Instructional Support Model:
A System for
Continuously Improving Student
Achievement
Sam J. Zigrossi
Program Director
Charles A. Dana Center
The University of Texas at Austin
samz@mail.utexas.edu
www.utdanacenter.org
CAST
November 2007
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The Charles A. Dana Center
• Managed the development of the mathematics
and science Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills.
• Conducted research on “Turnaround” schools.
• Developed integrated curriculum materials and
online resources aligned with the TEKS.
• Developed TEXTEAMS professional development
for mathematics and science education.
• Developed TEKS for Leaders seminar series.
• Developed The Partnership for High Achievement.
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National Assessment
of Educational
Progress
Mathematics 2007
Achievement-Level Data
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4th Grade Overall Scale Score
230
240
242
243
252
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4th Grade White – Scale Score
246
247
248
253 257
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4th Grade Black– Scale Score
218
222
227
230
232
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4th Grade Hispanic– Scale Score
218
225
231
233
236
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4th Grade Eligible for National School Lunch Program
Scale Score
219
230
235
237 DS – reporting
standards not met
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8th Grade Overall Scale Score
270
285
285
286
298
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8th Grade White – Scale Score
287
291
291
300
305
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8th Grade Black – Scale Score
253
264
264
271 272
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8th Grade Hispanic – Scale Score
256
263
264
270
277
282
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8th Grade Eligible for National School Lunch Program
Scale Score
257
268
275
275
DS – reporting
standards not met
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What We Know
from Research
To continuously improve student achievement, we
must:
• Ensure a Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum
(Marzano)
• Create a Culture of Collaboration
(Schmoker, Dufour & Eaker, Reeves)
• Create Structures at all levels of the System to
Support the implementation of the GVC (Kanter,
Dufour & Eaker)
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What the Research Says
Factors influencing achievement
School
Teacher
Student
Guaranteed and viable curriculum
Instructional strategies
Home atmosphere
Challenging goals and effective
feedback
Classroom management
Learned intelligence and
background
Parent and community involvement
Classroom curriculum and
lesson design
Motivation
Safe and orderly environment
Staff collegiality and professionalism
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What Have We Learned
From Our Work?
To be successful with this model, the district must:
• Have the commitment and active support of
the superintendent and other key leaders.
• Be ready to take action from what is learned.
• Monitor implementation at the district, school,
and classroom level.
• Establish a culture of mutual accountability.
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The Main Thing!
Ensuring that every student is
guaranteed a TEKS-based,
grade-appropriate curriculum
and learns it.
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Instructional Support Model:
A System for Improving Student Achievement
Results from 2003 to 2006
Districts that implemented the Instructional
Support Model with fidelity:
• developed collaborative teacher and leader
teams;
• implemented a non-negotiable, TEKS-based
curriculum;
• established structures to support the
implementation of the curriculum;
• and experienced significant gains in TAKS
results.
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Leadership Team
• Superintendent
• Central office curriculum staff
• Principals
• Assistant principals or deans
• Department chairs or teacher leaders
• Counselors
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Teacher Team
•
District mathematics or science curriculum
director
• Math or science instructional
specialists/coaches
• Assistant principals or deans of instruction
• Department chair
• All teachers who teach the subject
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Professional Teaching Model
A Structure for Professional Learning Communities
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Three Essential Questions
Shifting from Teaching to Learning
• What do we want each student to learn?
• How will we know when each student has
learned it?
• How will we respond when a student
experiences difficulty in learning?
» Dufour, R. (2004, May). What is a Professional Learning
Community? Educational Leadership, 61(8), 6–11.
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Leadership Support
A Structure for Professional Learning Communities for Leaders
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Commitment
• Make at least a three-year commitment to
implementing the model.
• Make the active participation of teachers and
leaders non-negotiable.
• Focus relentlessly on your plan for improvement.
• Monitor implementation at the district, school, and
classroom level.
• Be ready to take action from what is learned.
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The challenge of
educational improvement
•
The turbulent social and economic environment and new education
standards are forcing schools to change.
•
This requires:
– Immediate and effective action and adjustment
– Schools designed to be inherently adaptive
– New leadership skills at every level
– More empowered people
– Ongoing innovation and change; not simply a step
– A rich culture of creativity and initiative
•
This is difficult to achieve with traditional approaches, which were designed
for a different, more static world.
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Principles of Leading
Change
• Focus more on changing organizational structure.
• Establish good processes.
• Balance “bold strokes” and “long marches.”
• Master the “difficult middles.”
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Principle: Focus more on
changing
organizational structure
• Leaders working on organizational change are
interested in making people in their organizations
more effective, innovative, and productive.
• The fastest, most effective way to get this done is to
focus first on changing organizational structure.
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Focusing on “changing people” is
not enough
• Leaders often focus their efforts on “changing
people.”
• Senior leaders should spend more time working to
modify structures:
– Structures profoundly impact attitudes, behavior,
even self-image.
– For example, people routinely change their
behavior when they get a new job.
• Many change efforts fail to have lasting impact
because leaders do not work to affect structures.
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The range of contribution:
effect of structural change
Original
Median
Increase
New
Median
Percent
Contribution
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Principle: Balancing bold strokes
and long marches
Bold Strokes
Long Marches
Fast
Slow
Locus of Action
Decisions at top
Initiatives throughout
Leader Control
High: can force
outcomes
Low: cannot force
outcomes
Initial Results
Clear and visible
Unclear and vague
Later Results
Erratic and confused
Dependable and
developing
Largely unchanged
Significantly changed
Time Frame
Culture Effect
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Principle: Master the difficult middles
• Many things tend to look like a failure in the middle.
• In a “difficult middle”
– Excitement has waned
– New ideas begin to meet with resistance
– You are still trying to succeed
• Knowing about “difficult middles” can help you to
persevere.
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The progress fallacy
P
r
o
g
r
e
s
s
Goal
Goal
Expected
Progress
Reality
Actual
Progress
Time
Halfway Point
Target
Date
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Technical Assistance
Provider’s Commitment
• Make at least a three-year commitment to support
your work.
• Provide professional development and resources
to support your teachers, leaders, and students in
implementing the model.
• Provide targeted technical assistance to solve
specific problems in your local context.
• Connect to state and national resources through
networks and other organizations.
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Instructional Support
Model:
A System for
Continuously Improving
Student Achievement
Sam Zigrossi
samz@mail.utexas.edu
512-232-2274
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