Setting the Bar High:
An Analysis of William H. Johnson’s Leadership at Rockville Centre School District
Commentary
Academic tracking of students is one of the most controversial topics in education. Although tracking sometimes allows for individualized instruction based on student needs and proficiency, it can also stifle students from reaching their full scholarly potential. At Rockville Centre school district, superintendent William H. Johnson sought to increase access to rigorous coursework for all students by eliminating the districts five-tiered tracking system. His decision, which was not readily accepted by teachers and parents in the school district, proved successful—by using data as the foundation for change, Johnson has increased …show more content…
One of Johnson’s key leadership qualities is his attention to detail and planning. In creating his plan to prepare all students for challenging coursework, he began with research using data from students within his own district (Ujifisa, 2015). Because this data was collected in-house, the findings and subsequent plans were authentic for Rockville Centre schools. This was undoubtedly essential when presenting his plans to administrators, parents, and teachers. In order to generate change, leaders must create buy-in amongst key stakeholders (Fullan, 2007 ). By presenting pertinent data, Johnson allowed his stakeholders to take ownership of the necessary curricular …show more content…
Much of Johnson’s success relied on his own love for data. For some school leaders, collecting and analyzing data may not be a strength. Nevertheless, it is important that administrators are able to use data to evaluate the school system. Therefore, becoming a lover of data is a challenge which every principal must be willing to accept. Another challenge posed by Johnson’s story is district support. As superintendent of Rockville Center schools, Johnson did not have to rally support from superiors in order to acquire the resources and training necessary to initiate change. For school-level principals, district moral and financial support is often necessary for change, but may not be easily found (Fullan, 2007). Thus, school leaders must challenge themselves to convince district personnel of the necessity for change in their schools. Administrators can accomplish this by developing plans based on sound data with attention to the roles played by all stakeholders involved in the
An Analysis of William H. Johnson’s Leadership at Rockville Centre School District
Commentary
Academic tracking of students is one of the most controversial topics in education. Although tracking sometimes allows for individualized instruction based on student needs and proficiency, it can also stifle students from reaching their full scholarly potential. At Rockville Centre school district, superintendent William H. Johnson sought to increase access to rigorous coursework for all students by eliminating the districts five-tiered tracking system. His decision, which was not readily accepted by teachers and parents in the school district, proved successful—by using data as the foundation for change, Johnson has increased …show more content…
One of Johnson’s key leadership qualities is his attention to detail and planning. In creating his plan to prepare all students for challenging coursework, he began with research using data from students within his own district (Ujifisa, 2015). Because this data was collected in-house, the findings and subsequent plans were authentic for Rockville Centre schools. This was undoubtedly essential when presenting his plans to administrators, parents, and teachers. In order to generate change, leaders must create buy-in amongst key stakeholders (Fullan, 2007 ). By presenting pertinent data, Johnson allowed his stakeholders to take ownership of the necessary curricular …show more content…
Much of Johnson’s success relied on his own love for data. For some school leaders, collecting and analyzing data may not be a strength. Nevertheless, it is important that administrators are able to use data to evaluate the school system. Therefore, becoming a lover of data is a challenge which every principal must be willing to accept. Another challenge posed by Johnson’s story is district support. As superintendent of Rockville Center schools, Johnson did not have to rally support from superiors in order to acquire the resources and training necessary to initiate change. For school-level principals, district moral and financial support is often necessary for change, but may not be easily found (Fullan, 2007). Thus, school leaders must challenge themselves to convince district personnel of the necessity for change in their schools. Administrators can accomplish this by developing plans based on sound data with attention to the roles played by all stakeholders involved in the