WSU

1. Gene Sharratt, Executive Director
Washington Student Achievement Council
Leadership, Olympia, and Reality:Leadership, Olympia, and Reality:
Guiding the Team to the Top!Guiding the Team to the Top!
genes@wsac.wa.gov

12. Out of clutter, find simplicity.
From discord, find harmony.
In the middle of difficulty,
lies opportunity.
- Albert Einstein

13. OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE

14. Catalyst: n.
“One who precipitates a process or
event leading to change.”
As school leader, how will you be a catalyst
for change in your school?
What specific actions will you take to create
a culture where people and programs
continue to improve?
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15. “Every school has
leadership that results in
improved student performance – and
leadership begins with
an effective school
principal.”
Southern Regional Education Board
Challenge to Lead Series, 2004

16. “Leadership characteristics are the
second strongest predictor
of a school’s effect on student results.
Only classroom factors, such as
teacher quality, are stronger.”
Kenneth Leithwood, University of Toronto

17. Everything we do,
every activity we create,
every relationship we build,
every network we support is aimed
at improving the capacity of schools
to provide a quality education for ALL students.

19. Leadership is . . .
“Doing right things right.”
Kenneth Leithwood

20. Aligning Education Programs and Transitions
for Student Success and for a Working Washington
The “New Minimum” for 21st
Century Learning and Life:
A Continuum of Early Learning, K-12 and Post-Secondary Education

21. Graduation & Attainment = Pathways to Prosperity

22. Education = opportunities for more Washington families

23. • Kids spend 70% of their waking hours out of school – support schools
and teachers rather than blame them – we’re all responsible
• Changing demographics like significant increases in student poverty,
English language learners, mobility and homelessness are challenges
in schools - not excuses
• All kids need hope and relationships
• Schools can’t do it alone
- “There are no quick fixes to the challenges confronting public education
in the US. School improvement must be seen as an extension of
community development…” - Pedro Noguera
• Invest in human infrastructure
- In 2015, the state invested $16 billion in transportation infrastructure
They’re All Our Kids!

26. K-12 Public Education Issues
What stands out in Olympia and beyond about work to meet the needs of each and every student:
•McCleary – fully fund basic education / compensation / equity
•Professional Development – teachers / principals / targeted PD / data
•Opportunity Gap – racial / poverty / English language learners / special education / foster youth
•Discipline Disparity – racial / conflict resolution / school climate
•Graduation – rates / gaps / barriers / early warning systems / guidance / college and career ready
•Social Emotional Learning – ACEs / MTSS / PBIS / 21st
century skills / growth mindset
•Family Engagement – home connections / partnerships / community / early interventions
•STEM Literacy – workforce / computer science / project learning / gender disparity / racial disparity
•Educator Workforce – pre-service prep / diversity / cultural competency / retention
•Reforms Implementation – CCSS / NGSS / TPEP / Smarter Balanced / career & college ready grad
•Attainment – transitions / access / dual credit opportunities / CTE equivalencies
Vision, Leadership, Advocacy, Governance – and/or Legislation

27. A few things on the legislative plate . . .
• Funding McCleary – What will the Supreme Court accept as a
reliable and sustainable funding? If not now, when?
• How will the legislature deal with compensation? Facilities?
• Student assessment scores and teacher/principal evaluation?
Local bargaining – role of scores? Starting 2017-18.
Reauthorization of ESEA? After or before election?
• Smarter Balanced Assessments? Will Common Core hold in
Washington? SBA role in transition to postsecondary? Use of
SBA scores to determine postsecondary placement and need
for remediation courses in high school – Bridge to College.
11/13/15WashingtonStudentAchievementCouncil
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28. A few things on the legislative plate . . .
• Teacher and administer supply and demand? Recruitment,
retention, professional development? Early learning requirements?
Paraprofessionals? What about substitutes?
• Will Courts move quickly to block Initiative 1366?
• Will Bellevue College become WSU Bellevue? Will there be a new
WSU campus in Federal Way? How is WSU/Everett progressing?
Will the UW/China higher education partnership change the
landscape of higher education in Washington?
• Will reduced tuition be retained? How do we close opportunity
gaps in P-12 and postsecondary attainment? What about foster
care, children of incarcerated adults, special needs students, ELL,
etc.?
• Who will run for Governor? OSPI? Legislative seats? How does that
impact the 2016 and beyond session? Will Gay run for President on
the Republican ticket?
11/13/15WashingtonStudentAchievementCouncil
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29. Initiative 1351 – K-12 Class Size Reduction

30. Higher Ed Bears Brunt of Budget Cuts
30
WashingtonStudentAchievementCouncil
Percent change in Near General Fund biennial appropriations, 2007-09 – 2013-15.
Higher Education includes Opportunity Pathway account and HECB/WSAC appropriations.

31. Average resident undergraduate tuition since1984
From 2008 to 2012, average tuition and fees increased by 73 percent at Washington’s research
institutions, 56 percent at our regional institutions and 42 percent at our community colleges.
Proposedtuitionfreeze
fornexttwoyears

36. Constituents concerned about almost every other topic
communicate (by email and phone) to the Governor and
Legislators MORE than education funding supporters
10/17 – 10/23/15:
3,674 contacts opposing oil terminals
80 contacts supporting homelessness fixes
38 contacts opposing fish and wildlife agency ruling
5 contacts honoring Tillie the Dog
*** 0 contacts supporting education funding
6/17 – 7/2/15:
653 contacts supporting transportation revenue package
390 contacts requesting statewide ban on fireworks
125 contacts opposed to marijuana revenue reform
114 contacts opposed to railway oil transport
16 contacts opposed to animal cruelty in South Korea
*** 31 contacts supporting education funding
5/1 – 5/7/15:
4,192 contacts supporting law enforcement body cameras
1,925 contacts supporting increased investments in the state’s health care system
1,519 contacts opposed to pesticides
67 contacts supporting increased investments in higher education
*** 20 contacts supporting education funding
3/27 – 4/2/15:
256 contacts supporting solar energy investments
*** 11 contacts supporting education funding

38. Politics
Not enemies nor friends,
But allies and opponents.

39. Building New
Partnerships
Creating New
Pathways

40. 40
By 2023…
Current level of
attainment: 50%
At least 70% of
Washington adults
ages 25-44 will have
a postsecondary
credential.
Current level of
attainment: 89%
100% of adults ages
25-44 in Washington
will have a high school
diploma or
equivalent.

41. Our Vision
41
We inspire and foster
excellence in educational
attainment.

42. Demographic Imperative/Support
42
Source: Longanecker, D. (2012). Knocking at the college door. Retrieved from http://www.wiche.edu/info/knocking-8th/profile/wa.pdf

43. 43
Source: Washington Student Achievement Council Staff Analysis of 2009-2011 American Community Survey 3-year PUMS data
file. Wages Include civilian employed WA residents age 25-64. Unemployed rate reflects civilian labor force for WA residents
age 25-64.
Education = Lower
Unemployment
WashingtonStudentAchievementCouncil

44. The Council of Presidents 2013 44
By 2018, About Two-Thirds of all Employment
Will Require Some College Education or More
Source: Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements Through 2018. Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, August 2012

45. “Leadership is
influence.”
John Maxwell

46. As a leader,
what we all
fear is the
“Imposter
Syndrome”

48. Every leader is telling
a story about what he
or she values.

49. What do you
value?

50. As a leader,
if you don’t have
values,
you don’t add value.

57. Leaders at all levels . . . “lead in the
transformation of people and organizations.”
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58. Leaders build
capacity, not
dependency.

59. Adult behavior changes when . . .
“If you want to change people’s
behavior, “You need to create a
community around them, where these
new beliefs could be practiced,
expressed and nurtured”
Michael Fullan

60. The Leadership Challenge
The challenge of effective leadership is
to create a “system” for continuous
improvement that has a clarity of
purpose, a collaborative culture, a
focus on results, and all
based on trust.
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61. Leadership Teams . . .
In the essentials . . .
unity.
In the non-essentials . . .
freedom.
In all things . . .
clarity.

62. Leaders reward the right behavior .
. .

63. As a Leader You Know . . .
What gets measured
gets done.
What gets rewarded
gets repeated.

64.  What will you measure?
 What will you reward?
As a leader . . .

66. The Five A’s of Data Use
Accessible
Accurate
Actionable
Accountable
Applicable

67. “I like running the most. Sometimes I feel like I’m flying.
Like I can just keep on forever.”
-Sofia Batchelor
Photo Credit: The Columbian

70. Three, two, one . . . group discussion
Three new learnings . . .
Two ideas I can apply . . .
One concept I would like to know more about . . .