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Effective School Leaders and Student Achievement. EPLC Conference Presentation March 13, 2006. K-12 School Leadership Project. Purpose – recommendations to enhance leadership quality especially for Principals Superintendents Sponsored by EPLC, PASA, PAESSP Working since early 2005
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Effective School Leaders and Student Achievement EPLC Conference Presentation March 13, 2006
K-12 School Leadership Project • Purpose – recommendations to enhance leadership quality especially for • Principals • Superintendents • Sponsored by EPLC, PASA, PAESSP • Working since early 2005 • Report this spring
Leadership Study Group • 20-member study group • School and district leaders • Leadership educators • Policymakers • Associations • PDE • Foundations and advocates
Process • Research • Two study group meetings • Focus groups • Superintendents • Principals • Today’s session • Draft report for release this spring
Issues Being Considered • Supply and demand • Evolution of leadership positions • Knowledge and skills needed for success • Leadership preparation programs • Continuing education and support
Anticipated Outcomes • Report and recommendations • To state policymakers • To school districts • To leadership preparation institutions • Information about the issue in multiple venues • Advocacy for recommendations
Supply and Demand • Plenty of certificates • Not enough interested candidates • Less experienced than in the past • Quality?
Evolution of Leadership • Less about control • More about collaboration • Less about management (as long as management issues are under control) • More about student achievement
Superintendent Vision Policy Politics Legal issues Personnel Principal Instruction Curriculum Personnel Legal issues Evolution of Leadership
Superintendents – Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes • Creating vision focused on students • Strategic planning • Standards-based systems • Distributive leadership, empowerment • School improvement strategies • Learning theory • Instructional strategies
Superintendents – Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes • Diversity • Managing resources for results • Collaborating • Communicating • Consensus building • Fairness, integrity • Informed decision-making
Superintendents – Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes • School board relations • Media relations • Community relations • Advocacy for children • Professional growth (self and others)
Principals – Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes • Teacher development • Letting teachers do their jobs • Providing intellectual stimulation • Providing models of effective practice • Setting direction • Developing shared goals • Monitoring performance • Promoting effective communications
Principals – Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes • Organizational development • Creating productive school culture • Modifying structures that undermine work (including discipline issues) • Building collaborative processes • Design of curriculum, instruction, assessment • Providing necessary resources
Principals – Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes • Communications with teachers, students, parents • Outreach and advocacy • Flexibility • Analysis and decision-making • Knowledge of law, policy, etc. • Fairness, integrity • Emotional maturity, self-knowledge
Leadership Preparation Programs • Does the course content support these requirements of effectiveness? • Are state program approval standards aligned with them? • Are programs organized to support best practices (e.g., clinical practice)? • Are there proven practices or models to emulate?
Continuing Education and Support • Effective professional development programs • Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership • Concept • Content • Organization and delivery • Distributive leadership • School district practices, including recruitment and compensation
Robert E. Feir Senior Fellow EPLC 717.230.8616 rfeir@edstrat21.com