Catch Up On Your Summer Reading; Summer PD Opportunities | McREL eNews

From Wednesday’s inbox…

Contact us: www.mcrel.org | info@mcrel.org June 2017 Summer Reading & Professional Learning We hope your summer is off to a great start! Are you looking for some good summer reading? Browse our book catalog, catch up on our blog posts, or read past issues ofChanging Schools magazine to learn new ways of transforming your teaching, leading, and learning. We still have some spaces available in our summer professional learning sessions. Gain best-practice strategies you can use in your school or district throughout the 2017-18 school year to accelerate student success. JOIN US IN DENVER Request a free strategic session with one of our experts! No fee, no obligations, just good ideas and inspiration for quick wins and game changers to keep your school, district, agency, or system on track for success. REQUEST FREE CONSULTATION Research Roundup | Call for participants  McREL is conducting two research studies this fall, and we’re seeking classrooms and schools to participate. Please let us know if your district is interested in either or both opportunities. Nationwide | K-5 Raz-Plus reading study   Learning A-Z, an education technology company dedicated to expanding literacy through personalized instruction, has partnered with McREL to conduct an efficacy study of its Raz-Plus program. Districts and schools will have an opportunity to use Raz-Plus materials in K-5 classrooms at no charge for up to 18 months by participating in this study, which is designed to understand whether and how the Raz-Plus program helps students improve their reading skills and outcomes. Learn more about this study and contact us. Colorado | Pathways to Success digital game pilot study   McREL, South Central BOCES, the University of Southern California, and Filament Games have developed a digital game designed to increase middle and high school students’ academic motivation, school engagement, and graduation success. Grounded in research and theory on identity-based motivation, the game is now ready for pilot testing during the fall of 2017, and your schools can be among the first in the country to experience this leading-edge, innovative educational technology. We are seeking Colorado middle and high schools located in rural and non-urban areas, with 40% or more of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. The pilot study will involve students in grades 7-10. Learn more about this study and contact us. New from McREL McREL’s research and program evaluation   McREL’s roots are in education research and analysis. Every school system has its unique strengths, challenges, climates, and stakeholders, and our research and evaluation team centers its efforts on your needs and questions, helping your data better tell your story. Our collaborative approach ensures support at every stage —- from proposal writing, to securing funding, collecting data, and reporting outcomes. By analyzing your data in your context, we can help you uncover origins of your challenges and reveal your hidden bright spots. We’ll give you contextually relevant recommendations and reader-friendly reports you can use to develop, evaluate, modify, and sustain your efforts to support high-quality teaching, leading, and learning.  Learn more about McREL’s research and evaluation services in our new brochure. Blog Post | Informal classroom observations —- not just for principals anymore   As a school leader, what keeps you from doing classroom walkthroughs? Is it time? Capacity? Distractions? In her latest blog post, Lisa Maxfield offers suggestions for sharing leadership —- bringing other observers “into the fold” and engaging instructional coaches, peer coaches, and teacher leaders in the walkthrough process, and building a purposeful instructional community in the process. Read her blog post. Changing Schools, Spring 2017 | Measuring what matters: How data are making a difference   Educators have an abundance of data at their disposal these days, but how can they ensure they’re using it all in a way that improves outcomes for students? This issue of Changing Schools looks at the new and expanded ways that data are making a difference today, including the use of surveys to collect valuable stakeholder feedback; the increased flexibility of ESSA; how teacher collaboration makes formative assessment more effective; ensuring data are actionable; and the importance of mindsets in getting all stakeholders excited about data. Read the new issue. White Paper | Finding Simplicity on the Other Side of Complexity: A Strategic Planning Process Streamlines District Work and Improves the System for All   Managing a school district has become an increasingly complex endeavor. But district leaders who take a systems approach to strategic planning can simplify their work and increase the success of their principals, teachers, and students. In this white paper, Jay Harnack, the superintendent of Sublette County School District #1, and Matt Seebaum, a senior director at McREL, show how a strategic planning process reduces redundancy and workload by integrating district goals, strategic planning, and school improvement into one streamlined process. Read the white paper. Events & Opportunities Professional Learning with McREL Our summer professional learning sessions are underway! We have some spots remaining in our workshops, and we’d love for you to join us! Gain research-based, best-practice strategies to help you —- and your students —- flourish. Join us in Denver for these engaging sessions with our expert presenters. Classroom Instruction That Works® June 26-28 Learn more and register. Classroom Instruction That Works Authorized Facilitator Training June 26-30 Learn more and register. Balanced Leadership® for School-Level Leaders July 11-14 Learn more and register. District Leadership That Works®   July 17-18 Learn more and register. Classroom Instruction That Works with English Language Learners® July 19-20 Learn more and register. Weeklong Chats on Twitter Looking to grow your professional learning network? Join us for our weeklong Twitter chats, where participants share best practices, strategies, and common (or uncommon) struggles and successes. Follow us on Twitter and use the hashtag #McRELchat to share your thoughts and ideas on each week’s theme with other educators. Summer professional learning June 19-25 Question: What professional learning are you participating in this summer? “Must read” books for students June 26-July 2 Question: What are “must read” books for your students? Maintaining a passion for teaching and leading July 10-16 Question: How do you stay passionate about teaching and leading? Inspiring movies about education July 17-23 Question: What is your favorite movie about education and why? Upcoming Conferences Tennessee ASCD 2017 Summer Institute June 29-30 | Gatlinburg, Tennessee McREL CEO Bryan Goodwin will be the featured presenter at the Tennessee ASCD summer institute, a two-day conference with strands for administrators and teachers. School and district leaders will learn the keys to focusing improvement plans on what matters most, while teachers will explore the three imperatives of good teaching: being demanding, being supportive, and being intentional. For more information and to register, please visit the Tennessee ASCD website. National Principals Conference July 9-11| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania McREL staff will present three sessions at NAESP’s and NASSP’s combined National Principals Conference for insights and strategies on school improvement, acceleration, and innovation to help students and staff flourish. Join us for these engaging sessions: Sunday, July 9, 9:00 a.m. | A Focused Approach for Leadership Coaching: Support Structures for Principal Improvement and Innovation with Dr. Tony Davis Monday, July 10, 7:30 a.m. | Inside-out Coaching: Helping Teachers Flourish with Dr. Bj Stone and Kristin Rouleau Tuesday, July 11, 9:00 a.m. | Developing a Pipeline for Tennessee School Leaders with Dr. Tony Davis and the Center for Educational Leadership at the University of Tennessee To learn more and register, please visit the conference website. Visit our Events page or contact McREL to learn more about other upcoming conferences and events. Are you a thought leader who’s committed to improving student achievement? We are now hiring for several positions in our Honolulu and Denver offices. Learn more about these exciting opportunities! McREL: Helping educators flourish   “McREL made our processes organized and efficient with great data analysis and assistance to our stakeholders.” Dr. Brent Bacon, Chief Academic Officer, Wyoming Department of Education Follow on Twitter REL Pacific North Central Comprehensive Center Careers at McREL Quick Links REL Pacific McREL Blog McREL Newsroom Careers

Follow McREL on social media          McREL International P 800.858.6830 | F 303.337.3005 info@mcrel.org | www.mcrel.org 4601 DTC Blvd., Suite 500 Denver, CO 80237

Copyright © 2017, McREL International. All Rights Reserved.

Transform Your Teaching And Leading | July Institutes

From Monday’s inbox…

Join us in Denver this July for high impact, low cost professional learning. Balanced Leadership® Institute for School-Level Leaders July 11-14, 2017 Discover the leadership responsibilities that are most strongly connected to student achievement and get practical strategies to develop a purposeful school community, initiate and manage change within your school, and focus on what matters most for your school’s improvement. This institute is designed for principals, assistant principals, new and emerging leaders, principal supervisors, and other district-level leaders. Register for the entire four-day institute or for the individual days of your choice. Balanced Leadership Overview | Tuesday, July 11 Managing Change | Wednesday, July 12 The Focus of Leadership | Thursday, July 13 Developing a Purposeful Community | Friday, July 14 Learn more and register. District Leadership That Works: Two-Day Institute July 17-18, 2017 Learn the responsibilities and actions that superintendents, school boards, and central office leaders can take that are most connected to student and staff success. Explore the key principles of high-reliability systems and leave with a map of steps to improve the quality and consistency of instruction within and among your schools. This institute is designed for superintendents, assistant superintendents, school board members, chief academic officers, and other district-level leaders. Learn more and register. Classroom Instruction That Works® with English Language Learners: Workshop July 19-20, 2017 Designed for regular classroom teachers, ELL specialists, and ELL program leaders, this workshop covers the stages of second language acquisition and their instructional implications, academic language development, and strategies for engaging ELL students in regular education classrooms.  Learn more and register. Motivate. Lead. Achieve.   High impact professional development for teachers and leaders. Non-profit education research, development, consulting, and services. McREL International 4601 DTC Blvd., Suite 500 Denver, Colorado 80237

McREL, 4601 DTC Blvd., Suite 500, Denver, CO 80237

REL Southeast Director’s Email – May 2017

Also from Thursday’s inbox…

May 2017 View this email in your browser

Greetings from the REL Southeast! We are pleased to announce the release of a new product, Implementing evidence-based literacy practices. More information regarding this research-based publication may be found below. We look forward to delivering additional insightful, research-based products and resources in the future, and as always, thank you for helping to improve education in the Southeast. Barbara Foorman, Ph.D. Director, REL Southeast Implementing evidence-based literacy practices The Implementing evidence-based literacy practices roadmap is a concise and easy-to-use navigational tool that outlines the steps necessary to implement empirically grounded literacy practices. The infographic may be accessed at http://bit.ly/2p0UgLY.

You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website or provided your information at a REL Southeast sponsored event. Our mailing address is: REL Southeast at Florida State University 2010 Levy Avenue Suite 100 Tallahassee, FL 32310

REL Southeast Director’s Email – May 2017

From Friday’s inbox…

May 2017 View this email in your browser

Greetings from the REL Southeast! We are pleased to announce the release of six new products: What is the evidence base to support reading interventions for improving student outcomes in grades 1–3?; Examining school-level reading and math proficiency trends and changes in achievement gaps for grades 3–8 in Florida, Mississippi, and North Carolina; Educator outcomes associated with implementation of Mississippi’s K–3 early literacy professional development initiative; Implementing the extended school day policy in Florida’s 300 lowest performing elementary schools; Impact of the Developing Mathematical Ideas professional development program on grade 4 students’ and teachers’ understanding of fractions; and Characteristics and Career Paths of School Leaders in North Carolina. More information regarding these research-based publications may be found in this email or on our website. We look forward to delivering additional insightful, research-based products and resources in the future, and as always, thank you for helping to improve education in the Southeast. Barbara Foorman, Ph.D. Director, REL Southeast

What is the evidence base to support reading interventions for improving student outcomes in grades 1–3? The goal of this report is to provide administrators, school psychologists, counselors, special educators, and reading specialists with a summary and analysis of the evidence that supports the use of reading interventions in grades 1–3. The review was limited to studies of Tier 2 interventions, those designed to provide preventive services to students at risk for reading difficulties. The initial literature search identified 1,813 articles and reports. After screening them for relevance and conducting a detailed What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) analysis of the rigor of the study designs, the review team determined that only 23 effectiveness studies met WWC evidence standards (Version 3.0). Of those, 22 resulted in either significant, positive, or potentially positive impacts in at least one area of reading. None produced negative outcomes. Twelve of the 13 grade 1 interventions and all seven interventions for grades 2 and 3 produced positive or potentially positive effects. Effects were strongest and most consistent in the area of word and pseudoword reading. Several also produced effects in reading comprehension and passage reading fluency. Reading vocabulary was rarely assessed. Both individually administered and small-group interventions resulted in positive or potentially positive outcomes, although especially in grade 1, more of the interventions were one-on-one. In all cases, the interventionist received some training prior to implementing the intervention. However, these studies differed from common school practice in that implementation was carefully monitored in virtually all instances and coaching or feedback was provided. It is unclear how generalizable these findings are when the typical amount of ongoing support for interventionists is far more limited in practice. The full report may be accessed at http://bit.ly/2pMTdhZ. Educator outcomes associated with implementation of Mississippi’s K–3 early literacy professional development initiative This study examined changes in teacher knowledge of early literacy skills and ratings of quality of early literacy skills instruction, student engagement during early literacy skills instruction, and teaching competencies between winter 2014 and fall 2015. During the time frame examined, the Mississippi Department of Education began providing early literacy professional development to K–3 teachers through a series of online and face-to-face workshops. Over the course of the study, average teacher knowledge started in the 48th percentile and ended in the 59th percentile. In targeted high-need schools, during observations conducted by state literacy coaches, ratings of quality increased from the 31st percentile to the 58th percentile, student engagement increased from the 37th percentile to the 53rd percentile, and teaching competencies increased from the 30th percentile to the 44th percentile. While this study was not intended to determine if the professional development was effective or caused the observed changes, the changes appeared to be associated with teachers’ participation in the professional development. At the end of the study, teachers who had not yet started the professional development were in the 54th percentile for teacher knowledge, and teachers who had completed the professional development were in the 65th percentile. Similarly, at the end of the study, teachers who had not yet started the professional development were in the 42nd percentile for quality, 39th for engagement, and 38th for teaching competencies, where as teachers who had completed the professional development were in the 59th percentile for quality, 53rd for engagement, and 54th for teaching competencies. The full report may be accessed at http://bit.ly/2p3qGEm. Impact of Developing Mathematical Ideas (DMI) Professional Development in Fractions for Grade 4 Teachers and Students The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the Developing Mathematical Ideas (DMI) professional development program on grade 4 teachers’ in-depth knowledge of fractions as well as their students’ understanding and proficiency with fractions. The study was conducted during the 2014/15 school year. A total of 84 schools from eight school districts in three states (Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina) agreed to participate. Participants included 264 grade 4 teachers and their 4,204 students. The study utilized the “gold standard” methodology involving random assignment of schools to either DMI or the control condition. Teachers in the DMI condition participated in 24 hours of professional development on fractions during fall 2014. They attended eight 3-hour sessions conducted over four days (two 3-hour sessions per day; one day per month). DMI did not demonstrate any impact on student knowledge of fractions. Students of DMI teachers performed at almost the same level as those taught by control teachers; the difference was not statistically significant. The impact of the DMI on teachers’ knowledge of fractions was inconclusive. DMI teachers performed slightly better than teachers who did not participate in DMI, but the result was not statistically significant. It was, however, close to the threshold of statistical significance (p = .051). The full report may be accessed at http://bit.ly/2nVTJG8. Examining school-level reading and math proficiency trends and changes in achievement gaps for grades 3–8 in Florida, Mississippi, and North Carolina The purpose of this study was to use growth curve modeling to investigate school-level reading and mathematics achievement trends on the state accountability assessment in Florida, Mississippi, and North Carolina for grades 3–8. In addition, this study investigated school-level achievement trends for race/ethnicity subgroups and for free or reduced-price lunch eligibility to determine if significant changes in achievement gaps occurred over the 4-6 years studied for each state. Results indicated that in general, average school-level proficiency increased for most subgroups across grades and subjects in all three states. In addition, reductions in achievement gaps were observed for most grades in reading and mathematics. However, achievement gaps remained large despite the observed reductions. The use of growth curve modeling in the current study provides stakeholders in Florida, Mississippi, and North Carolina with a more in-depth understanding of trends in school-level proficiency than would have been possible using just the sample mean. The full report may be accessed at http://bit.ly/2pZkRVN. Implementing the extended school day policy in Florida’s 300 lowest performing elementary schools Since 2014, Florida law has required the 300 elementary schools with the lowest reading performance to provide supplemental reading instruction through an extended school day. This study found that in 2014/15, on average, the lowest performing schools were smaller than other elementary schools and served higher proportions of racial/ethnic minority students and students eligible for the federal school lunch program. Schools reported using a variety of strategies to comply with the extended school day policy such as increasing reading instruction time each day, increasing staff, providing professional development for teachers, and providing instruction in the extra hour that differed from instruction during the rest of the day. Increased professional development and curricular and pedagogic changes were identified as indirect benefits of implementation. The full study may be accessed at http://bit.ly/2pegxma. Characteristics and Career Paths of School Leaders in North Carolina This study examines the demographics, educational attainment, licensures, and career paths of those who were assistant principals or principals (“school leaders”) in North Carolina from 2001/02 through 2003/2004. The career path analyses focus specifically on retention and recruitment. The retention analyses describe the top-10 paths that school leaders took, starting from their initial leadership position and over the 10 year period examined. The recruitment analyses describe the top-10 paths for school leaders before they took on their leadership roles during the 10 year period examined. Finally, the study describes and compares the demographics, educational attainment, educational licensure, and career paths of school leaders in rural and non-rural schools over the 10 year period. Results from the study show that demographic make-up of North Carolina’s principal workforce has largely remained stable from 2001/02 through 2012/12, including in rural schools. Also, overall school leaders have largely earned the same degrees and hold the same licenses. The majority of assistant principals and principals spent time as a classroom teacher prior to becoming a school leader. From 2001/02 through 2012/13, leaders in rural schools were generally similar, in terms of demographics, educational attainment, licenses, and positions held to their peers in non-rural schools. The descriptive study provides a deeper understanding of the backgrounds andc professional paths of school leaders, including in rural schools. North Carolina stakeholders might consider study findings when contemplating their next steps towards increasing the number and improving the quality of school leaders in rural and non-rural schools. Information from the study can also potentially support efforts to enhance retention and succession planning in these schools. The full study may be accessed at http://bit.ly/2nrKWiz.

You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website or provided your information at a REL Southeast sponsored event. Our mailing address is: REL Southeast at Florida State University 2010 Levy Avenue Suite 100 Tallahassee, FL 32310

Learning Differences; Strategic Planning; And Quality Questioning

A notice from one of the RELs from yesterday’s inbox.

Contact us: www.mcrel.org | info@mcrel.org April 2017 Spotlight on Instruction Improve, accelerate, and innovate your instructional practices across content areas and grade levels. McREL can help you with strategies to challenge students, develop positive relationships, and consistently deliver high-quality learning experiences for all students. Learn more about our services that support instruction. Contact us today for consulting services, professional learning sessions, and customized solutions, or request a free strategic session with one of our experts. No fee, no obligations, just good ideas and inspiration for quick wins and game changers to keep your school, district, agency, or system on track for success. Let us know how we can help! REQUEST FREE CONSULTATION New from McREL Blog Post | Differences, not disabilities   In this blog post, Bryan Goodwin and Heather Hein examine the growing paradigm shift from learning disabilities to learning differences. The key takeaway, they say, is for teachers to reflect on their approach to instruction planning and delivery for each student. Read their blog post. White Paper | Finding Simplicity on the Other Side of Complexity: A Strategic Planning Process Streamlines District Work and Improves the System for All   Managing a school district has become an increasingly complex endeavor. But district leaders who take a systems approach to strategic planning can simplify their work and increase the success of their principals, teachers, and students. In this white paper, Jay Harnack, the superintendent of Sublette County School District #1, and Matt Seebaum, senior director at McREL, show how a strategic planning process reduces redundancy and workload by integrating district goals, strategic planning, and school improvement into one streamlined process. Read the white paper. Webinar | Quality Questioning: A catalyst for thinking and learning   Did you miss our last webinar on quality questioning? Learn more about how teachers can use “quality questioning” to stimulate student thinking and support classroom dialogue and why dialogue is essential to meaningful formative feedback. Jackie Walsh and Beth Sattes, authors of the new 2nd edition of Quality Questioning: Research-Based Practice to Engage Every Learner, explored these questions in our February webinar (originally recorded on February 28, 2017). View the webinar. Events & Opportunities Weeklong Chats on Twitter Looking to grow your PLN? Join us for our weeklong Twitter chats, where participants share best practices, strategies, and common (or uncommon) struggles and successes. Follow us on Twitter and use the hashtag #McRELchat to share your thoughts and ideas on each week’s theme with other educators. Our weeklong “slow chats” begin on Mondays and end on Sundays. Instructional coaching April 17-23 Question: How do you benefit from an instructional coach’s advice and insight? Social and emotional supports April 24-30 Question: What social and emotional supports are in place for your students? Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) May 1-7 Question: What has been your biggest struggle with Bring Your Own Device? Professional Learning with McREL Make significant changes in teaching, leading, and learning, and gain research-based, best-practice strategies to help you —- and your students —- flourish. Join us in Denver for these engaging sessions. Classroom Instruction That Works®  June 19-21 Learn more and register. New session! Classroom Instruction That Works June 26-28 Learn more and register. Classroom Instruction That Works Authorized Facilitator Training June 19-23 Learn more and register. New session! Classroom Instruction That Works Authorized Facilitator Training June 26-30 Learn more and register. Balanced Leadership® for School-Level Leaders July 11-14 Learn more and register. District Leadership That Works®  July 17-18 Learn more and register. Classroom Instruction That Works with English Language Learners® July 19-20 Learn more and register. Upcoming Conferences ACSA North State Spring Conference April 28-30 | Reno, Nevada McREL president Bryan Goodwin will deliver conference sessions, and a luncheon keynote on Saturday, April 29 titled “Are we doing too little…or too much? Finding our beacon in the fog.” He’ll boil decades of research down to one key focal point for school leadership and offer practical ways to turn that focus into results —- not by working longer hours or browbeating teachers, but rather, by flipping our leadership paradigm and getting everyone to work together with single-minded focus. To learn more and register, please visit the conference website. American Indian/Indigenous Teacher Education Conference June 15-17 | Flagstaff, Arizona McREL consultant Dr. Terri Bissonette will be among the keynoters for this conference for preschool, K-12, college, and university educators and concerned community members to share ideas for improving the lives and education of Indigenous children. Dr. Bissonette is a member of the Bay Mills Indian Community of Anishinaabeg in Brimley, Michigan. To learn more and register, please visit the conference website. ASCD Conference on Teaching Excellence June 30-July 2 | Denver, Colorado Let us know if you’re attending ASCD’s Conference on Teaching Excellence in Denver this summer. McREL’s Denver office staff are available for onsite strategy sessions about great teaching practices —- and we can share our favorite restaurants and sightseeing tips. To learn more and register, please visit the conference website. Visit our Events page or contact McREL to learn more about other upcoming conferences and events. Are you a thought leader who’s committed to improving student achievement? We are now hiring for several research and consulting positions in our Honolulu office. Learn more about these exciting opportunities! McREL: Helping educators flourish   “Now all teachers and principals, as they go about creating and implementing improvement plans in their schools, know what the focus should be —-  and that focus is the highest quality instructional practice.” Sarah Salem, Lincoln Public Schools Director of Continuous Improvement and Professional Learning, Nebraska Follow on Twitter REL Pacific North Central Comprehensive Center Careers at McREL Quick Links REL Pacific McREL Blog McREL Newsroom Careers

Follow McREL on social media          McREL International P 800.858.6830 | F 303.337.3005 info@mcrel.org | www.mcrel.org 4601 DTC Blvd., Suite 500 Denver, CO 80237

Copyright © 2017, McREL International. All Rights Reserved.

McREL International, 4601 DTC Blvd., Suite 500, Denver, CO 80237