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THE PRACTICE: Effective principals create a culture of continuous learning for adults tied to student learning and other school goals.
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Content Presented By:
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National Association of Elementary School Principals
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The Policy
If adults don't learn, then students won't learn either. No matter how good school goals are, they cannot be met if the school isn't organized to accomplish them. The school operates as a learning community that uses its own experience and knowledge, and that of others, to improve the performance of students and teachers alike. Continuous school improvement planning must be aligned with high standards. Teachers and other adults in the school must receive open, honest and fair communication when they are observed and evaluated. Schools that learn have a climate that encourages the capabilities and emphasizes the worth of individuals. They must be a place where learning isn't isolated, where adults demonstrate they care about kids but also care about each other. In such places, learning takes place in groups. A culture of shared responsibility is established, and everybody learns from one another.
To improve leadership and ensure that principals and teachers receive the necessary professional development to be instructional leaders, the National Staff Development Council recommends that the federal government, states, and districts adopt policies targeted at upgrading the leadership capabilities of princpals and teachers.
The Federal Government - Targeted assistance, research and demonstrations
The federal government can:
- Expand Title I legislation to include principal professional development and establish setasides to fund such programming
- Create a National Board on School Leadership, modeled after the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, to recognize principals and other school leaders who demonstrate accomplished leadership practices
- Create an awards program that recognizes outstanding leadership development programs
- Establish urban 'grow-your-own' programs for principals
- Conduct research and forge coalitions on professional development
The States - Standards, requirements and technical assistance
States can revise their requirements for new principals and make the criteria for principal certification and re-certification more relevant to the skills actually needed to do the job.
- Develop quality review and accountability for professional development programs
- Make greater investments in school-based professional development for school leaders
- Create leadership networks for principals
- Establish a new position of state staff development director to share information among districts about what works in staff development to raise student achievement
- Incorporate professional development into school evaluations
- Create incentives for better principal performance
- Fund teacher leadership academies
- Provide tools to evaluate professional development
- Advance teacher leadership initiatives
Schools, Networks and Districts - Implementation of school-based professional development for principals
School leaders require strong local support. Districts can:
- Encourage principals to distribute leadership in their schools
- Improve the selection and continuous learning of principals
- Create apprenticeship programs for principals
- Establish support networks for school leaders
- Provide coaches for princpals
- Require a focus on instruction
- Build grow-your-own principal programs on the local level
- Make time for professional development
- Increase incentives that encourage teacher leadership
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