High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction
School Leaders Rubric
Team Version
High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction creates learning conditions that are academically challenging and intellectually demanding, while also considering the different ways that students learn. Instruction includes opportunities to use critical reasoning, take academic risks, and leverage a growth mindset to learn from mistakes. Messages encourage positive self-image and empowerment to succeed.
Instructions: Meet with the other members of the school’s leadership team. Use the guiding questions below to estimate together where your school falls overall on each element of the rubric. Be candid – this activity is most valuable as a formative learning experience. We recommend spending about 45 minutes on the rubric. Save your notes and ratings for future discussions.
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Progression of Engagement
Exploring
Cultural Responsiveness (CR) is in its initial phase
Growing
CR is practiced in some situations
Utilizing
CR is practiced in most situations
Transforming
CR is continuously practiced and promoted
Commitments
The extent of school community members’ dedication to culturally responsive practices across the school experience
Commitments
Equity Specific Goals & Metrics
Guiding Questions:
What are the school’s goals and metrics that are specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness? How are they connected to the school’s mission and values? How frequently are they reviewed and updated?
Exploring
Our school has few goals and associated metrics that are specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness.
Growing
Our school has goals and associated metrics specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness.
Utilizing
Our school has goals and associated metrics specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness that are directly linked to achieving our mission and values.
Transforming
Our school has goals and associated metrics specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness that are directly linked to achieving our mission and values and they are regularly monitored and updated.
Selected Rating:
None
Commitments
Instructional Expectations
Guiding Questions:
To what extent do we think that teachers should have different expectations for different students? How do we communicate and uphold our beliefs?
Exploring
In practice, we believe teachers should have different expectations for different students.
Growing
In practice, we believe teachers should have different expectations for a subset of students.
Utilizing
In practice, we believe teachers should have high expectations for all students.
Transforming
In practice, we believe teachers should have high expectations for all students and we consistently uphold these expectations in our words and actions.
Selected Rating:
None
Commitments
Addressing Equity
Guiding Questions:
How do we discuss with teachers how to incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into their lessons? Do we support teachers to encourage their students to challenge the status quo?
Exploring
We rarely discuss with teachers how to incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into their lessons.
Growing
We sometimes discuss with teachers how to incorporate ideas about privilege, equity and justice into their lessons.
Utilizing
We regularly discuss and give feedback to teachers about how to incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into their lessons.
Transforming
We regularly discuss and give feedback to teachers about how to incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into their lessons, including how students should be encouraged to challenge the status quo.
Selected Rating:
None
Commitments
Teacher Role in Lessons
Guiding Questions:
When we observe classes, how do we hope to see teachers interacting with students? Do we hope to see only teacher-talk or do we encourage students to share their own ideas and be engaged with one another (e.g. restating peers’ opinions, demonstrating active listening)?
Exploring
During classroom visits we hope to observe that teachers are leading orderly classes.
Growing
During classroom visits we hope to observe that teachers are leading orderly classes and some students participate and share opinions in discussions.
Utilizing
During classroom visits we hope to observe that teachers are guiding discussions that are structured and most students share ideas and opinions.
Transforming
During classroom visits we hope to observe that teachers are guiding discussions where all students share ideas and opinions while engaging with each other.
Selected Rating:
None
Empowerment
School practices include all school community member voices
Empowerment
Emphasis of Instructional Expectations
Guiding Questions:
To what extent do we emphasize that teachers should focus on students’ skill development relative to conceptual understanding and critical thinking? How do we encourage and support our teachers to teach for conceptual understanding and develop critical thinking in their classes?
Exploring
We expect teachers to focus on student skill development only.
Growing
We expect teachers to focus on student skill development with some attention to conceptual understanding and critical thinking.
Utilizing
We expect teachers to focus primarily on student conceptual understanding and critical thinking, while also supporting skill development.
Transforming
We expect and provide support for teachers to focus primarily on student conceptual understanding and critical thinking, while also supporting skill development.
Selected Rating:
None
Relationships
The quality of connections amongst school community members
Relationships
Teacher-Student Relationships
Guiding Questions:
How do we encourage teachers to develop relationships with students to improve students’ instructional experiences? In what ways do we encourage and support teachers to develop relationships with students to improve their instructional experiences? How do we communicate our encouragement? Do we model relationship-building with the way we interact with teachers and students?
Exploring
We assume teachers know how to develop relationships with students to improve instructional experiences.
Growing
We encourage teachers to develop relationships with students to improve instructional experiences.
Utilizing
We encourage and support teachers to develop relationships with students to improve instructional experiences.
Transforming
We encourage and support teachers to develop relationships with students to improve instructional experiences and we model it in our own interactions with staff and students.
Selected Rating:
None
Collaboration
The extent of cooperation amongst school community members
Collaboration
Ownership of Learning
Guiding Questions:
What do we think students’ responsibilities for their learning are, relative to teachers’ responsibilities? How much do students take ownership of their learning and achievement?
Exploring
Teachers are solely responsible for the learning and performance of their students.
Growing
Teachers are primarily responsible for the learning and performance of their students.
Utilizing
Teachers share responsibility with students for student learning and performance.
Transforming
Students take responsibility for their learning and performance, with teacher and school staff support.
Selected Rating:
None
Collaboration
Expectations for Parents/Caregivers
Guiding Questions:
What are our expectations for parents/caregivers to support their children to succeed in school? How do we communicate these expectations to families?
Exploring
We have few expectations for parents/caregivers to support their children to succeed in school.
Growing
We rarely communicate to parents/caregivers that their support and interaction with school staff are central to student success.
Utilizing
We regularly communicate to parents/caregivers that their support and interaction with school staff are central to student success.
Transforming
We regularly communicate to parents/caregivers that their support and interaction with school staff are central to student success, and we make an effort to engage the parents/caregivers of our traditionally marginalized students.
Selected Rating:
None
