K.Huggins presentation to the 2010-2012 cohort

1. Increasing Success for ALL Students:
A case study of professional learning
communities as a leadership strategy to
drive math success in a high school
serving diverse, low-income students
Kristin Shawn Huggins, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership

2. Professional Learning Communities
Discussion
In groups:
 Share your key understandings about professional
learning communities (PLCs).
 Given what you know about Bolman & Deal’s four
frames, which frame(s) inform your thinking about
PLCs?

3. Purpose of the Research
Aggie-STEM Center*: Professional development in Project-
based Learning (PBL) and Professional Learning Communities
(PLCs) for three high schools in one district; graduate research
assistant on project
Case Study of the implemetation of PLCs in one diverse, low-
income high school with a focus on the STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Math) areas of math and science
The purpose of the research was to study this implementation.
Due to the amount of leadership participation, specifically the
principal's participation; the unique and consistent math PLC
structure and processes; and the results of those structures
and processes, only the math professional learning community
is discussed in this presentation.
*Funded by the Texas Education Agency, Texas Governor's Office, Texas Legislature,
the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, and
National Instruments through the Communities Foundation of Texas' Texas High
School Project

4. Organizational Learning and
Professional Learning Communities
Professional learning communities are situated in
organizational theory where in order for changes or reforms to
occur, organizational behavior (Argyris & Schön, 1978) must be
considered, specifically organizational learning (e.g. Senge, 1990).
Professional learning communities are communities of
continuous inquiry and improvement where teachers in a
school and its administration continuously seek and share
learning, and act on their learning (Hord, 1997), and have "a
commitment to lifelong professional and collective
responsibility for improved student learning" (McLaughlin & Talbert,
2006, p. 2).
Professional learning communities have five distinct, critical
characteristics: shared norms and values, reflective dialogue,
deprivatization of practice, collective focus on student
learning, and collaboration (Kruse, Louis, & Bryk, 1995).

5. Methods
Data Collection – year-long research at Riverside
Academy*
 Written documents
 Multiple observations
 Semi-structured interviews (Lincoln & Guba, 1985)
 Specifically, observed professional learning community
meetings and then the effects of those meetings in
teacher classrooms
Data Analysis – constant comparative method (Glaser &
Strauss, 1967)
*"Riverside Academy" is a pseudonym.

6. Riverside Academy
Students
 Close to 700 students who have an interest in one of six
academies (engineering, environmental technology,
finance, health sciences, hospitality and tourism,
information technology)
 49% Latina/o, 35% African American, 15% White, and 1%
Asian/Pacific Islander
 82% low socioeconomic status

7. Riverside Academy Cont.
Teachers
 One math PLC; six teachers
–PLCs meet one period a day in addition to each teacher's
conference/planning period
–PLCs comprised of teachers teaching different subjects (e.g.
1 algebra I teacher, 1 geometry teacher, etc.)
 Three traditionally certified, three alternatively certified
 Two Latinos, One African American, Three White
 Experience based on teaching current subject matter at
the high school level
–One with over fifteen years
–One with over five years
–One with overt two years
–Three with less than two years

8. Riverside Academy Cont.
Leadership in math PLC
 Principal - over thirty years of school experience, ten
years as principal at Riverside Academy
 Associate principal – over twenty years of school
experience, ten years as assistant/associate principal at
Riverside Academy
 Intsructional Specialist – over ten years of school
experience; four as instructional specialist at Riverside
Academy

9. Results
I. Implementation Context of the Case
II. Leadership Style of the Principal
III. PLCs as Principal's Key Reform Strategy
IV. Nature of Principal's PLC Process
 A. Focus
 B. Structure/pressure
 C. Support
 D. Increased individual accountability
 E. Increased group accountability
 F. Increased collaboration
V. Improved Teaching and Learning

10. I. Implementation Context of the Case
School experienced success under previous
accountability system, but under new, more rigorous
accountability system, the school had experienced
average results consistently for the five previous
years to the study.
Math and science scores kept the school from
reaching a higher level of success.
District mandated professional learning
communities as a reform effort for math and science
teaching and learning.

11. II. Leadership Style of the Principal
African American female principal for last ten years at
Riverside Academy
Leadership style – stable, persistent, hands-on, and
firmly focused on instruction
 Dr. Holloway (principal):
"I've always believed that the principal is the instructional leader
first. So, a lot of things that drag on the principal's time don't
have a lot to do with instruction. They have a lot to do with
management, but not instruction. So, you really have to kind of
clear the way. I work longer hours than a lot of principals who
don't do that. So, I'm here later. I'll admit that. You cannot get it
done all in an eight to five day. Or at least, I haven't been able to
do that. So, I work longer hours."
African American community is often supportive of a
more directive leadership style (Lomotey, 1989).

12. III. PLCs as Principal’s Key Reform
Strategy
Principal decided to make professional learning
communities her key reform strategy for improving
math and science teaching and learning.
Principal focused on a high-quality implementation
by closely following research that was provided
through professional development concerning
professional learning communities (e.g. Louis, Kruse, & Marks,
1996; reflective dialogue) in math PLC.
Principal used her leadership role to create specific
PLC structures and processes.

13. IV. Nature of the Principal’s PLC
Process
A. Focus
 Clear focus on increased achievement on the state-
mandated assessment for math
B. Structure/Pressure
 Leadership in the room 85-90% of the time and usually
facilitating the meetings; gradual release of
responsibility model (Fisher & Frey, 2008)
 Professional Learning Community was structured using
three questions every day for teachers to reflect on –
Who's learning? Who's not? What are we doing about it?
 Lesson cycle was implemented in the math teachers'
classrooms

14. IV. Nature of the Principal’s PLC
Process Cont.C. Support
 Provided pedagogical "voice"
– Mr. Mercer (algebra II teacher):
"I'm usually looking at Ms. Sassano (associate principal) and Dr.
Holloway and Mr. Paz (pre-calculus teacher) and Ms. Cross (math
department chair). Those are the four that I get a lot of my ideas
from. And Ms. Cross and Ms. Sassano and Dr. Holloway, I wouldn't
get to communicate with very much if it weren't for [the math
professional learning community]. So, I like that because it's been
helpful. I've gotten helpful things from them."
 Provided equipment and resources, including T.I. Nspires and
Wiis
D. Increased Individual Public Accountability
 Every day, the math teachers publicly reflected on their
student achievement and how to change their practices to
increase student achievement.
 From this public reflection came a shift in responsibility for
student learning.

15. IV. Nature of the Principal’s PLC
Process Cont.
E. Increased Group Accountability
 Individuals increased responsibilities to the collective
whole of the math PLC
F. Increased Collaboration
 Sharing of ideas to assist teachers who were struggling
with their practice
 Using collective knowledge to improve teaching and
learning
–Ms. Johnson (algebra I teacher):
"We came up with the little sign that's back there. 'Solving
for Equations on Both Sides.' We came together, and we
decided what's important step-by-step in order for those
kids to understand how to solve equations. And so, all the
teachers had their little say in how it was worded. Some
words, they took out. Some words, they left."

16. V. Improved Teaching and Learning
Teaching
 Practice changed for both novice and veteran teachers
–Researcher: "How does meeting in there change your
practice?"
–Mr. Wright (algebra I inclusion teacher): "Well, I almost
immediately implement any kind of suggestion they bring
up. I will try almost, like the next day after to see if it
works. 'How do I adapt this?' You know?
Learning
 In 2008-2009, Riverside Academy raised its state-
mandated assessment accountability rating to
Recognized* through improved math scores; math
scores increased 15% across all grade levels.
*Rating based on four-tier rating system of Unacceptable, Acceptable, Recognized, and
Exemplary

17. So what?
Success in math in low-income, diverse high schools
is tough and rare. This case is an example of such
success.
The way in which the principal used her leadership
role as an instructional leader to implement the math
PLC and drive math achievement is significant.
Current PLC research concerning principal
leadership is mainly theoretical instead of empirical.
This research, unlike previous PLC research with
self-reported teacher practice changes, documented
changes in teacher practice through observations.

18. Framing the Research through
Bolman and Deal
The Structural Frame
 Professional learning communities (PLCs) on a daily basis
implemented by the district for all math and science teachers
 Principal had responsibility for structuring the PLCs within the
master schedule; unlike other schools, she chose 7th
period –
time of day as well as reflective dialogue piece with daily
mastery and weekly benchmarking
The Human Resource Frame
 Urban teacher alternative certification in Texas context
 Martin Haberman's "Urban Teacher Selection Interview" (M.H.
is a distinguished professor emeritus of Curriculum &
Instruction at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)
 Okay if teachers left, unlike her counterpart leading science
PLC

19. Framing the Research through
Bolman and Deal
The Political Frame
 Ten years as principal, 28 years in the district
 Academy business connections, community connections
 Superintendent job
 Lack of large union presence like WA
The Symbolic Frame
 Dr. Holloway
"When I first came all of the bulletin boards that you see around,
there was nothing up. It was just blank, lots of graffiti stuff. It was
bad, holes in the walls in some of the areas and stuff. And, I asked
the teachers why there were no displays on the bulletin boards.
And, they said, 'Well, they’ll just tear them down. The kids don’t
care.' And so, I said, 'Well, let’s see if they’ll tear themselves down.'
So, that’s when we started student-of-the-month in all of the
departments and recognized them, took their picture, made a big
deal out of it. And miraculously, they didn’t tear those bulletin
boards down. So, I thought, 'We’re onto something now.'"

20. Professional Learning Community
Implementation and Continuation
Bottom Line
Context Matters
Consider the Bolman & Deal Frames
Be explicit about expectations/beliefs and how
success will be measured
 Realize that collaboration and vulnerability are part
of a new paradigm concerning teaching; thus, be
direct and confident, but thoughtful about approach

21. Professional Learning Communities’
Checklist
Shared Norms and Values
Reflective Dialogue
Deprivatization of Practice
Collective Focus on Student Learning
Collaboration
Maintaining an ongoing record
Leadership support/attention

22. Professional Learning Communities’
Activity
In discussion groups – as “district level teams” (district
level professional learning communities):
 You are having concerns that the PLCs in one high school do not
seem to be working.
 The high school principal has investigated the problem and has
found that while there are regular meetings of the PLCs, the
teachers do not seem to understand how to use this time to
improve teaching and learning.
 Utilizing the PLC checklist for your district level PLC – where/how
would you begin to examine this issue?
 Through which Bolman & Deal frame(s) will you explore guidance
for the principal?
 Report out your thinking as a PLC.

23. References
• Argyris, C., & Schön, D. A. (1978). Organizational learning: A theory ofaction
perspective. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
• Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2008). Better learning through structured teaching:
A framework for the gradual release of responsibility. Alexandria,
VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
• Glaser, B. & Strauss, A. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory.
Chicago, IL: Aldine.
• Hord, S. M. (1997). Professional learning communities: Communities of
continuous inquiry and improvement. Austin, TX: Southwest Educational
Development Laboratory. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.
ED410659)
• Kruse, S. D., Louis, K. S., & Bryk, A. S. (1995). An emerging framework for
analyzing school-based professional community. In K. S. Louis, S. D.
Kruse, & Associates, Professionalism and community: Perspectives
on reforming urban schools (pp. 23-44). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Corwin Press.

24. References
• Lincoln, Y. S. & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Sage.
• Lomotey, K. (1989). African-American principals: School leadership and
success. New York, NY: Greenwood.
• Louis, K. S., Kruse, S., & Marks, H. M. (1996). Schoolwide professional
community. In F.M. Newman & Associates (Eds.), Authentic achievement
(pp. 179-203). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
• McLaughlin, M. W., & Talbert, J. E. (2006). Building school-based teacher
learning communities: Professional strategies to improve student
achievement. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
• Senge, P. (1990) The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning
organization. New York, NY: Currency Doubleday.