Ensuring Strong Leadership for Our Public Schools

UCEA ConventionNovember 21, 2009

Karen Symms Gallagher, PhDDean

A Few Facts about USC and theRossier School of Education

USC 34,500 students (45-65 split undergrads and grads) Urban setting (south central Los Angeles) Established in 1880 Largest private research university in California

Rossier School 1,265 students (all graduate students) PhD, EdD, 7 Masters degrees Centennial year – but have been preparing high school

teachers since 1896

Our Mission

Our mission is to strengthen urban education locally,nationally and internationally

We seek to transform urban education by: Preparing and developing educational leaders Leading the search for innovative, efficacious and just

solutions to the challenges of urban education Creating mutually beneficial partnerships

Our Vision

Our vision is to be a premier and distinctive School of Education, defined by innovative educational programs, scholarship and partnerships that directly impact policy and transform practice in urban education.

USC Rossier School of EducationChallenges & Responses

4 External Challenges

1. In 2000, University Committee on Academic Review report called for major revision in graduate programs, standards for admissions, and faculty productivity

e.g.: average time to degree

EdD = 7 years PhD = 9 years

Our Response to Challenge

In 2001, 100 stakeholders (all Rossier faculty, students, alumni, K-12 sector, colleges and universities, policymakers, and foundations) spent 2 ½ days in an intensive “Futures Conference” to determine how the school would move forward.

ChallengesExternal to Rossier

2. Stabilize operating budget Revenue-centered budget management Like USC, Rossier’s budget is tuition dependent Each fiscal year, Rossier develops, submits, and is

approved for a balanced revenue/expenditure budget

Up to the year 2000, Rossier’s budget looked like a roller-coaster

Our Response to Challenge

Improved budget predictability and accuracy Diversified revenue streams (88%-90% tuition) Increased school operating budget by 66% in

last 5 years

Our Response to Challenge

Eliminated degree programs Phased out under-graduate degree (BS in

Elementary Education) Reconceptualized all remaining degree

programs 3 most impactful programs – EdD, PhD, MAT

Challenges External to Rossier

3. Review of all USC PhD programs in 2002 resulted in call for many fewer but higher quality PhD programs at USC

- Rossier wanted to continue to offer PhD

Our Response to Challenge

Reconceptualized PhD program along with redesign of EdD program

Agreed to spend operating budget funds to support first 2 years of PhD students

Set up schoolwide EdD and PhD governing committees with authority over program quality and delivery

ChallengesExternal to Rossier

4. Substantial need in Los Angeles for K-16 educational leaders:

LA County – 10,000,000 residents 81 school districts – 1.25 million students Largest community college district in US with

highly diverse students (race, ethnicity, language, SES)

Our Response to Challenge

A 3-year EdD program for working professionals that prepares educational leaders who are committed to urban education and who see themselves as change agents

Our Response to Challenge

A 4-year PhD program for full-time students to prepare them to be researchers and the next generation of Education professors who are committed to the improvement of urban education through rigorous research and who want to make a difference through their scholarship

The Rossier School of EducationChallenges & Responses

5 Internal Challenges

1. In 1990s, changing context of educational needs in California schools and colleges but outdated EdD curriculum in three educational leadership programs (K-12 leadership, higher education leadership, curriculum and instruction)

Our Response to Challenge

No tinkering with existing courses / started from scratch

Developmental process of implementation First year – core courses (accountability,

diversity, leadership and learning) & inquiry courses

Second & Third years – redesigned 5 concentrations courses

Ongoing – Capstone experience

ChallengesInternal to Rossier

2. Disconnected courses, rolling admissions, divisional and faculty territorial ownership of some courses, too many ABDs in legacy doctoral programs

Our Response to Challenge

Year Fall Spring Summer

1 CORE 1 CORE 3 Inquiry ICORE 2 CORE 4 Conc 1

_______________________________2 Conc 2 Inquiry II Conc 4

Conc 3 Capstone 1 Conc 5 Capstone 2

_______________________________3 Capstone 3 Capstone 4

Our Response to Challenge

One EdD program on educational leadership 3 concentration tracks:

K-12 schools, higher education, teacher education (pre-service and staff development)

ChallengesInternal to Rossier

3. Lack of connection with field

Our Response to Challenge

Inclusion of current practitioners into planning, teaching and capstone courses

Hired full-time teaching faculty (NTT)

Working professional as third member of capstone committee (EdD)

Cadre of adjuncts with 3-year commitment to teach

ChallengesInternal to Rossier

4. Confusion about the purpose of capstone experience:

- arts and sciences dissertation model for both EdD and PhD

Our Response to Challenge

Redesigned PhD program for future professors: Admit 7-8 full-time students a year Support with stipends and tuition Research internships

EdD program for educational leaders in practice: Admit 150 part-time students a year Few fellowships Seek school district nominations for future

administrators

ChallengesInternal to Rossier

5. Few support services for students, but particularly for EdD students who were part-time students and full-time working professionals

Our Response to Challenge

Program offices for each degree (EdD & PhD) Different recruiting and admissions strategies Student orientation and advisory committees Early warning system - EdD Doctoral Support Center Career Center Strong program governance committees

As of November 2009

4 EdD cohorts have finished 62% completion rates in 3 years, but 72% for 2009

cohort 78% completion rates in 4 years, but 88% for 2008

cohort 2 PhD cohorts are complete

80% completion rate All but 2 placed in college or university positions

All legacy PhD students are completed

Lessons Learned

Commitment to continuous program and curriculum improvement is worthwhile

In competitive markets, students choose USC

Districts and community colleges seek our graduates

Compete successfully for top PhD students

Data-driven decision making for both program and budget is worth the investment

Mission

We are playing a role in strengthening

urban education –

locally, nationally, internationally