Study Groups

Overview

The Consortium convenes study groups to explore topics of mutual interest, such as school leadership, 21st Century Skills, student learning, and assessment. Below is a list of the Consortium’s study groups:

Superintendents Study Group

The Tri-State Consortium Superintendents’ Network will meet on a monthly basis for intense and collaborative learning focused on the unique challenges educational CEOs face as they (1) focus on improving teaching and learning at scale, (2) promote coherent, systemwide change, (3) support the learning of each and every child, (4) work with boards to create a sustainable and focused local policy environment, and (5) respond to forces disruptive to the educational mission. 

The Network will use dynamic and collaborative processes anchored in all that the field knows about how leaders learn best. We will:

The group is facilitated by:

Click HERE to register. 


Curriculum Leaders Study Group

This study group is composed of deputy and assistant superintendents and district level directors of curriculum.  The group pursues questions about what constitutes 21st Century skills, and district leadership's role and responsibility to collaborate with staff by managing changes required in curriculum, instruction and administration to ensure that students graduate in possession of these skills. This dynamic group functions as a real-time think tank for participants as, in addition to big questions around 21st century skills, the group also confronts critical issues confronting public education today.

The group is facilitated by:

Click HERE to register.


Special Education Directors Study Group

The Special Education Directors Study Group is designed to support the study of topics relevant to the challenging work of Special Education Administrators. The group meets four times each during the school year. The study group uses protocols and/or a Socratic approach to engage the thinking of each member.  A typical study group question is :  How can we use current brain research to support students with disabilities with Common Core Standards?   

This group is facilitated by:

Click HERE to register.


High School Principals Study Group

This group meets several times annually. Centered on the power of leadership study, the group has analyzed texts (Thomas Friedman's Hot, Flat and Crowded; Leadership on the Line by Heifetz and Linsky; Creative Innovators by Tony Wagner, for example) and also focuses on case studies presented by members of the study group. 

The group is facilitated by:

Click HERE to register.


Middle School Principals Study Group

The Middle School Principals Study Group meets three times annually. In recent years, the group has been reading texts and discussing case studies presented by members of the group.  This year, the group will take a future-focused look at where middle schools are headed, particularly in our region.  The group will engage in full-group and small-group discussions, exploratory research/readings and interest-based planning sessions.

This study group is self-facilitated by:

Click HERE to register.


Elementary School Principals Study Group

This study group meets four times each year and will focus on topics relevant to your current work. The agendas will be co-created to support your leadership in your various initiatives and goals. Some topics may include specific content, such as literacy, science, and math, instructional practices, assessment of student learning, teacher evaluation, school culture, and innovation. Meetings may begin with discussions of relevant readings and end with discussions of case studies presented by members of the group.

The group is facilitated by:

Click HERE to register.


Assistant Principals Study Group

This study group is open to all Assistant Principals in our member districts. Assistant principals typically do not have opportunities to discuss their roles with each other, so the topics for discussion are based on the role of the assistant principal at all levels of the system and are often linked to relevant concerns and professional articles.

This study group is facilitated by:

Click HERE to register.


Indicator Review Working Group

The language of the Tri-State benchmarking rubric is reviewed by a group of experienced visit team co-leaders. The goal is to clarify and refine the indicator definitions, study questions, and scoring rubrics based on the experience of having used them in the visit setting. The group's recommendations are submitted for review and approval by the Steering Committee. This group meets biannually. 

Problems of Democracy: Teaching Civic Engagement in Challenging Times

School districts are currently facing an uphill battle to preserve democracy in public education.  There is no more important topic in the school curriculum than civic education, which is essential to students' knowledge, skills, and values as citizens of the world, but many roadblocks are hindering democratic growth for students, educators, and school-communities.  This study group will explore the current landscape of civic education through the lens of society, school institutions, and the classroom.  The facilitators will use case studies and relevant research to frame discussions for school leaders from the Tri-State Consortium with the aim of expanding our professional knowledge and collaborating on strategies to provide high quality, active, and informed civic education through each layer of the school system.  This study group is for superintendents, principals, curriculum specialists, and teachers interested in pursuit of democratic education. 

This study group is facilitated by:

Click HERE to register.


Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

As districts continue to build their systems and supports, this group will focus on exploring various methods for implementing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and ways that leaders can continue to provide professional learning opportunities within their identified support models through a lens of equity. 

NOTE: This Study Group is open to all who did NOT participate in the group last year. Those who did participate last year will receive a separate invitation should they wish to continue.

This study group is facilitated by:

Click HERE to register.


Topic-Based Study Groups

The Consortium responds to requests from members to conduct study groups based on specific topics of mutual interest. In previous years, two such study groups were convened, each for one session - one focused on programs for gifted students, and one focused on alternatives to Advanced Placement courses. 

These study groups usually are facilitated by the people initiating the requests to meet.