Blazing New Trails - Connexions

Navigating the Politics of Change in a Suburban School District: A Phenomenological Study 229
At times, in spite of the underlying political culture in CRISD, programs or models are
implemented that have the potential for rippling a positive impact at the campus level. The
Teachers Leading Teachers model for teacher leadership is one of those programs. The focus
of this study was on navigating the political climate as described in the district to influence
the way CRISD prepared teacher leaders.
TEACHERS LEADING TEACHERS MODEL
In 2003, the campus-based Teachers Leading Teachers (TLT) model of professional
development was established in Cedar Ridge ISD to promote and support best practice
instruction and campus collaboration. The Teachers Leading Teachers model was the first
formalized teacher leader position established in CRISD that was created at the district level
and not the campus level where many teacher leaders, department chairs, team leaders, and
others had existed for years.
The work of Teachers Leading Teachers included, but was not limited to, modeling
effective lessons, conducting peer observations and debriefing, sharing resources with staff
members, reviewing current best-practice research, data analysis, coaching, providing
professional development sessions and serving as a mentor for new teachers (Cedar Ridge
Independent School District, 2008).
All elementary campuses were allocated two Teachers Leading Teachers per campus,
one from the primary level and one from the intermediate level. Each elementary campus was
also allocated a Professional Development Educational Assistant who was a half-time
employee and worked 18.75 hours per week. Teachers Leading Teachers earned a stipend for
their work, but still had a full-time teaching load in most cases at the elementary level.
Secondary campuses elected to identify five Teachers Leading Teachers; one in each
of the four content areas and the fifth was a representative from Special Education, English as
a Second Language, Languages Other than English, or Fine Arts. Campuses were at liberty to
choose the fifth TLT based on their individual campus need. All secondary campuses were
allocated a full-time Professional Development Educational Assistant. Most of the identified
Teachers Leading Teachers at the secondary campuses also had a full-time teaching load;
however, some were also serving in the role of department chairperson and/ or other
leadership positions that allowed for an additional period off during the school day (Cedar
Ridge Independent School District, 2008).
At the close of the 2007–2008 school year, teachers participating in the TLT program
completed a survey to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing training model. The survey
included open-ended response questions about how to improve the training they received to
help them with the responsibilities on their campuses. The purpose of the survey was to gain
insight into the celebrations and challenges of the current structure of the TLT model and to
assess how teacher leaders were supported at the district and campus levels. The survey
showed that 45% of the participants felt that the meetings held were not effective (CRISD
Teachers Leading Teachers Survey, 2008). In response to this information district-level
personnel, including representatives from the Curriculum Leadership Team, developed an
alternate training plan for the 2008–2009 school year.
An additional contextual understanding necessary to gain a true picture of the need for
a change in the training plan and the execution of the TLT model in CRISD was that there
was the possibility of the model being abandoned. According to the district level leadership
team, the TLT model and funding to support it was not viewed as a successful use of
resources for the district and would be disbanded. In response, the professional development