Graduate Spring 2009

ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP, CURRICULUM, AND SPECIAL EDUCATION

I. COURSE INFORMATION

A. EDAD 7103 School District Administration

B. Professor: Dr. Steve Bounds [[email protected]] Office–Smith Hall 445 (formerly Chickasaw) Phone--870-972-2123 Fax--870-680-8130 Personal—870-810-0840 Address--P.O. Box 1450, State University, Arkansas 72467

II. READINGS

A. Primary Text: Sharp, W. L. & J. K. Walter. 2004. The School Superintendent: The Profession and the Person. 2nd ed. ScarecrowEducation: Lanham MY. (ISBN 1-57886-157-8) $31.41 from www.scarecroweducation.com

B. Supplemental Text: None

C. Assigned Readings:

ELCC Standards http://www.npbea.org/ELCC/ELCCStandards

III. PURPOSES OF THE COURSE A. The purpose of this course is to give the prospective administrator an opportunity to explore concepts and complexities that surround B. the superintendency. Emphasis is placed on the responsibilities of the superintendent as an effective leader in the school system in the community.

C. Course objectives As a result of this course, students will be able to:

1 • Understand, respond to, and influence the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context of the school community. • Describe the processes by which federal, state, district, and school-site policies are formulated, enacted, implemented, and evaluated, and develop strategies for influencing policy development. • Develop appropriate procedures and relationships for working with local governing boards. • Facilitate the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community. • Facilitate and engage in activities that utilize data gathering techniques and analysis to inform programmatic decisions. • Facilitate the development of an effective school-community relations program, which is grounded in effective communication and that instills community support while responding to diverse community needs. • Recognize the role of technology in student learning and adult professional growth. • Facilitate the development and implementation of long-range plans for the application of technology and telecommunications to enrich student learning and adult professional growth

IV. STANDARDS LINKAGE

A. ELCC Standards

1.1.a, 1.2.a, 1.3.b, 1.4.c, 1.5.b, 2.1.a, 2.2.c, 2.4.a, 3.1.b, 3.3.a, 4.1.g, 4.3.b, 6.1.e, 6.1.f, 6.1.g, 6.2.a, 6.3.a, 6.3.b

B. Diversity Related ELCC Standards

5.1.a, 5.2.a, 5.3.a

C. Arkansas Standards by Code Number (For the complete wording of each code, go to http://education.astate.edu/ease/framework.htm

1. Arkansas Building Administrator Standards (ABAS) 1.K.1, 1K2, 1K3, 1.D.2, 1.D.3, 1.D.4, 1.D.5, 1.P.1, 1.P.2, 1.P.3, 3.D.1, 3.D.2, 3.D.3, 3.D.5, 3.D.6, 3.D.7, 3.P.1, 3.P.2, 3.P.3, 3.P.4, 3.P.6, 3.P.7, 3.P.11, 4.K.5, 4.D.2, 4.D.3, 4.P.2, 5.K.2, 5.K.7, 5.D.1, 5.D.3, 5.P.4, 5.P.5, 5.P.6, 6.K.2, 6.D.1, 6.P.1, 6.P.2

2 2. Arkansas Curriculum Administrator Standards (CAS) 1.K.1, 1K2, 1K3, 1.D.2, 1.D.3, 1.D.4, 1.D.5, 1.P.1, 1.P.2, 1.P.3, 3.D.1, 3.D.2, 3.D.3, 3.D.5, 3.D.6, 3.D.7, 3.P.1, 3.P.2, 3.P.3, 3.P.4, 3.P.6, 3.P.7, 3.P.11, 4.K.5, 4.D.2, 4.D.3, 4.P.2, 5.K.2, 5.K.7, 5.D.1, 5.D.3, 5.P.4, 5.P.5, 5.P.6, 6.K.2, 6.D.1, 6.P.1, 6.P.2

D. Technology Standards for School Administrators (TSSA)

I. D. Uses data to drive leadership decisions.

III.B. Employs technology for communication and collaboration among peers, staff, parents, and the larger community.

V.A. Ensures equity of access to technology resources that enable and empower all learners and educators.

V. COURSE ASSESSMENT AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES

A. The final grade for the course will be based upon appropriate completion of the assigned performance measures (70%) and active participation in Discussion Board activities (30%).

B. Performance Measures:

1. The candidate will develop a Blackboard Home Page using the template provided by the instructor. [ELCC Standards: 4.3.b, TSSA III.B] 2H Promote the use of the most effective and appropriate technologies to support teaching and learning 4C Build and sustain positive relationships with families and caregivers 4D Build and sustain productive relationships with community partners

2. The student will determine the personal preference style of their district’s administrative team members using the Personal Style Inventory and present an analysis of the results. At a minimum, the superintendent, a high school principal, and an elementary principal should be asked to complete the inventory. How do their styles compare? Differ? What are strengths of this team based upon the style results? Weaknesses? [ELCC Standards 4.1.g, 4.3.b, 5.3.a, ABAS/ACAS 3.D.5, 3.D.6, 3.D.7, 3.P.3, 3..P.6, 3.P.7, 3.P.11, 4.K.5, 4.D.2, 4.D.3 ] 2F Develop the instructional and leadership capacity of staff 3B Obtain, allocate, align, and efficiently utilize human, fiscal, and technological resources 3D Develop the capacity for distributed leadership 4A Collect and analyze data and information pertinent to the educational environment

3 5B Model principles of self-awareness, reflective practice, transparency, and ethical behavior 6C Assess, analyze, and anticipate emerging trending and initiatives in order to adapt leadership strategies

3. The student will conduct a school culture audit using the available instrument to survey the district in which they are employed, present the findings to the school superintendent, and prepare a written report of the meeting with the superintendent and a summary of the findings using descriptive statistics. [ELCC Standards 2.1.a] 2A Nurture and sustain a culture of collaboration, trust, learning, and high expectations 2F Develop the instructional and leadership capacity of staff 2I Monitor and evaluate the impact of the instructional program

4. The student will develop and articulate his/her vision of learning for their school district that promotes the success of all students. The candidate will create a Power Point presentation to present the vision at a local service club luncheon. [ELCC 1.1.a, 1.2.a., 1.3.b., 1.5.b, 2.2.c, ABAS/ACAS 1.K.2, 1.K.3, 1.D.2, 1.D.3, 1.P.2, 1.P.3, 3.K.1, 3.K.2, 2.K.3, 3.K.4, 3.K.5, 3.D.6, 4.D.2, 4.D.3, 4.P.2, 5.K.2, 5.K.7, 5.K.10, 5.D.1, 5.D.3, 5.P.4, 5.P.5, 5.P.6] 1A Collaboratively develop and implement a shared vision and mission

5. The student will conduct an interview with their local legislator. What educational issues does he/she anticipate coming before the legislature in the next session? Choose an issue that you would like to see addressed. How would the legislator prefer to be “lobbied” about the issue? What would be the process for getting the issue placed into a bill? Prepare and submit a written report summarizing the interview. [ELCC Standards 6.1.e, 6.1.f, 6.1.g, 6.3.a, 6.3.b] 6A Advocate for children, families, and caregivers 6B Act to influence local, district, state, and national decisions affecting student learning

6. The student will attend a meeting of two different local boards of education. Observe the structure, focus, and organization of the meeting. Observe the role of the board president, board secretary, board members, superintendent, other administrators, and other individuals involved in the meeting. Write a brief review summarizing, comparing, contrasting, and analyzing the meetings. The most significant portion of the report must be your analysis. (ELCC 1.2, 3.2, 4.1, 6.1.e, 6.2.a) 1B Collect and use data to identify goals, assess organizational effectiveness, and promote organizational learning

4 3A Monitor and evaluate the management and operational systems 4A Collect and analyze data and information pertinent to the educational environment 4B Promote understanding, appreciation, and use of the community’s diverse cultural, social, and intellectual resources

7. The student will review a sampling of agendas used in area districts and create his/her own unique agenda template and put together a corresponding board packet to demonstrate the newly developed model. [ELCC Standards 4.1.c] 3A Monitor and evaluate the management and operational systems Assignment requirements include: (a) Review a minimum of three models of board meeting agendas (b) Create a unique template for a board meeting agenda (c) Prepare an actual board meeting packet using your newly created template as a guide (d) Topics may be fictional or based on genuine issues from your actual experiences (e) There must be at least one informational presentation that includes an executive summary (f) There must be at least one decision to be made that includes a superintendent summary of the issue and a recommendation by the superintendent (g) Submit the specific agenda and corresponding packet in electronic format.

8. The student will develop bi-weekly communication vehicle to be sent to board members to keep them informed of developments at the school. [ELCC Standards 2.2.c, 4.1.b, 4.1.c] 2A Nurture and sustain a culture of collaboration, trust, learning, and high expectations 4C Build and sustain positive relationships with families and caregivers 4D Build and sustain productive relationships with community partners 5B Model principles of self-awareness, reflective practice, transparency, and ethical behavior

Specific requirements include: (a) Collect examples from various local superintendents and create your own template. (b) Using the template and assuming you are a school superintendent, write a bulletin to your board. Either make up relevant topics or use issues from your own current situation. (c) Submit the bulletin to the Digital Drop Box/LiveText in an electronic version.

5 9. The student will interview the following individuals focusing on the questions listed below. Write a reaction paper describing each interview focusing upon the individual’s responses in relation to the overall operation of the school district and its efforts to accomplish stated and unstated goals. Summarize all interviews focusing on similar and conflicting opinions of the role, responsibilities, and performance of the superintendent. Do not identify the individuals interviewed or the school district. [ELCC Standards 1.1a, 5.1.a, 5.3.a]

(a) Member of the Board of Education 1. What are the roles and responsibilities of a board member? 2. What type of relationship should board members have with the superintendent? 3. Who should conduct board meetings? 4. What do you see as the primary role of the superintendent?

(b) Two faculty members and two community members 1. What are the primary responsibilities of the superintendent? 2. Is the position of superintendent really necessary? 3. How would you rate the level of performance of the current or former superintendent? 4. What do you wish the superintendent would do better, or more of?

10. The student will write a letter of application (responding to specific questions) for the superintendent's position at Sample School District. [ELCC Standards 1.1.a, 1.2.c, 1.3.b, 1.4.c, TSSA II.B.]

VI. COURSE OUTLINE

Class 1 (Jan 15) Course orientation & electronic submission techniques Class 2 (Jan 21) Personality Styles Class 3 (Jan 28) School Culture Class 4 (Feb 4) Power and Influence (Yukl, ch 6) Class 5 (Feb 11) Participative Leadership, Delegation, and Empowerment (Yukl, ch 4) Class 6 (Feb 18) History of the Superintendency Class 7 (Feb 25) Getting the Superintendency Class 8 (Mar 3) Leadership, Ethics, and Decision Making Class 9 (Mar 10) Developing an Administrative Team Class 10 (Mar 17) Dealing with the Board of Education Class 11 (Mar 24) The Superintendent as Public Relations Expert

6 Class 12 (Mar 31) Superintendent as Business Manager Class 13 (Apr 7) Dealing with Spouse and Family Class 14 (Apr 14) Keeping Your Bags Packed Class 15 (Apr 21) Wrap up

VII. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND/OR FEATURES OF THE COURSE A. Instructional methods–Cooperative learning, lectures, class discussions/debates, case studies, papers, and field-based activities are employed to increase learning and accommodate a variety of learning styles. B. Students are required to access Blackboard to check for announcements, retrieve course documents, and participate in on- line discussions and assignments [TASS Standard III.B]. C. Students are required to use word processing and APA Publication Manual, 5th Edition to prepare the course papers. D. Flexibility Clause: Circumstances may arise which will prevent us from fulfilling each and every component of this syllabus. Therefore, the syllabus is subject to change. However, you will be notified of any changes that occur prior to any due date for assignments. E. Academic Conduct: All acts of dishonesty in any work constitute academic misconduct. The academic disciplinary policy will be followed, as indicated in the ASU Student Participant Handbook, in the event of academic misconduct. Students should familiarize themselves with the handbook and especially the policy pertaining to plagiarism.

F. Cell phones and pagers must be turned off or placed on silent unless arrangements have been made with the professor.

G. Students who were admitted to the Ed.S. degree program or POS starting after May 2008 MUST submit artifacts to LiveText.

VIII. PROCEDURES TO ACCOMMODATE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share, or if you need special arrangements, please notify the professor ASAP.

7 IX. REFERENCES Anderson, D. (2000). Strategies used by women superintendents in overcoming occupational barriers. Planning and Changing 31(12), 21-34. (ERIC EJ652032)

Bagin, D. & Gallagher, D. R. (2001). The school and community Relations (7th ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allen and Bacon. Bennis, W., Goldsmith, J. (1997). Learning to lead. Reading, MA: Perseus Books. Blumberg, A., Blumberg, P. (1985). The school superintendent: Living with conflict. New York, NY: Teachers College Press. Bomers, C.A. (1984). The promise of theory and the politics of cultural change, New York: Teachers’College Press. Candoli, C. (1995, December). The superintendency: Its history and role. Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education 9 (4), 335- 350Carver, J. (1997). Boards that make a difference. San Francisco, CA: Josey-Bass. Carter, G., Cunningham, W. (1997). The American school superintendent: Leading in an age of pressure. San Francisco, CA: Josey-Bass. Cooper, B. S., Fusarelli, L.D. Jackson, B.L. & Poster, J. (2002). Is “Superintendent Preparation” an oxymoron? Analyzing changes in programs, certification, and control. (ERIC EJ653542) Cuban, L ( 1985, September). Conflict and leadership in the superintendency, Phi Delta Kappan, 67 (1). Cunningham, W., Cordeiro, P. (2000). Educational administration. Needleham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. DePree, M. (1989). Leadership is an art. New York, NY: Bantam Doubleday Dell. Friedman, R.L. (2002, May). Sizing up a superintendency: Does the shoe fit? School Administrator, 59(5), 8-9. (ERIC EJ644930) Fullan, Michael, (2003). The moral imperative of school leadership.

Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Gardner, H. (1995). Leading minds: An anatomy of leadership. New York, NY: Basic Books. Glass, T. (2001, Summer). Study of first-year superintendents. ERS Spectrum 19 (3), 26-32 (ERIC EJ634691) Guskey, T. R. (2000). Evaluating professional development. Thousand Oaks, GA: Corwin Press. Heim, M et. al. (1990). The superintendent and the school board: The call for excellence. Manhattan, KS: Leadership Lane.

8 Johnson, S. (1996). Leading to change: The challenge of the new superintendency. San Francisco, CA: Josey-Bass. Kirschman, R. E. (1996). Educational administration: A collection of case studies. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall. Kowalski, T. (1999). The school superintendent. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. McAdams, R. (1996, November). The ideal superintendent. American School Board Journal 183 (11), 56, 58. (ERIC EJ522401) Ovando, M.N. & Troxell, D. (1997, July). Superintendents’ multicultural competencies. Journal of School Leadership 7(4), 409-431. (ERIC EJ548955). Owens, R. G. & Valesky, T. C. (2007). Organizational behavior in education: Adaptive leadership and school reform (9th ed.). Boston: Pearson. Parker, P. (1996) Superintendent vulnerability and mobility. Peabody Journal of Education; 71(2), 64-77. (ERIC EJ582840). Rebore, R. W. (2001). The ethics of educational leadership. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall. Sharp, W.L. & Eaton, W.E. (1996). Involuntary turnover among small- town superintendents. Peabody Journal of Education 71(2), 78- 85. (ERIC EJ582841). Strike, K. A., Haller, E. J., & Soltis, J. F. (1988). The ethics of school administration. New York: Teachers College Press. Tallerico, M. & Burstyn, J.N. (1996, December) Retaining women in the superintendency: The local matters. Educational Administration Quarterly, 32, 642-64. (ERIC EJ535661) Wimpelberg, R. K. (1997, May). Superintending: The undeniable politics and indefinite effects of school district leadership. American Journal of Education 105(3), 319-345. (ERIC EJ550169) Yukl, G. A. (2006). Leadership in organizations (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.