Leading for Learning: Preparing School Leaders to Align Early Childhood and K-12 Education Systems
Lisa Hood
Illinois State University
Erika Hunt
Illinois State University
Steve Tozer
University of Illinois at Chicago
Anthony Perone
University of Illinois at Chicago
Introduction
This paper presents the policy response in Illinois to train principals as key levers to better bridge the divide between early learning and K-12 schools. In this paper, the authors present research on the current state of the alignment between the early learning and K-12 education systems in Illinois. The authors also present information about the adoption of a new P-12 principal endorsement and technical support that has been offered to principal preparation programs in Illinois based on research conducted through three research projects. Lastly, the paper describes the process that one innovative urban leadership principal preparation program has taken to incorporate early childhood concepts into its curriculum, clinical experiences, and university-district partnerships to prepare principals to work within an aligned P-12 environment.
Literature Review
We know that setting the foundation for student achievement begins early, even before children set foot into a public school setting. Multiple studies have shown that enrolling low-income children in early childhood programs improves outcomes in elementary school, with benefits that include higher achievement test scores, reduced need for special education services, and lower grade retention rates (Administration for Children and Families, 2006; Horton, 2007; Reynolds, Temple, Ou, Robertson, Mersky, Topitzes, & Niles, 2007; The Committee for Economic Development, 2006; Wat, 2007). Studies following preschool attendees through adulthood found long-term outcomes including higher rates of high school completion, higher educational attainment, a more stable employment history, and significantly lower incarceration rates compared to other low-income children not enrolled in preschool programs (Horton, 2007; Reynolds, Temple, Ou, Robertson, Mersky, Topitzes, & Niles, 2007; Reynolds, Temple, White, Ou, & Robertson, 2011).
While the wide spread benefits of early childhood education are clear, an emerging area of research is showing that the investment in early childhood can be lost if high quality early childhood experiences are not coupled and aligned with consistent quality experiences in elementary school (Kauerz, 2006). A review of the research on ‘fade out’ effects of children who attended Head Start programs noted the independent contribution that the quality of subsequent elementary education experience for disadvantaged children has on retaining their cognitive development and learning success (Barnett, 2002). Some of the loss in learning or ‘fade out’ can be attributed to low quality classrooms in elementary schools. Typically, a larger proportion of these low quality classrooms are in schools in impoverished areas that have the least qualified teachers and fewer resources (Belsky, Burchinal, McCartney, Lowe Vandell, Clarke Stewart, & Tresch Owen, 2007; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care Research Network [NICHD ECCRN], 2002; Stuhlman & Pianta, 2009). The fade out can also be attributed to the different philosophies among early childhood and elementary schools in which children often get lost in the transition (Takanishi & Kauerz, 2008).
Recognizing this, increasing attention is being directed to federal and state policies to bridge early learning and K-12 schools into a development and learning continuum. Most recently, U.S. Senator Bob Casey proposed federal legislation called the Continuum of Learning Act of 2011. The intent of the legislation is to strengthen coordination between early childhood and K-12 schools. The Act specifically focuses on the following:
· Recommends that states review standards for birth to K and K-3 to ensure that standards address not only academic content areas, but also social and emotional standards, physical and health development, and approaches to learning
· Encourages professional development of teachers in community early childhood and school based settings, including joint professional development, as well as professional development to elementary school principals and other administrators in child development and appropriate teaching practices
· Helps elementary schools work with early childhood programs such as Head Start to create stronger collaborations and transitions for kids
Private funders, such as the McCormick Foundation, Kellogg Foundation, and Foundation for Child Development have dedicated resources to support research and implementation to PK-3 initiatives at the state and local levels. This aligns with efforts in other countries and provinces (e.g., Ontario, Australia) to better coordinate systems and integrates services that provide for more aligned and seamless continuum of learning and development.
Theoretical Framework
Conceptually, a Learning and Development Continuum operates within an inter-organizational domain: the inter-organizational domain suggests two or more organizations coming together to address collective problems or issues that cannot be resolved by a single organization (Gray, 1985; Gray & Hay, 1986; Gray & Wood, 1991; Hardy & Phillips, 1998; Logsdon, 1991; Trist, 1983). Gray and Wood (1991), citing a previous definition by Gray (1989), described the phenomenon of collaboration as “a process through which parties who see different aspects of a problem can constructively explore their differences and search for solutions that go beyond their own limited vision of what is possible” (p. 4). According to this definition, a collaborative alliance is formed when two or more organizations align “to address problems too complex and too protracted to be resolved by unilateral organizational action” (p. 4). A social problem serves as the focal point for bringing together two or more stakeholder groups.
Thus, an inter-organizational domain is made up of multiple organizations that are connected by a common interest in a problem (Gray & Hay, 1986; Hardy & Phillips, 1998). Trist (1983) refers to this as a meta-problem, a problem which one organization cannot deal with alone. The common problem becomes the domain in which each of the stakeholder groups or organizations has an interest and in which collaboration takes place. Surrounding this problem, the boundaries of an inter-organizational domain are established by the various stakeholders groups brought together through interest or involvement in the common social issue. The common problem identified as a result of misalignment between early learning and K-12 systems is the fade out children may experience with early learning and development gains due to fragmented systems between early learning and K-12 systems.
Early Childhood and K-12 schools have the same general goal: to nurture students through the learning process, giving them knowledge and skills for success in school and in life. The sectors each approach this goal in ways that are appropriate to their students’ developmental characteristics. A Learning and Development Continuum creates an educational environment where K-12 learning standards inform early learning standards and vice versa. It would mean that K-12 curricula build on learning in the early years and leaders of both schools and early childhood programs understand and incorporate social/emotional development into their pedagogical approaches. In short, a learning continuum has the goal of nurturing students throughout their learning process and giving them skills for success in school as well as in life. Given this common goal, creating a learning continuum that coordinates standards, curriculum, assessment and instruction across the education sectors will benefit students, families, educators and the workforce. A Learning and Development Continuum should also focus on the social, emotional, and physical needs of children and a true continuum provides a seamless continuum of wrap around supports for the child and their family.
The P-3 literature suggests features needed for a strong continuum of continuity between early learning and K-12 schools, including:
· Vertical alignment: curriculum and instruction progress in an orderly and logical manner across developmental levels and grades;
· Horizontal alignment: instructors coordinated learning experiences within grades and subjects;
· Shared goals of student readiness and proficiency as learning progresses; and
· Communication and coordination among caregivers, educators, and families to support student learning (Kaurez, 2008).
According to Kaurez’s (2008) definition, an effective learning continuum is dependent on the continuity of experiences, which are subsequently dependent upon the nature and structure of the collaborative process. Continuity requires sequential access to coordinated programs and predictable experiences that support learning and development. To create this sequential experience, Kaurez (2008) asserts that early childhood and K-12 systems need to integrate both push-down and push-up efforts. Push-down refers to policies and practices in the K-12 system that the early learning community may learn and adapt for use within its classrooms. Similarly, push-up includes policies and practices from the early learning community that the K-12 system may adapt for its own student clientele.
The integrated services literature defines an integrated service model as a system that is “…characterized by a unified management system; pooled funds; common governance; [and a] whole systems approach to training, information and finance, single assessment and shared targets” (Horwath & Morrison, 2007, p. 58). Through this model, partners have a shared responsibility for achieving the service goals. Some of the best examples of integrated service models include Great Britain’s Sure Start Program, Toronto’s First Duty Program, and Australia’s Best Start Program (Moore & Skinner, 2010).
While the literature defines theories and structural practices around creating a continuum of learning between early learning and K-12 schools, the literature neglects to consider the human capital supports needed to develop and sustain connections between the two sectors, especially with the role of school principals. Increased attention to the importance of leadership on improved student learning, second only to the impact of teachers (Leithwood, Louis, Anderson, & Wahlstrom, 2004) have raised attention among policymakers to the essential role that a principal has with efforts to create and sustain a learning continuum. Principals are in a unique position to help transform schools, and a strong principal can help change any school into a professional learning community that focuses on improving teaching and learning. Research by Leithwood, et. al., (2004) identified four broad sets of leadership practices linked to improved student learning:
a. Setting directions, including a vision, goals and high expectations;
b. Becoming a leader of leaders by working with other key staff members to distribute various leadership roles;
c. Developing teachers and other staff members by providing instructional leadership and quality professional development and building strong learning communities; and
d. Redesigning and transforming the school by building a culture focused on teaching and learning to achieve goals.
Principals in K-12 education are well-positioned to create the conditions for a smooth learning continuum that aligns curriculum, assessments, and learning outcomes that is inclusive of children before they even set foot in their buildings and supports them as they progress throughout the K-12 system.
Recognizing the important role that school principals have as stewards to learning, increased professional development is focusing on providing principals with the knowledge, skills, and behaviors around early childhood. The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) (2005) developed six standards for education and early learning that effective principals must demonstrate to connect elementary schools and early childhood programs to develop high quality early childhood and elementary programs in their communities. Many states, including Illinois, have created professional development trainings around the NAESP early childhood standards for principals. Three years ago, the National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) developed an Early Childhood Executive Leadership Institute to strengthen their early childhood education workforce and better integrate the Early Childhood services with K-3 education. Recognizing the need to work with principals also in pre-service training, Illinois went one step further than other states and created a new P-12 Principal Endorsement.
Illinois’ P-12 Principal Endorsement
In response to the need to instill a P-12 learning continuum vision among principals in Illinois, in 2010, the Illinois State Board of Education legislated changes to the credential of school principals from a K-12 general endorsement to a P-12 principal endorsement (Public Act 096-0903). With this legislation, principal preparation programs in Illinois will sunset and redesign in accordance to new rules which include the integration of early childhood content into principal preparation coursework, and the requirement that principal candidates have experiences working with all levels of teachers, including Pre-K, Elementary, and Secondary teachers, through their internship and/or residency experiences.
This change was driven by the work of the Illinois State Action for Education Leadership Project (IL-SAELP), funded by The Wallace Foundation and the Leadership to Integrate the Learning Continuum (LINC), funded by the McCormick Foundation. In 2000, the Center for the Study of Education Policy (CSEP) began a long-term, in-depth study of educational leadership with a grant from The Wallace Foundation. The first phase of the Illinois State Action for Educational Leadership Project (IL-SAELP) studied policies and conditions that impact the quality of school leaders and recommended changes to policy and practice to improve Illinois school leadership. The second phase of IL-SAELP was a strategic implementation of those recommendations, including the passage of Public Act (P.A.). 096-0903, requiring the redesign of principal preparation programs.
Since June 2008, CSEP has received funding from the McCormick Foundation for a project called the Leadership to Integrate the Learning Continuum (LINC). The purpose of the LINC project is to examine the role of education leaders in creating and maintaining a strong and supportive learning continuum for children from birth through formal schooling. The knowledge and connections gained through IL-SAELP have been put to use in the McCormick-funded LINC project. The LINC project has also collected additional research on this topic, and the results from a three-phased research project are shared in the next sections of this paper.
For Phase One, LINC staff convened an Advisory Group of early care and learning practitioners, public school educators, researchers, and policy advocates to collect and study research about gaps in the learning continuum, barriers to collaboration and communication, and effective practices currently in use throughout Illinois. LINC staff surveyed early childhood program directors, elementary principals, and professional development providers. Analysis of the survey data showed that cross-sector alignment and planning were rarely practiced among respondents. The Advisory Group was asked to recommend policies and practices to address the missing links in creating a learning continuum from birth to beyond, and the role that early childhood and K-12 school leaders play. The group’s final report is also available at: www.leadershiplinc.illinoisstate.edu.