District Leadership: Instructional Leadership

The Broad Prize Framework for School District Excellence

Instructional Leadership Requirements

District leaders and staff serve as models and guides for instructional effectiveness.
The district supports effective instruction.
District staff systematically monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction and provide feedback for improvement.

Best Practice Instructional Leadership Documents

Leaders Serve as Resource to Support, Improve Teaching and Learning – Gwinnett County Public Schools

Monitoring instruction, providing feedback and supporting teachers with a customer service approach comprise the core of what principals do in Gwinnett schools.

1 – Monitoring for Achievement Presentation outlining strategies for principals to use to monitor student achievement.
What to Notice This presentation explains how principals can monitor and support classroom instruction. It begins with important focus questions to consider, and then takes principals through a list of questions to help them reflect on their own instructional leadership practices. The overarching message is that principals should be closely connected to what is happening inside classrooms. In addition to explaining walkthroughs, the presentation acknowledges the importance of the balance between pressure and support to ensure walkthroughs are informative and helpful for teachers.	Questions to Ask How and when is this presentation used? What opportunities do principals have to collaborate and discuss instructional leadership? How much variation is there across schools in conducting walkthroughs and monitoring and supporting instruction? What kind of support or oversight does the district provide?
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2 – Weighted Principal Assessment Sample evaluation forms for principals with various years of experience.
What to Notice The early 1990s saw a large shift in the role of the principal from being a bureaucratic building “manager” to being a leader of instruction; setting clear goals, managing curriculum, monitoring lesson plans and evaluating teachers. Recently, this role has expanded to leading an entire learning community with collective accountability for student outcomes. This district-developed principal evaluation demonstrates the importance the district places on the principal’s role as an instructional leader, as evidenced by what principals are scored on: 1) student achievement; 2) “customer satisfaction” and “customer focus”; 3) focus on teamwork; 4) focus on curriculum and instruction through a school’s implementation of the AKS/Continuous Quality Improvement model; 5) focus on the Quality-Plus Teaching Strategies; and 6) involvement in monitoring formative and summative student assessment data to ensure all students are on track. In addition to tying principal activities closely to instruction, the evaluation also acknowledges that principals at various experience levels also have various skills. Gwinnett’s principal evaluation system weights principals differently based on their years of experience. First-year principals have the potential to earn up to 30 points in student achievement, 5 in customer satisfaction, and 3 or 4 per element in the areas of evaluation, achievement and school improvement. By contrast, principals with more than three years of experience can earn up to 70 points for student achievement and 5 for customer satisfaction, and 1 to 2 points per element in the remaining areas. The form itself is clear and simple to use and provides a comment area under each important sub-skill.	Questions to Ask What is the significance of having a weighted evaluation? How well do principals respond to this system? How are area superintendents trained to conduct these evaluations? What evidence is used to support the ratings? What interventions or supports are available to principals who score low in a particular area? Are there any rewards or sanctions tied to principal evaluation scores?
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Evaluating Teachers – Bridgeport Public Schools

Bridgeport Public Schools has designed its teacher evaluation process to encourage teachers to reflect on their own professional goals and practices.

1 – Teacher Evaluation Form Provides teacher and evaluator with an opportunity to record goals, action steps and a professional development plan.
What to Notice Bridgeport’s teacher evaluation form has two parts. The first page provides a structured form for the teacher and evaluator to record goals and action steps to achieve those goals. The second page gives both the teacher and the evaluator the chance to reflect on the teacher’s progress in working toward his or her instructional goals and overcoming obstacles. Notice that there are specific deadlines for completion of the teacher’s narrative section, as well as submission of the form itself. Objectives are specifically student-centered.	Questions to Ask How did the district develop this tool? Who was involved, and what process was used to draft and refine the tool? Who are the evaluators? What training do they receive? What kinds of conversations do teachers and evaluators have? How is this information reflected in the teacher’s personnel file?
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2 – Pre-Observation Form Gives the teacher a chance to record lesson plan observations and make requests for specific feedback prior to an evaluator’s classroom observation.
What to Notice The pre-observation form solicits input from the teacher prior to a formal classroom observation by an evaluator. It gives the teacher the opportunity to provide necessary information about the lesson plan and to request specific feedback on aspects of his/her instruction.	Questions to Ask How often do teachers undergo a formal classroom observation? Do they find these observations helpful? Are there other tools used for informal classroom observations?
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3 – Observation Report Allows evaluator to record structured and unstructured feedback to classroom observation.
What to Notice The observation report—to be filled out by the evaluator after each formal classroom observation—includes space for both quantitative scoring and qualitative observations. Notice that the scoring focuses specifically on knowledge, instruction and classroom management. Notice also that Bridgeport provides a scoring guide to ensure that teachers are evaluated consistently.	Questions to Ask How did the district develop this tool? How did they decide on knowledge, instruction and classroom management as the three areas? Do teachers and evaluators feel that this form covers all aspects of a teacher’s classroom performance? Where are the completed forms stored? How are they used from year-to-year? Do they go into the teacher’s personnel file?
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Producing and Supporting Instructional Leaders – Aldine Independent School District

Effective leadership is crucial for school success. Aldine provides comprehensive support and training for prospective and current school administrators that begins with an individual’s interest in leadership and continues throughout that person’s career. To ensure that school leaders serve as instructional leaders, the district focuses on developing and retaining leadership talent within its own system. Training, monitoring and collaborating with colleagues are key factors in helping leaders learn more about instructional leadership and alignment across the K-12 pipeline.

1 – Aldine Administrative Succession Plan A document outlining the district’s plan to increase and retain a skilled pool of instructional leaders for schools. A sample training schedule is also included.
What to Notice The document outlines the skills the district believes are important for strong instructional leadership. The overarching theme is a clear focus on students and the district’s vision, and the continuous use of data for leading and making decisions. An update listed in the principal development program includes the Baldrige assessment that aligns with the district’s Baldrige-based Scorecards. This change has streamlined their training process to cover three levels rather than the previous four. The organization of the three training levels acknowledges the difference between a person interested in becoming a leader (level I), a beginning assistant principal (level II), and a beginning principal (level III). The difference between the latter two is crucial, as recent research documents clear differences between the traditionally more managerial role of the assistant principal (e.g., discipline and keys) and the principal (e.g., teacher evaluation and budgeting). The assistant principal and principal programs provide training and support for three years each (Texas requires one year of mentorship), and the training course is conducted by different leaders within the district, depending on the skill being addressed. The scope and sequence document provides a three-year view of the range of topics provided in the level II and III programs. The topics are further organized by strand, such as instructional delivery or culture/climate.	Questions to Ask How have these programs affected the district’s pool of principal and assistant principal candidates? How are principals and central office leaders selected to lead the training sessions? At what time during the day are the sessions held? Are they difficult to schedule? How does the program specifically prepare leaders to work in urban settings? Are there skills needing more focus that are typically not addressed in leadership preparation programs? How do the programs measure successful acquisition of target skills? How is the program funded? How does the program ensure participants will take a leadership role in the district?
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2 – Processes for Principal Recruitment, Selection, Placement & Retention Document outlining various aspects of training and support for principals.
What to Notice The recruitment descriptions in this document mainly outline training for future leaders, which illustrates the importance the district places on its internal leadership program. The advantage of recruiting leaders from within is that they have knowledge about the district’s practices and the local community. The program discusses school leadership systemically, as a means to “mobilize the school toward success,” rather than focusing on just one aspect, such as test scores. In addition to the training programs, the plan mentions that potential leaders are also provided leadership responsibilities to help them build various skills associated with instructional leadership. This clinical-like approach is well supported through research. Aldine’s retention strategies involve using experienced principals as mentors. Aspiring and new principals also are supported through the cohort structure of the training programs. The numerous opportunities to meet with other school leaders through various trainings, as well as vertical and horizontal meetings, allow school leaders to ask questions and share ideas with experienced peers.	Questions to Ask How are principals matched with schools? Is there an ample pool of aspiring principals at all school levels? What percentage of principals is sourced from within the district? How have training and mentoring programs impacted principal retention? What is the principal turnover rate? How do principals schedule time to meet with mentees? Is there a requirement for frequency of meetings?
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3 – Principal Evaluation Copy of the district’s annual principal evaluation form.
What to Notice Although principal evaluations are not required by the state, Aldine uses this district-developed tool to evaluate its principals annually. Annual principal evaluation is useful for ensuring that principals continue to grow professionally and provide adequate support to both internal and external stakeholders. The topics of focus in this instrument align with the leadership training courses and cover all aspects of school leadership. The second section, School Organizational Improvement, illustrates how frequently school leaders monitor instruction through walkthroughs and ongoing data review.	Questions to Ask How do the campus scorecards and principal evaluations work together? What type of support is available when principal evaluations reveal problem areas? Are rewards or sanctions tied to principal evaluation? How was this instrument developed? What challenges arose when implementing this annual principal evaluation system?
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Supporting Effective Instruction – Bridgeport Public Schools

Bridgeport Public Schools has developed this series of tools that support the continuous improvement of instruction. Teachers are encouraged to reflect upon the effectiveness of their instructional strategies, share data and experiences during common planning time, and develop strong relationships with the district’s instructional coaches.

1 – Coaching Cycle Details, month-by-month, the expectations of how instructional coaches will work with classroom teachers.
What to Notice Bridgeport coaches start the coaching cycle during the summer, before their teachers have even reported for work. By the start of school in September, the coaches are prepared to have substantive goal-setting meetings with their teachers. In addition, the coaching cycle is iterative, featuring a repetitive cycle of goal-setting, behavioral modification and assessment. The cycle culminates with a preliminary discussion of instructional goals for the following year.	Questions to Ask How many coaches does Bridgeport employ? Is each coach assigned to one school or multiple schools? How frequently does a teacher meet with a coach? How does Bridgeport select its coaches? What qualities are most important for an instructional coach to have? What kind of training program does Bridgeport offer?
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2 – Literacy Checklist Guides an instructional coach through a substantive classroom walkthrough, focusing on literacy.
What to Notice The formatting of this document makes it very easy to read. Individual items are grouped into important areas of focus: (1) the Learning Environment, (2) Reading Workshop, (3) Word Study, (4) Accountable Talk, and (5) Writing Workshop. Teachers know exactly what they will be held accountable for in each of these areas.	Questions to Ask How widely is this tool used by Bridgeport’s coaches? Does the district evaluate the effectiveness of the tool by talking to individual teachers? What kind of training do coaches receive in how to use the tool? How frequently do they do classroom walkthroughs?
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3 – Common Planning Meeting Data Sheet Assists teachers in structuring common planning time with their grade-level peers.
What to Notice Common planning time is a period of time in which teachers meet with their grade-level peers to discuss implementation of the common curriculum, instructional strategies and assessment results. This form acts as an agenda for common planning time, ensuring that teachers discuss goals, assessment and instructional strategies.	Questions to Ask What are level 2 and level 4 students? Why has Bridgeport decided to focus on these particular students? How widely is this form used? Do teachers find it helpful? How are they trained to use it? And who is responsible for holding the group to the agenda?
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4 – Planning Reflection Template Provides teachers with the opportunity to reflect back on the school year, month-by-month, and set goals for the following year.
What to Notice By forcing teachers to reflect—in writing—on a monthly basis, the district ensures that teachers will work to continuously improve their instruction from one year to the next. Without this tool, teachers could easily move from one unit to the next, without stopping to record lessons that will help them improve their instruction in future years.	Questions to Ask Who is responsible for working through the template with individual teachers? An instructional coach? Or the principal? Does the district have processes in place to ensure that teachers revisit their “lessons learned” from the previous year? How are the completed forms stored so that they are not forgotten or lost from one year to the next?
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