Strong Committed
Leadership Can Turn Schools Around
Michigan Leaders Mobilize to Ensure
High Academic Standards for ALL Students
by Holly Spence Sasso, Managing Editor
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm made a commitment to partner in
the Michigan Department of Education’s effort to help low-performing
schools make significant improvement in student achievement. The
governor has called upon others to do the same and has created
the Children’s Action Network. The Network includes 20 government
agencies as well as businesses, churches, and other community
groups that impact children’s lives. The State Board of Education’s
strategic goal for 2003-2004 is to “attain substantial and
meaningful improvement in academic achievement for all students/children,
with primary emphasis on chronically under performing schools
and students.” Along with Governor Granholm and the State
Board of Education, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE),
under the leadership of Superintendent of Public Instruction Thomas
D. Watkins, Jr., and Deputy Superintendent/Chief Academic Officer
Dr. Jeremy Hughes, is actively responding as a member of this
Partnership for Success with a strategic High Priority Schools
Initiative.
In 2003, Michigan identified 216 schools for continuous improvement
and/or corrective action based on Michigan’s Adequate Yearly
Progress (AYP) standards (see “What
Is AYP” on page 4). From this identification, the MDE
Office of School Excellence established the High Priority Schools
Initiative. An initial effort of this initiative was an AYP Principal’s
Academy held in May 2003. The Principal’s Academy invited
principals from Michigan’s high priority schools to collaborate
about the principal’s leadership role as the critical link
leading schools and students to achieve high academic standards.
“Having seen scores of successful `turn-around´ efforts
in Michigan schools, we know there is no substitute for strong,
committed leadership in the process,” Governor Jennifer Granholm
said in a welcoming statement to the academy audience.
The 200 principals attending the academy received intensive guidance
in developing specific “turn-around” plans for their
schools and in implementing the plans with their building-level
staffs. The academy also helped principals prepare their staffs
for new, intensive professional development. Themes of the academy
included:
- Instructional leadership.
- Resources for school improvement.
- Using data for decision-making.
- Taking stock, setting goals, and implementing a process.
On July 28, 2003 members of the High Priority Schools Initiative
met with partner educators and school improvement facilitators
from 16 intermediate school districts and consultants from the
MDE, Office of Field Services. The goal was to implement high
priority teams in eight regional service delivery areas: Genesee,
Kent, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Oakland, Saginaw, Washtenaw, and Wayne.
These teams meet with members of the staff from identified high
priority schools to design and implement strategies for becoming
a more successful school.
Another effort of the MDE’s High Priority Schools Initiative
is the development of a collection of essential tools for school
reform. The tools will be field tested throughout the school year
at high priority schools and are expected to be available in March
2004. Developed within specific instructional units, the tools
are designed to help school leaders guide schools toward increased
student achievement. Several units are currently in development:
- Powerful Leadership
- Administrative Systems That “Hum”
- Spirit/Climate You Can Build From
- Agreeing on Expectations
- Using Data Decisively
- Improving Instruction
- Getting the Power from Your Aligned Curriculum
- Practical Professional Development
- Focusing the School Improvement Plan
- Decision-Making Meetings That Work
- Putting Technology to Work
For more information about
the High Priority Schools Initiative, contact: Yvonne Caamal Canul,
Director, Office of School Improvement, Michigan Department of
Education, (517) 335-3401, CanulCy@michigan.gov.
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