Principals as Agents of ChangePrincipals as Agents of Change

The Wing InstituteThe Wing InstituteJack StatesJack States

How Important

Are Principals?

Principals Impact on Student AchievementPrincipals Impact on Student Achievement

How Effective Are Structural InterventionsHow Effective Are Structural Interventions

Do Leadership Styles Make a Do Leadership Styles Make a Difference?Difference?

Administrators Impact on TurnoverAdministrators Impact on Turnover

• Ineffective leadership is primary reason for teachers leaving, North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey, (2008)

• Of all the factors, teachers perception of school administration has the greatest influence on teachers retention, Boyd, et al., (2009)

• Principals at effective schools measured by value-added analysis are more likely to retain effective teachers and remove less effective teachers, Loeb, (2009)

Impact of Instructional Strategies on Impact of Instructional Strategies on Student AchievementStudent Achievement

What Principals Do Makes a DifferenceWhat Principals Do Makes a Difference

LeadershipLeadershipRolesRoles

Technical(law, finance, facilities, data, and research)

Norms and Values

(pedagogy and ed philosophies)

External Leadership

(community and parents)

Cultural Leadership

(vision, leadership styles, and

values)

Managing for Results

(quality control, and

improvement)

Managing Personnel

(hire, evaluation,

develop, firing, conflict)

Hess and Kelly, 2002

How Principals Spend TimeHow Principals Spend Time

Turnbull, et al., 2009

Principals Survey ResultsPrincipals Survey Results North Carolina Principals Working Conditions Research Brief

Managerial

Strategic

External Development

Leadership and School

Culture

Micro Political

Human Resource

Portin, Schneider, DeArmond, and Gundlach, 2003

What Principals Value in TeachersWhat Principals Value in Teachers

• Time on Task• Focus on academic content• Written learning goals are clear• Instruction encourages active learning• Differences between students recognized and

accommodated• Skills based instruction balanced with high

level instruction• Skills taught in context• Classroom climate

Prothero, 2002

How Principals Currently Assess How Principals Currently Assess TeachersTeachers

• Summative process: questionnaires, surveys, interviews, observations, and formal evaluation

• Walk-through: brief unscheduled visits• Student achievement data• Portfolio’s• Peer reviews• National Board Certification• School improvement participation

Ponticell, 2004

How Effective Are Principals at How Effective Are Principals at Identifying Valued TeachersIdentifying Valued Teachers

How Do We Change This Picture?How Do We Change This Picture?

OutcomesInput

FeedbackLoop

Teaching Graduation

Process

Curriculum

Rummler and Brache, 1990

How Important Is Assessment?How Important Is Assessment?

What Staff Development Methods What Staff Development Methods Produce Best Results?Produce Best Results?

How Powerful is FeedbackHow Powerful is Feedback

Effective and Marginal Effective and Marginal SupervisorsSupervisors

Categories From the Operant Supervisory Taxonomy and

Index

Komaki, 1986

Principal Licensure and CertificationPrincipal Licensure and Certification

•Curriculum is in disarray

•Low admissions and graduation standards

•Weak faculty

•Inadequate clinical instruction

•Confusing assortment of degrees

•Poor research

Arthur Levine, Principal Survey, 2005

Principal Preparation QualificationsPrincipal Preparation Qualifications

What Do Principal Preparation Programs What Do Principal Preparation Programs Teach?Teach?

Take Home Message

1. Principals make a difference second only to teachers

2. Effective principals need to focus on quality classroom instruction

3. Effective principals retain effective teachers

4. Principals need to focus on improving teacher’s instructional skills

monitor teachers performance provide feedback frequently provide on-going staff development

5. Principal preparation has not met expectations and needs to based on what we know works