University Of Washington

Culturally Engaging Instruction: A Community Approach

Meagan Dawson, Tanisha Felder, Ken Turner, James Everett


L4L Leadership for Equitable Systems


Mike Knapp, Marge Plecki, Kyle Kinoshita


January 16, 2014




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Problem of Student Learning: In state performance data, MMSD students perform 10-15%
below state averages. Additionally, MMSD performs 5-15% below districts of similar
demography and size in the state. In 2008-09 our 8th graders achieving standard on the state
math assessment was 34.1%. Growth has occurred, but it is slow and now stalling. 2009-10
performance increased to 41.3% and only 20% of our 8th graders passed algebra. In 2010-11,
53.7% met proficiency on the Algebra EOC while 53.5% met proficiency on the Geometry EOC.

Problem of Instructional Practices: Questions continue to be raised about why the UW
Center for Educational Leadership (CEL) literacy effort hasnt yielded more obvious benefit so
far. Similarly, several different professional development organizations in Math have partnered
with the district, with no clear impact. The current strategic plan addresses several areas to build
instructor capacity with awareness and understanding of CCSS, training of the eight
mathematical practice standards, and the employment of math TOSA and math teacher leads to
revise middle school math scope and sequence and pacing guides to align to the new Common
Core standards.

Problem of Leadership Practices: Several leadership staff changes have occurred in recent
years, including a new superintendent. The turnover of leadership seems to have produced
incremental and short-term initiatives, rather than creating a long-term, lasting vision of powerful
instruction. Our current strategic plan calls for increased training and awareness of mathematical
practice standards so they lead their staff members in aligning with CCSS as well as
implementing and monitoring our new Math Proficiency Development classes. Without the
vision to move beyond the here and now - and to prepare for the implementation of CCSS, we
will continue the same lackluster performance.

Policy Making Group: We are a team of four instructional coaches in the MMSD. We have an
eclectic combination of experiences in diversity, language, alternative education, curriculum
development, program design and leadership.

Instructional Improvement Target: We are addressing our low Math scores, the instructional
practices in our 6th-8th grade Math classrooms, and the instructional leadership vision and
experience of our district leaders in regards to improving 6th-8th grade Math performance.

Main Policy Features: We begin with the core principles of Expeditionary Learning in an effort
to provide a practical application for the existing strategic effort, which include:
Using Student-Engaged Assessment to Create a Culture of Engagement and Achievement
Engaging Families and the Community in the Life of the School
Cultivating a Positive School Culture with High Expectations
Our Year 1 and Year 2 plans focus on our three middle schools. In subsequent years we will
phase our program concurrently into the elementary and high schools. Instructional policy plans
would be funded by the $2M set aside, supplemented by coordinated Title I and Title III monies.

Underlying Theory of Action: When students are expected to showcase their mathematical
learning via challenging, culturally-relevant, complex projects, teachers will share a common
instructional language and vision, and our leaders will maintain a commitment to transparent,
ongoing, project-based teaching and learning. Our theory resides in the proven ability of
engaging in nurturing relationships and communication between students, teachers, parents,
community members, and leaders to increase achievement.
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Part I :
We are instructional coaches in the Mt. Morrisson School District (MMSD). We each
have unique strengths and diverse teaching experiences. Ken has a background in outdoor
education and Expeditionary Learning. Tanisha has a background in middle school, with an
extensive experience training adults and children in Culturally Relevant practices. Meagan is a
former Dual Language principal and ELL director. James has experience as a teacher and high
school principal; he understands the intense demands felt by school leaders today. As
instructional leaders, we have worked with K-12 teachers in Mt. Morrisson via the Mentoring
Matters framework for the past 4-5 years. Our work has offered us a position of trust and
aptitude. Our local teachers union has recommended that we work with the district
superintendent and school board to oversee a $2M instructional policy design budget and plan
out a multi-year professional development process for K-12 teachers.
The past superintendent had been with Mt. Morrisson for six years. He left wondering if
the incremental change that took place while in office should have more of a turnaround
model, based on the data that Mt. Morrissons students underperform compared to districts of
similar demographics, in every category. He encouraged the staff to focus with purpose, results
with feedback to individual students, routine implementation, determination, and engagement.
As the Mt. Morrisson staff moves forward, he envisioned strong support for the growth of
responsive curriculum, children with special needs, equity, college and career readiness, and
building human capacity.
Mt. Morrisson school district is an openly struggling district. Performing 10-15% below
the states averages, it is gaining attention for all of the wrong reasons. Knowing that scores are
below average, intentional trainings have been put into place for the last few years with the effort
to raise performance. There are 22 schools in this district: eight high schools, three middle
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schools, and eleven elementary schools. These elementary schools feed into the middle schools,
and students have an option for their high school experience. The central office contains a small
administrative staff of 8 that provide management for all district needs. Employing a leadership
training model, there are instructional coaches available to support school curriculum (for math
and reading) and the district has invested in a group of elementary, but not high school teachers,
to provide instructional improvement mentoring.
Our middle school teachers at Mt. Morrisson have requested we begin our work of
promoting a new, responsive policy to increase student achievement by acquiring data from
several perspectives in the district and apply it first to the middle schools. They traditionally have
been our early adopters, and they continually seek to improve their instructional practices. Our
instructional design is focused on the math instruction within the middle schools of MMSD.
Teachers are eager to create a cohesive plan with a common, connected instructional design. In
fact, several of the middle school teachers researched various middle school instructional designs
across the nation and internationally. Our middle schools serve several populations that
traditionally do not meet grade level standard. For example:
2-16 % Native American
7-20% Hispanic
50-52% Free or Reduced Price Lunch
12-15% Special Education
4-5% Bilingual
Research supports the use project-based learning when attempting to close achievement
gaps. One quasi-experimental study with matched comparison groups in New York, NY and
Rochester, NY was conducted in 2011 by the UMass Donahue Institute. Researchers
documented two important findings:
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There is strong evidence that EL schools are closing achievement gaps for specific
student populations: Hispanic, African-American, students with Special Education
needs, students learning English, and students eligible for free or reduced price lunch.
In many cases, the achievement gap was completely closed.
Our first step in developing a District Instructional Policy is to gather data from our
teachers, our district leaders, our parents, our community members, and our local business
owners. We aim to be assertive and progressive in gathering input from communities who
traditionally have been marginalized in Mt. Morrissons decision making processes. Our data
gathering will not be complete until we have insights and commentary from our Hispanic,
Latino, and African American families, our parents of students with Special Education needs, our
families experiencing financial hardship, and those challenged by homelessness.
Our data gathering questions will echo similar strands, depending on our audience. For
example, a question for parents might be, How do we build school instructional models that are
inviting, engaging, and welcoming for parents and students? while the echoing question for
district staff might be, How do we build professional development models that are inviting,
engaging, and welcoming for all?
We are paying special attention to the idea of differentiated supports for our school with
the highest demands. Some of our focus questions for district leaders are, How do we get the
best teachers and instructional leaders in the lowest performing schools? and, How do we
intentionally create stable, long-term instructional leaders?
We will use our listening sessions and data mining to gather both quantitative and
qualitative data for our cycle of inquiry. We will ask specific questions about student learning,
teacher practice, parent and community involvement, and leadership practice:

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What might be the problem of student learning?
We will seek input from our stakeholders on what they perceive as contributing factors of
poor performance specifically around our math instruction at the middle school level.
Questions we will pose:
To what extent are the schools with the highest proportions of poor, nonwhite,
and low-scoring students have teachers who are inexperienced, lack appropriate
credentials, as well as higher rates of teacher and principal mobility and attrition?
What supports are needed? How can we provide a variety of differentiated
support?
What types of math extension and advanced math opportunities are currently
available?

What might be the problems of instructional practice?
We need to meet and interview teachers and students in the middle schools around their
practice in the classroom.
Are the schools who struggle also the ones with the highest turnover rates of
school leaders? Do we have the right people in place to do this work? If not,
how can we find them or grow them?
How well versed are our teachers with understanding the importance of the
instructional core? Do they plan and teach with purpose? How well do they
utilized dimensions of the CEL 5D instructional framework? What is their
response when their students struggle?
To what extent has the district recruited and retained qualified and diverse
teachers and administrators? Where do the staff qualifications seem to fall short?
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What might be the problem of parent and community involvement?
There appears to be a persistence of distrust between the community and the district. We
need to identify where we can address that sentiment while keeping it positive because we are
about providing opportunities. Hearing directly from parents and families who want to partner
with us is extremely important. We will be active in securing input around the following
questions:
How do parents and community members currently access to their schools?
What are ways we can support families?
How are the strengths and backgrounds of parents and community members
integrated into our districts schools?

What might be the problem of leadership practice?
We will examine where we are with our leadership practice. It is unclear how much our
leaders understand about good instruction and what will be supportive for teachers trying to
implement a new policy. Questions we will examine:
How, if at all, is the district strengthening and supporting the practice of
leadership? How does the district define leadership?
What training do leaders get? How do they exhibit and practice instructional
leadership, if at all? What is our vision of instructional leadership?
Will the district need to re-allocate and re-purpose existing staff in order to build
the professional capacity and performance of all staff?
What are the building leaders (and others) capacity for data-based practice? Do
they know how to conduct a meaningful inquiry cycle with staff?

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What aspect(s) of the districts instructional program is the focus of our design?
Our data gathering sessions have brought a common theme to the surface: The need for a
common district instructional model, such as Expeditionary Learning (EL), is critical. EL
provides the overarching structure to align existing, isolated, individual strategic plan initiatives
into action. Students, parents, teachers, and leaders are seeking common goals and language that
engage students, respect teachers as professionals, and provide a network of professional support
for leaders. ELs unit approach is already highly aligned with many of the K-5 unit-models we
have invested via other professional development ventures. By intentionally concentrating our
effort toward these ten Expeditionary Learning specific core principles, we will be able to focus
our effort to high impact areas for a solid foundation and build outward from there.
Our goal, as a team of instructional leaders, is that we dont just use the $2M to pay for
haphazard professional development, kits, and software programs, but rather, the money
translates into deep and meaningful staff engagement, teacher leadership, community reflection,
and a powerful student voice. Creating project based units, developing a common language
around powerful instruction, and honoring the voice and culture of our students and families are
aligned with many successful, long-term reform research.

Our guiding vision at this stage of excellent instructional practice/leadership:
Expeditionary Learning holds thirty-eight core principles as essential underpinnings. It is
our intent to subscribe and implement all core principles into our policy, but in our effort to
introduce Expeditionary Learning we felt it imperative to phase them in at the beginning. Given
our current situation we identified ten core principles to springboard our initiative around the
concepts of curriculum, instruction, assessment, culture and character, and leadership.

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Curriculum:
7. Producing High-Quality Student Work
Curriculum compels students to produce high-quality work, and the whole school
supports, celebrates, and reflects on student work in order to create a culture of excellence.


9. Supporting College and Career Readiness
Schools prepare all students for college and career success by providing a college-
bound curriculum with high expectations for all students, fostering a school-wide
college-bound culture, and setting up structures to allow for the college search and
application process.

Instruction
15. Teaching Mathematics
Schools focus on foundational facts-vocabulary, formulas, algorithms, and number
facts-that are always grounded in conceptual understanding. Teachers ensure that
students develop procedural fluency, calculating with accuracy and efficiency. There
is an equally strong focus on problem-solving skills and critical thinking. Students
learn to use appropriate technology strategically in problem-solving. Technology tools
are used not as a substitute for learning foundational facts, but to enhance conceptual
understanding and problem-solving.

Assessment
20. Using Student-Engaged Assessment to Create a Culture of Engagement and
Achievement

Assessment plays a key role in building an overall culture of engagement and
achievement. Students take responsibility for their own learning and see themselves as
the key actors in their own successes.

22. Creating Quality Assessments, 23. Raising Achievement on Assessments of Learning

Teachers craft quality assessments, aligned with standards-based learning targets, in
order to collect meaningful, accurate, and timely information about student learning.


Culture and Character
25. Building a Community of Learning, 28. Engaging Families and the Community in the
Life of the School
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The school climate is characterized by safety, kindness, joy in learning, and positive
leadership by staff and students. The schools mission encompasses academic success
and compassionate character. The school celebrates both student academic growth
and character development.

Leadership
33. Aligning Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment for Student Achievement
School leaders and teachers in Expeditionary Learning schools ensure that
curriculum, instruction, and assessment are tightly aligned to high standards for
student achievement, including required district frameworks.

35. Cultivating a Positive School Culture
Staff members work together on behalf of students to improve the schools program,
share expertise, build knowledge in their disciplines, and model collaborative
learning. Staff culture is characterized by trust and respectful collegiality.

Our Guiding Research:

A longitudinal study conducted by the Mathematica Policy Research found Expeditionary
Learning middle school students in New York City and Washington area were ten months ahead
in math instruction when compared to their similarly demographic peers in traditional school
settings. However, the acceleration in math understanding was only apparent when students
remained in the EL program for all three years (Sparks, 2013).
Researchers at the University of Memphis examined the Rocky Mountain School of
Expeditionary Learning (RMSEL), a K-12 school that serves some 300 students in surrounding
school districts in the Mile High City: Denver, Littleton, Cherry Creek, and Douglas County.
Student achievement at RMSEL was compared to a similar demographic student pool of those
four public school districts. On achievement tests measuring math, reading, writing, and
science, RMSEL students scored almost 12% higher than there four district peers, across all
grades. Of all grades, the 6th and 7th showed the largest difference between RMSEL and its
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four-district comparison; the 6th grade at RMSEL scored 16 points higher while the 7th grade
scored 11.8 points ahead (Sterbinsky, 2002).
More striking at RMSEL is the overall teacher support of the school. For example,
100% of teachers at RMSEL agreed that they are proud of this school and its students, an
atmosphere of trust exists between administration, faculty, and parents, and that people in the
school really care about each other (Sterbinsky, 2002). In almost every question on the
Comprehensive School Reform Teacher Questionnaire (CSRTQ), RMSEL teachers were more
positive (mean outcomes) than their quad-district colleagues. This included:
Children in this school are more enthusiastic about learning because of our program
Teachers are more involved in decision making at this school than before we
implemented
Students have higher standards for their own work because of our schools program
(Sterbinsky, 2002)
Of the thirty-eight Core Principles of Expeditionary Learning, we will be focused on a
select ten to establish the foundation around five areas: curriculum, instructions, assessment,
culture and character, and leadership. These essential principles align well with the established
strategic plan to increase instructional capacity with mathematical practice standards and provide
natural opportunities for application, fostering strong character and family relationships, as well
as initiating leadership practices where they have previously fallen short.
Based on feedback from our data, our guiding vision is driven by three embedded
practices for teachers and leaders:
1. Visit schools that use 6
th
-12
th
grade project-based and EL Mathematical practices and
bring project and curricula ideas back to the district. (Year 1)
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2. Several District Learning Centers are open each week. (e.g. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and
Thursdays from 6-8 p.m.) and serve as laboratories for parents, teachers, and students.
EL Math units can be piloted and showcased in these extended-day sessions with targeted
students. (Year 1)
3. Transforming one of the three middle schools into an Expeditionary Learning Middle
School (Year 2). The following year, one of the eight high school sub-campuses will
start its 9th grade in 2016 (Year 3).
4. Cross school visitations for teachers, principals, and parents to gather Evidence of
Instructional Improvement, such as student exemplars, videos, and photos, to be used for
reflection and discussion in professional learning communities. (Year 3)

Our teachers and leaders will benefit from the learning they engage in at our District
Learning Centers to expand their repertoire and provide incentives to bolster their careers. Not
only will we build our future leaders from our teaching ranks, the leadership will work from
experience as teachers in an Expeditionary Learning model. We aim to facilitate such
relationships within our policy design to ensure sustained success of our initiative by developing
both informal and formal leaders.

Teachers who desire to move to administrative positions are helped by a
collaborative arrangement between Sanger and Fresno State University.
FSU brings its administration credentialing program to David, 2013 so teachers
and CSPs can sign up and attend classes in the district. This arrangement is
not only convenient, but it creates a support group among those enrolled in
the program a natural PLC. (David, 2013)
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These District Learning Centers also provided a place for communication and
accountability to parents and voters, similar to the Principal Summits described by the Sanger
district. We are advocating a whole system approach where the long-term decision making is
based on local data not a model from somewhere else or a school in another state. Principal
Summits exemplify Sangers accountability philosophy. They require that principals use student
achievement data to identify targets for their schools improvement they literally must render
an accounting publicly each year. (David, 2013)
We are advocating the establishment of District Learning Centers as labs for professional
development, following the same theme of transparency. All staff can attend in the evenings,
paid on time sheets, to model, observe, and develop EL lessons that integrate language and
culture. Parents are also invited to come to learning centers for separate classes (GED, language,
literacy) or observe model lessons unfold. Our goal is that as parents become more involved in
our schools, they will apply for instructional aid positions and eventually, teacher preparation
programs. By partnering with community groups and local universities, we will build sites that
serve as internal professional development labs. Ongoing learning is visible.
The District Learning model will support future leaders and fill critical positions such as
parent leaders, instructional assistants, teachers, administrators, and coaches. Professional
development is primarily on-site, intensive, collaborative, and job-embedded, and is designed
and led by educators who model the best teaching and learning practices. (Wagner) As the
District Learning Centers grow and cycle through, we will see our students as the next generation
of school leaders, in multiple capacities.
We invite you to follow Sanger by focusing on learning. Because
learning is what happens in Sanger: adults open themselves to learning
so they can better facilitate childrens learning, and then the adults reflect
on that process to understand how further learning could occur. So as you
read, consider what you may be able to learn about your own district, school,
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or classroom, and how you can engage your colleagues in reflection on the
lessons and principles that our authors illuminate. (David, 2013)

Part I I
Design Challenge #1: Where will our compelling images of good instruction will come from?
Curriculum:
7. Producing High-Quality Student Work, 9. Supporting College and Career Readiness
Instruction
15. Teaching Mathematics
Casco Bay High School for Expeditionary Learning (CBHS) is a small and rigorous
public high school that reflects the increasing diversity of Portland, Maine. Founded in 2005,
CBHS is a school of choice for about 325 students. At Casco Bay, we challenge and support our
students to become college-ready through our 3Rs: Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships. 100%
of the graduates in our first two senior classes were accepted to college. In 2012, CBHS was
named one of Maines top high schools by US News and World Report and for 2013-14. This
school has succeeded, with student demographics similar to MMSD, in achieving high levels of
success using the EL model.
Expeditionary Learning schools energize student motivation and engagement through
high-level tasks and active roles in the classroom. Student projects connect students to real-world
audiences and compel students to care and contribute. This may be a refreshing mindset for
teachers, who have become accustomed to just another initiative. EL schools step outside of
the regular definitions of curriculum, instruction and assessment. They build in respect,
responsibility, teamwork, and commitment. Students are invested in high-quality work because
their work serves a purpose outside of the classroom walls. By connecting students to deep,
cognitive challenges and critical thinking, schools and districts become inspired to be change
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agents in their greater community, regardless of their demographics and current plights. Mt.
Morrissons achievement gaps are spread out across multiple grade levels, in various content
areas, and through multiple demographics. Expeditionary Learning design is characterized by
instructional design policies that seek to engage and energize students, teachers, and district
leaders. By using this model as a foundation for change, we will start with the lowest performing
school, train the principal in EL, offer the opportunity for teaching staff to be trained in EL, and
place a District Learning Center on campus. It is critical that PLCs occur concurrently to offer
time to study data to create a focus on where improvement is needed.
Connecting with a school such as Casco Bay High School will help our middle school
principals see an instructional leadership vision in practice. Connecting current EL teacher
leaders (such as the mentors from Casco Bay High School), we expect to train our middle school
principals in the fall of 2014 and work with the Board and Superintendent to decide what pieces
can fit into Mt. Morrison and which need to be adapted to fit our needs. All trained staff will
examine the data from the three middle schools and decide which school, based on lowest
student achievement would benefit most from piloting this EL model. We will then start EL
adoption with one middle school as a pilot program for the year 2015. One high school will
begin implementation in the year 2016.
Design Challenge #2: Motivating and supporting professional learning for teachers,
instructional leaders, and at the central office level.
Instruction
15. Teaching Mathematics
Assessment
20. Using Student-Engaged Assessment to Create a Culture of Engagement & Achievement
22. Creating Quality Assessments, 23. Raising Achievement on Assessments of Learning
Leadership
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33. Aligning Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment for Student Achievement
35. Cultivating a Positive School Culture

Policy architects assume that setting standards and holding schools
accountable with sanctions is sufficient to bring about improvement.
Experience proves otherwise.They held principals accountable for
tracking progress on key initiatives, and required that principals teach
lessons to develop their understanding of what teachers were being
asked to do. (David, 2013)

Teachers who may be hesitant to take on the EL adoption will have one year to decide
whether to stay with the school or opt out. By opting out, they will be transferred to another, non
EL, school, with the understanding that all middle schools and high schools will be adopting EL
within a 5-year transition. Over time, principals will lead the project-based philosophy of EL
trainings, and they will receive collaboration support from instructional coaches. Our
superintendent and board are required to attend initial EL trainings as well. Separate trainings
will be offered to families, through the District Learning Centers, with the hopes of having
parent help in the classroom for EL support. College credits will be offered to parents.
Data will play a large role in the adoption to ensure that the appropriate implementation
steps and methods are taken to meet the needs of the staff, and later, students. At school sites, by
subject bands, teachers will use professional learning teams to gauge EL implementation and
student learning. Using other EL schools as guides, we will develop site-based assessment
procedures. Where are our students struggling in an EL unit? Where are they succeeding? How
do we know they are learning? By making the data-cycle school-based, it allows for small
changes and shifts to occur within a cycle of a unit, not at the end of a school year cycle.
With input from teachers, district leaders created a rubric that allows teachers, and
principals to view a continuum of progress and judge where they stand along that
continuum. This sent the message that (instructional model) was a high-priority
expectation for all teachers, reinforced by the district expectation that principals would
lead and support these changes in instruction and be accountable for making progress. In
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fact, principals were required to teach at least one EDI lesson in order to develop and
demonstrate their understanding of EDI. (David, 2013)

Though some MMSD staff are desiring change, other pockets of staff are wary of change.
By starting with a team approach, and expecting all levels of district staff to be part of the EL
initiative, we expect a common language of instruction and trust to unfold. By being clear that
students are not being successful, and taking co- ownership of that fact, with the board,
superintendent, principals, teachers and families, the next step is to work towards improvement.
The District Learning Centers allow opportunities for everyone to be a part of the success.
Students can receive tutoring or enrichment, parents can be coached on how to help their
children, teachers can continue learning innovative ways to instruct using EL methods, (which
can allow them to become trainers for future EL teachers), and principals can lead instructional
trainings. With the District Learning Centers in place a year before implementation, the EL pilot
year can start strong with everyone on the same page.
Design Challenge #3: Addressing variable capacity for instructional improvement across
classrooms and schools.
Leadership
33. Aligning Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment for Student Achievement
35. Cultivating a Positive School Culture
Principals will lead peer walk-throughs to observe ways that teachers are using the EL model
and students response. With principal offered release time, teachers will be able to collaborate
on lessons with subject band, and present mini lessons to staff for feedback. Student work will be
shared during PLCs that highlight specific competency in CCSS. Principals will offer refresher
workshops around specific instructional practices for staff.

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Design Challenge #4: Developing accountable practice in teaching and instructional leadership,
with reference to relevant sources of evidence about progress and improvement, such that both
central office staff and school staff (and within schools, all staff) take mutual responsibility for
outcomes.
Assessment
20. Using Student-Engaged Assessment to Create a Culture of Engagement & Achievement
22. Creating Quality Assessments, 23. Raising Achievement on Assessments of Learning
Culture and Character
25. Building a Community of Learning, 28. Engaging Families and the Community in the
Life of the School


Professional learning teams are a key part of monitoring both program and student
improvement. The philosophy of Expeditionary Learning values accountable practice in all
aspects of learning. A few of the teacher benefits include:
Respecting teachers as professionals and developing their growth as leaders
Catalyzing instructional improvement in new and veteran teachers
Recognizing teacher judgment and creativity
Valuing daily assessment practices that occur in the classroom
Providing concrete models of strong student work and teacher work to guide practice
Building a collaborative community of practice both within in the school and in the EL
network
Rather than only one annual measurement of a school progress, the EL model uses three
indicators to determine progress:
Academic achievement
Quality of student work
Evidence of engagement
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By viewing student and school achievement via these lens, teachers, parents, students, and
district leaders can develop a meaningful, language for talking about instructional improvement.

Design Challenge #5: Building and Sustaining a Constituency for I nstructional Renewal
Culture and Character
25. Building a Community of Learning, 28. Engaging Families and the Community in the
Life of the School

To insure long-term investment, we expect to see all stakeholders learning, growing, and
participating in the transformation to project-based learning. With principals and teachers having
a voice in which schools are chosen to pilot EL, educators will have time to examine their own
data and make instructional choices based on their local school communities. The District
Learning Centers provide ongoing support for district staff and parents. Parents will have a
valued interest because they can receive college credits for completing training which adds to the
future of their children as well as themselves. With families on board, school staff connected,
and our school board invested, the parts are in place for this system to be successful. Many
people have a vested interest, which means that they will work hard to see the success happen.
Whats unusual about Sanger is not the particular strategies they chose to further their
goals, but how they pulled it off how they used a set of beliefs, a vision of a learning
organization, and a set of principles for leading change to transform their culture. (David, 2013)
Mt. Morrisson School District has been engaged in developing a district improvement
plan from 2010 with a reach into 2014 for several components. Student achievement goals for
2014 are posted, as are commitments, goals and measures. There are specific goals
communicated through a district filter named PRIDE where Purpose, Results, Instruction,
Determination, and Engagement are guiding principles for the district work. There exist PRIDE
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goals for elementary reading and math, middle reading and math, on-time graduation rates and
increasing post-secondary opportunities. (Marysville SD, 2013) Yet to be developed are guiding
principles for closing the achievement gap and accountability for effective teaching and learning.
Both of these areas will be emphasized as we introduce assistance relationship as a method for
increasing quality instruction and student achievement. We will engage in further development
of gap closing measures and accountability efforts as we graduate staff and parents from our
Centers. Our policy provides several avenues for our students to find success. Engaging in, and
expanding an Expeditionary Learning and Culturally Responsive emphasis will be an investment
that will yield a large return over time as long as we are able to develop and maintain a strong
instructional leadership foundation.
Every district wants to know how to become a system that keeps
improving results for students. The answer is not a simple one.
Achieving real and continuous improvement demands organizational
conditions rare in school systems. Creating a professional culture
focused on student learning, with leaders at every level working to
build a strong teaching force, is not a quick fix. (David, 2013)

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Marysville School District. Steps to Success Work Plan_2012-1013. www.msvl.k12.
wa.us/services/PRIDE Workplan 2012-2013. 23 November 2013.

Plecki, M. L., & Knapp, M.S. (in press). Excerpt from Frameworks and Strategies for
Investing in Instructional Leadership (Excerpt: pp. 1-37 in Chapter 5 of Learning-
focused Leadership in Action).

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Sterbinsky, A. The University of Memphis, Center for Research in Educational Policy.
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Wagner, Tony (2003) Beyond Testing: The 7 Disciplines for Strengthening Instruction,
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Appendices:
Rough draft of District Learning Center budget.
MM Steps to Success PRID- MS Math