Distributed Leadership
Professional Learning Network
Distributed Leadership Professional Learning Network (PLN)
What is the goal of the Distributed Leadership PLN?
The 2015-16 PLN on Distributed Leadership reflects
MA's commitment to ensuring a statewide
evaluation framework focused on continuous
growth and professional development for all
educators, including classroom teachers, school
administrators, district administrators, and
specialized instructional support personnel.
First and foremost, distributing leadership is an
opportunity for districts to ensure all educators are
receiving high quality feedback to improve their
practice. Additionally, distributing leadership:
1. Builds a culture of shared responsibility for
all students, trust, collegiality, and
encourages innovation and risk-taking;
2. Provides leadership opportunities for
effective educators; and
3. Reduces evaluator workload.
What is a PLN?
ESE’s Educator Effectiveness Professional
Learning Networks (PLNs) provide
opportunities for districts to engage in a
deep partnership with other districts and
with ESE to develop and/or refine
strategies on targeted topics. In 2014-15,
ESE supported two PLNs: the Teacher
Leadership PLN with 10 districts focusing
on the development and implementation
of high quality teacher leadership
opportunities (see Teacher Leadership
webpage), and the PLN for Supporting
Evaluator Capacity with 8 districts
exploring strategies to build evaluator
capacity (see district resources here) .
What do we mean by Distributed Leadership?
For the purposes of the PLN, we are focusing on ways schools and districts are distributing leadership in
order to provide educators feedback on their practice as connected to the educator evaluation process.
We’ve identified four broad approaches to distributing leadership. Components of one approach may be
borrowed from another based on local context; these are not intended to be exhaustive.
Approaches to Distributing Leadership
Peer Assistance and
Review (PAR)
Secondary Evaluators
•Formal process results in
•Formal process results in a multiple evaluators
determining educator's
joint labor-management
final evaluation rating
PAR panel determining
educator's final evaluation •Involves at least two
evaluators, often a
rating
principal and another
•Includes a PAR panel and
educator with
consulting teacher(s)
content/grade level
•Educator receives
expertise
feedback from consulting
•Educator receives
teacher
feedback from multiple
evaluators
Instructional Coaches Collaborative Learning
•Coaches are non•Opportunities for
evaluative and do not give educators to observe and
input into evaluation
provide feedback to one
ratings
another that is non•Coaching role may be full- evaluative
time or may be in addition •May or may not include
to traditional teaching
the identification of
responsibilities
"model" teacher or
classrooms
•Coaches work with
educators who "opt in" to •Focus is on building a
the support OR new
culture of collaboration
and/or struggling
and feedback
educators
Distributed Leadership Professional Learning Network
For questions, please contact Kat Johnston at ksjohnston@doe.mass.edu.
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Distributed Leadership
Professional Learning Network
Participation
In 2015-16, nine districts are participating in the PLN, representing a variety of distributed leadership
strategies:
 Arlington
 Billerica
 Boston
 Groton-Dunstable
 Manchester-Essex
 Monson
 Quabbin
 Revere
 Wakefield
Benefits of Participation
 District teams engage in a one-day guided self-assessment during Fall 2015 facilitated by
national experts from the Education Delivery Institute (EDI), to (1) identify an approach to
distributing leadership specific to their needs and context, (2) develop a plan for implementing
the approach, and (3) determine opportunities to share with other MA districts.
 Access to a network of peers to learn from and share ideas
 Targeted feedback on implementation strategies and resources
 Support for resource refinement and information dissemination
 Documentation of outcomes and work to share with other districts
Participation Commitments
 Identify a team of 4-8 members, including at least one teacher, school administrator, and district
administrator.
 Attend monthly meetings from October 2015-June 2016. Meetings held at ESE in Malden are
noted below; others will be hosted at participating districts’ sites. Meetings will be from
9:30am-12:00pm with an optional lunch from 12:00pm-1:00pm. Meeting dates include:
o October 22nd Kickoff at ESE
o In place of November meeting, districts will schedule their on-site self-assessments
o December 10th at ESE
o January 14th (virtual meeting or cross site visit)
o February 9th (snow date: Feb. 11th)
o March 15th (snow date: March 18th)
o April 12th (snow date: April 15th)
o May 13th at ESE
 Communicating with one another and ESE (via email, site visits, etc.) in between meetings
 Present your work at ESE’s 2016 Spring Convening and Summer 2016 Webinar Series
Distributed Leadership Professional Learning Network
For questions, please contact Kat Johnston at ksjohnston@doe.mass.edu.
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