OSBA Bridges to Achievement Project

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Project Description

Method

Little theoretical work exists related to the issues being examined in this study. Therefore, an emergent research design will be used. A full accounting of the methodology will be given retrospectively. The intent of the study is to discover or generate a theory (scheme or propositions) that pertains to the use of the Elements of Success in the regional partnerships to improve student achievement.

The subjects in the study will be the board members and senior administrators in four regional educational partnerships. Each of the four partnerships consists of two or three neighboring K-12 school districts, their local Education Service District (ESD) and their local community college. Participating districts are volunteers. Notification of the project was distributed to all school districts in Oregon in April, 2005, along with a short application form and letter of intent to be submitted by June, 2005. An explanation of the project was given by OSBA during a semi-annual regional tour of its membership answering questions and providing a brief explanation of the scope of the project and preliminary findings about effective leadership. Participants were selected from those submitting a complete set of application materials and were based on: size of the school districts (approximately 1,000 – 7,000 ADM); willingness to participate, geographical distribution across Oregon; demographics of the communities and student achievement on the Oregon Statewide Assessment.

Below is an outline of what data collection processes and procedures will be employed to address the questions above. These processes include surveys, focus groups, and examining student achievement data.

K-12 student achievement data (spring 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008); intact cohort growth analyses using Oregon Statewide Assessment data; cross sectional analyses using Oregon Statewide Assessment data; analyses for each of the eleven districts separately; analyses of the merged data for each of the four regional partnerships;
Survey (aligned with the Elements of Success) all board members, all superintendents, all community college presidents and other senior administrators (developed and piloted Fall, 2005; administered Winter 2006, 2007, 2008);
Survey (aligned with the Elements of Success) a random sample of K-12 teachers, random sample of community members and a random sample of k-12 students (developed and piloted Fall 2005; administered Winter 2006, 2007, 2008);
Conduct a focus group with each K-12, ESD and Community College community (developed Winter 2005; administered Spring 2006, 2007, 2008).

Intervention around the Elements of Success at the participating districts will focus on effective adult learning strategies. The project will help boards and senior administrators learn “how to” implement both the technical and adaptive changes necessary to improve student achievement. The delivery of professional development opportunities for the board members and senior administrative staff will, to the greatest extent possible, involve learning experiences instead of teaching. One objective for this project is the development of sustainable change in the district leadership that will survive the tenure of any single administrator or board team.

The project will be undertaken in three phases:

First, an assessment phase to profile each participant district that includes:

Current student achievement data dis-aggregated to identify areas for improvement;
Board Self-evaluation assessing current stakeholder relationships
Communications audit examining procedures and messages from district leadership;
Staff survey of perceptions and beliefs about effective leadership;
Student perceptions and beliefs about school improvement;
Community engagement about the role of the community in improving student performance.

Second, a planning phase to use the data, perceptions and beliefs to plan collaboratively with senior administrators for improving student achievement by developing a work plan to build on strengths and improve weaknesses identified in the district’s profile.

Finally, an implementation phase to create a calendar for carrying forward the work plan to improve student achievement and begin the professional development at the board, administrative and building levels. The work plan will likely include workshops, seminars, conferences, staff professional development, community engagement, team-building and partnership creation.

Each year the planning and implementation phases will be repeated after evaluating the progress from the prior year. The facilitation, training and learning experiences will be guided by staff at OSBA and other consultants retained as necessary for specialized workshops and targeted training.

OSBA Bridges to Achievement Project

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