School Development

MICHELLE LAPOINTE

*** **** ** #* ********* MA ***39 617-***-**** ********@*****.***

EXPERTISE

** ***** ** ********** ********** and managing program evaluations and policy research.

Knowledge of U.S. federal and state education policies and international best practices.

Knowledge of data systems and data-driven decision-making, comprehensive school reform strategies,

and professional development for effective school leadership.

Expertise conducting and managing mixed-methodology research in organizational settings.

Experience gathering stakeholder data to inform strategic planning.

Expertise writing proposals and managing research contracts.

Experience collaborating with colleagues within and between organizations.

Experience supervising and mentoring staff, both face-to-face and geographically dispersed teams.

Skilled in working in and managing multidisciplinary teams.

Skilled in helping decision-makers and educators understand the implications of research and evaluation

for program implementation and improvement.

Skilled in presenting research and data to a variety of audiences.

EDUCATION

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Ph.D., Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis, 2000.

M.S., Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis, 1998

Concentration: Policy Analysis & Program Evaluation

Dissertation research on internal accountability in public schools of choice

Dissertation Committee: Carolyn Kelley (chair), L. Allen Phelps, Allan Odden, Julie Meade, Adam Gamoran

Syracuse University

Master of Public Administration, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, 1994

Concentration: Comparative Social Policy

Master Project: Worked in team with diverse skills to conduct a needs assessment to inform improvements

to Onondaga County s foster parent program. Revised existing survey instrument to create interview

protocol. Interviewed foster parents in their homes. Analyzed data, drafted report, and presented findings to

the Department of Social Services.

Bowdoin College, 1991

Bachelor of Arts, cum laude

Major: History & Romance Languages (French, Spanish, and Italian)

Universidad de Costa Rica, fall 1989

Enrolled at Costa Rica s national university. Took full course-load, alongside native Spanish-speaking

students. Lived with Costa Rican family

RESEARCH & EVALUATION EXPERIENCE

LESLEY UNIVERSITY

Center for Reading Recovery and Literacy Collaborative (April 2011-present)

Director of Research. Plan and manage research and evaluation agenda for the Literacy Collaborative, Reading

Recovery, and Level Literacy Intervention (LLI).

Conduct internal quantitative and qualitative research on program implementation and effects.

Coordinate with outside consultants conducting third-party evaluations.

Train teachers and school leaders to analyze data to inform instruction.

Advise teachers and school leaders on action research and program evaluations.

LaPOINTE EVALUATION & ANALYSIS FOR DECISION-MAKERS (May 2009-June 2011)

Owner. LEAD, LLC is a woman-owned small business providing program evaluation and policy analysis

services. LEAD works closely with existing teams at client organizations, including:

Regional Educational Laboratory for the Mid Atlantic

California Comprehensive Assistance Center at WestEd

Maine Education Policy Research Institute

Great Schools Partnership

Center for Applied Prevention Technologies at the Education Development Center

Specific projects include:

Validate international benchmarks for a high quality secondary education tool kit developed by the Great

Schools Partnership.

On-going assistance to REL-Mid Atlantic to review project proposals and reports, as part of internal

quality control process.

A review of research on school and district consolidation. Analyze and synthesize rigorous research to

produce an article intended to help decisionmakers in the Mid-Atlantic region in developing

consolidation policies.

Interview influential persons in the development of Maine s school district consolidation policy. Work

commissioned by the Maine Department of Education.

A review of California Department of Education s policies on principal development and evaluation.

Produced a memo to brief a statewide working-group developing principal evaluation systems.

Provide technical assistance to substance abuse prevention programs as they create rigorous evaluation

plans.

Conduct workshop on program evaluation for Rhode Island s community coalitions for substance abuse

prevention.

Conducted a needs assessment as part of PCG Education s strategic planning process in the Missoula

(MT) Public Schools.

-1-

EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Regional Education Laboratory for the Northeast & Islands (March 2007-June 2009)

Research Manager. Member of the leadership team for the Regional Educational Laboratory for the Northeast

& Islands (REL-NEI), a federally-funded center that provides research support to educational decisionmakers

in New England, New York, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Duties included:

Senior Methodologist

Managed portfolio of research projects, developed in response to needs identified by stakeholders in the

region.

o Supervised the work of 20 research teams, including employees of EDC and subcontractors.

o Developed and implemented quality control process to produce reports in preparation for external

peer review process.

Met with Puerto Rico s Secretary of Education to introduce the REL s research him and his staff.

Presented leadership research to diverse group of educators, convened to advise REL work in Puerto

Rico. Meetings conducted in both English and Spanish.

Worked closely with technical assistance providers in EDC s Maine office.

o Met regularly with Maine s Commissioner of Education to help the Department of Education use

data and evidence to guide policymaking and program implementation.

o Coordinated event for Maine State Legislature, to bring research on early childhood education to

decisionmakers.

o Supported implementation of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of on-line algebra courses in

middles schools in Maine and Vermont.

Coordinated Data Working Group of researchers across the 10 regional educational laboratories to share

best practices in data use and data-driven decision-making.

Led research team investigating state supports for data-driven decisionmaking; coordinated a team of five

geographically dispersed researchers

Direct supervisor of two research associates.

Supported dissemination of the findings from REL fast response projects in order to connect research to

practice.

o Developed multi-media dissemination plan included face-to-face PowerPoint presentations to

various audiences, workshops with small groups to facilitate discussions amongst educators, and

webinars to facilitate the access of rural educators to presentations and discussions.

o Served as moderator for series of webinars.

Participated in EDC s strategic planning process.

Center for Leadership & Learning Communities (August 2007-June 2009)

Principal Investigator. Provided leadership to an evaluation of district-university partnerships to prepare school

principals, commissioned by The Wallace Foundation. Duties included:

Developed a successful proposal in response to foundation s request for proposal.

Supported the field work of team of eight researchers across six institutions.

Supervised five research associates.

Managed the human subjects and data security process across all six institutions

Conducted research in two districts, including interviews, observations, and surveys.

Developed case studies documenting district-university partnerships to prepare school principals.

Drafted final evaluation report.

Presented findings to The Wallace Foundation and at professional meetings.

-2-

STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Stanford Education Leadership Institute (May 2004-May 2007)

Research Director. Managed three-year study of innovative principal training programs, funded by The Wallace

Foundation. Duties included:

Member of leadership team, coordinating in-depth case studies of eight of principal pre-service and in-

service professional development programs designed to prepare principals to lead high need schools and

support at-risk students.

Hired and managed consultants, subcontractors, and graduate research assistants. Team members were

employed by five geographically dispersed institutions in both the U.S. and Canada.

Designed multi-method research design, including a three-tiered nested survey design with a weighted

national sample coupled with qualitative data to illustrate program implementation.

Developed qualitative and quantitative data collection instruments; aided in the testing and administration

of a survey instrument.

Managed field studies: coordinated selection of sites, developed memorandum of understanding with

each district and university; provided logistical support to teams of researchers collecting qualitative data

on-site.

Conducted visits to three sites; interviewed staff, programs participants, and graduates; observed program

activities and schools led by program graduates.

Supervised analysis of survey data, using factor analysis and hierarchal linear modeling (HLM).

Coordinated and conducted analysis of qualitative data using NVivo software.

Managed the process of developing and drafting mixed-method case studies of principal development

programs and graduates.

Developed and edited volume of summaries of each district program to provide a snapshot of innovative

strategies to practitioners.

Co-authored technical report for a research audience, an executive summary for practitioners, and a book

for a general audience.

Reported findings to funder, educators, researchers, and the public through reports, briefings, and

presentations at professional meetings.

INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT (January 2003-December 2004)

Independent consultant providing program evaluation and policy analysis services. Contracted by various

organizations to conduct research and evaluation projects to collect data to inform program implementation.

Worked with existing teams at the following organizations:

Berkeley Policy Associates

COSMOS Corporation

Galef Foundation

Innovative Strategies

Lafayette (CA) Elementary School District

The Leadership Initiative at WestEd

National Center for Homeless Education at SERVE

Projects included:

Collected and presented data to inform the strategic planning process for school district in the San

Francisco Bay area.

Assessed the impact of NCLB policy changes to federally-funded programs serving homeless students,

including visits to seven schools in four districts.

Surveyed local sites to evaluate State of Louisiana welfare programs that support youth at-risk.

-3-

Analyzed the effect of National Science Foundation-sponsored reforms in eight states designed to

improve the mathematics and science education of elementary and secondary students.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of the Undersecretary, Planning and Evaluation Service (September 2000-December 2002)

Education Program Specialist (GS-13). In consultation with program offices, designed and implemented multi-

year evaluation contracts to better understand the impact of the following policy and program areas:

Comprehensive School Reform Development (CSRD) Program

Public School Choice

English Language Learners

Duties included:

Collaborated with Department program offices to collect data that both met accountability requirements

and provided feedback to improve program implementation.

Designed nationally representative evaluation studies, including a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to

evaluate CSRD grants.

Participated in U.S.-U.K. collaboration to share best practices in transforming low-performing schools.

Coordinated effort to design a performance management system to collect consistent data from grantees

nationwide.

Visited CSRD schools in Prince Georges County, MD, Des Moines, IA, and Sacramento, CA.

Visited charter schools in San Francisco, CA, and East Palo Alto, CA.

Drafted requests for proposals and managed competitive bidding process.

Supervised evaluation contracts.

Managed annual evaluation budget of over $3 million.

Reported evaluation findings to Congress, program staff, and the public through reports, briefings, and

presentations at professional meetings.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE

Center for Educational Policy, Applied Research, and Evaluation (September 1997-August 2000)

Consultant. Contracted by the University to provide research and evaluation services to improve educational

policies and program implementation. Specific projects included:

Condition of Education in Maine, 1997 (statistical yearbook prepared for State of Maine)

Evaluated Learner-Centered Accountability/Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Grant

Evaluated the Legacy Project (Mott Foundation grant to improve resiliency in youth)

Surveyed Parents in School District (MSAD) 51 Regarding their Choice of Schools for their Children

Assessed Impact of Full-Day Kindergarten Pilot Program in MSAD 75

Duties included:

Evaluated school-based projects to support students at-risk.

Developed interview and observation instruments, to both script activities and then probe participants

for their opinions and reactions with follow-up interviews.

Wrote reports documenting and analyzing sites progress and role of technical assistance providers

Facilitated networking between leadership teams at sites within reform initiative.

-4-

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON

Center on Education and Work (February 1996-May 1999)

Research Associate. Assigned to various projects, with increasing responsibility.

Specific projects included:

Evaluation of the Business Alliance for Advanced Technological Education, a National Alliance of

Business project funded by the National Science Foundation

Diagnostic Assessment of the School-to-Work Systems in North and South Dakota for Jobs for the

Future

Survey on Secondary Vocational Education in Georgia, commissioned by state Superintendent of

Instruction

Duties included:

Wrote school accreditation reports.

Analyzed state policies and discussed findings with staff at the North and South Dakota Departments of

Education to improve their development of proposals for a federal School-to-Work grant.

Studied model community partnerships with high schools designed to prepare women and minorities for

high tech jobs.

Presented results to elected officials, state department of education officials, business leaders, and

educators at a variety of professional meetings.

CSR, INCORPORATED (1994-1995)

Research Associate. Provided social science research and evaluation services to federal agencies.

Specific projects included:

The Condition of Education (statistical yearbook, prepared for U.S. Department of Education)

National Evaluation of the Comprehensive Child Development Program

National Evaluation of Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Programs for Youth

Duties included:

Participated in evaluation of pilot program expanding Head Start services to help families become self

sufficient.

Participated in the national evaluation of substance abuse prevention programs for youth at risk.

Conducted site visits in Fort Worth (TX), Brooklyn (NY), on the Red Cliff Indian Reservation in Bayfield (WI).

Interviewed project staff, led focus groups with community representatives, observed school-based

interventions and other grant-funded activities.

Performed quantitative and qualitative data analysis.

Wrote narrative reports and case studies.

Assisted with preparation of contract proposals.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

French: Fluent. Lived in Mali as a child, attended French elementary school, continued to study French

through college. Served as translator to conference of New England Governor s and Southeastern

Canadian Premiers.

Spanish: Conversant. (Fluent listening and reading). Lived in Puerto Rico as a child, continued to study

Spanish through college, including one semester enrolled at the University of Costa Rica. Participated

in professional meetings with decsionmakers and educators in Puerto Rico.

-5-

Italian: Conversant. Two years of college courses, one semester in Italy (lived with Italian family), and served

as teaching assistant during last year of college.

COMPUTER SKILLS

Experienced with Apple and PC programs:

MS Word, WordPerfect, Excel, PowerPoint, SPSS for Windows, Filemaker,

Quattro Pro, Lotus, AtlasTi, NVivo.

PROFESSIONAL & VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

Association for Public Policy, Analysis & Management, member.

American Educational Research Association, associate member. Program Chair for the Special Interest

Group on School Indicators, Profiles, and Accountability.

Women of DFA, founding member of organization to increase women s participation in politics.

San Francisco for Democracy, Director of Political Affairs committee. Named Volunteer of the Month,

September 2005.

AmeriCorps Member. Designed, implemented mentor program for youth at community mental health agency.

Faith Formation Instructor. Taught pre-school class at Sacred Heart/St. Dominic s Parish.

Hospice of Maine, volunteer. Provided support to terminally ill patients and their families.

Northeast Marine Animal Lifeline, volunteer. Assisted in the rescue of injured seals along the Maine

coast.

Maxwell Women s Caucus, founding member. Forum for Syracuse University graduate students and

faculty to discuss women s issues.

HONORS

Syracuse University Graduate Scholarship, awarded scholarship, stipend based on academic achievement.

Lyndon Baines Johnson Scholarship, awarded internship and stipend from the U.S. Congress.

James Bowdoin Scholar, inducted into Bowdoin College honor society.

PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

LaPointe, M.A., & Chmielewski. E. with Beland, S., Cherry, K., Gomes, J., MacIntire, E., Meltzer, J. and

Ronka, D. (2011). Investing in Community Colleges of the Commonwealth: A Review of Funding Streams.

Boston, MA: Public Consulting Group and Clark University s Mosakowski Institute.

Orr, M.T., King, C. & LaPointe, M.A. (2010) Districts Developing Leaders: Lessons on Consumer Actions and Program

Approaches from Eight Urban Districts. Newton, MA: Education Development Center, Inc.

http://www.wallacefoundation.org/KnowledgeCenter/KnowledgeTopics/CurrentAreasofFocus/Ed

ucationLeadership/Documents/districts-developing-leaders-full-report-lessons-and-program-

approaches.pdf

Orr, M.T. & LaPointe, MA. (2010) The Discriminating Customer Approach: How One District Is Reshaping Leadership

Preparation Programs in Local Universities Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American

Education Research Association, Denver, CO.

Darling-Hammond, L., Meyerson, D., LaPointe, M.A, and Orr, M.T. (2009). Preparing Principals for a Changing

World: Lessons from Exemplary Leadership Development Programs. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

-6-

LaPointe, M.A., Brett, J., Kagle, M., Midouhas, E., Sanchez, M.T., with Oh, Y. & North, C. (2009). Data-

Driven Decision-Making Initiatives and Professional Development Services in the Northeast and Islands Region:

SEA Supports for Districts and Schools (Issues & Answers Report, REL 2009 No. 072). Washington,

DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education

Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands.

http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/pdf/REL_2009072.pdf

LaPointe, M.A. (2008). The Evolution of School Leadership: New roles and programs for principals that

help students succeed, in Our Children, Vol. 33, No. 3. December 2007/January 2008. Washington,

DC: Parent Teacher Association. http://seli.stanford.edu/research/sls.htm

Darling-Hammond, L., LaPointe, M.A., Meyerson, D., Orr, T., & Cohen, C. (2007). Preparing Leaders for a

Changing World: Lessons from Exemplary Leadership Development Programs. Stanford, CA: Stanford

University. http://seli.stanford.edu/research/sls.htm

LaPointe, M.A., Darling-Hammond, L., Meyerson, D., Orr, T., and Cohen, C. (2007). Preparing Leaders for a

Changing World: Case Studies of Exemplary Leadership Development Programs. Stanford, CA: Stanford

University. http://seli.stanford.edu/research/sls.htm

Darling-Hammond, L., Orphanos, S., LaPointe, M.A, & Weeks, S. (2007). Leadership development in

California, Getting Down to Facts: Effectiveness Studies Series. Stanford, CA: Stanford University, Institute

for Research on Education Policy & Practice and the School Redesign Network.

http://www.srnleads.org/resources/publications/leadership_dev/leadership_development_report.p

df

LaPointe, M.A. & Davis, S.H. (2006). Exemplary Programs Produce Strong Instructional Leaders. Paper presented at

the University Council for Educational Administration Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX.

http://seli.stanford.edu/research/sls.htm

Cohen, C., Darling-Hammond, L., & LaPointe, M.A. (2006). Exemplary Policy and Resource Supports for

Exemplary Principal Preparation and Development Programs: Findings from the School Leadership

Study. Paper presented at the University Council for Educational Administration Annual Conference,

San Antonio, TX. http://seli.stanford.edu/research/sls.htm

LaPointe, M.A. & Davis, S.H. (2006). In Search of Exemplary Leadership Development: Preliminary

Findings from the Stanford School Leadership Study. In Leadership Magazine. September/October

2006. http://seli.stanford.edu/research/sls.htm

LaPointe, M.A., Meyerson, D., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2006). Stanford s School Leadership Study: Preliminary

Findings. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Education Research Association,

San Francisco, CA. http://seli.stanford.edu/research/sls.htm

LaPointe, M.A. (2005). Response Patterns for a National Survey of Principals. Presentation at the American

Evaluation Association Annual Meeting, Toronto, ON.

Davis, S., Darling-Hammond, L., LaPointe, M. & Meyerson, D. (2005). School Leadership Study: Preparing

Successful Principals. Review of Research. Stanford, CA: Stanford University.

http://seli.stanford.edu/research/sls.htm

LaPointe, M.A. & Stullich, S. (2004). Report to Congress on the Implementation and Impact of the Comprehensive School

Reform Program. U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Under Secretary, Policy and Program

Studies Service. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.

http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/other/csrd-outcomes/report.doc

LaPointe, M.A. (2004). Chapter IV: Ongoing Case Management in State of Louisiana TANF Evaluation: Year

1 Evaluation of the STEP Program. Oakland, CA: Berkeley Policy Associates.

LaPointe, M.A. & Magill, K. (2003). Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, in State of Louisiana TANF

Initiatives Evaluation: Year 2 Evaluation Report. Oakland, CA: Berkeley Policy Associates.

LaPointe, M.A. & Valvano, V. (2003). After School for All, in State of Louisiana TANF Initiatives Evaluation:

Year 2 Evaluation Report. Oakland, CA: Berkeley Policy Associates.

LaPointe, M.A. (discussant) & Yin, Robert (chair), (2002). Perspectives on Comprehensive School Reform: A

Discussion Between Researchers and Federal, State, and Local Practitioners. Panel discussion at the American

Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.

-7-

Chait, R., Hardcastle, D., Kotzin, S., LaPointe, M.A., Miller, M., Rimdzius, T., Sanchez, S., Scott, E., Stullich,

S. &Thompson-Hoffman, S., (2001). High Standards for All Students: A Report from the National

Assessment of Title I on Progress and Challenges since the 1994 Reauthorization. U.S. Department of

Education, Planning and Evaluation Service. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.

http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/disadv/nati.pdf

LaPointe, M.A. (2000). Is There a Role for Parents in a School s Accountability Mechanism? A look at two schools of

choice. Presented dissertation research at the 10th International Roundtable on School, Family, and

Community Partnerships at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, New

Orleans, LA.

LaPointe, M.A. & Silvernail, D. (1999). Final Evaluation Report for the Legacy Project. Prepared for the

Maine Center for Educational Services. Center for Educational Policy, Applied Research, and

Evaluation, University of Southern Maine, Gorham, ME.

LaPointe, M.A. & Phelps, L.A. (1998). Business Alliance for Technological Education: Final Evaluation

Report. Prepared for the National Alliance of Business. Center on Education and Work, University

of Wisconsin-Madison, WI.

LaPointe, M.A., Phelps, L.A, & Sorensen, R.. (1996). Diagnostic Assessment of the STW System in South

Dakota. Prepared for Jobs for the Future. Center on Education and Work, University of

Wisconsin-Madison, WI.

LaPointe, M.A., Phelps, L.A, & Sorensen, R.. (1996). Diagnostic Assessment of the STW System in North

Dakota. Prepared for Jobs for the Future. Center on Education and Work, University of

Wisconsin-Madison, WI.

LaPointe, M.A. & Quinn, E. (1995). Case Study 2: First American Prevention Center; Parent,

School, and Community Partnership Program, Bayfield, Wisconsin in Lessons Learned: Case

Studies in the Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use Among Youth. Center for

Substance Abuse Prevention, Rockville, MD.

-8-

REFERENCES

Linda Darling-Hammond M. Terry Orr

Director, Professor Director /Professor

Stanford University School of Education Future School Leaders Academy

Center for Education Research At Stanford Bank Street College

Stanford CA 94305 610 West 112th Street

650-***-**** New York, NY 10025

***@********.*** 212-***-****

****@*****.***

David Silvernail David Ruff

Director, Professor Director

Ctr for Ed Policy, Applied Research & Evaluation Great Schools Partnership

University of Southern Maine 482 Congress St., Suite 500

Gorham ME 04038 Portland ME 04101

(207? 780-5297 207-***-****

******@***.*****.*** *****@***********************.***

-9-

Contact this candidate