Evaluate
In other words, how will you know if you improve success for Indigenous students? These indicators and measures should be jointly established as part of the planning process. Indicators and measures should be qualitative and quantitative and should reflect both traditional and Indigenous visions of success for learning. The committee should be given the authority to monitor the implementation of the plan, adjust as required and report to the superintendent on an agreed timeline. The superintendent is accountable for the plan and for being transparent in reporting to the board and community. Peel District School Board -Directive 9-Equity Accountability Report Card: Understanding the Equity Gap in Special Education is an example of an yearly accountability report to the Board on the school system’s progress to implement anti-racism and anti-oppression approaches to create safe, caring, respectful learning conditions for all, in students and staff that have been impacted by systemic inequities. The student indicators were:
- Student achievement
- Programs and pathways
- Special education
- Student discipline
- Student well-being
Reflective Questions
- What strategies are working well in my school district in how we address improving success for Indigenous learners?
- Is the work my school district is doing working? How do we know?
- What elements of the stories of practice in this eLeadership Guide hold promise for my school district?
- How can I influence my school district to build professional capacity to ensure teachers, principals, and system education leaders have the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and ability to action what needs to be done to lead improving success for Indigenous learners?
- What is my “why” about how my school district addresses improving success for Indigenous learners? Does our community know our “why?”
- How is my school district’s building coherence to systemic solutions?
Moving Forward
- Importance of Data-informed Decision Making: How is our school division using data to inform our decision making? What is working well? What do we need to improve?
- Research Focus: What elements from research hold promise for your understanding about Indigenous learner success and system education leadership to improve student achievement?
- Guiding Resources: Consider the numerous references and resources that were mentioned in the stories of practice. Which ones could help to inform your work in your school district?
- Scheduling: How can time be restructured in your school district to maximize time for interventions and just-in time learning?
- Celebrations: How does your school district engage with stakeholders, support students, and celebrate successes?
- Systemic Approaches: What are the consistent expectations and approaches in your school district’s systemic solutions?
- Collaboration: What are the layers of collaboration in your school system? Are the collaboration results demonstratable?
Additional Resources
Alberta Education. (2020a). Leadership quality standard. https://www.alberta.ca/assets/documents/ed-leadership-quality-standard-english.pdf
Alberta Education. (2020b). Superintendent leadership quality standard. https://www.alberta.ca/assets/documents/ed-superintendent-leadership-quality-standard-english.pdf
Battiste, M. (2013). Decolonizing education: Noursihing the learning spirit. Purich Publishing Limited.
Brandon, J., Hanna, P., Rhyason, K. (Eds.). (2013). Vision in action: Seven approaches to school system success. CASS.
CASS. (2022). The guide to relationships and learning with the Indigenous peoples of Alberta. https://cass.ab.ca/indigenous-education/