CPACE: Notes on Instructional Leadership

High Standards and Achievement Gaps

Commitment to High Standards for All Students

Equity vs. Equality
All students are expected to meet the standards outlined by the state and federal governments. School leaders are responsible for providing students with the instruction, resources, and support necessary to meet these standards. Equality refers to providing all students with the same resources and support, regardless of their needs. Equity refers to providing students with the resources and support that meet their individual needs. An example of equality would be that all students receive ninety minutes of reading instruction each day. An example of equity would be that students who have shown deficiencies in reading receive an extra thirty minutes of reading instruction each day. When leaders implement equity in schools, this may mean that some students receive more resources and support than others, or different support and resources. Leaders must be aware of what students need so that the right resources and support can be used to support these students. This need may be due to a lack of educational opportunity, physical or intellectual disabilities, or other circumstances. All students need resources and support to enrich their education, but practicing equity means that students will receive appropriate resources based on their identified needs.

Creating a Culture of High Expectations
A culture of high expectations means that staff and students strive toward high goals and excellence. A leader can create a culture of high expectations by setting campus goals above minimum standards. For example, if the required student attendance rate is
90%, the leader can set a goal for a 95% attendance rate for the campus. The leader can also reward student and staff performance that exceeds expectations. For example, the leader may publicly celebrate students who achieve Honor Roll. Another strategy for creating a culture of high expectations is to provide models of excellence for students and staff. These models can be effective programs on other campuses, role models in the community, or exemplary staff and students on campus. To create a culture of high expectations, a leader must also address performance that does not meet expectations in an effective manner. It must be clear to staff and students that performing below expectations is not acceptable. The leader must also provide the resources necessary for staff and students to meet the high expectations that have been set.

Evidence of a Culture of High Expectations on School Campuses
It is evident that a school has a culture of high expectations by what is seen and heard on campus. The culture of high expectations is evidenced by the campus appearance, including its cleanliness, organization, and posted materials. Bulletin boards and other visual aids in the hallways and in classrooms should demonstrate high expectations for academic achievement, character, and behavior. For example, a school may post college pennants and posters in the hallways to demonstrate an expectation that students are college-ready. Also, the instruction that is observed in the classroom should be evidence of high expectations for students and their ability to perform academically. The culture of high expectations is also evidenced by how students and staff speak. When there are high expectations, teachers and students speak positively about learning and meeting goals. There is little to no negative talk in regard to learning and performance. Instead, there is problem-solving, brainstorming, and action-planning to meet academic goals. A culture of high expectations on campus is evidenced by the performance, which is indicated by goal attainment and student performance data.

Evidence of a Culture of High Expectations in Classrooms
Within the classroom, a culture of high expectations is evident by the appearance of the classroom and the behavior of teacher and students. First, the classroom will be neat, organized, and conducive to learning. Posted materials will be academically relevant, positive, and encouraging. In a classroom with a culture of high expectations, the teacher begins class on time and is prepared for the lesson. Materials and technology are ready for the start of class and there is a clear objective for the day's lesson. The teacher makes an effort to engage all students and uses a variety of instructional strategies to do so. In this classroom, students are eager to participate and remain engaged in the lesson throughout its entirety. Students demonstrate engagement in and mastery of the content by engaging in discussion with the teacher and their peers. There are few, if any, behavioral problems in this type of classroom, and if they do arise the teacher addresses them quickly and appropriately. There is evidence in the classroom of a good relationship and rapport between the teacher and the students, and no students are allowed to disengage from the lesson.

Identifying Achievement Gaps

Achievement Gaps
The term 'achievement gap' refers to the disparity in educational performance of students of low socioeconomic status, minority students, and female students. Educational performance is measured by many indicators such as course grades, pass/fail rates and promotion, standardized test performance, course selection, graduation rates, college enrollment rates, and many other indicators. The achievement gap exists as a national phenomenon but is also observed at the state level, district level, and even within campuses. The achievement gap was identified over fifty years ago and continues today. There is an abundance of research regarding why it exists and how to address it at all educational levels, but so far there has not been any success in eliminating it. As a result, leaders should be prepared to identify and address achievement gaps on their campuses.

Performance Indicators
The best way to determine the existence of an achievement gap on campus is to analyze student performance indicators. Leaders can use a variety of performance indicators to identify if an achievement gap exists on their campus and, if so, for whom. Leaders can analyze performance data for standardized tests administered over the past 2–3 years to identify any disparities. The data should be compared based on socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, gender, special education status, limited English proficiency status, and any other subgroups that are relevant to the campus. If an achievement gap exists, students in a particular subgroup will consistently perform at a lower rate when compared to the other groups of students. This method of analysis should be repeated for other performance indicators such as grades, pass/fail rates, promotion and retention, graduation, and any others that are relevant to the campus goals.

Comparing Performance with Outside Standards
A school leader may evaluate data on campus and determine that all students, regardless of demographics, are performing academically at comparable rates. This is often the case in schools with little to no diversity. However, a lack of evidence of an achievement gap within a campus does not mean that students are not affected by it. The school leader should compare the performance of students on his or her campus to other schools in the surrounding area, both within and outside of the school district. The leader may then find that his or her students are not performing at the same level as students in other schools. For example, a school leader may find that the majority of students on his or her campus are demonstrating a proficiency of 76% in math, while students in other schools are demonstrating a proficiency of 88%. Consequently, the school leader may realize that students at his or her school need to improve in math to remain on pace with their academic peers.

Planning to Reduce Gaps

Reducing the Achievement Gap
To reduce the achievement gap on campus, leaders should assess the needs of the underperforming groups of students and align resources and support in an equitable manner. Leaders can provide targeted interventions to these students based on their identified needs. For example, the leader may schedule math and reading tutorials for a particular subgroup of students who have demonstrated deficiencies in that area. A leader should also set campus goals that specifically address the performance of underperforming groups of students. This will ensure that there is an action plan for addressing the needs of these students, as well as specific resources dedicated to their performance. Finally, a leader should track data for the performance indicators that show the achievement gap. This data should be collected and analyzed at regular intervals so that additional interventions, resources, and support can be implemented, if necessary. In order to reduce the achievement gap, the leader should target these students with resources and support and monitor their progress on a regular basis.

Addressing the Achievement Gap

Goal-Setting
Goal-setting can help to address the achievement gap because it focuses attention on the groups of students who need extra support and helps to target resources in those areas. Areas in which school leaders create goals receive attention and targeted resources. When goals are developed that specifically address areas of the school programming with evidence of an achievement gap, the school leader can turn the focus of students, staff, and the community to these areas. Additionally, when goals are created, there is a determination to accomplish those goals, so if a goal is related to the achievement gap, it is more likely that the gap will be addressed. For example, if the school leader has seen evidence in the data that
Hispanic students with limited English proficiency are lagging behind their peers in reading performance, the school leader can develop a school goal that specifically addresses the reading performance of Hispanic students with limited English proficiency. As a result, there would be increased focus on all
Hispanic students with limited English proficiency, including the dedication of time, effort, and resources.

Data Monitoring
Data monitoring can be used to address the achievement gap because it can help to identify areas of the school program where the gap exists and to monitor changes in the achievement gap on campus. First, data should be used to identify where an achievement gap is present. The achievement gap is typically present in reading and math content areas, but can vary among other subject areas, as well as by groups of students. For example, a school leader may find that there is a gap in math performance between African American students and their peers, but that the gap is largest among African American males. Additionally, the data can show the school leader where the gap may be narrowing due to the instructional strategies and changes in school programming, or where the gap has shifted to another group of students. Therefore, data monitoring is key in identifying the achievement gap, determining the efficacy of strategies implemented to address the achievement gap, and assessing changes in the achievement gap among other student populations.

Curriculum and Instruction

Rigor and Relevance

Rigor
Rigor in academic instruction refers to challenging curriculum and instruction. Rigorous instruction challenges students not only academically, but also intellectually, and even personally. Rigorous instruction is often complex and challenges students to think deeply and critically. Through rigorous instruction, students are able to develop the soft skills necessary for success in college, career, and adulthood, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, inferring, studying, time management, self-discipline, working in teams, and many others. Rigor does not mean something is excessively hard or difficult. However, rigor does involve stimulating, engaging instruction. Rigorous instruction often requires students to make connections across academic content areas and apply concepts to the real world. For example, if a high school English teacher wanted to assign a rigorous assignment based on a reading of <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i>, he or she could assign a project in which students discuss the impact of the political setting in the United States at the time of the story on the plot. In contrast, a non-rigorous assignment could be a worksheet of multiple-choice questions.

Ensuring Rigor in the Instructional Program
A school leader must ensure that all students have access to a rigorous instructional program. First, a leader must evaluate the curriculum for alignment to state standards. This ensures that all curriculum is designed to instruct students based on the expectations set by the state. This prevents the lowering of standards in the classroom, which could lead to students falling behind. Next, a leader must determine that curriculum is taught in a rigorous manner. This includes creating lessons that require students to think critically. A leader may encourage instructional strategies such as differentiated instruction, project-based learning, and collaborative learning to help foster rigorous instruction in the classroom. Finally, the school leader must ensure that assessment of instruction is rigorous. This may mean encouraging the use of projects and other creative means that allow students to demonstrate mastery of standards and objectives. A rigorous instructional program avoids reliance on worksheets and other assessment activities that do not align with a rigorous instructional program.

How Campus Goals Can Support Rigorous Instruction
Rigorous instruction is challenging yet feasible for students. Campus goals can support rigorous instruction by motivating instructional staff to have high expectations for teaching and learning. When a goal is set high, it challenges instructional staff to work harder and with greater urgency, which requires utilizing rigorous instruction. For example, if a campus has had prior reading performance of 65%, a campus goal of 70% would not require significant change from the prior year's strategies and practice. However, setting a reading performance goal of 80% for the school year would encourage teachers to provide rigorous instruction to students to meet the higher performance expectation. Low expectations in goal setting will result in low expectations in instruction and high expectations in goal setting will result in high expectations in instruction. Similarly, when campus goals include all populations and sub-populations of students, rigorous instruction is supported. This ensures that low-performing students and high-performing students receive instruction at their appropriate level of rigor.

Benefits of Cross-Curricular Instruction
Cross-curricular instruction is the deliberate making of connections between various content areas so that students may apply their knowledge in more than one content area at a time. For example, students may examine the historical setting of a story in a reading class, utilize math strategies in a science class, or discuss geometric principles in an art class. Cross-curricular instruction is beneficial for students because it demonstrates the relevance of their content knowledge. When students understand that the instruction is not isolated to one particular area, but has applicability in other areas, students find the knowledge to be more meaningful. Additionally, utilizing concepts and skills in different contexts helps students to master and retain those skills. Cross-curricular instruction also aids students in their critical thinking skills such as inferring, drawing conclusions, predicting, and so forth. Cross-curricular instruction benefits teachers as well as students because it facilitates collaboration among colleagues. Teachers can plan together when lessons align across content areas and even team-teach lessons.

Supporting Cross-Curricular Instruction
Leaders can support cross-curricular instruction by facilitating collaboration and providing resources for teachers. Cross-curricular instruction can be done independently but is more effective when teachers can collaborate in lesson planning. Leaders can provide time during the school day or at other times for teachers of different content areas to collaborate and examine the curriculum for opportunities for cross-curricular instruction. Also, leaders can support cross-curricular instruction by providing the appropriate resources.
Teachers may have ideas that require books, supplies, or other materials to facilitate these lessons. Additionally, teachers may need training or professional development resources to help them present cross-curricular lessons effectively. Leaders can cultivate an environment where cross-curricular instruction is supported, encouraged, and praised.

Alignment of Curriculum and Instruction to Assessment
Curriculum and instruction must be aligned to assessment because what is taught must be measured and what is measured must be taught. If instruction is not aligned to the assessment, there will likely be no measurement of how well students mastered what was taught. Additionally, if instruction is not aligned to the assessment, students will likely be assessed on concepts and material they have not been taught.
Neither scenario is fair or beneficial to students. In the case of district- or campus-created assessments, the assessment is often created first because this defines what students should know at the conclusion of the given time period. Then, based on the assessment's expectations, teachers can plan the order and pacing of the concepts and skills to teach. On state-mandated tests, students are expected to have mastered all skills and objectives provided by the state, but no one is aware of the test content until its administration.

Relationship Between Rigor and Differentiated Instruction challenging to students, but not impossible. However, classrooms are diverse and not all students perform at the same academic levels. As a result, teachers must provide an appropriate level of rigorous instruction to students based on their current performance. When teachers differentiate instruction for students, they cater to the individual needs of students, such as identifying the appropriate level of rigor for particular students or groups. For example, an eighth-grade math teacher would not give the same assignment to a struggling student as he or she would to a student who is performing above grade level. Each student needs a unique level of rigorous instruction. The teacher may identify that adding and subtracting fractions is a rigorous activity for the struggling student whereas the high-performing student may be able to solve algebraic equations that include fractions.

Relevance in Instruction
Relevance in instruction refers to how content is related to other content and to the real world, as experienced by the students in the classroom. When instruction is not relevant, students may have difficulty making connections to the instruction, identifying or connecting any background knowledge they may have, or retaining the information. In contrast, when instruction is relevant, students understand how the content connects to what they already know, what they are learning in other areas, and to the world around them. For example, a math teacher may explain to students how using an algebraic function can help them calculate their weekly paycheck on a job. An English teacher may compare a plot from classic literature to a modern-day movie or story to help students to make connections. Teachers make instruction relevant by demonstrating how the new content connects with old content, with the content they are learning in other courses, and with the real world as they experience it.

Supporting Student Engagement and Performance with Relevance in Instruction
When instruction is relevant to students, they are more likely to engage in it and demonstrate better academic performance. Students are better able to engage in relevant instruction because they understand how the new content relates to what they already know, which can build their interest and provide them with a way to contribute to the lesson. For example, if the students are reading a story in which a character spends a day at the beach, a student who has never been to the beach may have difficulty engaging in the lesson, whereas a student who has visited the beach is more eager to share experiences and connections to the lesson. Similarly, when students are taught abstract concepts, they may have difficulty grasping and retaining them if they are not relevant. In contrast, when students understand how concepts are applied in the real world, they are more likely to retain them. For example, students may learn about chemical reactions in a science course, but if they are shown how these chemical reactions occur in everyday life, such as cooking, they will have a deeper understanding of the concept and be more likely to retain it.

School-Wide Practices and Focus on Standards-Based Instruction

Differentiated Instruction
Differentiated instruction refers to providing customized or tailored instruction to students to meet their diverse learning needs. These learning needs can be determined by previous academic performance, special needs such as a physical or learning disability, learning style, or other means. Based on the identified needs, teachers can differentiate the content, process, or product of the instruction. When teachers differentiate content, they provide different content to students, such as a math teacher instructing one group of students on fractions and another group on algebraic equations. When teachers differentiate by process, a teacher provides different modes of instruction, such as video or media, field experiences, exploratory discovery, or other means. When a teacher differentiates by product, she provides different ways for students to demonstrate mastery of the content such as through writing, performance, or projects, among others. Teachers may differentiate instruction in all of these areas or in selected areas, based on the needs of the students.

Using Data to Support Differentiated Instruction
Instruction is differentiated based on students' needs. Data can be used to identify these needs, especially in the area of academic performance. Historical student performance data as well as current formative and summative assessments can help to determine the type of instruction a student may need. For example, the data may show that a certain group of students has deficits in reading. These students may benefit from not only reading a text, but additional methods of instructional delivery, as well as specific instruction that helps to build their reading skills. Data may inform campus leaders on what courses to offer. For example, if historical data demonstrates that many students have achieved advanced performance on state assessments, the leader may consider offering advanced classes in certain academic areas such as Advanced Placement, Gifted and Talented, Honors, and others. Other data that can be used to identify ways of differentiating instruction for students includes learning styles inventories, personality assessments, and observational data. These types of data can help teachers determine how to tailor instruction in a way that will support student learning and increase their academic performance.

Monitoring Curricular Programs to Ensure Student
Needs and Content Standards Are Met

Monitoring Curricular Programs to Ensure They Are Meeting Student Needs
The school leader must monitor curricular programs to ensure that student needs are being met. If curricular programs do not meet student needs, students will not be successful and campus goals will not be met. The curricular program must meet the academic and social needs of students. For example, if a population of students on campus is consistently exceeding the performance standards on assessments, they need a curricular program that extends their learning and supports their academic growth. If the entire curricular program is centered on remediation, that group of students will not have their needs met. Campus leaders examine student needs and design the curricular program based on those needs. Such decisions may include which classes to offer, the uses of self-contained instruction or content-specific instruction, the offering of the arts and other ancillary instruction, the integration of tutorials and remediation into the school day, and many others.

Monitoring Curricular Programs to Ensure That They Meet Content Standards curricular programs to ensure that they meet content standards. Content standards are determined by the state and are the basis for the design of state testing. Therefore, when curricular programs are not aligned to the content standards, students will not be prepared for state testing. If students are not prepared for state testing, they will not perform well and campus goals will not be met. Campus leaders must be mindful of how students will be assessed so that the curricular programs support instruction to adequately prepare students for those assessments. Additionally, ensuring that the campus curricular program meets content standards aids in vertical and horizontal alignment of instruction and curriculum both on campus and within the district. Vertical and horizontal alignment helps with collaborative planning among colleagues and ensures continuity of instruction for students, especially those with high mobility rates within the school district.

Effectively Monitoring the Curricular Program
Leaders can effectively monitor the curricular program by analyzing data, conducting observations, and soliciting feedback from stakeholders. If a curricular program is appropriate, student performance data in regard to content standards will be reflective of that. If students are not performing well, the campus leader may need to identify whether the curricular program has deficits or the programming is mismatched with student needs. Also, the leader can identify if the curricular program is working, based on observations of instruction on campus. For example, if the leader observes that students are demonstrating high levels of engagement in science courses, there may be an opportunity to expand the curricular program in science. Also, the leader can solicit feedback from stakeholders, such as teachers, students, and parents. These people may identify needs or strengths of the curricular program for the leader to address. For example, Language Arts teachers may identify a need to separate reading and writing instruction in the curricular program to provide students with more time for instruction in these areas.

Assessment and Accountability

Ongoing Analyses for Quality of Teaching and Learning

Evaluating the Quality of Teaching on Campus
The quality of teaching on campus can be evaluated through observations and data. A school leader should spend time in the classrooms to observe teaching in action. A school leader will recognize effective and ineffective teaching practices. It is important to observe teaching to evaluate quality so that if corrections are necessary, these can be made in time to affect student performance. After teaching has been completed, the school leader can analyze student performance data to evaluate the quality of the teaching. If teaching is of good quality, the majority of students should be able to grasp the concepts and demonstrate mastery on assessments. If many students are unable to master these concepts and objectives, teaching efficacy needs to be evaluated. School leaders can use both formative and summative assessments as indicators of teaching quality.

Evaluating the Quality of Learning on Campus
Student learning can be evaluated in a number of ways. A school leader can determine the quality of learning on campus through observations, feedback from students, and student performance data. When the school leader observes classroom instruction, he or she has the opportunity to observe students in the learning process. If students are excited about the content, are engaging significantly in the process, and are successful when checked for understanding, there is likely a high quality of learning. Also, a school leader may solicit feedback from students regarding their learning. This can be in the form of surveys, focus groups, or individual interviews. The students can be asked about the learning environment, the relevance of content, and the rigor of the instruction, among other quality indicators. Finally, a school leader needs to analyze student performance data to determine the quality of learning. If students are not meeting expectations on assessments, the quality of learning can likely be improved.

Improving Teaching Already Deemed Effective
Even if teaching is deemed effective, there are still benefits to improving. Some school leaders focus solely on improving ineffective instruction, but that narrow focus results in a missed opportunity to develop and reinforce a culture of high expectations on campus. Effective instruction can become highly effective with additional support and strategies. When a school leader is committed to improving all instruction on campus, even instruction that is considered effective, all staff are encouraged to grow professionally for the benefit of students. This fosters an environment of continuous improvement and also helps teachers to seek changes in the instructional program and in student diversity. This environment also encourages innovation in the classroom to find new and creative ways for instructing learners. Also, increasing the effectiveness of teaching can help high-performing students to grow and perform at even higher academic levels.

Addressing Ineffective Teaching
It is a school leader's responsibility to address ineffective teaching. First, the leader must identify ineffective teaching. This is done through observations of classroom instruction and review of student performance. Next, a leader must communicate to the teacher which aspects of the instruction are ineffective. A leader should be strategic in communicating areas of improvement to avoid discouraging the teacher and to focus the teacher's growth in the areas that will have the most impact on students. Then, the leader must provide the resources and support to improve the ineffective teaching. This can include professional development and instructional coaching. The leader should also continue to monitor instruction to determine if improvements are being made. In some instances, depending on the severity of the deficits in instruction, the school leader may decide to change staff's instructional assignments or even remove staff from their assignments. If staff is changed or removed, the school leader must adhere to district policies regarding staff changes.

Formative and Summative Assessment, Effective Teaching, and Program Quality

Formative Assessment
Formative assessment is designed to monitor student learning. Formative assessment is useful in providing
feedback to students so they will know which areas they need to improve and so teachers will also know areas in which to improve their teaching. The results of formative assessment may help teachers identify instructional areas for re-teaching or identify students for interventions and tutorials. Formative assessment may include checks for understanding within the classroom, classroom activities, and other guided and independent work. Formative assessments are usually activities that are low stakes, meaning that often no grade or point value is attached. For example, a teacher may ask students to represent their understanding of a concept using a graphic organizer. A teacher may also provide feedback on a pre-writing activity before a student writes an essay. Formative assessment may occur frequently and feedback should be timely in order to be relevant.

Summative Assessment
Summative assessment is used to evaluate student learning for mastery. Summative assessment usually occurs at the end of an instructional unit or a designated period of time such as a grading period or school year. These assessments are aligned to objectives or standards and are usually high stakes, which means they may count for a significant portion of the grade or may determine students' progress in their educational careers. A summative assessment may be a midterm or final exam, a research project, a unit test, or a standardized exam. The results of summative assessments may determine a student's grade promotion or earning of course credit. Results from summative assessment may also determine a school's performance according to accountability standards. Summative assessment results are often used by school leaders for instructional planning and goal-setting for the subsequent school year.

Indicators of Effective Teaching
A leader can use several indicators to identify effective teaching on campus. With effective teaching, there is a clear goal or objective to be accomplished with the instruction. This objective is communicated to students and is evident throughout the lesson. Additionally, there is a clear lesson cycle throughout the instructional delivery, such as a gradual release teaching model in which students are supported throughout the learning process. When there is effective teaching, students are engaged in learning and demonstrate retention of the concepts through formative assessment. Effective instruction includes diverse instructional strategies to meet the needs of learners and is responsive to the results of the formative assessment conducted in the classroom. Also, effective teaching is evident in student performance data. Students who receive effective instruction are able to perform to standard on assessments.

Assessing Program Quality
A leader can assess program quality using data and feedback from stakeholders. Data that can inform a leader regarding program quality includes participation or attendance data, student performance data, and any other metrics that are collected, such as those specified by grants or state and national associations. If a program is good quality, parents and community members will participate in it, which is reflected in the participation and attendance data. Also, student performance will reflect whether a program is high quality. If student performance is below standard, this may be an indicator that the school's programming may be misaligned or below standard. Other metrics dictated by outside agencies may include the data relating to parent and community events, awards received, college acceptance, and others. A leader can also obtain feedback from stakeholders. Teachers, staff, students, and community members will generally be pleased with the implementation of a high-quality program. Low approval of the school's program may suggest that the leader needs to examine its appropriateness on campus or its implementation.

Alternative Assessment Methods
Traditional methods of assessment usually involve a standardized test with closed questions, which require students to select an answer from several choices. Educators are now trying to incorporate a greater variety of assessment methods so that students can demonstrate mastery of content and objectives in different ways. These alternative methods may include writing assessments, project assessments, and performance assessments. Writing assessments may include responding to open-ended questions or writing an essay or work of fiction. Project assessments typically require students to conduct extensive research and compile a final product with multiple parts or aspects. Project assessments have typically been used in science and social studies courses but are now being incorporated across the curriculum. Performance assessments require the student to perform in front of peers or the teacher. These may include a speech, skit, dance, or some other physical demonstration of their learning. Many of these alternative assessments are also facilitated using technology applications.

Communicating Progress Toward Goals

Communicating with Staff
It is important for a school leader to communicate with staff about progress toward goals to maintain or increase momentum, as well as to celebrate successes. A leader can communicate with staff about progress toward goals through the normal channels: emails, employee newsletters, or staff meetings. Incorporating goal progress within these forms of communication helps the staff to view goal progress as something that is as important as the other topics that are being communicated. Also, it does not require staff to utilize a new or foreign form of communication to determine progress toward goals. However, a leader may want to publicize progress in more public or visible ways. These may include public announcements, posters or charts in hallways and meeting rooms, or special charts and graphs that can be shared with staff. Reaching goals or goal milestones can also be celebrated with awards, certificates, or other means.

Communicating with Parents and Community
A leader should communicate with parents and community about goal progress often and in a variety of ways. This can include community meetings in which stakeholders are invited to hear about school performance in a variety of areas, with a focus on goals. Additionally, the leader can provide a newsletter or bulletin to update the community on school performance, upcoming events, and ways to get involved with the school to help achieve the goals. Many schools feature phone systems that can mass call the homes of students, which can be used to communicate announcements regarding school goals and progress toward them. Similarly, school leaders can mail
letters to parents with updates regarding the school goals. Progress toward school goals can also be communicated in other meetings that involve parents and community members, such as committee meetings, parent teacher organization meetings, and advisory board meetings.

Communicating with Students
Teachers can communicate with students about the school's goals and how their individual efforts and performance contribute toward achieving them. For goals that are related to student academic performance, teachers can help students take ownership of their own performance by setting individual goals and tracking their progress toward them. Students can be provided with data trackers to track their own progress toward their individual goals. Teachers can speak with students individually about the support they need to accomplish their goals. Teachers can also set class goals that align with campus goals and encourage students to reach them. For example, if the school has a goal of 90% proficiency in math performance, a math teacher can help students set individual goals in math. This ensures that students understand how their behaviors affect their class and school and demonstrates how they can contribute to the school's success while achieving their own success.

Importance of Facilitating Two-Way Communication
Two-way communication on progress toward goals is important because it provides stakeholders with the opportunity to convey to the leader why goals may or may not be achieved. When a leader facilitates two-way communication, he or she can receive feedback on the efficacy of existing strategies, ideas for additional strategies, or requests for additional resources or support. For example, if the campus has a goal to increase student proficiency in technology and the leader has purchased certain technology hardware to accomplish this goal, teachers may provide feedback that the chosen hardware has not been effective in exposing students to technology and that another type of hardware may be necessary. Additionally, two-way communication may reveal unexpected barriers to achieving goals. For example, a teacher may inform the leader that the technology goal may be difficult to achieve because the school technology infrastructure cannot support the increased internet usage on campus. A leader can benefit from two-way communication about progress toward goals by receiving additional information that can lead to refining or revising goals, or that assures the leader that the right actions have been implemented.