Lancaster Elementary School : Analysis Of The Role & Effects Of Organizational Change & School Improvement Research Paper

Abstract

This paper explores the selected case narrative and provides a comprehensive analysis of the role and effects of organizational change and school improvement. It is necessary to analyze student achievement and practices of an elementary school, namely Lancaster Elementary School located in Lancaster, Texas. This school is located in the Lancaster Independent School District. In this paper, special attention will be paid to the study of the schools Math curriculum in relation to the STAAR results of students that are struggling in this area. It is necessary to consider PLC (professional learning community) school-wide, assessing the entire school and their engagement in PLC to increase better performances in testing. It has been found that an educational leader should create the proper conditions for change, plan change, implement change, and sustain change in school setting. The campus improvement process provides staff members with high quality professional development opportunities and helps to improve students’ learning outcomes.

 

Introduction

As a professional educator and/or administrator should be focused on connecting research and practice, it is crucial not only to discuss best practices aimed at organizational change and school improvement, but also to implement such practices at schools in order to enhance the teaching and learning process. As a whole, an educational leader should use his/her skills and abilities to create the proper conditions for organizational change. According to researchers, an educational leader involved in school improvement process should address the major implementation problems such as: “building trust, creating a culture of mutual responsibility, building support, setting goals and responding to teachers’ stress in the face of change” (Smylie, 2010, p. 3).

The major goal of this term paper is to conduct a research based on the selected case narrative. It is necessary to analyze student achievement and practices of an elementary school, namely Lancaster Elementary School located in Lancaster, Texas. This school is located in the Lancaster Independent School District. In this paper, special attention will be paid to the study of the schools Math curriculum in relation to the STAAR results of students that are struggling in this area.  It is necessary to consider PLC (professional learning community) school-wide, assessing the entire school and their engagement in PLC to increase better performances in testing.

Background Information: School Information and Data

Background of school and community

Lancaster Elementary School serves over 500 students, from pre-kindergarten (Pre-K) to fifth (5-th) grade. The school is an old one. It was established 269 years ago. The campus ensures a comprehensive academic program specially developed for students of certain age groups. This program provides the following services (or courses): general education services, fine arts services, physical education services, counseling services, special education and speech services, Section 504 services, English as a Second Language (ESL) services, and gifted and talented (GT) services (for gifted and talented students) (Lancaster Elementary School, Official Website, 2015). The total number of staff members on the campus is 50, among them there are 30 classroom teachers. All professional staff members are experienced and qualified to provide educational services (Lancaster Elementary, 2013). In 2011, Lancaster Elementary School provided 15-17 students for every full-time equivalent teacher. Lancaster Elementary School is a public school, which operates based on a schedule. There are several departments, including  Counseling, Head Start, Instructional Technology, Instructional Resources and Media Services (Library), Physical Education, Registrar and School Nurse. The school involves the following grade levels 00-Pre-K, 01-Kindergarten, 1-First Grade, 2-Second Grade, 3-Third Grade, 4-Fourth Grade, and 5-Fifth Grade. The school principal is Nakesha Reddick.

In addition, student enrollment trends assessed by the Lancaster Independent School District shows that Hispanic student enrollment is approximately 18%; White student enrollment is 3%; African-American student enrollment is 78%. The statistical data show that Hispanic student enrollment has increased by 1% per year; White enrollment is declining every year; African-American enrollment has not changed. Moreover, the statistical data show that “economically disadvantaged enrollment (83%) increased considerably in the last decade” (Harner et al., 2015).

School mission and vision

Lancaster Elementary School is focused on positive academic outcomes. The school’s mission statement says: “Through collegiality, supporting adult learning, and nurturing teachers, we will build a community of practice that will enable all students to succeed. All members of the community, students, teachers, parents, and the administrative team will be supported to do their best” (Lancaster Elementary School, Official Website, 2015). The school vision is to provide a happy, healthy, caring and stimulating learning environment, which will allow students to achieve their full potential in learning process in order to be able to make the best contribution to society in the future.

School dynamics

School dynamics reflect the patterns of students and teachers’ behavior and thinking, their beliefs and attitudes, the established school traditions and customs, the assigned roles and values that exist in school’s culture. The identified behaviors are positive. Most of these behaviors are valued and rewarded in the school. Students and staff members have common perceptions of the school’s culture and the values promoted by school’s vision and mission. In general, there is no considerable discrepancy between students’ perceptions and the school administration’s perception regarding the school culture. The school environment has clearly determined the major roles and responsibilities of students and staff members. According to the school principal, staff members are committed to providing high quality educational services through effective instructional program designed for all student groups enrolled in the school (Lancaster Elementary School, Official Website, 2015).  The school meets the academic and personal needs of students. Teachers are aimed meeting the individual needs of each student and building a strong and healthy school community based on academic excellence, self-respect, discipline, empathy and compassion for others (Lancaster Elementary School, Official Website, 2015).

Student Handbook and Student Code of Conduct can be viewed as the key tools, which guide students’ behavior. These tools give description of Lancaster ISD’s current policies and practices regarding the matters that have a strong impact on the students and their parents. The major policies or practices are described in Student Handbook. According to information presented on Lancaster Elementary School official website, this handbook provides not only the information for the guidance of Lancaster ISD’s students and their parents, but also it provides contractual obligations of the Lancaster Independent School District to students. All students that attend Lancaster Elementary School and their parents should be familiar with the established policies recorded in the student handbook (Lancaster Independent School District Handbook and Student Code of Conduct, 2013).

District context

Lancaster Elementary School is located in Lancaster, Texas. This school refers to the Lancaster Independent School District. The mission of Lancaster Independent School District is to “educate every student with the knowledge; skills; and principles to succeed and contribute in a competitive and technologically advancing world by providing rigorous and engaging learning opportunities that promote diversity; create an environment of integrity and respect; and establish a commitment to continued improvement in partnership with families and community” (Lancaster Elementary, 2013). The major objectives of the Lancaster Independent School District are aimed at promoting innovative and quality programs. In 2014, the Lancaster Independent School District achieved exemplary rating on the state assessment system. In addition, the Lancaster Independent School District doubled the percentage of students at the commended level (Lancaster Elementary, 2013). Actually, the Lancaster Independent School District provides opportunities to students of different age groups to achieve the established, personally challenging academic goals, based on the personal interests of students and their individual career goals. Due to the strategies developed and implemented by the Lancaster Independent School District, all students have an opportunity to develop their personalities in order to succeed and contribute in society. In general, the district is aimed at encouraging the implementation of “additional parent outreach strategies that support parent involvement in student learning” (Lancaster Independent School District Improvement Plan, 2014, p. 19). In addition, the district promotes the use of technology in the learning process and “provide opportunities for parents and community stakeholders to learn about LISD’s STEM initiative” (Lancaster Independent School District Improvement Plan, 2014, p. 19).

Community context

The city of Lancaster, which is located in Dallas County, the state of Texas, has the population of 36,361, based on the 2010 census data. The city was founded in 1852 as one of the earliest settlements in the United States. Today, Lancaster is a suburban community that involves diverse population. There are several racial groups in the community, including 68.7% of African Americans, 20.4% Whites, 0.4% Native Americans, 0.3 % Asians and other races (US Census Bureau, 2010). According to statistical data, 31.2 % of the Lancaster residents are under 18 years old (US Census Bureau, 2010). Lancaster Elementary School is aimed at strengthening community involvement, ensuring that community members support collaboration with the campus and tend to establish of successful partnerships (Lancaster Independent School District Improvement Plan, 2014).

Community and Parental Background

According to statistical data, 85.9 % of persons aged 25 year old and older are high school graduate or higher in the community (US Census Bureau, 2010). This fact means that parental background can be assessed based on the level of education. The percentage of the Lancaster residents, who are educated, is rather high. In other words, in the Lancaster community, many people have obtained strong baseline qualifications.  Taking into consideration the salary these residents have, it is necessary to conclude that the majority of families in the community earn enough to support their families and children (US Census Bureau, 2010).

Framework of Description and Analysis

Literature review

            In this section, the issues of organizational change and school improvement will be discussed based on relevant literary sources. There is much evidence in academic literature regarding the significance of change. Change can become a natural process of any organization, including schools. It is necessary to use the proper strategies that will help to encourage change and start moving in the required direction. As a rule, the school district operates as “an open system in the midst of organizational change” (Bell, 2012, p. 103).

Organizational Change – framework and strategies used (district/school). Organizational change can be viewed as an important framework that helps to improve school structure and functioning. Different strategies are used to promote change at the school level and school district level, where the institutional structure is centralized. Schools should provide control over “their use of discipline, placement in special education, and the numerous other institutional practices that can be changed to stop feeding racial inequalities” (Dowd, 2011, p. 128). According to organizational theory, it is possible to develop the structure that can help to examine the behaviors of principals and staff members (Dowd, 2011).

One of the recent studies on organizational change in schools points out to the fact that there is a close relationship between distributed leadership and organizational change. Researchers are based on existing literature in their study. They state that “distributed forms of leadership influence development and change in schools” (Harris et al., 2007). It has been found that different patterns or configurations of distributed leadership make contribution to organizational development and change in schools. Changes in policies and professional context of schools respond to the emerging concerns regarding student achievement. Today schools are searching new ways to sustain improved performance.

Besides, it is necessary to pay attention to the role of relationships that characterize the social exchanges in the context of schooling, including “teachers with students, teachers with other teachers, teachers with parents, and all groups with the school principal” (Bryk & Schneider, 2003). It has been found that trust maintained by each party involved in relationship reflects the role of obligations and expectations regarding the obligations of the other parties. According to researchers, “for a school community to work well, it must achieve agreement in each role relationship in terms of the understandings held about these personal obligations and expectations of others”(Bryk & Schneider, 2003, p. 40). In order to provide effective organizational change in the context of schooling, it is necessary to develop trustful relationships at all levels. Principals’ actions and decisions play an important role in developing and sustaining relational trust in schools. Researchers believe that principals should be focused on establishing both “respect and personal regard when they acknowledge the vulnerabilities of others, actively listen to their concerns, and eschew arbitrary actions” (Bryk & Schneider, 2003, p. 45). In other words, effective principals should be focused on school vision to demonstrate the behavior that advances the vision.

School Improvement – process used for teaching/learning to improve student achievement. Today, special attention is paid to school improvement and the process of change in schools. There is much evidence that professional learning communities can be viewed as effective models for enhancing and promoting school improvement, as well as the basic strategies aimed at comprehensive, high quality learning activities, which can become important factors in the improvement of the processes of teaching and learning (Roberts & Pruitt, 2010, p. 1). The framework of Professional Learning Communities can be characterized as the rationale for the implementation of effective strategies that lead to school improvement through “collaboration, shared leadership and ongoing learning” (Roberts & Pruitt, 2010, p. 1). Each of the district’s schools can be transformed into the learning community.

In fact, educators in the United States are focused on the issue of accountability that can be measured by annual test scores (Sikes, 2012). There is much evidence that “the recent focus on test data was a source of valuable insight about student achievement and the need for continuous improvement processes within schools” (Sikes, 2012, p. 49). This fact means that there is a continuous need for school improvement because school staff members can use annual test scores for assessing formal data and applying the guiding instruction in schools. According to researchers, school improvement can be viewed as a significant issue faced by educators in today’s school settings as it makes staff members to search for new ways of achieving success in this process. School staff should have enough knowledge and experience to enhance learning process for all students (Sikes, 2012).

Campus Strengths

Lancaster Elementary School has its strengths, such as culture and leadership. The perceptions of school organizational culture have direct relation to the results of the standardized test scores. As standardized test scores are used to measure the quality of instruction delivered in schools, school culture is used by school leaders to affect students’ behavior and academic outcomes. The elements of school culture developed by the leaders of Lancaster Elementary School reflect the system of relationships. Actually, Lancaster Elementary School has an effective culture that involves complex system rituals of relationships between staff members and students. Students and staff members are aware of the established principles of school culture, certain mores and the moral code. There are certain ceremonies, which are based on the established traditions.  For example, some events like Achievement Day, Louisiana Day, Awards Day and other school events help to establish certain traditions, enhancing students’ participation in various activities (Lancaster Elementary School, Archives, 2013). Besides, all Lancaster Elementary students are required to wear school uniforms.

In general, school culture developed in Lancaster Elementary School helps to foster productivity, improves collaborative activities, helps to improve communication, enhances problem solving skills, and contributes to successful organizational change and school improvement. In addition, school culture influences the motivation of staff members and students and improves their daily behavior. School cultures places emphasis on the set values and beliefs. Lancaster Elementary School culture contributes to the development of students’ personalities, promoting open communication, pride, honor, cooperation, performance and productivity, student involvement in school activities and sense of cohesiveness.

Moreover, Lancaster Elementary School has another important strength – its leadership. School leaders are focused on pedagogical communication. The school principal of Lancaster Elementary is focused on open communication, working in the system that requires the application of the energy and interests of staff members and parents. The school principal knows students, parents and staff members well enough. Therefore, she addresses their concerns through effective management practices.

In addition, the school leader takes an active role in teaching process. For example, she participates in different school events and uses several minutes before the event to teach students and school staff members some part of educational reform. The school principal has more than 30 years of experience. She demonstrates the art of leadership in the context of organizational change and reforms aimed at school improvement. As a principal, she undertakes collaborative leadership with staff members. She empowers teachers to act as decision makers and problem solvers.

Finally, the school leaders maintain good relations with the community. They pay due attention to the initiatives that help to connect with the community. They inform parents and other members of the community about good things and important events that happen in the school. In other words, they make the school an active participant of many community wide events. The principal of Lancaster Elementary School, as a school leader, moves in this direction. In addition, the school principal uses conventional forms of communication, such as distributing periodical press releases, demonstrating students’ art works, etc. In general, the school principal encourages the community pride in the achievement of students.

Campus Weaknesses

Lancaster Elementary School has its weaknesses. One of the weaknesses is failures in the campus disciplinary process. Although the disciplinary process is considered to be consistent in resolving the problems associated with students’ misconduct, this process fails to satisfy the conditions in some cases. For example, code violations occur because interventions that could be used to prevent behavioral problems have not been carried out properly. In other cases, the resolution of the violation of the established code of conduct fails to address the underlying problems involved in the dispute.

Second, as Lancaster ISD has determined The Tiger Way as the major student character education program, there is a need for promoting this program in the school setting. The Tiger Way is focuses on the principles of character, leadership and personal development for students, staff members and parents. However, there are some inconsistencies in fulfilling these goals.  The major traits of The Tiger Way should be based on the foundation of the Character Counts Program developed by the specialists of the Josephson Institute. These traits include Responsibility, Respect, Citizenship, Caring/Compassion, Perseverance/Effort Fairness, Trustworthiness/Honesty, Courage, Integrity and School Pride (Lancaster Independent School District Handbook and Student Code of Conduct, 2013, p. 7). Unfortunately, the campus is not well-organized to encourage the development of these traits in students, staff members and parents.

Thus, taking into consideration that current and longitudinal student achievement data analysis in the areas of math instruction, as well as considering the strengths and weaknesses for school improvement within the context of a process, especially as it relates to students performing below grade level in the chosen content area of math, it is necessary to address the emergent problems in a proper way. The district’s plan for continuous school improvement can help to enhance this process in the selected school setting.

Data Identification

The study of the schools Math curriculum in relation to the STAAR results of students that are struggling in this area requires the application of certain strategies. It is known that in spring 2012, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) replaced the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). The STAAR program requires conducting annual assessments for a number of subject areas, including reading and mathematics, grades 3–8; writing at grades 4 and 7; science at grades 5 and 8; social studies at grade 8; and end-of-course assessments for English I, English II, Algebra I, biology and U.S history. For Lancaster Elementary School, it is necessary to address the grades from 0 grade up to 5-th grade. The instructional materials available to Texas public schools cover the essential knowledge and skills for mathematics as adopted by the STAAR program.

In order to describe the planning, implementation and sustaining process for professional learning community framework, it is necessary to consider a number of issues. According to researchers, “educational reform’s progress depends on teachers’ individual and collective capacity and its link with school-wide capacity for promoting pupils’ learning”(Stoll et al., 2006, p. 221). It is crucial to Lancaster Elementary School to build capacity. Capacity can be viewed as a complicated tool that involves a number of elements, such as increased level of motivation, the proper skills, knowledge, positive learning, the appropriate organizational conditions and school culture, and the support of infrastructure. When these elements are put together, they provide the power to be involved in leaning process and maintain learning over time. Lancaster Elementary School has developed a professional learning community that holds capacity building for sustainable and effective campus improvement.

In addition, the overview of the characteristics of professional learning communities (PLCs), presented in recent study, shows the impact of PLCs on teaching practices and student learning. According to researchers, “the results of these studies suggest that well-developed PLCs have positive impact on both teaching practice and student achievement”(Vescio et al., 2008, p. 80). This fact means that Lancaster Elementary School as a professional learning community has positive impact on both teaching practice and student achievement.

Besides, it is necessary to consider the progress and positive impact of professional learning communities within the school and between schools. According to researchers, “professional learning communities are being developed to support improvement and change across the education system”(Harris, 2010, p. 172). Lancaster Elementary School uses the model of professional learning community that has already become an essential part of the reform process in Texas. It has been found that professional learning community offers an opportunity to generate changed professional teaching practice that can make positive contribution to the overall improvement of the system.

Campus Improvement Process

School leaders should be focused on providing a comprehensive analysis and assessment of the campus as an improvement process. According to researchers, a school principal should inform staff members of the changes in organizational culture regarding “values learning about assessment and leadership in improvement of student learning, providing staff members an opportunity to discover outcomes assessment as an improvement process and providing support to transform an interest” (Groccia, 2013). Campus improvement process includes staffing and discipline changes.

In order to assess the effectiveness of Lancaster Elementary School Campus Improvement Process, the study of the schools’ Math curriculum was conducted in relation to the STAAR results of students that are struggling in this area.  It has been found that all students who received rigorous math instruction at a cognitive level met their individual learning needs. In general, 95% of students passed the proposed TAKS Tests in Math at grade levels 3-5. This fact means that the majority of students met the End of Year Standard on the LISD PK Assessment in Math (Lancaster Elementary, 2011). Considering PLC (professional learning community) school-wide, it is necessary to conclude that the entire school demonstrates positive academic outcomes. The engagement of students and staff members in in PLC contributed to the increased motivation and better performances in testing.

Staffing changes

Staffing changes should reflect the relationship between accountability policies and changes in the attitudes of teachers that influence student achievements. Because of the increased interest in the analysis of school’s structuring, there is an increased demand for staffing data. In Lancaster Elementary School, staff members are professionals who possess Master Degrees and have huge experience, which allow them working with children. Their goal is to make a difference in the lives of students through knowledge and personal relationships combined with love, care and mutual understanding. The Lancaster Elementary School staff members are aimed at providing professional assistance in learning process to allow students reach their highest potential through compassion, motivation and encouragement. The Texas Education Agency (TEA), Division of Educator Certification and Testing provide opportunities for making staffing changes based on the established standards. Special attention should be paid to “professional standing, eligibility, disciplinary history, certification status, or verification of certification routes –university, alternative or certification by examination” (Texas Education Agency, Official Website, 2015).

Discipline changes

Discipline changes as part of the Campus Improvement Process are based on changes in disciplinary policies. It is necessary to apply the proper strategies at each level of the school setting, including development and implementation of the plan for training and ensuring support for school staff members. Due to the acquisition of new skills, staff members will be able to comply with the established disciplinary policies. According to researchers,  “the acquisition of new skills necessary for shifting from an ingrained traditional disciplinary approach to a new disciplinary approach requires a lot of coaching in a climate of encouragement and honest feedback and support” (Dupper, 2010, p. 69).

Campus Improvement Process Framework Analysis

Lancaster Elementary School is involved in improvement process based on the established standards provided by Lancaster Independent School District. According to recent assessment, Lancaster Elementary School is successful in implementation of the Campus Improvement Process. The school administrators and staff members managed to create a school community, which involves all community stakeholders. The building of healthy school community relationships has contributed positive academic outcomes of students and the increased professional growth and personal development of staff members. According to recent study, in 2011,  “Lancaster Elementary School performed at an “Exemplary” level in 3rd grade reading, math, 4th grade writing, and 5th grade reading math and science” (Lancaster Elementary, 2011).

In addition, the proper Comprehensive Needs Assessments, which were carried out through specially developed district and campus level observations. The appropriate information was gathered to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of the Teacher Advancement Program. Special attention was paid to providing “the ground work that went into staffing and training” (Lancaster Elementary, 2011, p.9). A number of sources were used o develop campus planning effectively, including AEIS, Federal Accountability Rating (Meet AYP), State Accountability Rating (Academically Acceptable Campus), District Personnel, Campus Personnel, Parent/Community Information Gathering/Future Surveys, Student Data, Campus Academic Data, PTA Data and TAP/Leadership Team Information Gathering (Lancaster Elementary, 2011, p. 10).

Administrative Performance Analysis

Administrative performance analysis of Lancaster Elementary School provides an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of school administration practices. School administrators ensure that staff members are effectively using instructional practices that are aimed at increased motivation and engagement of students. The proper intervention plans help school administrators to succeed in their work.

In addition, the Lancaster Independent School District is focused on enhancing Administrative Performance. According to recent study, “the Lancaster Independent School District is strongly encouraged by the preliminary performance results for the first administration of the 2013 State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) for fifth and eighth grade students in the area of mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA)” (Lancaster Independent School District, Official Website, 2015).  This fact means that Lancaster Elementary School has showed significant positive gains for math students. For example, “fifth graders boasted a12-percent point increase in Math (61%) when comparing 2013 scores to 2012 scores” (Lancaster Independent School District, Official Website, 2015). This assessment points out to the fact that the school systems, its structures and educators ensure higher levels of teaching and learning. They show the desired results in math.

Moreover, Lancaster Elementary School addresses the diversity needs of the district. School administrators state that it is necessary to continue to provide culturally relevant instruction activities that help to support increased student learning outcomes in math and other areas. They are focused on providing the proper extra and co-curricular opportunities for students that are aimed at preparing students to become contributing members of society. According to recent study, school administrators are based on the strategies that help to address the academic and social developmental needs of the Lancaster Elementary School students (Lancaster Independent School District, Official Website, 2015).

Best Practices Solutions for Campus Improvement

The best practices solutions for Campus Improvement based on Lancaster Elementary School case narrative and analysis include the following aspects:

  • Ensuring staff members’ development on the available district resources that are linked to the TEKS/STAAR;
  • Implementing an effective and comprehensive assessment system;
  • Implementing an enhanced intervention system;
  • Using TEKS Resource System as the sustainable tool for curriculum development in the major subjects;
  • Improving communication practices, both internal and external;
  • Enhancing the integration of technology in instructional practices, including educational, information and communication technology with the major goal – to improve students’ and staff members’ efficiency;
  • Placing emphasis on the recruitment and retention of highly qualified staff members;
  • Promoting parental involvement through various campus activities, tasks and practices;
  • Improving campus student attendance rates;
  • Increasing community involvement through effective collaboration practices and the development of successful partnerships with local organizations and businesses;
  • Implementing a comprehensive, reliable assessment planning which ensures data analysis training (Lancaster Independent School District, Official Website, 2015).

Conclusion

Thus, it is necessary to conclude that the analysis of student achievement and practices of the Lancaster Elementary School helps to better understand the role and effects of organizational change and school improvement on students’ academic achievement. As a whole, this paper provides tools for how an educational leader creates the conditions for change, plans change, implements change, and sustains change. The Lancaster Elementary School leader and staff members ensure that the students of all age groups are provided with a safe and comprehensive learning environment appropriate for learning. Due to the collaboration between the school and community stakeholders, all students have the required resources and obtain effective support that allow them achieving their learning goals. This paper shows that it is necessary to continue the campus improvement process, providing staff members with high quality professional development opportunities, namely enhancing the knowledge, skills and experience of staff members. In addition, it is necessary to continue providing student interventions aimed enhancing student learning outcomes.

 

References

Bryk, A. S. & Schneider, B. (2003). “Trust in Schools: A Core Resource for School Reform,” Educational Leadership, 60 (6): 40-45.

Dowd, N. E. (2011). Justice for Kids: Keeping Kids Out of the Juvenile Justice System. NYU Press.

Dupper, D. (2010). A New Model of School Discipline: Engaging Students and Preventing Behavior Problems. Oxford University Press.

Groccia, J. E. (2013). To Improve the Academy: Resources for Faculty, Instructional, and Organizational Development. John Wiley & Sons.

Harner, D. et al. (2014). Demographic Analysis and Enrollment Projections for the Lancaster Independent School District. Report. Planning and Research Services. Retrieved from:<http://www.lancasterisd.org/pdf/district/Lancaster%20ISD%202014%20Demographic%20Report.pdf>

Harris, A. (2010). “Professional learning communities and system improvement,” Improving Schools, 13 (2):172-181.

Harris, A., Leithwood, K., Day, C., Sammons, P. & Hopkins, D. (2007). “Distributed leadership and organizational change: Reviewing the evidence,” Journal of Educational Change, 8 (4): 337-347.

Lancaster Elementary School, Official Website. (2015). Retrieved from:<http://les.lancasterisd.org/les/about/mission.jsp>

Lancaster Elementary. (2013). 2012 – 2013 Campus Improvement Plan. Retrieved from:< http://les.lancasterisd.org/pdf/les/2011-2012_LES_Campus_Improvement_Plan.pdf>

Lancaster Elementary. (2011). 2010 – 2011 Campus Improvement Plan. Retrieved from:< http://les.lancasterisd.org/pdf/les/2010-2011Lancaster%20Elementary%20Campus%20Improvement%20Plan%20.pdf>

Lancaster Elementary School, Archives. (2013). Retrieved from:<http://www.stpsb.org/news/Schools/LancasterElem/lancasterelemnews2012-2013.html>

Lancaster Independent School District Handbook and Student Code of Conduct. (2013). Retrieved from:<http://www.lancasterisd.org/apps/download/GISuwqrFFr2bh7N2z830LcVM9iuuJVkXUdq1D8oGQZh7wJP9.pdf/2012-2013_LISD_Handbook_Student_Code_of_Conduct.pdf>

Lancaster Independent School District, Official Website. (2015). Preliminary Performance Results from First STAAR Administration are Encouraging. Retrieved from:<http://www.lancasterisd.org/apps/news/article/310649>

Lancaster Independent School District Improvement Plan. (2014). Retrieved from:http://www.lancasterisd.org/pdf/district/2013-2014DistrictImprovementPlan.pdf

Roberts, S. M. & Pruitt, E. Z. (2010). Schools as Professional Learning Communities: Collaborative Activities and Strategies for Professional Development. Corwin Press.

Sikes, K. A. (2012). Investigating Teachers’ Perceptions of the Data-driven Decision Making Process at a Georgia Elementary School. ProQuest.

Smylie, M. A. (2010). Continuous School Improvement. SAGE Publications.

Stoll, L., Bolam, R., McMahon, A., Wallace, M., Thomas, S. (2006). “Professional Learning Communities: A Review of the Literature,” Journal of Educational Change, 7 (4): 221-258.

Texas Education Agency, Official Website. (2015). Certificate Lookup. Retrieved from:< http://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Educators/Certification/Certificate_Lookup/>

U.S. Census Bureau. (2010). Lancaster (city), Texas. Retrieved from:<http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4841212.html>

Vescio, V., Ross, D., Adams, A. (2008). “Review of research on the impact of professional learning communities on teaching practice and student learning,” Teaching and Teacher Education, 24 (1): 80–91.

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