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Ensuring Strong Leadership for Our Public Schools

Ensuring Strong Leadership for Our Public Schools. UCEA Convention November 21, 2009 Karen Symms Gallagher, PhD Dean. A Few Facts about USC and the Rossier School of Education. USC 34,500 students (45-65 split undergrads and grads) Urban setting (south central Los Angeles)

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Ensuring Strong Leadership for Our Public Schools

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  1. Ensuring Strong Leadership for Our Public Schools UCEA Convention November 21, 2009 Karen Symms Gallagher, PhD Dean

  2. A Few Facts about USC and theRossier School of Education • USC • 34,500 students (45-65 split undergrads and grads) • Urban setting (south central Los Angeles) • Established in 1880 • Largest private research university in California • Rossier School • 1,265 students (all graduate students) • PhD, EdD, 7 Masters degrees • Centennial year – but have been preparing high school teachers since 1896

  3. Our Mission Our mission is to strengthen urban education locally,nationally and internationally We seek to transform urban education by: • Preparing and developing educational leaders • Leading the search for innovative, efficacious and just solutions to the challenges of urban education • Creating mutually beneficial partnerships

  4. Our Vision Our vision is to be a premier and distinctive School of Education, defined by innovative educational programs, scholarship and partnerships that directly impact policy and transform practice in urban education.

  5. USC Rossier School of EducationChallenges & Responses 4 External Challenges 1. In 2000, University Committee on Academic Review report called for major revision in graduate programs, standards for admissions, and faculty productivity e.g.: average time to degree EdD = 7 years PhD = 9 years

  6. Our Response to Challenge In 2001, 100 stakeholders (all Rossier faculty, students, alumni, K-12 sector, colleges and universities, policymakers, and foundations) spent 2 ½ days in an intensive “Futures Conference” to determine how the school would move forward.

  7. ChallengesExternal to Rossier 2. Stabilize operating budget • Revenue-centered budget management • Like USC, Rossier’s budget is tuition dependent • Each fiscal year, Rossier develops, submits, and is approved for a balanced revenue/expenditure budget • Up to the year 2000, Rossier’s budget looked like a roller-coaster

  8. Our Response to Challenge • Improved budget predictability and accuracy • Diversified revenue streams (88%-90% tuition) • Increased school operating budget by 66% in last 5 years

  9. Our Response to Challenge • Eliminated degree programs • Phased out under-graduate degree (BS in Elementary Education) • Reconceptualized all remaining degree programs • 3 most impactful programs – EdD, PhD, MAT

  10. Challenges External to Rossier 3. Review of all USC PhD programs in 2002 resulted in call for many fewer but higher quality PhD programs at USC - Rossier wanted to continue to offer PhD

  11. Our Response to Challenge • Reconceptualized PhD program along with redesign of EdD program • Agreed to spend operating budget funds to support first 2 years of PhD students • Set up schoolwide EdD and PhD governing committees with authority over program quality and delivery

  12. ChallengesExternal to Rossier 4. Substantial need in Los Angeles for K-16 educational leaders: • LA County – 10,000,000 residents • 81 school districts – 1.25 million students • Largest community college district in US with highly diverse students (race, ethnicity, language, SES)

  13. Our Response to Challenge A 3-year EdD program for working professionals that prepares educational leaders who are committed to urban education and who see themselves as change agents

  14. Our Response to Challenge A 4-year PhD program for full-time students to prepare them to be researchers and the next generation of Education professors who are committed to the improvement of urban education through rigorous research and who want to make a difference through their scholarship

  15. The Rossier School of EducationChallenges & Responses 5 Internal Challenges 1. In 1990s, changing context of educational needs in California schools and colleges but outdated EdD curriculum in three educational leadership programs (K-12 leadership, higher education leadership, curriculum and instruction)

  16. Our Response to Challenge • No tinkering with existing courses / started from scratch • Developmental process of implementation • First year – core courses (accountability, diversity, leadership and learning) & inquiry courses • Second & Third years – redesigned 5 concentrations courses • Ongoing – Capstone experience

  17. ChallengesInternal to Rossier 2. Disconnected courses, rolling admissions, divisional and faculty territorial ownership of some courses, too many ABDs in legacy doctoral programs

  18. Our Response to Challenge Year Fall Spring Summer 1 CORE 1 CORE 3 Inquiry I CORE 2 CORE 4 Conc 1 _______________________________ 2 Conc 2 Inquiry II Conc 4 Conc 3 Capstone 1 Conc 5 Capstone 2 _______________________________ 3 Capstone 3 Capstone 4

  19. Our Response to Challenge • One EdD program on educational leadership • 3 concentration tracks: • K-12 schools, higher education, teacher education (pre-service and staff development)

  20. ChallengesInternal to Rossier 3. Lack of connection with field

  21. Our Response to Challenge • Inclusion of current practitioners into planning, teaching and capstone courses • Hired full-time teaching faculty (NTT) • Working professional as third member of capstone committee (EdD) • Cadre of adjuncts with 3-year commitment to teach

  22. ChallengesInternal to Rossier • Confusion about the purpose of capstone experience: - arts and sciences dissertation model for both EdD and PhD

  23. Our Response to Challenge • Redesigned PhD program for future professors: • Admit 7-8 full-time students a year • Support with stipends and tuition • Research internships • EdD program for educational leaders in practice: • Admit 150 part-time students a year • Few fellowships • Seek school district nominations for future administrators

  24. ChallengesInternal to Rossier 5. Few support services for students, but particularly for EdD students who were part-time students and full-time working professionals

  25. Our Response to Challenge • Program offices for each degree (EdD & PhD) • Different recruiting and admissions strategies • Student orientation and advisory committees • Early warning system - EdD • Doctoral Support Center • Career Center • Strong program governance committees

  26. As of November 2009 • 4 EdD cohorts have finished • 62% completion rates in 3 years, but 72% for 2009 cohort • 78% completion rates in 4 years, but 88% for 2008 cohort • 2 PhD cohorts are complete • 80% completion rate • All but 2 placed in college or university positions • All legacy PhD students are completed

  27. Lessons Learned • Commitment to continuous program and curriculum improvement is worthwhile • In competitive markets, students choose USC • Districts and community colleges seek our graduates • Compete successfully for top PhD students • Data-driven decision making for both program and budget is worth the investment

  28. Mission We are playing a role in strengthening urban education – locally, nationally, internationally

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