Many professions have long runways to leadership, with mentorship and increasing levels of responsibility. In contrast, the path to school leadership has historically not been well-defined. But that is changing. The role of assistant principals has become a major stepping stone to the principalship. Once thought of primarily as disciplinarians,…

School leaders, specifically principals, play a pivotal role in shaping student learning outcomes. The benefits of strong leaders extend beyond academic achievement, such as reductions in absenteeism and exclusionary discipline. While quality principals are critical for creating and sustaining quality schools, the staffing pipeline is facing…

Two district leaders developed a set of processes for their district's principals, assistant principals, and curriculum directors. The professional development model they created included summer workshops, monthly seminars, observations, and workshops on effective hiring. The results affirmed that developing effective educational leaders is a…

Evaluating teachers--whether casually or more rigorously, annually or less frequently--has long been part of the job description of many a principal and assistant principal, who often have relied on occasional observations to make their judgments. What has usually resulted are an overwhelming number of "satisfactory" ratings and the…

Every teacher knows that exposure to new information is one small part in the teaching and learning process. Before students truly learn a concept, they must actively engage with material--discussing, sharing, seeing, and practicing it--to make it their own. In other words, they need to "connect" with concepts and have opportunities to apply them…

Based on spring 2012 survey results, Austin Independent School District (AISD) teachers' most commonly mentioned professional development need was using technology in instruction, while campus administrators' most commonly mentioned topic was academic rigor.

Being an assistant principal can be difficult, but using a professional learning community (PLC) to explore and capitalize on the aspects of the job that give one energy can help. The author shares her experience in serving as an assistant principal in a suburban school district in Colorado that supports the professional learning and growth of…

Principal shortages have become a nationwide issue, with education publications frequently discussing the devastating problem of not having enough high-quality candidates apply for administrative positions. The conundrum begs the question: Where have all the instructional leaders gone? To meet the challenge of keeping high-quality principal…

The NASSP "Breaking Ranks" framework lays out multiple strategies for building capacity within a school, beginning with the leaders. To change an organization and increase its capacity to produce greater results, the people within the organization must change and increase their capacity. School change begins with changes in the principal, the…

The shortage of school leaders has led several universities to offer training programs to increase the number of qualified and certified individuals prepared to assume future leadership positions in public schools, such as assistant principals and principals. The purpose of this study was to develop, deliver and evaluate a participatory leadership…

Grooming an assistant principal to lead a school is a privilege for any principal and enables him or her to leave a larger mark on the field. Although assistant principals are ultimately responsible for their own professional growth, principals must not underestimate their responsibility to help train aspiring principals. Preparing assistant…

All educators are very concerned about the tremendous need for new principals. Different strategies are in place to fill vacancies in the principalship. Principals can be developed from the existing ranks of educators, hired from outside the field, or through a combination of both. To meet their immediate needs, however, most school districts want…

At the Dade County Public Schools Management Assessment Center, Florida, a selection procedure for principals and assistant principals incorporates performance measures into the screening process. The would-be principals participate in simulations of a principal's office, a parent conference, and a teacher observation exercise. (MLF)

In this article we chronicle a particular professional development initiative designed to promote the acquisition of an evaluation habit of mind within an educational context. After describing the rationale behind this initiative in some detail, we proceed to map the experiences of four of the participants--a principal, a vice principal, a…

This paper delineates the organizational structure and operational procedures of the Michigan Institute for Educational Management (MIEM) Assessment Center Program for prospective school principals and assistant principals. The program is part of the Assessment Center Project of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). The…