Pati Montgomery
Pati Montgomery has a vast background in education which includes being a teacher and administrator with underserved populations, special education administrator, author, a national educational consultant specializing in principal and school leadership development, collaborator with State Departments of Education as well as teacher effectiveness and union-management collaboration teams. Previously, she was the Executive Director of Literacy for the Colorado Department of Education where she was responsible for the implementation of the READ Act. Pati has worked with school principals and superintendents across the country on effective school practices. Her work is steeped in the belief that ALL students can attain high achievement and focuses on school populations comprised of highly diverse learners. To attain such, administrators must use educational research to ensure they are using proven and evidence-based practices that will increase school effectiveness. Pati is the lead author of the book entitled, The Principal’s Primer for Raising Reading Achievement. The book is a guide for principals and school leaders that highlights efficient systems and structures necessary for school-wide improvement in performance.
Concurrent Session Description
Professional Development to School Leaders May be More Important than to Teachers
Pati Montgomery
(Coaching/ Instructional Support, Leadership)
At long last schools, districts and states are improving professional development to teachers in the Science of Reading. For the most part, school leadership has been ignored in this professional development. Some states are now ensuring school leaders also receive this training. Yet as we move forward in increasing the knowledge of the Science of Reading to school leaders, we may be ignoring the TRUE research on what principals and school leaders need to know. The most current in-depth study on effective school leadership encompassed two decades of research. This research makes clear what “good” principals do. Session attendees will learn the basis of this research. Unfortunately, professional development is simply the Science of Reading may not effectuate change in schools unless the other areas of professional development to school leaders are also put into place.
Target Audience(s): Elementary, Middle/ Jr. High
Education Track(s): Leadership