Purpose: To examine the role of leadership in leading change related to special education.For this Assignment you will take on the role of Team Leader informing a team or staff members about an issue

Disussion Question

Purpose: To examine the role of leadership in leading change related to special education.

For this Assignment you will take on the role of Team Leader informing a team or staff members about an issue related to change that is relevant to what is happening in your school, community, or district.

To prepare:

·         Review the videos in this module’s Learning Resources on managing change.

·         Review Walden’s mission and vision regarding social change.

·         Select a special education issue related to change relevant to your school, community, or district; you may also choose to focus on change related to an issue you are interested in within the field of special education.

Consider how you would present your idea for change to your team or staff, as well as the next steps needed to enact that change.

For a team or staff that informs them of the change that will take place and outlines the next steps in the process. Consider the essential elements of change leadership and managing change revealed in the three change models and include the following:

·         A description of the change to be addressed and rationale for why the change is needed (Compelling Case for Change)

·         The action team involved in the change

·         The next steps involved

Note: Remember to inspire and motivate your team and staff about the change and related success to come.

Examples of issues include: increases in caseloads, lack of access to the general education classrooms and curriculum for exceptional needs students, coteaching, inclusion, an appropriate and effective assessment for students with exceptionalities, or standards-based Individual Education Program’s (IEP). You are welcome to focus on one of these issues if you do not have a specific area of interest or issue you would like to tackle.

Required Readings

Barrett, S. K. (2012). Redesigning schools to reach every student with excellent teachers: Change management: Key theories to consider when extending reach. Public Impact. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED539982.pdf

Reviews key theories to organizational change, and how these concepts can help create successful change in schools.

Fullan, M. (2007).The new meaning of educational change (4th ed.). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

The New Meaning of Educational Change (4th ed.) by Fullan, M. Copyright 2007 by Teachers College Press. Reprinted by permission of Teachers College Press via the Copyright Clearance Center.

·         Chapter 4, “Causes and Processes of Initiation”(pp. 64–83)

Focus on research-based phases and guidelines of the change process and consider their use from Fullan’s recommended perspective: “;Research findings on the change process should be used less as instruments of ‘application’ and more as means of helping practitioners and planners ‘make sense’ of planning, implementation strategies, and monitoring” (Fullan, 2007, p. 64).

Fullan, M. (2007).The new meaning of educational change (4th ed.). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

The New Meaning of Educational Change (4th ed.) by Fullan, M. Copyright 2007 by Teachers College Press. Reprinted by permission of Teachers College Press via the Copyright Clearance Center.

·         Chapter 5, “Causes and Processes of Implementation and Continuation” (pp. 84–106)

Focus on the factors that affect whether or not an initiated or decided-upon change happens in practice.

Fullan, M. & Langworthy, M. (2014). A rich seam: How new pedagogies find deep learning. Retrieved from http://michaelfullan.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/3897.Rich_Seam_web.pdf

·         Chapter 1, “Fundamental Change in Education” (pp. 1–9)

Focus on new and old pedagogies of change that impact educational decisions.

·         Chapter 6, “New Change Leadership”(pp. 47–63)

Focus on change across an entire education system and the change processes involved.

Mandlawitz, M. & Spring, R. (n.d.). Politics for the apolitical [PowerPoint]. Retrieved from http://www.sswaaorganization.org/userfiles/file/2011-Conference-Handouts/D25%20Political%20Advocacy.pdf

Sumbera, M. J., Pazey, B. L., & Lashley, C. (2014). How building principals make sense of free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 13(3), 297–333.

How principals make sense of free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment by Sumbera, M.J., in Leadership and Policy in Schools, 13/3. Copyright 2014 by Taylor & Francis Informa UK Ltd-Journals. Reprinted by permission of Taylor & Francis Informa UK Ltd-Journals via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Focus on how principals adapt and transform policy within their school buildings specifically related to Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and Free and Appropriate Public Education.

Walden University (2015). Social change. Retrieved from http://www.waldenu.edu/about/social-change

Required Media

Laureate Education (Producer) (2011b). Leadership, advocacy, policy, and law: Change leadership [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

https://cdnfiles.laureate.net/2dett4d/managed/WAL/EDDD/8071/02/WAL_EDDD8071_02_C_EN.pdf

Laureate Education (Producer) (2011c). Leadership, advocacy, policy, and law: Change theory [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

https://cdnfiles.laureate.net/2dett4d/managed/WAL/EDDD/8071/02/WAL_EDDD8071_02_A_EN.pdf

Laureate Education (Producer) (2011d). Leadership, advocacy, policy, and law: Leadership challenges in a changing society [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

https://cdnfiles.laureate.net/2dett4d/managed/WAL/EDDD/8071/02/WAL_EDDD8071_02_D_EN.pdf

Laureate Education (Producer) (2011e). Leadership, advocacy, policy, and law: The three I’s of change [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

https://cdnfiles.laureate.net/2dett4d/managed/WAL/EDDD/8071/02/WAL_EDDD8071_02_B_EN.pdf