INSIGHT—Spring 2020 by Texas Association of School Administrators

TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL

Tales from the front lines:

SPRING 2020

INSIGHT

Texas superintendents lead with compassion as COVID-19 hits home pg. 10 2021 TASA Legislative Positions & Priorities pg. 19

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INSIGHT

Volume 35 No. 1 FEATURE ARTICLES & COLUMNS TALES FROM THE FRONT LINES: 10 Texas superintendents lead with compassion as COVID-19 hits home HIGHER EDUCATION What do schools and districts really need to know about principal preparation in Texas?

Dr. Susan Holley 2021 TASA Legislative Positions & Priorities

TSPRA VOICE Schools and customer service: Why you should treat your stakeholders like your customers

Melissa Martinez MEET TASA’S INSPIRING LEADERS

TCEA TECH TAKE Do better: evidence-based learning with technology

Miguel Guhlin GET TO KNOW TASA’S MEMBER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES

Dr. H. John Fuller TEACHER PERSPECTIVE Creating school culture in the face of adversity

Michelle Sandoval Villegas SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION Will COVID-19 be the impetus we need to finally realize “A New Vision for Public Education”?

David DeMarkis, Ed.D.

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INSIGHT

OFFICERS

Greg Smith, President, Clear Creek ISD Brian T. Woods, President-Elect, Northside ISD

DEPARTMENTS

Doug Williams, Vice President, Sunnyvale ISD Gayle Stinson, Past President, Lake Dallas ISD

TASA Professional Learning Calendar

President’s Message

Gonzalo Salazar, Region 1, Los Fresnos CISD

Executive Director’s View

Max A. Thompson, Region 2, Banquete ISD

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Jo Ann Bludau, Region 3, Hallettsville ISD Charles E. Dupre, Region 4, Fort Bend ISD Todd E. Lintzen, Region 5, Bridge City ISD Stan Surratt, Region 7, Lindale ISD Judd Marshall, Region 8, Mount Pleasant ISD Curtis Eldridge, Region 9, Saint Jo ISD Kevin Worthy, Region 10, Royse City ISD David Belding, Region 11, Aubrey ISD

INSIGHT EDITORIAL STAFF

Executive Director

George Kazanas, Region 12, Midway ISD Kevin Brown

Assistant Executive Director, Services and Systems Administration

Ann M. Halstead

Amy Francisco

Director, Communications and Media Relations

Design/Production Marco A. De La Cueva

Editorial Director

Dacia Rivers

INSIGHT is published quarterly by the Texas Association of School Administrators, 406 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas, 78701-2617. Subscription is included in TASA membership dues. © 2020 by TASA. All rights reserved.TASA members may reprint articles in limited quantities for in-house educational use. Articles in INSIGHT are expressions of the author or interviewee and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of TASA. Advertisements do not necessarily carry the endorsement of the Texas Association of School Administrators.

Jodi Duron, Region 13, Elgin ISD David Young, Region 14, Abilene ISD Joe Young, Region 15, Brownwood ISD Donna Hale, Region 16, Miami ISD Keith Bryant, Region 17, Lubbock-Cooper ISD Ariel Elliott, Region 18, Greenwood ISD Jeannie Meza-Chavez, Region 19, San Elizario ISD Michelle Carroll Smith, Region 20, Lytle ISD

AT-LARGE MEMBERS

LaTonya Goffney, Aldine ISD Walter Jackson, Brenham ISD Jamie Wilson, Denton ISD

LEGISLATIVE CHAIR

Charles Dupre, Fort Bend ISD

EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Doug Williams, Sunnyvale ISD, Chair Jo Ann Bludau, Hallettsville ISD Keith Bryant, Lubbock-Cooper ISD Charles Dupre, Fort Bend ISD Stacey Edmonson, Sam Houston State University Tory Hill, Sweeny ISD

INSIGHT

The stories that shape education are the stories that inspire us the most! The triumphs inside the classroom are personal to us. They mean more, because they illustrate how learning and shared experience can change lives. At Huckabee, we are committed to celebrating MORE of what matters, because witnessing the success of all students drives us to do what we love.

www.huckabee-inc.com

@HuckabeeInc

SCHOOLS: THE HUBS OF OUR COMMUNITIES

hroughout Texas, there are countless stories of hope, from child nutrition workers unselfishly preparing thousands of meals for our children to teachers who gracefully balance being a parent and a teacher all from their living rooms. Humbled and thankful, we are.

Greg Smith

PRESIDENTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MESSAGE I would like to thank our educational leaders who not only stepped up, but

I write this message to you in the midst of our new normal, living and learning in the COVID-19 crisis; however, something profound is occurring around us. In the middle of self-isolation and social distancing, the power of technology coupled with community spirit is bringing families and schools together in ways we did not think possible, or perhaps simply feared, a few months ago. Our school doors may be physically closed, but the opportunities for children to learn and grow are wide open. I know I speak for all superintendents and state leaders when I say that our schools are very much still the hubs of their respective communities. And during this time of uncertainty, our families and staff are turning to us as educational leaders for a message of hope. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of the many things you do best.

also stepped out there in the area of technology integration to serve the millions ofchildren in Texas.

While the traditional smiley face on a graded paper has been replaced with an emoji in an email to a student or a morning meeting around a character word has been replaced with a class Zoom videoconferencing call, we are providing a sense of community for children. I would like to thank our educational leaders who not only stepped up, but also stepped out there in the area of technology integration to serve the millions of children in Texas. As a grandfather of a fourth grader, I too am rebooting my teaching skills. I know that this crisis has led to a greater and deeper appreciation of public education. I have seen and heard of many stories from parents and students alike who miss their teachers. I have no doubt that our schools will soon be bustling with children once again, and that will perhaps be the strongest indicator that this crisis is behind us. And I believe public education in Texas will emerge stronger, kinder and more connected than ever.

Greg Smith TASA President Superintendent, Clear Creek ISD

Dear Administrator, If you’re planning for a school closure, or in the midst of one right now, we want you to know that Scholastic is here for your schools, your teachers, and of course your students and their families. Regardless of your school’s/district’s virtual learning plans, preparing instructional content for four weeks away from school can be daunting. To support you, we’ve created the Scholastic Learn at Home website. This free resource provides all students with 20* days’ worth of learning journeys that span the content areas so you can keep your students actively engaged in learning while your buildings are closed. Students will have access to approximately three hours of learning opportunities per day, including projects based on exciting articles and stories, virtual field trips, reading and geography challenges, and more. These learning journeys were carefully curated by our editors to reduce the burden on teachers and families needing to ensure meaningful learning takes place. The site includes learning journeys across four different grade spans—PreK/K, Grades 1–2, Grades 3–5, and Grades 6–9+. Learning experiences cover ELA, STEM, Science, Social Studies, and Social-Emotional Learning. We are also providing access to four awardwinning digital solutions that students can access anytime, anywhere. The Scholastic Learn at Home website does not require a username or password, and is open freely to all. The learning journeys are accessible on any device. They are designed to limit the need for printing, and allow students to learn independently or with their families. Teachers can even plan virtual learning meetups to discuss and expand on any of the resources found on the site.

www.scholastic.com/learnathome We welcome you to share this free resource with your communities by including in your virtual education plans or including the link on your school and/or district websites. We wish you luck with the current situation. Thank you so much for all you do to support students. Your Partner in Learning, Scholastic

*The site will be updated weekly until all 20 days of content is available.

THE STRENGTH TO PERSEVERE “Suffering teaches us gratitude. Normally we take love and friendship for granted. But in seasons of suffering we throw ourselves on others and appreciate the gifts that our loved ones offer. Suffering puts you in solidarity with others who suffer. It makes you more sympathetic to those who share this or some other sort of pain. In this way it tenderizes the heart.Suffering calls for a response. None of us can avoid suffering, but we can all choose how we respond to it … Many people respond to pain by practicing generosity.”

Kevin Brown

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S VIEW Thank you for rising to the occasion, and

-David Brooks, The Second Mountain During this incredibly challenging time, a time of collective suffering if you will, the hope, inspiration, generosity and service of our public school teachers, staff and administrators has been nothing short of remarkable. This is no doubt a terrible time for our nation, for humanity, for our local communities, for our economy and certainly for our children. We don’t know yet to what extent this will unfold, but we know it is a tragedy. There is no sugarcoating it.

for your generous, servant hearts.

Yet, through such tragedy and suffering, there is much hope. In a world of abundance, we have often taken too many things for granted. And for far too many years, people have been so divided in so many ways. But COVID-19 doesn’t discriminate. It treats us as one, and our response, therefore, must be as one. To the degree that we find solidarity in this crisis as humans, recognize the inspiration of our teachers and public schools and first responders, become a more sympathetic and compassionate world, and demonstrate generosity of heart and service, we will find the hope and strength to persevere. Thank you for rising to the occasion, and for your generous, servant hearts. You tenderize our hearts and fill us all with such hope.

Kevin Brown TASA Executive Director

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Tales from the front lines:

Texas superintendents lead with compassion as COVID-19 hits home by; Dacia Rivers

This year, while most Texas schools were either preparing for or in the midst of spring break, things took a turn. The country found itself on the precipice of a global pandemic, and schools were tasked with one enormous challenge: Shut down your campuses and take your learning online. And do it quick. No two Texas school districts are alike, and each superintendent has gone above and beyond to make a swift pivot to distance learning while still providing for some of their students’ most basic needs, delivering meals by the thousands. While each district has its own unique needs and has responded in its own way, it’s become obvious that all of Texas’ school administrators are in this together and can learn from and be inspired by each other.

INSIGHT

Fabens ISD For a little over a year, Veronica Vijil has served as superintendent in Fabens ISD, a district of more than 2,200 students that hugs the Texas/Mexico border, just south of El Paso. In Fabens, 25-30% of students don’t have access to mobile devices or computers at home, and 25-30% of students don’t have access to the internet at home. While teachers are able to reach the majority of Fabens’ students virtually, the district faces a challenge in getting learning materials to a significant portion of its students. With not much time to make a decision on how best to do this, Vijil decided that distributing lowtech paper packets was one of the best ways to reach these students. “Each district has their own unique perspective for their own community that they have to address,” Vijil says. “It cannot be one-size-fits-all.” With expert advice on social distancing and stay-at-home orders changing from day to day, Vijil has stayed nimble, shifting from asking families to come pick up their packets to mailing them to students. This worked for getting packets to most of the students who need them, except for a group of students who were across the border in Mexico when schools and businesses closed their doors. Some students were visiting family for spring break when the stay-where-you-are order came down and some are dual citizens, and the fact that an international border separated them from their school made getting their packets to them even more of a challenge. That’s when one of the principals in the district stepped up and volunteered to deliver packets to her students across the border.

“She literally begged me to allow her to go to the bridge to take instructional packets to some students,” Vijil says. “There were many unknowns, and it really worried me, but as a superintendent I had to make a decision, and so I told her yes.” Putting herself in harm’s way, the principal made the trip to the border crossing to deliver packets to the eager families on the other side. She called ahead to eight families who waited on the other sides as she drove to the bridge, and the customs agents allowed her to go far enough to deliver the packets. “She said it was so rewarding for her to see her students and the families and how eager they were to get their lessons,” Vijil says. “They wanted to make sure they were keeping up with their lessons, so I know she’ll be returning to the bridge when the next set of packets are ready to be delivered.” Vijil says the number of families south of the border who are receiving these packets has grown from eight to 12. Each packet is designed to contain two weeks’ worth of work, creating a project-based lesson that incorporates the four core learning areas along with electives. After two weeks, local students without internet access can bring their completed packets to their schools, where they will drop them into a no-contact bin, and the packets will sit for 72 hours to hopefully allow time to prevent any health or safety issues. At the drop-off point, teachers will place new plastic-wrapped packets in each family’s trunk, so the students won’t run out of educational materials. “It’s very high-level work, and we’re asking the students to dig deep and incorporate what they’ve learned into these projects,” Vijil says.

While the district is using social media to share information, and all packet materials are uploaded to the Fabens ISD website, Vijil stresses that the paper packet program will continue so that the needs of all students will be met. Teachers in Fabens reach out via telephone to students who don’t have internet access at home to check in and make sure they’re getting the information they need to complete their work. Vijil believes it’s important for teachers and administrators to stay in touch with their students and their families, especially in small towns or rural areas, like Fabens, which doesn’t have a mayor. The school district serves as the central hub in the area, making Vijil and her staff members leaders in the community. It’s a role they take on with enthusiasm. “We have a lot of poor families in our community, and I hear stories every day about our teachers helping out,” she says. “They’ll go and find toilet paper or whatever the needs are and deliver them, just to help out. It’s in our nature; it’s what we do. It’s everyone reaching out to make sure the community is OK.” Using social media, Fabens has engaged the local community in other ways, hosting a virtual spirit week and a fitness week challenge, inviting students and their families to come together and share pictures and stories online. Vijil posts messages on the district’s social media

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as well, and stresses that it’s important for superintendents to show their vulnerability and maintain contact to bring hope to their communities. “The most important thing we can do is provide a platform for listening to students’ social and emotional needs and meet them with a call, with positive words, with encouragement,” she says. “First and foremost, we must keep the relationships close and strengthen them. We are all going through something unknown, and they need to hear from us.” In Fabens, educators are looking to the future even while navigating this novel situation. The district has held popular STEM summer camps for the last two years, and is working to move the camps online this year. It’s something students in Fabens look forward to, and the district is determined to continue the program, especially in a year where nothing else feels like business as usual.

“Now is the time to start planning for the future,” Vijil says. “It’s important that the students and families know that we don’t have all the answers, and that’s OK. We’ll work through this together and we’ll find the means and the way that will be best for our community.”

Victoria ISD Meanwhile, in the Golden Crescent, Superintendent Quintin Shepherd is considering the bigger picture as he leads Victoria ISD’s staff and students into the unknown. His goal, even before COVID-19 hit the scene, has been “to create an ownership mindset around complex decisions.” To Shepherd, there’s a difference between something that is complicated and something that is complex. The complicated issue these days is figuring out the details of remote learning and putting them into play. It’s a concrete issue, one the district’s staff was ready to

tackle. Then there’s the complex issue: figuring out the right way to handle this new era in education in a manner that addresses the local community’s particular needs in the most responsive way possible. “What immediately became apparent to me was that we need to reach out like we’ve never done before,” Shepherd says. “We need to connect deeply with parents, teachers and students themselves, because those are the folks who are going to need us more and more as this prolonged experience stays with us.” While teachers in Victoria are holding online classes just like their colleagues around the country, Shepherd is considering the best way to make these connections meaningful for everyone involved. Rather than rushing into a unilateral solution, administrators in Victoria have been reaching out and asking for input. Shepherd used a platform called Thoughtexchange to crowdsource ideas from the entirety of Victoria’s teaching staff. He asked them to offer their input as to what was on the top of their minds, and what they felt the district should be focused on first and foremost. Besides garnering helpful ideas, using this format helped teachers in Victoria take ownership in the moves that the district is making. The responses were so helpful that Shepherd has extended crowdsourcing into other areas, including high school graduation. “We could make a decision and say, ‘This is what we’re doing because this is what’s best,’” Shepherd says. “I’m of the mindset that that might not be the best approach. If you look at the people who are most impacted by that decision, it’s families and students — seniors who are graduating.”

INSIGHT

Focused on a belief that the people most affected by the district’s decisions should have a voice in making them, Shepherd used another Thoughtexchange “exchange” to ask seniors and their families how they’d like to address graduation this year. Whatever they decide, that’s what the district will do. Victoria also invited all of its parents, asking them to respond with their suggestions for remote learning and to let the district know how it can best meet their needs. Shepherd aims to create a space where everyone can engage with each other — something that’s always been important but now feels essential. Allowing for this two-way communication is one way to keep a collaborative atmosphere going. This commitment to open communication is just one example of Shepherd’s compassionate and vulnerable leading

style. When it became clear COVID-19 was going to derail business as usual, he gave a press conference and offered his apologies to high school seniors in the district. As he began to discuss the many things that the class of 2020 will miss out on, he broke into tears. “That’s not something that ever happens to me,” Shepherd says. “But the feedback from the community was largely, ‘Thank you.’ If you’re willing to share your suffering and let others share their suffering and not judge them for it, it’s the closest way to bring people together, and that’s at the heart of vulnerability.” Shepherd encourages his leadership teams to put relationships first and embrace compassionate leadership. While things might be far from ideal at present, he stresses that this is a good time to lead by example and teach students and communities alike how to

deal with the unexpected. It’s a good time for public schools to shine. “This is an opportunity unlike any in history for us to reclaim the narrative about public education,” Shepherd says. “I think it’s incumbent on us to not miss this opportunity because we’re humble and don’t want to brag on ourselves. We need teachers telling these stories; we need superintendents telling these stories so we can turn around the narrative about public education.” Shepherd is proud of how districts across Texas have responded to this incredible challenge. Many districts had about 48 hours to put together entire new plans, shift gears and leap into new frontiers in education. But they rolled up their sleeves, and they got it done. It’s his hope that public school employees and advocates will share these stories so that their efforts can be recognized and appreciated. continues on page 14

School Board Awards Nominate Your Outstanding Board for the 2020 TASA School Board Awards TASA members serving in their current positions since at least July 1, 2018, may nominate their boards for TASA’s School Board Awards. There is no application form to submit; rather, submit data and information that is supportive of the 2020 TASA School Board Awards criteria to your regional ESC by June 16.

Find criteria, guidelines, and more at tasanet.org/awards/school-board-awards/

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“It wasn’t a federal program that stepped up and solved this problem. It wasn’t a state program, or a bunch of legislators,” Shepherd says. “The real story is ‘get out of the way of a teacher and watch what happens.’ That’s our story in Victoria, and it’s the story of every school district in the country. Give a teacher free reign to do whatever it takes to reach out to kids and they’ll amaze you.”

Leander ISD Bruce Gearing, superintendent of Leander ISD, a district just north of Austin with more than 41,000 students, says he’s been able to respond to a sudden need for emergency remote learning thanks to the leadership of his board of trustees. Through emergency board meetings and approving resolutions as they’re able, the board has worked hand-in-hand with the administration to make necessary adjustments. The district wasn’t set up for distance learning before the pandemic struck, but took quick moves to shut down physical campuses and move to virtual class meetings. “Our team has done a great job using the technology that’s available to connect, and that’s really important to us,” Gearing says. “We determined the most critical issue for us was going to be making sure our staff and students stay connected to continue to build the strong relationships we feel are absolutely necessary for deep learning to happen.” With his own children home and attending remote classes, Gearing is aware that each household in the district faces unique circumstances. Some could be facing illness, loss of work, loss of childcare, unreliable internet access and other sudden challenges. “We don’t know what’s happening in our family’s households, so we’re focused on 14

INSIGHT

trying to meet basic needs first to keep stress levels for our families as low as possible.”

and dreams are for their students and what the district can do to make those goals a reality.

With campuses closed, Leander still provides meals to students in need, no questions asked. The district’s backpack program provides a weekend’s worth of meals to make sure students are fed even when school isn’t in session. Administrators and teachers have also been able to hand out devices to any students who need them, more than 6,000 so far.

With so much data and conversation going online, Gearing is tuned in to potential security risks. From finding tools to safely manage student/teacher communication to watching for potential vulnerabilities in the districts’ systems, he’s encouraging his staff to be careful about data sharing and confidentiality — issues that weren’t always on the forefront before classrooms went online.

To further reduce stress in a stressful time, Gearing and his team made the decision not to include grades from the spring 2020 semester in students’ GPA and class rank calculations. Instead, grades from the fall will be used to generate the numbers. Gearing says that some top students have expressed concern over this decision, but he feels it’s best for the majority of students in Leander. “We know there’s going to be situations where it’s not perfect,” he says. “Since we don’t know what’s going on in individual households, we wanted to remove the stress that grading creates.” This adjusted approach to grading has the benefit of removing some burden from Leander ISD’s teachers, allowing them to focus more on whether students are meeting standards and will be prepared for the next grade level. Teachers are reaching out one-on-one to students who are behind on credits, making sure they take advantage of any opportunities to help them prepare for advancement or graduation. Leander ISD has solicited feedback from its students, to see how remote learning is going for them and to seek their input on how the district could better meet their needs. Gearing says he plans on opening up that conversation to the community, to see what families’ hopes

When he has time to reflect, Gearing is amazed by watching the Leander ISD community juggle the sudden need to work from home, attend school from home and manage their families all day every day, all within the confines of home. “I think this has given us an opportunity to reassess how we do things and why we do things, and I’m looking forward to seeing what this looks like as we go on and how this will change our environment.” Gearing has been buoyed in his work by staying connected with other Central Texas superintendents via a group chat and regular online meetings. Being able to collaborate and commiserate with peers who have found themselves in the same situation has been helpful to him as he leads his district through unprecedented times. “I have been impressed with the agility of K-12 public education in general, and Leander ISD in particular, with how nimbly we’ve pivoted and completely changed our model of interaction and delivering learning for all of our students,” he says. “This has been an extremely challenging time, and yet I’ve seen such positivity rise out of it. We’re going to create a lot of new innovation out of this and we’re going to be better and stronger for it.” n

COVID-19 resources from TASA’s corporate partners Many of TASA’s corporate partners are offering resources to help school districts with distance learning efforts. For more information, please visit the TASA Corporate Partner COVID-19 Resources page at https://bit.ly/CP-resources. ABM has published a COVID-19 information center, providing resources on employee safety, cleaning protocols and other best practices. Achieve3000 is offering free premium access to its online learning resources, including online literacy programs and printable packets. Amazon Business has developed the Distance Learning Hub, where educators can purchase prioritized supplies, access a tool that can fast-track allocating relief funds to teachers, and activate flexible, multi-location delivery options to get resources to students quickly. Apple has created new virtual coaching sessions, allowing teachers to meet one-on-one with online learning specialists. ClassLink has partnered with the Association of Education Services Agencies to offer its ClassLink Lite online learning tools for free through this August. The College Board is providing online video lessons from AP teachers for free on its website. CrisisGo has released a new product designed to support school districts when they reopen to do so as safely as possible. Curriculum Associates is offering printable activity packets for grades K through eight. Discovery Education has created several tools designed to help school districts, including a new social distancing app created with students and teachers in mind. Edmentum is providing free access to its programs, activities and planning resources. Education Elements has made available free webinars focusing on leadership, remote learning and teacher retention and recruitment. Engage2learn continues to release free resources and tools to assist with distance learning. ETS ProEthica is providing resources to help raise awareness about confidential student data and appropriate use of social media. EveryDay Labs published an Op-Ed discussing how schools can help their most vulnerable students.

Google is offering numerous online teaching tools including free access to video-conferencing, an informative guide to distance teaching, a remote working resource center and 30 days of free online training. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is sharing free learning resources on its website, including downloadable content and video lessons. Huckabee is producing a video series on what districts are doing to keep the momentum going on bond projects and more. Istation provides online learning opportunities in math, Spanish and reading. JASON Learning is offering districts free access to its digital platform. K12 Insight is providing free access to its Let’s Talk! tool for district communications. NWEA has created a website offering several tips and tools, including resources for reading, math and MAP growth. Raise Your Hand Texas is updating its Rising To The Challenge Blog with expert-penned articles on COVID-19 and its effect on schools. RTI International provides districts virtual support and training, focused on how to best support staff and student resiliency. Scholastic is supplementing the cost of Grab and Go Book Packs to ensure an equitable learning experience at home for all children, as well as providing resources through its Learn at Home, Teaching Our World, and Home Base websites. Scientific Learning is offering several resources to schools and families, including digital instructional guides focused on literacy. Steelcase Education is providing access to helpful webinars, many focused on how to make the most out of distance learning. TCG Advisors is offering Texas educators free financial consultations with its advisors. Thoughtexchange welcomes school districts to use its input-sourcing communications platform free of charge.

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HIGHER EDUCATION What do schools and districts really need to know about principal preparation in Texas? By Dr. Susan Holley

rincipal preparation in the state of Texas is undergoing a transformation. This movement brings the education of our next generation of principals and assistant principals into alignment with the expectations of the 21st century campus instructional leader, expanding the mandatory state standards, competencies and skills that form the framework and content of the preparation programs and redesigning the experiences of the candidates (students) in principal preparation programs, especially those experiences of their practicums/internships. Hopefully, the information shared here will help with bridging the gap between what is known about these new expectations and what is not. It is nothing new to hear about the critical role of the principal in instructional leadership of a campus. What is new is the Principal as Instructional Leader certificate and the program that must be offered to prepare candidates for successful certification and entry into the field. All principal preparation programs in Texas had to go through a lengthy process for approval to continue to offer principal preparation and certification programs or lose their programs. Alignment of the curriculum and courses to the new state standards and rules had to be demonstrated to be approved.

Lack of communication Central to this transformation is the need for reimagined partnerships and working relationships between principal preparation programs and schools and school districts to ensure the effective education of our stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s principal candidates. Yet, we find that there is little understanding and shared communication among the stakeholders that highlight the new expectations and the important roles and responsibilities that each of us play â&#x20AC;&#x201D; preparation programs and schools alike. This places an enormous pressure on the candidates who have to meet the requirements of this new era of principal education in an ecosystem that has not been prepared to support them and give them access to the experiences they are expected to have in the field.

What do candidates really need you to know? The coursework of the principal preparation program has expanded and has a more targeted focus on the role of the principal as instructional leader. The expectation is to build the skills of prospective principals in working closely with teachers, teaching and learning. This role demands deep understanding of curriculum management, high-impact instructional strategies that cross content boundaries, instructional coaching and feedback and the importance of school culture and human resource management. Although these heavily impact the program, the coursework continues to include the critical knowledge base and competencies needed by prospective principals in the areas of executive leadership, strategic operations and ethics, equity and diversity.

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Practicum In the required practicum that usually spans two semesters, a candidate works closely with a field supervisor provided by the preparation program and a site supervisor who is almost always a principal or assistant principal from the campus where the candidate is employed. There are rigorous certification, education, experience and training requirements for these supervisors, and their roles as coach, mentor and evaluator are well-defined. Close collaboration between the candidate, site supervisor and field supervisor is enhanced through a mandatory meeting of the triad at the beginning of the practicum. During the practicum, the candidate must document a minimum of 160 clock-hours related to specific administrative-like experiences, demonstrating proficiency in each of the standards identified in Title 19 §241.15 of the Texas Administrative Code. Gone are the days when subbing in for administrators for cafeteria, bus and game duty could provide many of the hours needed to document for the practicum. All documented hours must align to the competencies and skills required for certification, and the expectation is that all candidates will experience a broad range of administrative-like activities throughout the practicum. Candidates must complete three formal observation protocols during the practicum. Each observation protocol entails a pre-observation conference with the field supervisor from the preparation program, an observation of the candidate either on site or recorded by the candidate to submit to the field supervisor, and a post-observation conference when the field supervisor and candidate review the written feedback from the observation. Each of the three

observations averages 45 minutes to meet the minimum of 135 minutes of observation required during the practicum. The expectation is for the field supervisor to observe the candidate in administrative behaviors that align with competencies and skills required for certification as Principal as Instructional Leader.

Certification assessments The certification assessment has been redesigned and renamed — TExES Principal as Instructional Leader Certification Assessment (268). There are still selectedresponse (70 multiple choice) questions, but those now comprise only 60% of the assessment. The remaining 40% is composed of four questions based on the test’s domains, competencies and skills framework. These questions are scenarios that are commonly faced by principals and are answered through written responses and reflections to the questions and the pieces of information accompanying each question that are to be considered when responding. This change is an effort toward more authentic assessment of the entry-level skills needed by an assistant principal or principal entering the field at the early childhood, elementary, middle school or high school level in Texas public schools in rural, suburban and urban settings.

and the performance-based PASL to be certified as a principal in Texas. A closer partnership among the stakeholders in a prospective principal’s education would add greatly to the richness of the experience and the effectiveness of the preparation. Texas needs knowledgeable, skilled and visionary principals to lead campuses to excellence. Let us all commit to doing our part with sincerity to support our next generation of principals in Texas. This will pay huge dividends in the future for our Texas students and for our public schools. n

Dr. Susan Holley is a clinical associate professor at Texas A & M University.

References Texas Administrative Code §149.2001 Principal Standards Texas Administrative Code §241.15 Standards Required for the Principal as Instructional Leader Certificate

The TExES 268 is joined by an additional certification requirement — the Performance Assessment for School Leaders, or PASL. The PASL requires candidates to develop and submit three authentic performance-based tasks demonstrating their instructional leadership competencies and skills. All three tasks have many components and require the candidate to involve campus colleagues and resources in planning, implementation and evaluation of the projects. Candidates must complete all requirements of their preparation programs and pass both the 268 certification assessment

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A future doctor sits here A future architect sits here A future engineer sits here A future artist sits here A future programmer sits here

A future CEO sits here A future principal sits here A future world changer sits here

The future sits here. indecosales.com

2021 TASA Legislative Positions & Priorities In January, the TASA Executive Committee approved TASAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2021 Legislative Positions & Priorities, which were developed by the TASA Legislative Committee and Chair Charles Dupre, with assistance from the TASA Governmental Relations staff. During the 87th session of the Texas Legislature in 2021, TASA will support or initiate legislation that aligns with, and will work with other associations and groups to advocate for, the positions and priorities set forth in the document, featured on the following pages. Given the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on schools, amendments to these positions and priorities are likely. SPRING 2020

Local Control A cornerstone priority of TASA members is local control and flexibility, as school districts must be able to respond to the differing needs of students, educators, parents, and the communities they serve. Oppose measures that erode local discretionary money. Oppose legislation or measures that seek to limit school districts’ or administrators’ ability to have representation before the Texas Legislature, state agencies, and the executive branch. Oppose legislation that would implement additional course requirements for high school graduation or reduce the number of elective courses currently available to students to take as part of the Foundation High School Program. Oppose legislation that would erode flexibility for Districts of Innovation. Support current state laws relating to superintendent contracts. Education Funding Advocate for an adequate and equitable school finance system that raises per pupil funding to the national average. Support sustainable state funding for HB 3 (2019). Advocate for local discretion with spending to ensure that the needs of students, staff, and communities are met. Property Value Growth

Oppose any effort to divert local property tax revenues that taxpayers are told will be used to support local public schools to non-public education purposes.

INSIGHT

Foundation School Program (FSP)

Oppose any cuts to school district FSP funding. Advocate for adequate and equitable formula-based funding that takes into account student and district characteristics to meet state and local standards. Advocate for funding full-day pre-K programs through the FSP for all students. School Safety

Advocate for increased funding of the School Safety Allotment and local flexibility to ensure districts can adequately meet student and staff safety needs. Technology and Instructional Materials Allotment (TIMA)

Advocate for increased funding for the TIMA to ensure districts can provide adequate technology and instructional materials to meet higher standards for students. Oppose any carveouts from TIMA that decrease the amount of funds to school districts, including efforts by the state for rating instructional materials. Advocate that funding for “quality” reviews be allocated from a source other than TIMA. Facilities Funding

Advocate for additional funding for the Instructional Facilities Allotment (IFA), Existing Debt Allotment (EDA), and the New Instructional Facilities Allotment (NIFA). Oppose additional funding for charter school facilities until adequate state funding is provided to traditional school districts. Accelerated Instruction

Advocate for additional funding with local flexibility for state-required accelerated instruction in grades 3–8, as well as for end-of-course exam remediation. Disaster Relief

Advocate for additional funding for resources to assist school districts impacted by events, such as hurricanes or tornadoes, which result in portions of the state being declared natural disaster areas. Charter Schools

Oppose the further expansion of publicly funded charter schools, including increases in the number of campuses under existing charters, unless charter schools are subject to the same accountability

and transparency laws and regulations as traditional public schools, including those related to: special education requirements, public notices, school discipline, financial dealings (leases, mortgages, bond debt, contracts) transportation, bilingual programs, policy notices, employment contract policies, parental rights, lobbying and political expenditure restrictions, student data privacy, efficiency audits, lunch programs, and nepotism. Advocate to improve transparency, notice, input, and consideration of the state and local district impact before a charter can be approved or expanded. Advocate for tying charter school “small and midsize allotment” to the same 5,000-student cap as the district small and midsize adjustment. Support legislation that increases local community involvement in the charter approval and expansion process similar to those required of traditional public school districts in bond and tax ratification elections. Special Education

Advocate for increased state funding for special education students, especially for those with the greatest needs. Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) TRS Pension Program

Advocate for the continuation of the current defined benefit pension program for TRS members.

Assessment & Accountability Advocate for the establishment of a comprehensive accountability system that looks beyond high-stakes, multiple-choice exams to meaningful assessments that have value for students, parents, and teachers, as well as flexible measures that local communities value. Oppose A–F campus and district ratings that oversimplify the complex work of schools and incentivize teaching to the test. Advocate for an accountability system that does not apply the same sanctions to campuses and districts that receive a D-rating over two consecutive years as the sanctions applied to F-rated campuses. Support allowing D-rated campuses and districts time to fully implement their targeted improvement plans. Advocate for an accountability system that does not automatically lower a district’s overall or domain performance rating of “A” to a rating of “B” if the district has even one campus with an overall or domain performance rating of “D” or “F.” Advocate that the state student assessment program be limited to only those assessments required to meet ESSA (federal) requirements. Advocate for the removal of grade advancement requirements that are tied to the state standardized assessments in reading and math for grades 5 and 8.

TRS-ActiveCare

Advocate for increased state funding to assist with increased healthcare costs associated with TRSActiveCare and TRS-Care. Advocate for alternatives to TRS-ActiveCare that would provide additional options to districts while sustaining the current system for those districts that remain in the system.

Advocate for the continuation of Individual Graduation Committees whose members have authority to allow a student to graduate when the student has successfully completed all curriculum requirements for high school graduation and have failed no more than two end-of-course exams.

Vouchers, Taxpayer Savings Grants, Virtual Vouchers Oppose any state plan that would use vouchers, tax credits, taxpayer savings grants, tuition reimbursements, or any other means to divert public tax dollars to private entities, homeschooled students, or parents, with no academic or financial accountability or transparency to the state, taxpayers, or local communities.

406 East 11th Street • Austin, TX 78701 phone: 512.477.6361 Legislative advertising paid for by TASA

Amy Beneski, abeneski@tasanet.org Casey McCreary, cmccreary@tasanet.org SPRING 2020

TSPRA VOICE Schools and customer service: Why you should treat your stakeholders like your customers By Melissa Martinez

Oftentimes what keeps parents coming back year after year is the customer service they receive.

hink back to when you were in school. Can you remember why you attended the school you did? Did your parents look at scores, programs and extracurricular activities and choose a school based on the best fit for your interests? If you attended public school, you likely attended the school that was assigned to you. Plain and simple, no questions asked. Unfortunately, those plain and simple days are long gone. Parents now have choice: charters, private, parochial, online and homeschooling, among others. Add in open enrollment and even public schools are competing with each other. School administrators can no longer take for granted that students will just show up on the first day of school. Just like businesses, schools now must earn and keep students within their walls. Just as they shop for a car or appliance, parents now go shopping for schools. What will set you apart? We all have great teachers, programs and achievements. Oftentimes what keeps parents coming back year after year is the customer service they receive. The schools that are doing this the best excel because they understand that stakeholders are customers and should be treated as such. However, when the topic of students and/or parents as customers comes up, many in the traditional school setting find this difficult to reconcile. “Students aren’t customers.” “Schools aren’t businesses.” We have to look beyond the confines of customer service in the business world and understand how it applies to school systems. Customer service for schools is 1) understanding that your students/parents/taxpayer/staff have choice and they can take their “business” or trust or engagement elsewhere; and 2) like a business, the level of service that you provide will determine the relationship with that stakeholder and whether or not they return. A quick review of the complaints that a school or district administrator receives will likely reveal that most are customer-service related. Rarely does a parent ask to see the principal to threaten to remove a child from the school because of an issue with academics. More likely is that there was a disagreement with a teacher, nobody responded to an email or they didn’t feel welcomed upon their visit.

With the multitude of choice, school districts simply cannot afford to ignore this aspect of the family experience. Ultimately, good customer service for schools returns the focus to building relationships. Whether you have a district-wide initiative or want to start with a few campuses, here are some things to consider and do to improve customer service:

INSIGHT

Welcome wagon: Your front office staff are typically the first people with whom your customers will interact, whether that’s by phone or in person. What kind of welcome are they receiving? Is your receptionist helpful when answering the phone? Are there signs posted with a laundry list of what not to do? One campus that comes to mind used to have an oversized STOP sign right as people entered. The sign stated nobody could go beyond that sign. Now, we all know that safety and security are paramount, and we don’t want that compromised. However, think about what your entryway looks like. Is it inviting or intimidating? Does it look like a place you’d want to leave your child, or does it look like a prison? Response times: One of the biggest enemies of good customer service is being unresponsive. Best practices indicate that an organization set a norm or standard for response times for all communication received, including emails and social media messages. It’s important to set this as a team so that there is buy-in and it is a realistic goal for the team. Make sure the person assigned to answer questions is someone who can speak and engage with authority on the behalf of the school or district. Training: Invest in customer service training. Don’t assume that everyone understands what good customer service means. It’s not “the customer is always right.” It certainly doesn’t mean that you must always side with a parent or student. Knowing how to properly address difficult situations can make all the difference. It can help put both the person making the complaint and the person receiving it at ease. Make it easy to connect: One of the most frustrating things for a customer is getting the runaround. Eliminate the guessing game by having easily accessible directories or communication methods with your public. There are some great services available to help streamline this process. Don’t be afraid of the feedback: It’s never easy to hear that you’ve fallen short in providing a great experience, but it’s valuable information. The only way to improve is to know what needs fixing. A simple survey or automatic response email can ask a customer to rate their experience. You’ll be surprised how often just being asked makes a difference. The customer may not have received the answer they wanted, but they have felt heard. n

Melissa Martinez, CPC, is the executive director of communications for El Paso ISD and currently serving a second term as TSPRA Far West vice president.

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Meet TASA’s Inspiring Leaders Now more than ever, Texas public school school staff members are looking to leaders to inspire them in their day-to-day work as we all cope with an ever-changing educational landscape and head into an unforeseeable future. TASA’s “Inspiring Leaders” tagline is not just a reminder of TASA’s commitment to leadership development — it describes our members themselves. In this and future issues of INSIGHT, you will meet some of those Inspiring Leaders, and it is our hope that they will guide you and invigorate you in the work that you do. To nominate a leader for inclusion, email drivers@texasschoolbusiness. com.

Ricardo Lopez In January 2018, Dr. Ricardo Lopez took the helm in Garland ISD, stepping into the superintendency with a vision of providing an outstanding education to all students in the district, without exception. In creating that goal, Lopez has also fostered an inclusive environment among staff in Garland, something that makes him proud. “I am proud that our work is always about the people, and it always has been — those we work with, how to prepare our students for the future — while we continue to honor the past,” Lopez says. “Garland ISD is privileged to have a more than 100-year-old, glorious past. I am proud of our tradition of excellence, and that we have graduates who are now working and leading across the state, nation and world.” Lopez takes pride in the success of numerous initiatives in Garland ISD, including an investment in Improvement Required (IR) campuses that involved reconstituting two IR campuses using the ACE campus turnaround model to great success: Both campuses moved from a D to a B in just one year. He is also excited that Garland is working to develop P-TECH programs and collegiate academies at all seven high schools in the district. “Most recently, GISD’s response to COVID-19 makes me exceptionally proud. We moved quickly to provide support by developing an at-home learning platform, distributing devices, providing meals and delivering virtual counseling services for social and emotional learning along with support for families,” Lopez says. “All of these points of pride are grounded in the district’s belief system of helping all students succeed, no matter what.” Mida Milligan, who serves as executive director of communications and public relations in Garland, praises Lopez’s positive and encouraging tone as one tool he uses to build excitement and inspiration throughout the district. “He has built strong relationships in our community and district with his ‘Lopez Listens’ meetings and multiple outreach opportunities for both families and staff,” Milligan says. He has energized everyone and is our ‘chief motivator’ and biggest cheerleader. He has rallied everyone to accomplish challenging goals, including our board and staff.” In a profession that can be challenging and isolating even in the best of times, Lopez embraces the ever-changing nature of the work, saying it’s these kinds of situations that keep him focused on moving ahead. “I view the work as comparable to solving a multifaceted puzzle, and that energizes me,” he says. “I like being able to bring teams together to solve complex issues, making the impossible achievable. I thrive on that kind of work and the successes that result from it.” Milligan says that Lopez’s unique outlook has helped inspire her to branch out in her work in new ways.

INSIGHT

“He has inspired me to create new marketing strategies, using more digital and cutting edge platforms — including a rap video that connects with kids and communities,” she says. “He is larger than life and is a great communicator and promoter for Garland ISD.” As a TASA member, Lopez understands the importance of mentorship between superintendents. He makes a point to speak with other administrators across the state, and says their insight has helped him to evolve as a leader. “If it were not for other superintendents investing time and energy in me, I would not be where I am now,” Lopez says. “I am continually impressed with the level of leadership I encounter from superintendents across the state. It’s important that we continue to share and lock arms for the sake of all of our children. We are better together.”

Clarence Simmons With more than 30 years of work in education under his belt, Clarence Simmons serves as executive director of secondary education and campus support in Birdville ISD. Each week, Simmons sends out a “Simmons Says” email newsletter, where he offers shoutouts to district staff members and highlights some of the great things he sees going on in Birdville. In one such email, he took the time to write a dedicated message to each secondary administrator in the district — more than 55 in total. Simmons refers to the environment in Birdville ISD as “ego-free,” where campus needs are first and foremost on administrators’ minds. “I am proud of the responsive and servant leadership from top down,” he says. “I am proud as well of our department of teaching and learning who works so closely with our digital learning team to create pathways for our students to personalize learning in an authentic manner.” Dave Lambson, who serves as executive director of Birdville’s technology department, praises Simmons’ leadership style and appreciates his dedication to recognizing and honoring staff and campus achievements. “Each of us recognizes the importance of a teacher knowing his or her students, and so it goes with Clarence as an inspiring leader,” Lambson says. “He is present and on campuses often as he coaches those he leads through their academic endeavors and guides them through multiple forms of building management.” Simmons cites his “servant heart” as keeping him going when work becomes challenging or stressful. He stresses that he works “with” and “for” those he supervises, and that way of thinking has led to a collaborative and supportive environment among the Birdville ISD team. “It’s not about me, and I care less about receiving credit versus making sure the needs of the campuses are met with exemplary service,” Simmons says. “I find my inspiration in the work of the campus principals and the exemplary leadership they model for their school communities.” Mentorship is crucial to professional success, and Simmons has served in a leadership role to many for years, since he was tapped by his own superintendent, T.D. Scott, to step into administration. “The first superintendent I worked for, T.D. Scott, asked me to be a mentor to others when I thanked him for giving me my principal position at such an early point in my career. The request is something that I have always lived up to because administrators need to collaborate and need to learn from the past experience of others,” Simmons says. “We are in the business of building relationships with our school communities, and mentoring each other can only lead to us all being better leaders.”

SPRING 2020

TCEA TECH TAKE Do better: evidence-based learning with technology By Miguel Guhlin

We must find a way forward that pairs strategies that work with effective digital tools.

startling research finding challenges every technology buy you’ve made. That finding is that the more technology use there is, the lower the student performance. The Reboot Foundation’s data asserts a fascinating point that schools “may not use technology in a way that prompts richer forms of learning.” In this article, we’ll explore what you can do to make every buy a win for teachers and learners. Our guiding question is as follows: How can coaching, high-effect size instructional strategies and ed tech impact student growth? If instructional strategies don’t speed up student growth, skip them. Avoid pairing technology use with strategies that do not speed classroom learning. “This contemporary research is sometimes contradictory to present-day practices and beliefs about what works in schools and classrooms.” (Cathy Lassiter, “Everyday Courage for School Leaders”)

The research “Many old assumptions about what works best in education have been disproven,” says Lassiter. New scientific research has provided critical insights into how learning happens. These insights sweep aside what we thought we knew. “Millennials in the U.S. workforce … are now among the least well-educated,” cites Marc Tucker. He shares the facts in his book, “Leading High-Performance School Systems.” Tucker reminds us that we can do better with what we’re spending on education. That’s because other countries have been outperforming the United States. Worse, they have spent less on education than we have. See my notes at go.mgpd.org/leadhigh. The implications force us to reassess how we approach teaching, learning and technology — less drama, more clear-eyed thinking about what we must do differently. Let’s explore that below.

The revelation of visible learning “How many of you know about John Hattie’s work?” I asked the question of a packed room of more than 80 educators. Only a smattering of hands went up. My own experience with John Hattie’s work dates to 2018, an astonishing revelation at the time.

INSIGHT

While some dismiss his work, strategies that work come with supporting research. See the research for each strategy via Corwin’s Visible Learning Meta X database. It uses effect size to rank the strategies. Strategies with effect size of .40 or higher are more effective than lesser ones. Discover what works best at visiblelearningmetax.com.

What accelerates student growth The work of John Hattie, Nancy Frey, Douglas Fisher (“Visible Learning for Literacy and Visible Learning for Math”) challenges our old assumptions. As educators, we must use evidence-based instructional strategies when appropriate. This select group of strategies can accelerate student growth in one school year. Other strategies we may be comfortable with might be less effective. A list is available at a link further below. A strategy’s effect size, when greater than .40 and used at the appropriate time, makes a difference. That difference can result in more than a year’s growth in learning for students. For educators comfortable with a wide array of strategies, one question rises to the top: “How do you know if what you’re doing in the classroom is effective?” (“Reading Scores on National Exam Decline in Half the States” — The New York Times, Dec. 5, 2019.) Knowing when and which strategies to use requires training and experience. We must give careful thought to which strategies enhance surface learning. Others support deep or transfer learning. •

Surface learning: Use these strategies to introduce students to concepts, skills and/or strategies. These assist students gain requisite knowledge needed to move forward to deep learning.

•

Deep learning: Employ strategies and assist students in gaining a deeper conceptual understanding.

•

Transfer learning: Strategies that aid students to apply what they know to new scenarios and contexts.

Find sample strategies for each at go.mgpd.org/hest. Given the low scores on international assessments, teachers need to use proven strategies. That may be the only way we will see improvements in reading and math. This puts what, when and how we use effective strategies in the driver’s seat.

How technology fits “Technology is not the driver, it’s the accelerator,” says Michael Fullan. For those who eschew technology as ineffective, remember Fullan’s assertion. Research shows technology use as ineffective on its own. Giving a child a device seldom improves academic content processing. We must stop pairing technology with ineffective strategies. Let me be clear. We must stop using devices to accelerate ineffective instructional strategies. That does not mean we stop using technology in schools. We must find a way forward that pairs strategies that work with effective digital tools. We can be selective, and we can be strategic. How do we do that?

Strategic technology integration Weston Kieschnick (@wes_kieschnick), author of “BOLD Schools,” offers a five-step road map. A quick paraphrase of those steps appears below. I’ve modified his steps to include pre-assessment and post-assessment of student learning. Those assessment components complement another critical area. That critical area, which we will explore in a bit, is coaching. For now, here is a quick overview of Kieschnick’s steps: 1. Develop and pre-assess learning outcomes 2. Select your high-effect size instructional strategy 3. Decide on the digital tool(s) 4. Craft your lesson procedure 5. Post-assess student learning and reflect Find a detailed exploration of his work online in the “Coaching for Results” blog series at blog.tcea.org. Our goal remains selecting and deploying the most effective strategy and digital tool. This gets done through the use of evidence-based instructional strategies with technology. Kieschnick suggests you use one high-effect size instructional strategy with one digital tool. To that, we must add Fisher, Frey and Hattie’s reminders. That is, to keep surface, deep, transfer learning in mind when selecting strategies. To support your thinking, find a breakdown of high-effect size instructional strategies. Organized in a simple table, they put strategies in the appropriate box. That is, which strategies work may best support surface, deep or transfer learning. These strategies link to the Visible Learning Meta X

SPRING 2020

database. Finally, the online document matches those strategies to technology. The goal of this document is to speed the selection of strategies and technologies. It is not an expectation to use all strategies and technologies listed. The teacher must decide when and which strategies and digital tools work. View the document at go.mgpd.org/hest.

Coaching for strategic technology integration Even if teachers have effective strategies and great technology, tasks remain undone. Coaching for results has a profound impact on student achievement. We must shift our focus from improving teachers through coaching. Instead, our aim must be on assessing and improving student learning experiences. As Diane Sweeney (@SweeneyDiane) points out, we must go about doing this in a different way. Instead of tracking what adults do, we must focus on the children. She suggests that we collect data that “measures the impact of coaching on students.” Like the evidence-based strategies mentioned, coaching for results is a must. The reason for this is that research compels us (Joyce and Showers, 1995). Consider that with studentcentered coaching programs in place:

•

95% of teachers’ knowledge level will increase

•

95% of teachers’ ability to show skill in instructional practices

•

99% of teachers will put in place instructional practices in their classrooms

•

Contrast those percentages with the results of theory, demonstration and practice:

•

60% knowledge level

•

60% skill attainment

•

5% transfer to practice

INSIGHT

When we coach, we make sure teachers use high-effect size instructional strategies. We ensure that the strategies usage impacts student growth as the research defines, and that digital tools enhance the effect of those strategies. We also: •

Assist teachers in crafting instruction that works

•

Develop tech-enhanced, evidence-based learning experiences that are relevant and rigorous

•

Scaffold accelerated students’ growth

•

Conduct pre/post-assessments that align to higheffect size instructional strategies in use

A deeper exploration of how to achieve this is available online. Begin your journey with the TCEA blog series “Coaching for Results.”

Parting thoughts We must change the way we teach and use technology. We waste time, effort and money when we use ineffective instructional strategies. We must streamline our use of digital tools. Our efforts must situate select digital tools in evidencebased instructional strategies. Only then can we avoid costly mistakes that filled our landfills and avoid an expensive past that left children feeling they had failed at learning. We have the tools, the technology and the coaches. Now, we know better. Let’s do better. n

Miguel A. Guhin (@mguhlin/mguhlin@tcea.org) is director of professional development at TCEA.

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Get to know TASA’s member service representatives One of the many TASA member benefits is access to member service representatives. These former school leaders serve as an extension of the TASA staff, dedicating their time to support individual TASA members in their respective regions. The roles of a TASA member service representative are many, from welcoming new administrators to supporting those who’ve been in their positions for an extended period of time and find themselves in need of a mentor. In each issue of INSIGHT, you can learn all about TASA’s member service representatives, the work they do and how they came to serve. For contact information for all five member service representatives at tasanet. org/about/tasa-staff. We continue our series with John Fuller, TASA member services representative for regions 7, 8, 10 and 11.

etirement hasn’t come easily to John Fuller. He first tried in 2011, retiring as superintendent of Wylie ISD after 41 years of work in public education, with 33 of those years spent in a superintendent’s office, including those in San Marcos CISD, Muleshoe ISD and Wells ISD. After one year and one day of retirement, Fuller was called back into service, returning to serve as interim superintendent of Mineola ISD for another three years.

own kingdom, my own little place to make sure my students were learning,” Fuller says. “When I became principal, I realized there were 20 kingdoms, not just one.” As a superintendent, those kingdoms expanded, and Fuller answered the call, learning that leading an entire district was a whole new adventure. “When I was asked, ‘What’s the difference in a superintendent and a principal?’ I said,‘Oh, that’s easy. It’s the unknown.’”

Fuller’s original life plans didn’t involve public education, but another public-serving career. He graduated from Dallas Baptist Dr. H. John Fuller Fuller was a natural fit for educational University with a premedical undergraduate Regions 7, 8, 10 and 11 leadership, which makes it no surprise degree. However, he was in DBU’s very first that he found himself called back to serve. Mineola ISD premed class, and wound up falling short of the required wasn’t the only group that came calling after Fuller’s initial scores to get into medical school. But he had a strong founattempt at retirement. JohnnyVeselka,TASA’s former execudation in math and science, and he’d worked as a tutor tive director, also reached out to Fuller in 2011, asking him throughout his time in school, so he found a teaching posito serve the organization as a member service representative. tion without issue. “Once I got into education, I know it was where I needed to be,” Fuller says. After three years as a classroom teacher, Fuller moved into administration, serving as a principal for four years. He credits being in the right place at the right time, but at the tender age of 30, he was tapped to take the helm in Wells ISD, when the district found itself in need of a new superintendent. “I was asked, what’s the difference between a teacher and a superintendent, and I said when I was teaching, I had my

INSIGHT

“I told him I would love to be reconnected with all the great educators in the state,” Fuller says.“And that’s what keeps me going now. I’m 72, and some people ask why I’m still doing this. It’s because I not only love the profession — I love the people in the profession.”

As a member service representative, Fuller makes a point of visiting all of his regional service centers to get lists of all new superintendents in those areas. Although these new superintendents already have been assigned mentors, he believes that sometimes the best mentor is someone they can call when they need help — someone who’s been there before. “I let them know I don’t have all the answers,” Fuller says.“But sometimes two people can find the answer a whole lot easier than one person can.” Fuller served as TASA president during his last year in Wylie ISD, and through the organization, he got to know many of Texas’ long-term superintendents.With nearly a decade of mentorship under his belt, he feels that personnel issues are some of the stickiest topics superintendents deal with, due to confidentiality requirements.As a member service representative, he can discuss confidential personnel details that superintendents might not be ready or able to share with their board members or other district staff. “As a superintendent, the buck does stop at your desk,” Fuller says. “It’s a lonely position because there’s no one you can take the confidential and difficult questions, other than another superintendent.” His involvement in TASA is a source of pride for Fuller, who makes sure his mentees understand that the organization exists

to serve them. He is happy to be a facilitator for the group, sharing the news about TASA’s available programs and services to all of his new superintendents. “TASA is an organization that belongs to its membership, and the staff in Austin as well as all of the individuals who work with TASA, we’re here to help all superintendents get the most out of their organization.” Fuller’s personal life has been just as successful as his professional life. He’s the father of five children, three of whom are educators, and grandfather to 10. His wife, Gayle Fuller, is an entrepreneur and writer, known for writing “Step up to the TEKS.” The couple has built a retreat on 75 acres just north of Mineola, where they have been spending time since the outbreak of COVID-19. While it’s a challenging and uncertain time for school superintendents, Fuller also sees the entire situation as an opportunity for schools to move forward. “We’ve known for 20 years that we could utilize our technology more than we do,” Fuller says. “Now that we have this crisis on top of us, I think it’s an opportunity for school districts to see how we might better use virtual instruction. It cannot and will not replace a teacher in a classroom, but there is help out there. Now is the time to be creative, and to search for that help.” n

SPRING 2020

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TEACHER PERSPECTIVE Creating school culture in the face of adversity By Michelle Sandoval Villegas

C This pandemic is new and scary for most children, but together as educators we can create a school culture in the face of adversity even from afar.

haos. Mass shootings. Pandemic. Fear. Anxiety. In the past school year, teachers have faced the hardest academic year in our city, and we share the same feelings with many educators all across the state of Texas, as well as the nation at the moment. On Aug. 3, 2019, before beginning the school year for most of our districts, our beautiful city of El Paso had a mass shooting at a local Wal-Mart. Today, we face a pandemic in our world. Educators across our state and this country are in their homes worried about their students. Educators all around the world, in fact, are dealing with creating a school culture in their institutions or abroad where all students feel safe, loved, valued and important. Educators who walk into classrooms every single day are the “champions” for students who believe in one thing:All students will be successful with high expectations and most importantly … valued! Now, this is no easy task.This takes work, open-mindedness, innovation and creativity. Building a school culture that fits the needs of your students in your neighborhoods is crucial and also fits the needs of our current situation facing a pandemic. In our Northeast El Paso neighborhood, 85% of our students are socioeconomically disadvantaged and more than 55% are labeled as at-risk. In coalition with a group of amazing educators at our campus, Parkland Pre-Engineering Middle School, and a very culture driven principal, Dr. Angela Reyna, we created our mantra inspired by author Jimmy Casas’ book, “Culturize”: “Every student. Every day. Whatever it takes. It starts with US.” We, in fact, do whatever it takes.That means we walk our hallways blasting hip-hop music, expecting ALL students to get to class on time with innovative tardy sweeps. Every single teacher stands in the hallway. Dr. Reyna walks the halls with a meme fat-head cut-out while telling the 1,400 students over the intercom,“I am so proud of you, we only had three tardies! Keep up the good work!”All the while, staff fist bump and congratulate students. Consistency and culture are key.While creating a school culture on our campus that is relevant to our students, we also hold high expectations. Students in this day in age respond to relevance.What is relevant to them? Do we have their attention? Can we keep their attention all day? Education is not the same as it was 10-15 years ago. Our world is evolving every day, and as educators and leaders we must evolve along with it. Most importantly, we must have the same vision walking into our campuses daily for the sake of our students.As educational author and leader Todd Nesloney says,“Kids deserve it.”They deserve every ounce of us in their education and they deserve a team of champions that will create a culture in their school for their continued success.

Today, our students, teachers, support staff, administrators, leaders and parents are all dealing with a pandemic.This is something I never thought I would see happen: school closures, extended spring breaks and teaching abroad that has never been piloted before. Now, students face fear.Their parents face fear. In the face of adversity, the biggest factor of school culture is facing adversity head-on and becoming resilient.We must focus on the students at home wondering if they can go back to school for free breakfast and lunch.We worry if they have access to materials they need to continue to learn.

SPRING 2020

We must model to these children that the culture we build in schools can be carried into society: Be innovative, be loving, be compassionate, dream big and never stop learning.This pandemic is new and scary for most children, but together as educators we can create a school culture in the face of adversity even from afar. Remember, as educators we vowed one thing:All students will be successful, loving human beings. Right now our school culture as a state and country is simple with one shared vision:We will overcome, and we will continue learning. I always tell my students to never give up no matter what happens, because in the end when you get knocked down once, you get back up 10 more times. Let us educators use the idea of school culture to change the outlook on the situation that we face and will continue to face in the near future to: Fight. Learn.Adapt. Love. Overcome. Together we can create school culture from a distance, because as all educators may say,â&#x20AC;&#x153;We never stop learning.â&#x20AC;? n

Michelle Sandoval Villegas, 2020 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year, teaches eighth-grade math in Ysleta ISD.

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SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION Will COVID-19 be the impetus we need to finally realize “A New Vision for Public Education”? By David DeMarkis, Ed.D.

Wherever there is crisis, there is also

early 14 years ago, at the height of another economic downturn and social panic, 35 Texas public school superintendents, with help from TASA, joined together to create a new vision for public education in Texas. Meeting as the Public EducationVisioning Institute for two years, they produced a compelling educational treatise that would eventually be known simply as theVisioning Document.

opportunity.

TheVisioning Document – formally entitled “Creating a NewVision for Public Education in Texas: A Work in Progress for Conversation and Further Development” (2008) — challenges public school educators and state legislators to prepare students for a new paradigm in public education, one that adequately engages the digital era through new learning standards, new assessment procedures, and new accountability models. Although theVisioning Document’s principles can be seen in community-based accountability systems (CBAS) in place in a number of Texas school districts today and embedded in other TASA initiatives, the very essence of the document has never really taken root within the broader landscape of Texas public education. It has taken hold in pockets, transforming the hearts and the minds of its progenitors and promulgators, but it has not revolutionized statewide educational infrastructure.That may be changing.

A viral impetus As I sit here quarantined, watching the world of public education get turned upside down by a novel virus, I cannot help but believe that there is a silver lining.The COVID-19 pandemic will inevitably have a lasting impact on public education — but I personally do not believe all of its consequences related to public education, intended or unintended, will be injurious. For wherever there is crisis, there is also opportunity. As districts across the state race to develop remote learning programs, I keep asking myself one question:“Has the COVID-19 pandemic created a climate in which public education has no choice but to finally fully embrace the principles of theVisioning Document?” I think so. I cannot help but believe that a single virus has jettisoned our old educational practices into an uncomfortable future: It has forced educators to embrace digital learning tools; it has encouraged our state to recognize the pitfalls of selecting one subjective calendar day for testing; and it has challenged the public to recognize that our A-F school accountability system does not account for unpredictable sociological variables (such as crises on microcosmic or macrocosmic levels). Now, do not get me wrong here — I am not saying that I am thankful for a pandemic. I am not thankful that thousands of people are dying. I am not thankful that face masks and body bags keep flashing on my social media feeds. I am not thankful that my mother is forced into an unhealthy labor environment as an “essential worker” for a government factory.

INSIGHT

I do not find any satisfaction in all of this pervasive fear. I, too, fear for my family. I, too, fear for my colleagues. I, too, fear for myself, with my preexisting medical conditions. I fear for the educators, the first responders, the essential and non-essential workers of the world. Hell, I fear for the entire world. But I do not fear for the future of public education.We will endure this crisis, just like any other. I do not fear for the future of public education because I see the principles of theVisioning Document being realized in the direst conditions.

Necessity breeds innovation Local autonomy has flourished in the wake of delayed federal and state responses.Without any blueprint for responding to this kind of crisis, superintendents across the state have had to create their own.They have had to rally their teachers and staff members to reinvent instruction in an extremely short time and with some major barriers.And they have had to do it without significant state intervention. Educators are finding a pathway forward.They have been put into an environment in which they have no choice but to employ digital solutions. Socratic seminars and online projects are being carried out virtually throughout the state. Principals and teachers

are learning how to implement district-wide Zoom meetings. Special education departments continue to facilitate ARD meetings in an online environment. The temporary halting of STAAR is a victory for student learning. But educators must go beyond celebrating that and use this time to experiment with new, more holistic ways to assess student learning in a digital environment. Then there’s accountability itself; it seems to have taken on new form in this crisis.“To whom and for what are schools accountable?” In this moment of global crisis, it is quite easy to answer that question.We are accountable to our students, our staff, and our communities at large.We are not accountable to state testing — at least in this moment.We have a responsibility to keep students physically and emotionally safe.We also have a responsibility to ensure student learning is not compromised just because we no longer educate within our traditional brick-and-mortar environments. How powerful would it be if we could prove to the state that educators’ efforts have led to increases in student literacy? How powerful would it be to record a virtual classroom discussion on Zoom and count it as evidence of student learning? The opportunities are limitless, in spite of all the barriers.With the shackles

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of state testing no longer restricting us, it is time to pilot, experiment, and scale new ideas at a rapid rate before it is too late. As far as our organizations, old educational hierarchies have been fragmented by social distancing.Yet the world continues to turn and districts continue to function in a digital environment. Superintendents continue to communicate with their stakeholders. Campus departments continue to brainstorm best practices. The COVID-19 pandemic has, at the very least, helped us create new organizational structures, new workflows, and new options for workplace flexibility.This, again, is not a bad thing. In fact, the Visioning Document has advocated for organizational transformation for over a decade. Maybe it’s finally time to embrace this type of change. I realize there are problems that we will still have to address — socioeconomic inequities, for example, will not allow all Texas students to learn in a digital environment at this moment. But these socioeconomic challenges exist with or without COVID-19, with or without the STAAR. In fact, these issues are perpetuated by the STAAR.We cannot let them prevent us from making timely changes. I am confident that we will continue to work to resolve socioeconomic inequities on a broader scale, together, as citizens and educators, well after the COVID-19 pandemic ends. 38

INSIGHT

A time for true transformation What is important now is that we use this time to reimagine the future of public education. I am not suggesting educators should put on their rose-colored glasses; I am not asking that we blind ourselves with irrational ideals. But I cannot help but believe that this might be the perfect moment to push for a new vision. I cannot help but believe we may finally be able to leverage this moment to put theVision into practice, once and for all. It would be a shame that it took a pandemic for the state to realize that 35 bold superintendents were onto something 14 years ago — but at least their vision would be realized. n

David DeMarkis, Ed.D. is a recent graduate of the K-12 Educational Leadership program at Baylor University. The former public school administrator holds a master’s in Learning, Diversity, and Urban Studies from Vanderbilt University, a master’s in History from Marquette University, and a bachelor’s degree in History and Religion from Middlebury College. In addition to working as a freelance curriculum writer, DeMarkis has interned with the staff of TASA for the past two years.

TASA Corporate Partners TASA is grateful to our 2020–21 corporate partners for their support. Each level of the Corporate Partner Program is designed to offer our partners quality exposure to association members. Partners at the President’s Circle, Platinum, and Gold levels may customize special events and opportunities. PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE Amazon Business Apple, Inc. DLR Group Dell ETS Edgenuity Forecast5 Analytics Google for Education Huckabee K12 Insight LPA, Inc. NWEA PBK Raise Your Hand Texas Scholastic Stantec Thoughtexchange

GOLD Achieve3000 Discovery Education ETS ProEthica engage2learn Houston ISD - MFCS Mutualink N2 Learning Naturally Slim Panorama Education Schneider Electric SILVER Harris Co. Dept. of Education H-E-B itslearning, inc. Pearson Legal, P.C. Steelcase Education Walsh Gallegos Trevino Russo & Kyle P.C.

PLATINUM ClassLink College Board Dr. Ruby K. Payne dba aha! Process, Inc. Edmentum Education Advanced, Inc. Education Elements EveryDay Labs Gravely Attorneys & Counselors Houghton Mifflin Harcourt INDECO Sales, Inc. Milliken NaviGate Prepared Pearson Renaissance Right at School Scientific Learning TCG Advisors VLK Architects

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Learn more about TASA’s Corporate Partner Program https://tasanet.org/partnerships/corporate-partners/

ABM Education AlphaBEST Education, Inc. BTC Champions Before- and After-School Coryell Roofing Curriculum Associates Equitable Advisors Gaggle Gexa Energy Solutions HKS, Inc. Hilltop Securities Istation iteachTEXAS JASON Learning Lee Lewis Construction, Inc. Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson, LLP Lone Star Furnishings, LLC MeTEOR Education Naviance by Hobsons RTI International Vanir Construction Management WRA Architects

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INSIGHT—Spring 2020

Articles inside

GET TO KNOW TASA’S MEMBER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES

MEET TASA’S INSPIRING LEADERS

TALES FROM THE FRONT LINES: Texas superintendents lead with compassion as COVID-19 hits home

SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION Will COVID-19 be the impetus we need to finally realize “A New Vision for Public Education”?

TSPRA VOICE Schools and customer service: Why you should treat your stakeholders like your customers

TEACHER PERSPECTIVE Creating school culture in the face of adversity

TCEA TECH TAKE Do better: evidence-based learning with technology

2021 TASA Legislative Positions & Priorities