Appendix F: LLC Action Research Planning Template

Action Research Team

Step 1 Identify the Problem

Step 2 Collect and Analyze Data

The Action Research Cycle

FIGURE F.1 The action research cycle

Step 3 Consider Solutions

What were the results of your analysis of the data?

Based on these results, what is your theory of action?

Please complete the logic model below to show how your program will achieve your goal. (Hint: You think this is the answer to your research question.)

Logic Model

Results

Next Steps

Appendix G: LLC Progress Update Protocols

The LLC progress update meetings will be conducted in the LLC leaders’ schools at various times throughout the LLC. These meetings include the LLC leaders and their LLC coach, LLC facilitator, and superintendent (4-way). Where the LLC Leaders are not principals, their principals will also be invited to attend the meetings (5-way).

The purpose of the LLC progress update meetings is to provide an opportunity for each party to develop a better understanding of the leaders’ progress over the first year of the LLC, their intended activities for year two, and the support they need to complete these activities.

The following questions have been developed to assist LLC leaders in preparing for the meetings.

• 1. What has been the main focus of your involvement in the LLC over the last year?
• 2. We have been using action research to help guide school improvement. Please describe your experience using the action research process.

a. What is your problem statement?

b. What is your research question?

c. What steps have you taken to answer this question?

• 3. How have you been using data to lead this process?
• 4. In what ways have you been involving other leaders in this process?
• 5. In what ways have your efforts led to developing a culture that supports teaching and learning?

• 6. Overall, how has your participation in the LLC helped you develop as a leader over the past year? (How have your LLC coach, principal, and LLC facilitator helped you develop as a leader?)
• 7. Looking ahead, what do you plan to accomplish in the next year?
• 8. How can we (your superintendent, LLC coach, principal, LLC facilitator) help you accomplish your goals for next year?

Appendix H: LLC Leader Interview Protocol

The LLC interviews (also called “Summer Meetings”) will be conducted in June and July at the LLC leaders’ and coaches’ schools or offices. The purpose of the meetings is to develop a better understanding of the progress that leaders and coaches have made over the first year of the LLC and to identify ways to improve the LLC in year two.

• 1. At our April progress update meeting and at the state administrators’ conference, you described the main focus of your involvement in the LLC over the last year, the overall impact the LLC has had on your leadership development, and your goals for next year. What, if anything, would you like to add to that discussion now?
• 2. Let’s go back to the time you first heard about the LLC and were preparing your application. Please describe how you became involved in the LLC.
• 3. What did you hope to gain through your involvement?

Probing questions:

How did you believe your involvement would impact your school?

How did you believe your involvement would impact you as a professional?

• 4. What changes have you seen in your school as a result of the LLC?
• 5. What changes have you seen in yourself as a result of the LLC?
• 6. We would like to try to understand how your participation in the LLC led to these changes. We’d specifically like to talk about your work with your LLC coach and your LLC facilitator, participating in the LLC meetings, and using action research as a framework for leading school improvement. Please tell us about your experiences working with your LLC coach.

Probing questions:

Please describe your current relationship with your LLC coach.

In what ways does your LLC coach support you?

What factors (years of experience, gender, race, education, etc.) impact your relationship? How do these factors impact your relationship?

Do you believe your coach/leader was an appropriate match for you? Why?

Describe a time when you experienced a challenge in your relationship. How did you respond to this challenge?

Describe a time when you experienced a success in your relationship.

• 7. How could your LLC coach better assist you?
• 8. Please tell us about working with your LLC facilitator. In what ways has this person helped you develop as a leader?
• 9. How could your LLC facilitator better assist you?
• 10. The LLC is intended to provide leaders and coaches with a professional community where they can learn and develop as professionals. In a professional community, there is:

a shared sense of norms and values.

a collective focus on learning how to meet students’ educational needs.

an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues.

an opportunity chance to share ideas about leadership practice with colleagues, an opportunity to reflect on learning.

In what ways has the LLC served as a professional community for you?

• 11. How could the LLC be changed to better help you learn and develop as a leader?
• 12. The LLC is using action research as a framework for leading school improvement. How well, if at all, do you feel using action research has helped guide your school improvement efforts?
• 13. What suggestions do you have for improving the way action research has been used in the LLC?
• 14. At our April progress update meeting and at the state administrators’ conference, you talked about what you plan to accomplish next year. What, if anything, would you like to add to that discussion now?
• 15. In addition to what you mentioned at these meetings, is there anything else that we (your superintendent, LLC coach, principal, LLC facilitator) could do to help you accomplish your goals for next year?
• 16. Is there anything else we should have asked you or anything else you would like to share?