Work In Progress10/7/2018

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EDA 503 Instructors Guidelines

The following information is provided to assist you in designing coursework that supplements and enhances the EDA 503 syllabus and which aligns consistently with the ELLC standards and the NYSTCE assessments that your students must successfully pass for the SBL and SDL certification.

The Challenge

Our challenge is to prepare our students for success as leaders of the future and insuring that their aspirations are achievable. We must teach our future leaders the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that will enable them to successfully lead in an increasingly complex educational environment where every child has the academic, social, and emotional capacity to master the life and work related challenges of the twenty-first century. However, before they get the opportunity to lead, we mustinsure that our future leaders successfully complete the required NYSTCE, the first and perhaps the most important step in achieving certification as a building or district leader.

Our goal is to insure that every student in our program is well prepared to meet success on the NYSTCE assessments. Another important factor in achieving this goal is the relationship between our students success in passing these exams and the continued NCATE accreditation of the St. Rose downstate leadership programs facilitated by CITE. A college must maintain an 80% passing rate to maintain good standing under the rigorous NCATE certification process. Failure to maintain this standard can result in loss of accreditation.

We strongly believe that strong instruction provided by highly qualified instructors, using a strong curriculum and materials that provide our students with the necessary theories, methods, and tools to lead successful schools is the best guarantee of our students’ success on the NYSCTE. By further aligning our work with the ELLC standards and the NYSCTE frameworks, success on the assessments will be a foregone conclusion and we will be providing the educational community with highly qualified, committed leaders that can truly impact student success.

What You Need to Know About the NYSTCE Frameworks:

Overall, the NYSTCE assessments measure student’s theoretical and practical knowledge and dispositions on the ELLC and ISLLC leadership standards. You can review the test prep materials at Generally, the themes pertinent to success on the assessments focus on data informed decision-making, visionary leadership, student-centered decision-making, collaboration among all stakeholders, and the tenets of authentic “learning communities” and organizational behavior and learning. Put another way, the assessments measure the students knowledge and abilities to be successful future leaders and to avoid top-down, hierarchal leadership.

Our challenge, and therefore the emphasis of our instruction, is to provide our students with the knowledge, skills and dispositions about how successful leadership should work; not the way it has worked in the past. In a fast-paced, high-stakes testing environment, creating an environment where all stakeholders participate in and support the shared vision, everyone shares in the responsibility of making every child successful. Therefore, the leaders of the 21st century need different skills and dispositions.

Many of our students have not experienced many truly collaborative and effective leadership environments. In our experience, if students answer test questions based upon their current reality, they may very well fail the test. The test focuses on what leaders should know and be able to do to move schools successfully into the 21st century.

Below are several applicable facts about the NYSTCE assessments that all instructors should know:

  • The NYSTCE’s are based on the concepts, skills, and dispositions outlined in the ELLC standards on which all our coursework should be based. All readings and class work should align with the concepts, skills, and dispositions outlined in the ELLC standards, particularly as identified in the course specific guidelines below.
  • The minimum passing score on each section of the test is 220. We believe that students have the capacity to successfully challenge the SBL assessment after the first four (4) classes (EDA 505, 590, 510, and 503). Beginning with Cohort 28, coursework may be realigned and we feel that students should be able to successfully challenge the exam after the first three (3) classes (EDA 505, 590, and 503). EDA 510 will be their fourth class.
  • Broadly stated, the NYSTCE’s are based upon the tenets of leading authentic Learning Communities where collaboration, transparency, and high expectations for student achievement are the norm. This paradigm shift causes the assessment to emphasize leadership as it should be, and by implication, condemns top-down leadership that is predominant in our present national school culture.
  • Students taking the assessments who demonstrate the top-down, authoritarian leadership and who respond according to their beliefs on the test will fail the assessment.
  • The SBL and SDL frameworks are virtually identical but responses shift from the building perspective to the district perspective. For example, on the SDL exam there is more about school boards, fiscal accountability, broader view of stakeholders, etc.
  • Student success on the assessments is predicated on application of conceptual content knowledge rather than factual recall.
  • The NYSTCE assessments are divided into two sections and several sub sections. There are both multiple choice and extended response questions of varying values on the assessment. Even the multiple-choice questions may require reading lengthy passages and data charts.
  • The assessments are now given at testing cites throughout the State and the exam is completely on a computer. Students who are not familiar with technology will find the time limits on each assessment challenging.
  • Students can sit for both sections of the test on the same day or they may take one section in each of two test administrations dates. CITE data indicates that students who take both sections of the test on the same date do less well on the afternoon part of the test. We strongly recommend taking Part One on one day and Part Two on another day.
  • If students pass one out of two sections of the assessment, they only need to re-take the section they failed.
  • Student competence in written expression of content knowledge is particularly important to their success. Parts 1 and 2 of the assessments require 2 Short (150-300 word) and 2 long (300-600 word) extended responses. The long responses are weighted double the short and represent 1/3 of their total score on each part of the assessment. Please immediately refer any student demonstrating weakness in this skill specific to “on demand” or other course work to Ilene or Lydia to participate in our free writing tutorial.

Given this fact, instructors should attempt to model assignments where practicable in this format.

  • At the beginning of each course, please review the SBL and SDL Preparation Guide frameworks, particularly those sections that specifically apply and which are emphasized in the class you are teaching. The frameworks, based upon the ELLC standards, apply to every course in our catalog. Please familiarize yourself with the frameworks and how your course content directly connects within the frameworks. Explicitly reference those concepts within your course instruction,in-class assignments and projects.
  • As prescribed by the NYSED, students are recommended to NYSED and considered SBL program completers when they have completed the program as prescribed by the College. However, the students do not receive SBL certification until they pass Parts 1 and 2 of the NYSTCE assessment.
  • In contrast, as prescribed by NYSED, SDL students are not considered program completers until such time as they pass Parts 1 and 2 of the SDL assessment.
  • There are test prep meetings that are provided by CITE free of charge that precede each administration of the assessment. Tutorial assistance is available to students who are unsuccessful in their first attempt to pass the assessment.
  • Please familiarize yourself and remind students of the assessment Study Guide materials available on line at

Course Specific Guidance for EDA 503Instructors

  • Overarching Guiding Ideas:

The following Guiding Ideas (GI’s) represent our beliefs about leadership within the framework of planning, designing, implementing and assessing curriculum. Guiding ideas, along with the specific learning outcomes, are provided to instructors to assist them in developing class discussions and assignments that consistently reinforce these desired behaviors and skills in our students.

Curriculum GI’s

  • We believe EDA 503 students should understand and demonstrate that a well-designed curriculum is essential to teacher success and student achievement.
  • We believe EDA 503 students should understand and demonstrate that effective curriculum design reflects best practices and research reflecting current theory, pedagogy, methods and tools.
  • We believe EDA 503 students should understand and demonstrate that curriculum is developmentally appropriate and sequential.
  • We believe EDA 503 students should understand and demonstrate that effective curriculaare designed and aligned with local vision, mission and goals as well as State and Federal standards.
  • We believe EDA 503 students should demonstrate their understanding that curriculum design, implementation, and assessment are influenced by culture (political, economic, social, legal).
  • We believe EDA 503 should accept and demonstrate that curriculum is not negotiable.
  • “Espoused curriculum” must align with the “curriculum-in-use” in every classroom.
  • We believe EDA 503 students should understand and demonstrate that curriculum should be rigorous, guaranteed, and viable for ALL students.
  • Children with special needs should have access to and be expected to master the same curriculum as their peers. It is the role of the teacher to design multiple pathways forachievement and, leaders are expected to supervise to this ideal.
  • We believe EDA 503 students should understand and demonstrate their understanding that once curriculaare designed, the leader’s role is to support success through ongoing professional development and assessment aligned to the curricular expectations and goals.
  • We believe EDA 503 students should understand and demonstrate their understanding that all resources (personnel, financial, materials, professional development, texts, technology, etc.) should align with, support and enhance curricular expectations.
  • We believe EDA 503 students must understand and demonstrate that supervision of curricular implementation must be differentiated based upon the needs and abilities of their teachers as well as the students ability to demonstrate their mastery of curriculum.
  • We believe EDA 503 students must understand and demonstrate sensitivity to the typical constraints on teacher’s time and ability to cover required content. Therefore, curriculum design should be inter-disciplinary, cross- curricular, or embedded with multiple content or skill areas wherever possible.
  • We believe EDA 503 students understand and demonstrate that any changes or shifts in curriculum should engage all stakeholders, be data-driven (using multiple sources), collaboratively designed, implemented and assessed.
  • Assessment should be both formal and informal; quantitative and qualitative; and, continuous.

Leadership GI’s

  • We believe EDA 503 students should continue to demonstrate their understanding and response to all “curricular” issues and challenges through the lens of servant leadership that focuses on high standards of achievement for ALL students.
  • Critical Issues must not deter leaders from the core mission and vision held by the community.
  • We believe EDA 503 students should continue to demonstrate and refine the leadership challenges exemplified through the creation of a “no blame, no shame, no excuses” educational school culture.
  • A student’s station in life (poverty, race, ELL, Special Ed., etc), impacts strategy, not a leader’s expectations for their students success.
  • We believe EDA 503 students should continueto internalize and demonstrate that leaders lead people, not schools. Leaders are not leaders unless they have followers.It also follows that curriculum is worthless unless implemented faithfully by ethical, quality instructors.
  • We believe EDA 503 students should continueto develop the emotional intelligence required to treat all stakeholders with dignity and respect, particularly in the face of curricular issues and the uncertainty and ambiguity they engender.
  • We believe EDA 503 students should continueto develop and demonstrate the capacity to understand and decode their schools culture and norms and to use this knowledge when planning, designing, and implementing curricular changes.
  • We believe EDA 503 students should continueto refineand demonstrate their leadership capacity through the practical use of applicable theories, methods and tools for leading authentic, collaborative learning communitieswithin the framework of “curriculum”.
  • Best practices, research, and data inform all the decisions of effective leaders.
  • We believe EDA 503 students should continueto developand demonstrate the capacity to understand, initiate, and managecurricular change effectively within an ethical, transparent and collaborative educational environment.
  • We believe EDA 503 students should continue to adopt and demonstrate the belief that the impossible is always possible when you develop the capacity within yourself and within those you lead to achieve that which others have yet to imagine.
  • Learner Outcomes: (Reference to the NYS Standard for School Building Leader follows each outcome. Subarea I refers to Leading the School-wide Educational Program as referenced on the SBL assessment, Part 2).
  • All students will demonstrate an understanding of the historical and philosophical foundations of curriculum decision making. (Subarea I -0001)
  • All students will demonstrate an understanding of definitions, goals, and values related tocurriculum development. (Subarea I -0001)
  • All students will demonstrate an understanding of the theories of human development and learning related to best-practice applications in the school setting. (Subarea I -0001, 0003)
  • All students will demonstrate an understanding of approaches to curriculum development and considerations for standard-based, curriculum planning. (Subarea I – 0002)
  • All students will demonstrate an understanding of the social and cultural influences on curriculum and the educational implications for diverse learners. (Subarea I – 0001)
  • All students will demonstrate an understanding of the different purposes and types of assessment and the use of assessment results to guide curriculum evaluation. (Subarea I – 0002)
  • All students will demonstrate an understanding of essential concepts of effective professional development. (Subarea I – 0004, 0005)
  • All students will demonstrate an understanding of the applications of technology into instruction and assessment. (Subarea I – 0002)
  • Specific Curriculum and Material Guidance
  • Refer to the EDA 503syllabus for specific guidance re: texts, suggested projects, materials, and required NCATE projects. See below.
  • The NCATE assignment is required of all students and is graded with a College of St. Rose devised rubric.
  • All instructors, in addition to submitting grades on line, must also complete a rubric-based assessment for each student. You can log in at:
  • Required Texts:
  • Parkay, F. W., Anctil, E. J., & Hass, G. (2006). Curriculum planning: A Contemporary Approach. 8th edition. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
  • Educational Leadership: A Bridge to Improved Practice, 4th ed.,by Cunningham and Cordiero text used in EDA 505, 590 will be referenced throughout several courses in the program. For EDA 503, Chapter 8,Program Development, Delivery, and Assessmentshould be assigned and discussed.
  • Recommended/Supplemental Texts:
  • Professional Learning Communities byDufour, et.al. text is the main text used in EDA 505 and helps provides context for discussing and designing curriculumwithin an authentic, professional learning community
  • Understanding by Design by Wiggins and McTigue is a terrific text for framing curriculum around essential questions and continual assessment of student learning and understanding.
  • EDA 503 coursework and materials focuses predominantly on Part Two, SubArea 1(Test Code 101) of the NYSTCE SBL Leadership Frameworks:
  • Subarea 1 (0001-0005): Leading the School-wide Educational Program
  • Points of Emphasis for Part Two: Subareas 1 are:
  • 0001 Understand student development and learning; curriculum planning; supervision of instruction; and procedures for creating a positive, productive learning environment
  • 0002 Recognize effective instruction and assessment and procedures for establishing highstandards and expectations for students and staff.
  • 0003 Understand effective methods for providing support to students.
  • 0004 Understand effective methods for providing support to teachers and other staff
  • 0005 Understand effective strategies for fostering ongoing staff development and
  • Indicators for all of the above Subareas are defined SCHOOL BUILDING LEADER ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORKavailable on the website indicated below.
  • The leadership standards outlined in Part One; Subarea 1 (0001-0004): Developing, Communication, and Sustaining an Educational Vision and Subarea 2 (0005-0008) Managing Change, Making Decisions, and Ensuring Accountabilityset context for Part Two and its’ application should be evident within all assignments and discussions pertaining to curriculum and curricular change.
  • The NYSCTE Preparation Guide and Assessment Frameworks can be accessed at: This gives you information about the design of the assessments and sample test questions (multiple choice and extended responses) upon which you can model class activities or assignments
  • Remember the overarching Guiding Ideas, be creative and have fun.
  • Syllabus

Note: The syllabus provided below allows for instructor generated assignments and creativity within the framework of our Guiding Ideas and desired Learner Outcomes.

The following pages represent the actual EDA 503 Syllabus framework.

You will note that aspects of the document are in blue or red print.

Text in blue print is NOT to be changed. This text remains constant throughout all instructors in the college.

Text in red print may be changed by the instructor. Instructors are encouraged to be creative and to design lessons and assignments that align with the content and tasks reflected in the NYS Leadership Assessments.