Concluding Reflecting statement (Part 2 of the Week 5 Assignment

“Research”.  The title of the course loomed ominously on the course calendar.  The title does not really do much to describe what the course was going to be about.  I assumed that we would be studying some educational issue and looking into its many different sources of information.  I had no idea what I was really going to be getting into with this new course.

Since so little could be gleaned from the title, the course had to begin with a description of what would be studied.  While research is clearly a central theme of the course, a more descriptive title might be “Administrator Inquiry”.  Described by Nancy Fichtman Dana, “administrator inquiry refers to the process of a principal engaging in systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice and taking action for change based on what he/she learns.”  (Dana, 2009, p. 2)  Dr. Elvis Arterbury explains further that administrator inquiry, or action research, “…involves adding something new to what is already known about your topic. Specifically, it means going beyond the current body of literature on a given topic, perhaps to answer a question as yet unexplored by those who have come before.  (Arterbury, 2010, p. 2)

Now we have a framework for understanding.  Action research is not simply a regurgitation of the literature regarding a topic.  While a literature review is important, it is only the beginning of true inquiry.  Action research must go further and explore new data or explore existing data in new ways.  Furthermore, action research involves action.  It is not enough just to study a topic.  The data uncovered must support taking action.

Throughout this 5301 Research course, I have explored the concept of action research.  I have considered the research in a new way.  No longer is research the struggle of poring over books and journals in a library and compiling their information into a single document.  Instead, research has become a means toward an end rather than the end product itself.  I have been encouraged to consider practices at school and areas that can be improved or built upon.  I have been encouraged to explore how to make those changes and how to measure the results.  Most of all, my classmates and I have been encouraged to make our leadership data driven.  Changes must be supported by data and evaluated.

Fortunately, action research can be a collaborative process.  My classmates and I have been instructed to create an online blog as well as communicating through the class discussion board.  This has proven to be an interesting way to share learning.  It is exciting to post thoughts on the internet and allow other educators to post their comments.  In addition, I hope that my comments have proven useful to others.  Unlike the class discussion board, peers in other sections have been able to participate and comment on the blogs.  This has brought in a whole new set of viewpoints that have been interesting to explore.

Finally, I have learned new ways to consider the action research of others and evaluate is applicability to my own situation.  Dana recommends five quality indicators when examining action research:  context, wondering and purpose, principal research design, principal-research learning (conclusions), and implications for practice.  (Dana, 2009, pp. 179-184)  This last bit was actually somewhat of a shock to me.  This section of the Dana text explains using these indicators in one’s own research.  However, and perhaps even more importantly, it explains how to assess the quality and transferability of research to one’s own situation.  This is significant and a perspective I had not considered.  We educators are bombarded with a wide variety of information about improving practices.  Finally, there has been discussion of a systematic method of assessing the quality of that flood of information.

So, after a five-week course during the hottest part of a Central Texas summer, I am embarking on my action research study of performance based compensation plans.  While this Texas weather will cool, my research will be heating up.

Arterbury, Elvis. Jenkins, Steven. (2010)  EDLD 5301 week 1 lecture.  Beaumont, TX:  Lamar University.

Dana, Nancy. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.      

Pitts: Nation's future depends on accountability in education

This is an op-ed piece that appeared in the Sunday, August 1 Austin American-Statesman. This, in my opinion, is exactly the image that we must fix. If even liberal columnists like Leonard Pitts see teacher unions as the problem, then we have a problem. Teachers unions must work toward being the solution, not the problem.

Pitts: Nation's future depends on accountability in education

The merit pay research plan

INQUIRY:  How can innovative compensation plans improve student achievement? GOAL:  To improve student achievement by implementing innovative compensation plans for teachers. TIMELINE:  If a new compensation plan is implemented, this project will take two years to complete.  The plan will be developed during the 2010-11 school year and proposed during the spring budgeting process.  The plan will be implemented during the 2011-12 school year and results evaluated for continuation or revision. Action Steps Person(s) Responsible Timeline:  Start/End Needed Resources Evaluation 1 Review the literature regarding performance compensation for teachers.  (Merit pay) David DeLuca July, 2010 / October, 2010 Internet, journals A variety of compensation plans and perspectives can be identified. 2 Gather student achievement data:  TAKS/EOC scores, pass/fail percentages.  This will be our benchmark for comparisons. Campus counselors Throughout the 2010-11 school year TAKS reports, 6 weeks grade reports Data gathered and compiled. 3 Create a Special Committee on Compensation, make up of teachers on all four campuses Principals and SBDM committees select members for this special committee October, 2010 Input from principals and SBDM committees Teachers agree to serve on committee 4 Consider and evaluate various compensation proposals Special Committee on Compensation (made up of teachers) Spring, 2011 Meeting time and space Committee selects a compensation plan to tailor to LGISD needs. 5 Present selected compensation plan to LGISD Administration Special Committee on Compensation Spring, 2011 Meeting time and space Admin backs compensation plan. 6 Present selected compensation plan to LGISD School Board Committee and administrators May, 2011 School Board meeting Presentation is made. 7 Plan is implemented for 2011-12 School Year LGISD School Board 2011-12 School Year Plan is implemented 8 Gather student achievement data:  TAKS/EOC scores, pass/fail percentages.  We will compare this to the 2010-11 data. Campus counselors Throughout the 2011-12 school year TAKS reports, 6 weeks grade reports Data gathered and compiled. 9 Compare 2010-11 data with 2011-12 data.  Special Committee on Compensation Spring, 2012 Meeting time and space Does student achievement show any changes attributable to teacher compensation? 10 Refine innovative compensation plan as needed or revert to a traditional plan Special Committee on Compensation, LGISD Administration Summer, 2012 Meeting time and space Admin backs compensation plan. Finally, I think an important part of this process will be reassessing the performance-based compensation each year to make sure that it is achieving its goals and not causing conflict or distress among the teaching and support staff.

Education Research Report

I want to encourage everyone to follow this blog that I found:

Education Research Report

It has hundreds of articles on a wide variety of education topics.  It may be very useful as we work through our 

action research projects.

The Questions...

Below are a statement of purpose for my action research and a list of five research questions. I am thinking that my questions may need a bit of refinement. Please feel free to comment.

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The most important element affecting student achievement is the teacher in the classroom. One area of education reform that is often discussed is professional compensation for teachers. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of teacher compensation plans on student achievement. Performance based compensation (merit pay) is often discussed when evaluating teacher salaries. The effect of merit pay on student achievement is worthy of study. Questions to be asked will include:

1. What are some examples of merit pay plans or programs?
2. How does merit pay affect teacher recruitment and retention?
3. What is the nature of teacher buy-in in areas that use merit pay programs?
4. Is there a relationship between teacher salary and student achievement?
5. Can La Grange ISD use an innovative teacher compensation plan that is affordable for the district, is fair to staff members while rewarding excellence, and leads to improved student learning?

I hope that my topic has merit...

I thought that, for my reflection today, I would copy the answer to the third paper in the Week 2 assignment.  It is a good summary of my thought process as I chose a topic.  I would like to thank my mom, Joan DeLuca, and my IS principal, Kim Miori, for helping in my brainstorming as I came up with a topic.

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In anticipating a meeting with Kim Miori, my campus supervisor and Intermediate School principal, I developed three topics for administrator inquiry.  My topics included the role of teachers’’ associations, the impact of school facilities, and the effect of random drug testing.  In seeking an appointment with Mrs. Miori, I emailed her my three topics to allow her the opportunity to consider them and formulate her own opinions.  Below are the three paragraphs I sent her describing my topics.

The role of teachers' associations in the improvement of schools. Public school teachers and employees belong to various organizations. Among the most popular in Texas are the Association of Texas Professional Educators, the Texas State Teachers Association (NEA), the Texas Classroom Teachers Association, and the Texas Federation of Teachers (AFT). Often, these organizations are viewed with a wary eye by administrators. Too often, these associations appear only to be interested in protecting jobs rather than improving classroom outcomes. However, these organizations can also be a powerful resource for administrators and teachers. What roles do teacher organizations currently play in campus life? What other roles can they play? What is the link between a teacher's job security or job satisfaction and that teacher's student's academic performance? (Full disclosure: I am on the state board of directors of TSTA and am a candidate for state Vice President of TSTA.  My overall interest in this is to help overcome the impression that teacher associations are detrimental to public education.)

How do a school's facilities impact student achievement? In May, our school board presented a $30 million bond proposal and it was soundly defeated at the polls. There are many reasons for its defeat, but I wish to focus on the adequacy of the existing facilities. Our seventh and eighth grade students are housed in a building built in 1927. Grades PK through 2 are in buildings built in the mid 1940's. The bond proposal was intended to remedy these issues. However, one statement made in opposition to the bond was that "bricks and mortar do not make a school". In fact, it has been said that "a good teacher can teach outside under a tree." On the surface, we educators know these statements to be false, but what does objective research say? Is there data to support the need for modern facilities? One fear that I have is finding a situation in which there are great facilities without an unusual student population. Outstanding school facilities are usually found in affluent areas with students from affluent families. How can a separate the influence of their school's physical plant from the many other advantages greater financial resources bring? Or should I try to make that separation? Outstanding facilities can be used to attract outstanding teachers. What data out there supports that assertion?

What is the effect of random drug testing on student achievement?  As you know, Elgin ISD recently decided to implement random drug testing among secondary students involved in UIL activities.  Each test will cost the district around $15.  Is this an effective use of money?  Does drug testing, or the threat of a drug test, affect student achievement?  Naturally, most people do not want young people to use illegal drugs or abuse legal medications.  However, is it the proper role of the public school to test students for drugs?  What are the issues involved in only testing a subset of the student population, particularly since it is a subset that may be less inclined to abuse drugs in the first place?  I am concerned that objective data may be difficult to find.  The goal of any drug testing like Elgin's is not to find drugs.  It is to serve as a deterrent.  One would expect the overwhelming majority of tests to come out negative.  However, it is difficult to assess drug use among a student population -- illegal drug users do not typically report their drug use.  Does illegal drug use/abuse have an adverse effect on a campus's TAKS scores?  In other words, do drug users fail the test at a greater rate than non-drug users?

My visit with Mrs. Miori went very well.  In fact, we sat and talked for about ninety minutes, but the time flew by.  One of our first tasks was to agree on the meaning of “action research”.  In her M. Ed. program, Mrs. Miori did an in-depth study of the numbers of minority students from La Grange who go on to college or other post high school education.  She also studied the recipients of scholarships from La Grange and linked that to the college figures.  She discovered that Hispanic females from La Grange overwhelmingly do not attend college.  They also do not receive a share of scholarships that is proportional to their share of the overall class population.  Mrs. Miori’s research also went on to examine the causes for this and to develop possible solutions.  One important difference between Mrs. Miori’s research and the action research that I am asked to do is the amount of time available.  Mrs. Miori took an entire year to compile her research and findings.  I have a five week course, with two of those weeks gone.  We therefore decided that such a longitudinal study would not be appropriate at this time.

Mrs. Miori was actually quite excited about the idea of studying the impact a school’s facilities has on student achievement.  This was especially significant due to our recently defeated bond proposal.  We discussed this for a while and also bandied about the issues surrounding my study of teachers’ associations.  With regard to facilities, we agreed that it would be difficult to focus only on school facilities.  Schools with nice facilities also tend to have other advantages.  Inside the nice building, one might also find nicer computers, nicer furniture, and better paid teachers.

It was with that last factor that the light bulb flashed.  What about those better paid teachers?  Performance based compensation – merit pay – is a hot-button issue among those who seek to “reform” public schools.  We began to focus our questions around the issue of merit pay.  Does merit pay for teachers impact student learning?  What was the reaction to Texas’ “career ladder” in the late 1980’s?  (I began teaching in the fall of 1992 and missed being impacted by career ladder.)  Are there ways to implement merit pay while avoiding most or all of its pitfalls?  What can we learn from schools, districts, or states that have a merit pay system?  What is the role of teachers’ associations/unions in all of this?  What ways, if any, could our school district use merit pay to improve student learning?

So, with all of that in mind, I have decided to pursue merit pay as my action research topic.  This is an excellent blend of issues that are passions of mine.  As a leader in TSTA/NEA, I have certainly heard much about merit pay.  I confess a predisposition against it.  However, I do have an open mind and would like to be persuaded that there are ways to use merit pay that are fair to educators and achieve desired academic results.  I also firmly believe that, if merit pay is to be a success, teacher groups such as TSTA/NEA must be central to the plan’s creation.  Teachers must have a seat at the table and must be involved in the decisions.

So, here I go into the world of performance based compensation. 

At last, I think I've found my topic

After a wonderful conversation with my site supervisor (and Intermediate School Principal), I have settled on a topic.  The purpose will be to examine the effects of Performance Based Compensation (also known as merit pay for teachers) on student achievement.  In today's atmosphere of education reform, merit pay is often mentioned as a reform worthy of consideration.  Some stakeholders even appear to consider merit pay a panacea that will cure all that is wrong with public education.  However, what evidence is there that merit pay has any positive effect on student learning?

The implementation of non-traditional pay plans can have the benefit of improving the student learning.  Some merit pay plans can, however, pit teacher against teacher and be detrimental to the collaborative atmosphere of schools.  What is the best way to implement a merit pay plan that avoids some of the pitfalls?