School Leaders' Perspectives on Implementing State Standards

• In Event: 72.047 - New Tools for Monitoring Teacher and School Leader Responses to Policy Reforms

Abstract

This paper presents results from the spring and fall 2014 waves of the American School Leader Panel (ASLP) survey. Principals play a crucial role in promoting high-quality instruction, and the actions they take in response to state standards-based reforms are likely to influence the ultimate effectiveness of those reforms to improve student learning. This paper will examine principals’ perspectives on: district expectations for standards implementation, perceptions of state standards, and resources and supports provided to teachers to support standards-aligned instruction. The paper will also report on differences in principals’ responses across CCSS and non-CCSS states, and across other categorizations, and it will draw on the American Teacher Panel (ATP) survey to examine the extent to which teachers and principals provide similar perspectives on these topics.

The spring 2014 results indicate that nearly sixty percent of respondents were in states that had adopted CCSS, and an additional 32% reported that their states were using other standards that had been adapted from CCSS. Regardless of which standards had been adopted, almost all principals reported that teachers were expected to embed standards into their instruction extensively, with many principals in both CCSS and non-CCSS states indicating that teachers in science and social studies were expected to address mathematics and ELA standards. Moreover, majorities indicated devoting moderate or major effort to aligning curriculum materials in other subjects with state ELA and mathematics standards.

Given the contentiousness of the debate surrounding CCSS among policymakers and in the media, several ASLP questions examine what types of information educators receive and what messages they believe are being sent. For instance, principals reported receiving information about CCSS and other state standards from a wide variety of organizations, though local and state education agencies were the most common sources, and large majorities indicated that information they received was either supportive of standards or mixed but more supportive than critical.

Principals expressed largely positive opinions about state standards; most disagreed that the standards were too rigorous for many students and that they excluded important content, and large majorities indicating that the standards will increase student learning and that students who master the standards will be prepared for college and the workforce. These patterns hold for principals in both CCSS and non-CCSS states. The results also indicated a few areas of concern. For example, a majority disagreed that “The mathematics standards provide educators the flexibility needed to help students who are below or above grade level,” with level of disagreement slightly lower for ELA standards. In addition, 64% indicated that existing ELA curriculum materials were not aligned or only partially aligned with the ELA standards, as did 71% for mathematics, suggesting a need for changes to curriculum.

This paper will also present findings regarding professional development and other supports and responses to new statewide tests that were adopted in response to CCSS. These results provide an important early window into how school leaders are responding to standards adoption and how they are supporting their teachers to promote effective, standards-aligned instruction.

Authors

• Jennifer Sloan McCombs, RAND Corporation

• Julia Heath Kaufman, RAND Corporation

• Scott Naftel, RAND Corporation

• V. Darleen Opfer, RAND Education