In a school, needs almost always outweigh resources available to meet those needs. As you learned in the presentations, budgeting – whether you’re talking about fiscal, human, or physical resources – is about establishing priorities. Decision making about priorities must be guided, by student achievement. But what happens when the data reveal greater student needs than there are resources to meet those needs? In your career as a school leader, this will often be the case. In these instances, you must let your moral compass guide you. You must ask yourself, “What decision can I make that will have the greatest impact on the school and its students?”
In the Module 1 Analysis assignment, you examined professional codes of ethics and developed a personal professional code of ethics. In this module’s application assignment, you will be guided by these ethics codes as you identify and prioritize targets for instructional improvement.
In the Module 2 Application assignment, you will use data from a School Improvement Plan (SIP) to identify five instructional improvement targets, current interventions, and the resources that are in place to meet those instructional needs. Then you will demonstrate your ability to prioritize school needs by selecting for further study the one instructional improvement target that you feel will have the greatest impact on student achievement.
View/Download the Template Tables
download
Word document for use in this assignment.
Complete Parts 1, 2, and 3 and compose your responses in a single, 5- to 7-page Word document (not including the title and references pages). Use the part titles as subheadings.
Write an introduction and conclusion for your paper.
Use APA format for the paper, title page, references page, and in-text citations.
Note: This assignment’s rubric is specifically designed to assess specific skills and knowledge related to your program. Please review all rubrics carefully prior to submission.
Part 1: Examining the Data
Step 1. Obtain a copy of the current School Improvement Plan (SIP) from a school, preferably your own.
Step 2. From the SIP, identify five instructional improvement targets, data support for the targets, and current interventions. Remember, your goal in this part of the assignment is to obtain the scope of need.
Step 3. Compile the improvement targets, data support, and current interventions in a chart. You may create the table yourself, or use the template provided in the Template Tables document.
Part 2: Prioritizing the Target
Demonstrate your ability to prioritize by selecting for further study the one instructional improvement target from the Part 1 exercise that you feel will have the greatest impact on student achievement. Describe the instructional improvement target and the process that you went through to select and justify the target by responding to the following prompts/questions in three well-developed paragraphs (one per question).
Describe the priority instructional improvement target, and state your rationale for selecting it.
Explain the decision-making process you used to move from the five instructional improvement targets to one priority for further study. How did you weigh overall school needs vs. individual student needs? How can/did systems thinking assist you in prioritizing needs?
How difficult was it for you to narrow the instructional improvement targets to one? How was your decision making guided by your moral compass and ethics?
Part 3: Describing Current Reality
Describe the current reality for the one instructional improvement target by answering the questions in a well-developed paragraph.
What is the target population for the proposed intervention?
What is the current capacity of the school to address the instructional target (fiscal, human, and physical resources)?
What modifications are needed in the current approach to improve student achievement?
Please read the Assignment Guidelines
(Links to an external site.)
before you begin working.
Master’s Assignment Rubric (M.DL.R.DA.) v.3
Criteria Ratings Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Demonstrates a Conceptual Understanding
Provides a thorough response to the assignment prompt and demonstrates a real-world application.
12.25 to >10.5 pts
Mastery
A. Clearly addressed all elements of the assignment. B. Demonstrated real‐ world application.
10.5 to >9.75 pts
Marginal
A. Addressed most of the elements of the assignment. B. Demonstrated marginal real‐world application.
9.75 to >0.0 pts
Needs Improvement
A. Somewhat addressed the elements of the assignment. B. Demonstrated little to no real‐world application.
0 pts
No submission
12.25 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Analysis and Evaluation of Issues/Problems
Analyzes an issue/problem demonstrating a scholarly analysis, connection to theory/research, critical thinking, and the ability to draw conclusions.
20 to >16.9 pts
Mastery
A. Clearly addressed the issue/problem. B. Exhibited scholarly analysis and evaluation. C. Established a solid connection to theory and/or research. D. Demonstrated critical thinking surrounding the issue/problem with depth and breadth. E. Formulated deep conclusion and/or implications.
16.9 to >13.9 pts
Marginal
A. Addressed most of the issue/problem. B. Somewhat exhibited scholarly analysis and evaluation. C. Established some connection to theory and/or research. D. Demonstrated a superficial understanding of the issue/problem. E. Formulated surface‐ level conclusion and/or implications.
13.9 to >0.0 pts
Needs Improvement
A. Many issues/problems not addressed. B. Exhibited little to no scholarly analysis and evaluation. C. Established little to no connection to theory and/or research. D. Demonstrated limited evidence of understanding the problem/issue. E. Formulated limited evidence of conclusion and/or implications.
0 pts
No submission
20 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Use of Evidence
Uses scholarly references to use as evidence.
12.25 to >10.5 pts
Mastery
A. Displayed a variety of scholarly references as evidence. B. Demonstrated use of scholarly literature and research beyond sources provided in the course.
10.5 to >9.75 pts
Marginal
A. Displayed a marginal use of references. B. Demonstrated a marginal use of literature and research provided in the course.
9.75 to >0.0 pts
Needs Improvement
A. Displayed little to no use of references. B. Demonstrated little to no use of literature and research provided in the course.
0 pts
No submission
12.25 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
6 Skills: Data Literacy
Demonstrates an ability to derive meaningful information and application from data.
10 to >8.4 pts
Mastery
A. Collects and organizes various kinds of data. B. Evaluates the accuracy and sufficiency of data. C. Critically analyzes data.
8.4 to >6.9 pts
Marginal
A. Collects and organizes some of the expected data. B. Reviews the accuracy and sufficiency of data. C. Explains data.
6.9 to >0.0 pts
Needs Improvement
A. Collects limited data and/or organization is unclear. B. Draws incorrect conclusions about the accuracy and sufficiency of data. C. Lists data.
0 pts
No submission
10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
6 Skills: Research
Demonstrates use and understanding of qualitative, quantitative and/or mixed methods research methodology.
12.75 to >10.5 pts
Mastery
A. Identifies which kind of research to use for specific situations and decisions. B. Uses information effectively for specific purposes. C. Cites others’ research properly and gives credit for sources of ideas.
10.5 to >9.75 pts
Marginal
A. Identifies which kind of research to use for specific situations and decisions with marginal accuracy. B. Uses information with marginal connection to specific purposes. C. Cites others’ research with minimal accuracy or gives some credit for sources of ideas.
9.75 to >0.0 pts
Needs Improvement
A. Incorrectly identifies which kind of research to use for specific situations and decisions. B. Ineffectively uses or does not use information for specific purposes. C. Cites others’ research incorrectly or does not credit sources of ideas.
0 pts
No submission
12.75 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
6 Skills: Data Analysis
Demonstrates use of data analysis and evidence to develop supportive school environments.
12.75 to >10.5 pts
Mastery
A. Justifies decisions informed by data and evidence. B. Analyzes data to determine which are useful. C. Identifies meaningful patterns in data. D. Develops accurate and actionable conclusions.
10.5 to >9.75 pts
Marginal
A. Explains decisions marginally informed by data and evidence. B. Reviews data to determine which are useful. C. Identifies patterns in data. D. Develops accurate conclusions without actionable items.
9.75 to >0.0 pts
Needs Improvement
A. Makes poorly informed decisions with limited or no use of data and evidence. B. Describes data. C. Incorrectly identifies patterns in data. D. Develops inaccurate conclusions, which may or may not be actionable.
0 pts
No submission
12.75 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Scholarly Writing
Demonstrates graduate level writing and communication skills.
10 to >8.4 pts
Mastery
A. Exceeded or met formal writing standards. B. Demonstrated correct grammar, usage, mechanics, and spelling.
8.4 to >6.9 pts
Marginal
A. Met or marginally met a basic level of formal writing. B. Demonstrated inconsistent use of grammar, usage, mechanics, and spelling.
6.9 to >0.0 pts
Needs Improvement
A. Basic formal writing skills limited or not present. B. Demonstrated difficulty with grammar, usage, mechanics, and spelling.
0 pts
No submission
10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
APA Format
Demonstrates graduate-level formatting using APA rules.
10 to >8.4 pts
Mastery
A. Demonstrated near‐ perfect APA formatting.
8.4 to >6.9 pts
Marginal
A. Demonstrated marginally correct APA formatting.
6.9 to >0.0 pts
Needs Improvement
A. Demonstrated limited correct APA formatting.
0 pts
No submission
10 pts
Total Points: 100
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