Principal's Leadership Profile
Overview
The following draft leadership profile is designed to provide a comprehensive, objective listing of the essential values, skills, and knowledge required for a successful principalship.
Based on information from sources listed below, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and consultants from Future Management Systems, Inc., organized data into the following broad categories:
- Core educator competencies: Prerequisite values, beliefs, and skills for all educators. As foundational competencies, they are required for the successful performance of any educational role but are not the only competencies required for successful performance.
- Functional competencies: Essential knowledge and skills required for the successful performance of the principal's role. These competencies have been grouped into 3 main functional areas: Educational Leadership, Administration/Management, and Administrative Support. For each functional area, current time estimates and desired time estimates have been provided for review and discussion.
Context for This Work
Over the past several years, there has been a shift away from an organization-driven model of career development to one that is managed by each individual with the support of his/her supervisor. This process requires continuous and honest assessment of current knowledge, skills, values, and interests against emerging trends and needs; working with mentors and leaders in the organization to define ways to fill knowledge gaps; and creating opportunities that capitalize on strengths and areas of interest.
Career planning is an integral component of human resources development (HRD) and is linked to the supervision, evaluation, and professional development functions, which in term support and inform leadership development and succession planning organization-wide. Succession planning is not an event that is driven by an open leadership position; rather, it is both a bottom-up and a top-down process that takes place within the larger context of system-wide HRD. Career planning, leadership development, and succession planning are becoming increasingly critical as school systems are faced with the challenges of ensuring effective leadership and educational continuity with significant numbers of senior leaders facing retirement. More and more educational leaders are fulfilling this HRD function by helping staff identify ways to manage their career development and progression, providing individual coaching within the framework of supervision and evaluation, and working with staff to continuously improve their performance to meet individual and school goals.
The core and functional competencies listed here may be used as objective criteria to support any aspect of human resources development for current and aspiring administrators: recruitment and selection; team formation and development; job and role analysis and definition; self-assessment for career planning and development; supervision and evaluation; and district-wide leadership training. This profile can also enable leadership teams to rethink how work can be accomplished by organizing leadership functions around the strengths and interests of available team resources.
Sources:
- New York State Education Department Blue Ribbon Panel
- Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC)
- Massachusetts Professional Standards for Administrators (Massachusetts Regulations for Educator Licensure and Preparation Program Approval)
- Massachusetts General Laws
- Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence
- Southern Regional Education Board
- Individual interviews
Core Educator Competencies
Prerequisite values, beliefs and skills for all educators
| Core Educator Competencies (Prerequisites or Foundational Skills) |
|---|
| 1. | Belief that all decisions should be made from the perspective of putting children's needs first. |
| 2. | Belief that schools operate as an integral part of the larger community: promotes participatory decision-making for educational policy; includes all members of the school community. |
| 3. | Belief that diversity benefits learning communities: seeks and gives credence to those with conflicting views. |
| 4. | Belief that all students and teachers can learn, but that all learn differently. |
| 5. | Belief that all people are life-long learners: models continuous self-improvement and learning; examines own assumptions, beliefs, and practices on an ongoing basis; always seek to learn and understand; always asks questions. |
| 6. | Belief in balance between professional and personal lives and interests. |
| 7. | Understanding of self as core member of many different teams: district team, building level team, and others. |
| 8. | Promotes and models innovation for continuous school improvement. |
| 9. | Adheres to professional code of ethics: maintains trust and confidence; models legally and morally responsible actions at all times; treats all individuals with fairness, dignity, and respect; models core values of the school and district. |
| 10. | Demonstrates introspective and reflective behaviors: analyzes data and systems thoughtfully before acting or reacting. |
| 11. | Expresses self clearly and confidently orally and in writing; capable of responding to hard questions in a public forum. |
| 12. | Prioritizes time and work to ensure attainment of organizational goals: able to delegate effectively. |
Functional Competencies
Essential knowledge and skills required for the successful performance of the principal's role
| | Current Time | Desired Time |
| 1. | Educational Leadership | 10-20% | 55-65% |
| | 1A. | Curricular and Instructional Leadership | |
| | 1B. | Strategic Planning |
| | 1C. | Strategic Partnerships and Public Relations |
| | 1D. | Data-Based Decision Making |
| | 1E. | Organizational Development and Change |
| | 1F. | Supervision, Evaluation, and Motivation of Staff |
| 2. | Administration/Management | 60-80% | 25-35% |
| | 2A. | Operational Human Resources Management |
| | 2B. | Facilities Management |
| | 2C. | Strategic Plan Implementation |
| | 2D. | Budget and Finance |
| 3. | Administrative Support | 10-20% | 5-10% |
| Functional Competency 1: Educational Leadership | Current Percent Time: 10-20% | Desired Percent Time: 55-65% |
|---|
| 1A. Curricular and Instructional Leadership | | |
| | 13. | Promotes high quality standards: communicates expectations; and ensures superior performance for all members of the learning community (students, staff). |
| | 14. | Ensures that curriculum is implemented, evaluated, and refined: bases curriculum decisions on research, expertise of teachers, Massachusetts' Curriculum Frameworks, and recommendations of learned societies. Knows and understands pedagogy and effecive classroom practices; insures instructional programs and policies promote learning for all students; articulates learning goals in a diverse society; recognizes, evaluates, and applies emerging trends in education. |
| | 15. | Demonstrates principles of effective instruction: models the principles of effective teaching and learning; helps faculty and staff align their classroom instruction with MA Curriculum Frameworks, Professional Standards for Teachers, and Professional Standards for Administrators. |
| | 16. | Ensures curriculum/technology integration: understands and values role of technology in promoting learning; plans for and encourages use of technology in instruction. |
| | 17. | Provides student support services: provides for adequate pupil personnel and support services to ensure that faculty and classroom staff can focus on teaching and learning; develops programs to meet the needs of students and their families. |
| | 18. | Plans for special needs: plans for successful, cost-effective special education through the use of collaboratives, inclusion, and parental input. |
| | 19. | Promotes effective assessment strategies: promotes multiple strategies to assess student performance; recognizes importance of learning standards and significance of assessments. |
| | 20. | Co-chairs the school council: defines group composition and forms the group within the parameters set forth by policy guidelines and regulations. |
| | 21. | Develops techniques to monitor and report school improvement: seeks input from all stakeholders in improving school performance. |
| 1B. Strategic Planning | | |
| | 22. | Works with all stakeholders, including Central Office, to develop the vision, mission, and goals for the school in alignment with the overall district mission. |
| | 23. | Implements and articulates the vision and mission of the school to students, staff, parents, and the community. |
| | 24. | Identifies objectives and strategies to ensure that vision, mission, and goals can be clearly implemented. |
| 1C. Strategic Partnerships and Public Relations | | |
| | 25. | Promotes partnerships among faculty, staff, families, students, and the business community to improve student performance and enhance resources to improve instruction. |
| | 26. | Maintains effective media relations and communications: visible and actively involved in larger community; reaches out to different business, religious, political, and service organizations and treats community stakeholders equitably; articulates school/ district accomplishments to the community. |
| 1D. Data-Based Decision Making | | |
| | 27. | Collects and uses data and information from a variety of sources: determines present status of the organization, identifies root cause problems, proposes solutions, and validates accomplishments; assesses and improves learning through analysis of MCAS results and other sources and techniques; uses data related to student learning to develop school goals, create effective plans, and make informed decisions regarding instructional materials and programs; provides accurate information to stakeholders to maintain trust and confidence. |
| 1E. Organizational Development and Change | | |
| | 28. | Demonstrates knowledge of theories and models of organizational development: implements effective approaches to organizational change, school-based management, and school restructuring by regularly scanning internal and external environments to identify potential problems and opportunities; and maintaining effective relationships with the school community, including the school committee, to maintain focus and overcome potential resistance. |
| 1F. Supervision, Evaluation, and Motivation of Staff | | |
| | 29. | Promotes activities honoring academic and professional excellence: celebrates faculty and staff accomplishments; acknowledges the responsibilities and contributions of all faculty and staff; shares credit for success and accomplishments. |
| | 30. | Creates a high performance team culture for faculty and staff: encourages initiative, innovation, collaboration, and a strong work ethic; encourages adult learning; expects and provides opportunities for staff to engage in continuous personal and professional growth. |
| Functional Competency 2: Administration/Management | Current Percent Time: 60-80% | Desired Percent Time: 25-35% |
|---|
| 2A. Operational Human Resources Management | | |
| | 31. | Implements fair and effective methods of personnel selection, supervision, evaluation, and coaching/professional development for all staff: conducts timely and effective supervision and evaluation of teachers in accordance with district-defined supervision and evaluation procedures; provides coaching and mentoring to teachers; works with each faculty and staff member to construct individual professional development plans appropriate to their needs and skills; assesses, recruits, mentors, and promotes potential leaders, including establishment of teacher leaders and ongoing team development. |
| | 32. | Manages union negotiations and other contractual agreements objectively and consistently. |
| | 33. | Demonstrates knowledge of laws and regulations pertaining to schools and school management: designs all operational procedures to maximize opportunities for successful learning. |
| 2B. Facilities Management | | |
| | 34. | Supervises plant, facilities, and equipment management for schools and school property: purchases textbooks and other school supplies; provides adequate resources for all faculty and staff members; provides a safe and clean environment; ensures that plant, equipment, and support systems operate safely, efficiently, and effectively. |
| 2C. Strategic Plan Implementation | | |
| | 35. | Implements school and district improvement plans: ensures that objectives of every plan include the improvement of achievement for all students; monitors, evaluates, and revises mission, vision, and improvement/implementation plans with key stakeholders including the school council; obtains and uses needed resources to support implementation. |
| 2D. Budget and Finance | | |
| | 36. | Knowledge of municipal finance and management: uses federal, state, and municipal data to develop annual school budgets, and plans for physical plant and technology improvements; manages grants and other resources effectively and efficiently; enhances teaching and learning while using public resources wisely and gaining/maintaining public support. |
| Functional Competency 3: Administrative Support | Current Percent Time: 10-20% | Desired Percent Time: 5-10% |
|---|
| | 37. | Prepare state and district reports |
| | 38. | Prepare and administer staff schedules |
| | 39. | Review report cards |
| | 40. | Discipline |
| | 41. | Handle parents' issues, concerns, questions |
| | 42. | Oversee Food Services |
| | 43. | Oversee buses/transportation |
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