Standard+6

__Standard 6__
**Standard 6: An education leader promotes the success of every student by understanding, responding to, and influencing the political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.** Functions:
 * 1) Advocate for children, families, and caregivers
 * 2) Act to influence local, district, state, and national decisions affecting student learning
 * 3) Assess, analyze, and anticipate emerging trends and initiatives in order to adapt leadership strategies

The Educational Leaders Constituent Council (ELCC) has taken the ISLLC Standards and reworded them in the form of the expected knowledge and abilities that an aspiring leader should possess. Their wording makes it easier to ask questions of oneself in terms of readiness for a formal leadership role. [|ELCC 2009.doc]

ASCD's Educator Advocate has provided this review of 2010 federal education policy as well as a look ahead to 2011.(BC) 

Ed historian and former Under Secretary of Education for President H.W. Bush, Diane Ravitch, writes a weekly blog, [|Bridging Differences], in the form of letters exchanged with Deborah Meier, a long-time progressive educator. Their blog is published by Education Week Newspaper. In this blog, Ravitch responds to those who view the international PISA exam results as evidence to support the current policy trends. What national and state policy makers believe about public education is very important because it guides their actions which effect our all schools, children & teachers. (BC)

One aspect of the "larger context" (Standard 6) involves the role of unions. The relationship between labor and management is contentious in many districts. What is the relationship in your district? If it is negative in nature, must it be that way? here is a report by [|Education Sector], an ed think tank, about a very collaborative relationship between union and district leaders.(BC)

A [|new national coalition] was started just a few months ago by Michelle Rhee, the former Chancellor of the Washington D.C. Schools. [|Students First] intends to influence ed policy at all levels. This article reports on her first public position paper and provides some background info that ed leaders should be aware of. (BC, Standard 6)

Time magazine has published "[|11 Ed Reformers for 2011]". Standard 6, Function C requires that ed leaders keep up on those who influence the direction of ed policy.

One aspect of the political frame involves the influence of the very wealthy philanthropists who seek to reform education through their creation and/or support of selected change initiatives. The following __excerpt__ touches upon this aspect of the political frame. It is from an article in the liberal journal, Dissent. If you want to learn more about this viewpoint, here is a link to the entire article.  [|Dissent article.docx] This is not the entire article, just a small excerpt. The entire article is linked above. [|Bill Gates] published an article in the Washington Post 2/28/11, while the nation's governors are conducting their national meeting there. He discusses his latest education project. Given the influence of the Gates Foundation, ed leaders should be aware of his interests.

I liked this article because as a teacher we always here that 50% of teachers leave the profession within the first five years. Well, this was the opening line in this article. This article breaks down the reasons why teachers leave and how this affects the dynamic of the school. I know my principal has trouble with turnover. Teachers usually last about 5 years (or less) in our school. He does not like moving teachers, however he has done it in the past just to keep teachers happy. We have also had teachers give their notice, their other job fell through and he accepted them back…even if they were not doing an adequate job in the classroom. (JS) Standard6 If you were a Principal and a teacher quit to move into another teaching position, and then wanted to come back…would you take them back so the dynamic of the school is not disturbed?

6.2 Is China "eating our lunch" educationally speaking? Are we experiencing a "Sputnik moment" (again) in the history of American education? [|Foreign Policy Magazine] has published this article which attempts to sort out fact from fiction, panic from reality. It is a must read for educational leaders.

6.2 - New York attempts to change the First in, First out seniority based lay-off system. NPR Article (TS)

6.2, 3 - In order to advocate for or against an ed trend one must understand the issue. Value-added data collection is being advocated by some influential people as a means of measuring teacher effectiveness. What do you know about value-added data? This will introduce the concept to you while providing the arguments against it. (BC) media type="youtube" key="uONqxysWEk8" height="390" width="480"

6.3 [|Performance pay] for teachers is a hot button issue. This report was created in Feb. '11 by a large group of teacher leaders.(BC)

6.2 School District in Texas is getting inventive in terms of raising money for the schools.

6.3 [|New York Magazine] article (March, 2011) provides a good overview of the national, political scene as regards public education in general and teachers and their unions in particular. The author focuses on the role of Michele Rhee, but presents a broader picture as well. (BC)

Michelle Rhee's new political action/think tank, [|Students First], is her latest effort to influence public policy.

This article talks about Diane Ravich and how she is now against the charter school movement as well as the NCLB legislations. This article is on Mlive.com and very interesting. (Double D)