horn and Staker advocate for the blending of online learning into schools and provide an excellent resource for anyone looking to better their school.
School leaders desire personalization to aid struggling students... by giving every student a tutor-like experience without the added cost. 50 |
UPDATE Magazine / Summer 2016
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