MD3 Dis1

Leading Change with Data and Collaboration

Amanda M. Puryear

Educational Specialist in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

EDSD 7900: Creating and Supporting Effective Educational Practice

Dr. S. Johnson

December 25th, 2022

Leading Change with Data and Collaboration

Hi, and welcome to Leading Change with Data and Collaboration. Today we will be driving into initiation change in your community by being an agent of change.

Who am I?

My name is Amanda Puryear, and I am currently working with Grand City to identify areas of improvement in the school system. This is my 11th year in education, and my specialization is in curriculum and instruction in the k12 setting, specifically in history and social studies. I am also the lead teacher in the Hearne ISD Educational Preparation program.

Agenda

So, during this presentation, we will discuss what it means to be an agent of change in your community, knowing your targets and goals, the importance of collaboration across specialties, and the importance of data to your mission to bring change. Our efforts in Grand City will serve as our anchoring example of how to initiate change in your community.

Agents of Change

So first off, what does it mean to be an agent of change? Change is such an intricate part of life that we do not recognize that change is even happening. However, "change rarely occurs without an advocate (Fullan, 2016, p. 61)". Being an agent of change means that you identify a problem and actively seek a solution through collaboration and data-informed decision-making to make your community and world better. But it is not just about you and your mission. Being an agent of change means that you balance the subjective realities to find the best solution for everyone, a shared meaning to change (Fullan, 2016). There are also many different many to be an agent of change. There are six different types of change agents ranging from the ultra-committed change-makers that dedicate their lives to leading positive social change down to casual contributors who see social change as important but probably are not likely to make it a lifelong commitment (Walden University, 2013).

Changes in Grand City

Let's turn our attention to Grand City. Over the past 5 years, Grand City has experienced positive changes resulting from the influx of refugees from Riza. However, we are also identifying areas of growth that need to be addressed. In Grand City schools, we have seen a rise in our population of minority students from 61% to 75% (Walden University, 2016b). We have also experienced a rise in official referrals and suspensions (Walden University, 2016b). When reviewing the data, we asked ourselves two probing questions: Does our curriculum meet the needs of all our students? and Do our discipline policies fit our students?

Our Targets

After coming together and reviewing the data, we pinpointed our targets to lead to positive student outcomes. Due to the rise of diversity in our schools and community, we want to increase the use of culturally relevant teaching practices, and to help to ease the number of office referrals and suspensions, we want to implement restorative justice practices.

Collaboration without Boundaries

Agents of change rarely get the job done by themselves; they have a team behind them. So, to address our targets and create meaningful change, collaboration across specializations is needed. By bringing people together from all walks of life, we can create well-rounded solutions that are right for all stakeholders. The presence of collaboration also shifts the mindset of the accountability of the change from "mine" to "ours" and creates an internal accountability system for success among the group (Fullan, 2016). So, looking back at Grand City, our targets of culturally relevant teaching and restorative practices will need experts in social-emotional learning, curriculum, and of course, our community. These experts will use their talents to represent all stakeholders and bring to the table solutions that satisfy everyone's needs.

Importance of Data for Change

How do we justify our mission? Well, the proof is in the data. Data gathering and interpretation help display the system's strengths and weaknesses. This, in combination with stakeholder understanding and the expertise of the collaborative group, information can become actionable knowledge to initiate and implement plans for change (marsh & Farrell, 2015). Data also eliminates the guesswork and provides proof of your action. So, instead of making blind reactions, we can justify our actions, "because the data says this, we will take this course of action. Again, in Grand City, we will use multiple data sources to guide our decision-making process. We will use cultures and climate surveys, office referral rates, suspension rates, and post-intervention surveys. By reviewing this data, we will be able to make the best decisions possible for our students,

Bringing into Focus

So, bringing everything into focus. Number 1, anyone can be an agent of change; it does not require any special training; you just have to believe in your cause. Second, you need to find your team and trust your team. You have collected a group of experts to help; now allow them to use their expertise, which goes beyond just your action team; this can also include your teachers and staff who are "in the trenches." And lastly, have your proof, and your proof is your data. Your data is going to help guide the process of change and also motivate others to join your cause. Good Luck!

Fullan, M. (2016). The new meaning of educational change (5th ed.). New York, NY: Teachers

College Press.