section 1: context
Over the next three to five years, my district is implementing a distributive leadership model. This model creates opportunities for varied kinds of teacher leadership hybrid roles in each school site. A select number of schools have been piloting differentiated roles where teachers maintain a reduced teaching role while also coaching and evaluating small groups of teachers. This pilot has been funded through the Race to the Top TIF Grants. The grant is coming to a close, but the district plans on taking the learning from the pilot and fusing it with other research based best practices in hybrid teacher leadership roles. Over time, the district would like to move to a model where every teacher is organized into small 5-7 person teams under the supervision of a Senior Team Lead.
The history that is driving this change lies in Colorado’s adoption of Senate Bill 191 in 2010; the law requires that every teacher in every district receive a full evaluation every year. Prior to the law, teachers received full evaluations every three years. This change, coupled with a more robust and rigorous evaluation rubric that also includes student growth outcomes, has created an undue amount of stress on principals and assistant principals. The distributive leadership model has the potential to be incredibly impactful in two important ways. First, the model is focused on coaching and growth where the coach is also a practicing member of the department or grade level. Second, by taking most of the evaluation load off of the building administration, it will increase their capacity to work on other initiatives such a community outreach and partnership.
During the school year 2016/2017, the district will roll out the program to every building. While the district has defined the job descriptions, individual school sites were allowed the chance to design their implementation schedule and roll out plans. At my building, we opted for a slow roll out over the course of three to five years. We will begin with the math, English, and science departments. Each Senior Team Lead will coach and do evaluations of those teachers who are newer to the profession (under 4 years) or are new to the building. That number translates to approximately three teachers to one Senior Team Lead. Our team of Senior Team Leads has been meeting regularly with administration to design how the system will work at the building for next year.
The history that is driving this change lies in Colorado’s adoption of Senate Bill 191 in 2010; the law requires that every teacher in every district receive a full evaluation every year. Prior to the law, teachers received full evaluations every three years. This change, coupled with a more robust and rigorous evaluation rubric that also includes student growth outcomes, has created an undue amount of stress on principals and assistant principals. The distributive leadership model has the potential to be incredibly impactful in two important ways. First, the model is focused on coaching and growth where the coach is also a practicing member of the department or grade level. Second, by taking most of the evaluation load off of the building administration, it will increase their capacity to work on other initiatives such a community outreach and partnership.
During the school year 2016/2017, the district will roll out the program to every building. While the district has defined the job descriptions, individual school sites were allowed the chance to design their implementation schedule and roll out plans. At my building, we opted for a slow roll out over the course of three to five years. We will begin with the math, English, and science departments. Each Senior Team Lead will coach and do evaluations of those teachers who are newer to the profession (under 4 years) or are new to the building. That number translates to approximately three teachers to one Senior Team Lead. Our team of Senior Team Leads has been meeting regularly with administration to design how the system will work at the building for next year.
District and school data
Denver Public Schools
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Student Population: 91,429 (October 1, 2015
Employees: 11,146 (December 1, 2015 Teachers: 4,329 (December 1, 2015) Location: Denver, CO Type of District: Urban Number of Schools in District: 199 (2015-2016) |
Thomas Jefferson High School
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Student Population: 1,083
Teachers: 64 Minority Enrollment: 63% Economically Disadvantaged: 54% Location: Southeast Denver |