School Leaders Develop Skills through NISL Training. HR Exchange April 2008. TASB On Line

Vol. 14 No. 6		April 2008

School Leaders Develop Skills through NISL Training A training course for principals modeled after the best training practices in business, engineering, and the military is gaining a foothold in some states and school districts, including one Texas district. The $11 million training program offered by the for-profit National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) aims to mold principals to become instructional leaders capable of raising student achievement. Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania use the program extensively to train principals in addition to individual school districts. Among those districts is Carrollton-Farmer’s Branch ISD (C-FB ISD). According to Sheila Maher, the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, NISL is a world-class training opportunity for principals. “The program is designed to equip principals with the tools and knowledge needed to lead their schools to become high-performing schools with high expectations and high student achievement for all,” Maher said. The National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) a Washington, D.C., nonprofit organization, conducted a study in 1999 to learn how education prepares its leaders versus those in law, business, engineering, and medicine. NISL training grew out of that study. The training combines traditional methods such as face-to-face instruction with a method that is less traditional: interactive, web-based learning through computer simulations to allow principals to apply what they’ve learned in new scenarios. NISL received financial support to develop the training from three California-based funders, the Broad Foundation, the Stupski Foundation, and the NewSchools Venture Fund. Learning critical skills The 14-unit curriculum was modeled on training techniques used to teach business school executives and military leaders, as well as elements of the best school administrator training programs. It was originally designed for principals who’ve been in the job for three to five years. Maher said NISL training was attractive to C-FB ISD because of its overall rigor, emphasis on instructional leadership, high quality curriculum, use of case studies, focus on research, and required reading from a variety of fields: business, military, and education. The training covers the following topics: World-class schooling: vision and goals Focus on teaching and learning Developing capacity and commitment Driving for results The computer simulations pose real-world scenarios for principals. In one simulation, an elementary school principal takes over a school with declining test scores. The superintendent tells the principal that his or her evaluation will be based on increasing the percentage of students who meet the state standard in reading and math by 10 percent this school year. The participant decides what to do first to get the school closer to meeting that goal by answering a series of questions. A middle school simulation comes later in the training. Participants have some background information to make decisions with additional data unfolding in the course of the simulation. In answering the questions, participants must often choose between two “right” answers (one is considered the “preferred” answer). The objective of both simulations is to guide participants to think strategically to get their schools closest to meeting the stated goals. Maher said the simulations are excellent but that no one dimension of the training outshines another. “All the components of the NISL program, from the books, articles, written case studies, video case studies, to the simulations all contribute to the effectiveness of NISL. I highly recommend the NISL program to any district,” Maher said. Maher believes that C-FB ISD principals came away from NISL training better equipped in terms of the critical thinking skills they need to be excellent leaders. “They are knowledgeable about national and international data, the thinking of key leaders in the field, a standards-based instructional system, principles of teaching and learning, and the skills to provide a high-quality education for all students,” Maher said. Participants like Holly Barber, C-FB ISD executive director for curriculum and staff development, clearly share her enthusiasm. “NISL challenges you to examine your own beliefs and practices and through your readings, simulations, dialogue with peers, and job-embedded homework…you don’t just study, you live it. NISL begins with the big picture and sets the stage by creating a sense of urgency, then drills down layer by layer until we meet the needs of individual students.” Maher also believes the training has proven valuable on the district level. “This work has created an environment for a districtwide conversation about what is important in our schools using a common vocabulary.” The cost for the two-year program is $5,000 per person. So far, 42 C-FB ISD principals and key district leaders have completed the training. Clearly, the district believes the training is worth the money, as another group of principals is set to begin the training this summer. —“Computer Simulations Hone Leadership Skills,” by Lynn Olson, Education Week, Oct. 31, 2008.

HRX Front | HRS Home | Archives | TASB Home