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School, Teacher, and Leadership Impacts
on Student Achievement
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 .O VEMBER 

3CHOOL 4EACHER AND ,EADERSHIP

)MPACTS ON 3TUDENT !CHIEVEMENT
BY +IRSTEN -ILLER

!FTER MORE THAN  YEARS OF RESEARCH ON SCHOOLS AND CLASSROOMS A SCIENCE OF EDUCATION
HAS BEGUN TO EMERGE !LTHOUGH THERE IS NO SILVER BULLET THAT GUARANTEES THAT EVERY
STUDENT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL NOW MORE THAN EVER RESEARCH PROVIDES GUIDANCE ABOUT THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS AND EFFECTIVE TEACHERS THAT IF FOLLOWED CAN HELP
MAXIMIZE SCHOOL AND ULTIMATELY STUDENT PERFORMANCE

4HIS BRIEF IS BASED ON -C2%,S META ANALYSES OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH ON TEACHER

SCHOOL AND LEADERSHIP PRACTICES 4HROUGH THESE META ANALYSES -C2%, HAS IDENTIFIED A
NUMBER OF VARIABLES THAT INFLUENCE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT 4HIS BRIEF OFFERS SUGGESTIONS FOR
IMPLEMENTING POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT CAN POSITIVELY IMPACT THESE VARIABLES

3CHOOL 0RACTICES

-ETA ANALYSIS OR A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF A COLLECTION OF INDIVIDUAL STUDIES CAN BE A

COMPELLING RESEARCH METHOD FOR DETERMINING WHAT REALLY WORKS IN EDUCATION -C2%,S
META ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH ON THE SCHOOL AND TEACHER IMPACTS ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
-ARZANO  FOUND THAT SCHOOL LEVEL AND TEACHER LEVEL FACTORS ACCOUNT FOR
APPROXIMATELY  PERCENT OF THE VARIANCE IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT 3TUDENT CHARACTERISTICS
ˆ HOME ENVIRONMENT LEARNED INTELLIGENCEBACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE AND MOTIVATION ˆ
ACCOUNT FOR  PERCENT OF THE VARIANCE IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AS %XHIBIT  SHOWS

!T FIRST BLUSH THESE FINDINGS MIGHT APPEAR TO SUGGEST THAT SCHOOL

AND CLASSROOM IMPROVEMENT HAVE AT BEST A MARGINAL IMPACT
ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT -ARZANO  OFFERS A COMPELLING
ARGUMENT TO THE CONTRARY 4O ILLUSTRATE THIS POINT IMAGINE
THAT ALL OF THE NATIONS  PUBLIC SCHOOLS COULD BE RANK
ORDERED ACCORDING TO THEIR EFFECTIVENESS ˆ THAT IS IN TERMS
OF THE VARIABLES THEY CONTROL SUCH AS INSTRUCTION CURRICULUM
AND PARENT INVOLVEMENT .EXT CONSIDER THE SCHOOLS TO THE FAR
RIGHT OF THE DISTRIBUTION CURVE ˆ THAT IS SCHOOLS RANKED AT THE
TH PERCENTILE IN TERMS OF THEIR EFFECTIVENESS )N THESE SCHOOLS
 PERCENT OF STUDENTS WOULD BE EXPECTED TO PASS A TEST ON
WHICH THE NORMAL PASS RATE IS  PERCENT 4HIS WOULD BE TRUE ݅ˆLˆÌÊ£\Ê>V̜ÀÃÊ
FOR ANY SCHOOL IN THIS GROUP REGARDLESS OF THE BACKGROUND OF
VVœÕ˜Ìˆ˜}ÊvœÀÊ6>Àˆ>˜Viʈ˜Ê
-ÌÕ`i˜ÌÊ
V…ˆiÛi“i˜Ì
STUDENTS WHO ATTEND THE SCHOOL

- ) $ # / . 4 ) . % . 4 2 % 3 % ! 2 # ( & / 2 % $ 5 # !4 ) / . ! . $ , % ! 2 . ) . '

FINAL POLICY BRIEF FALL     !-

 3CHOOL 4EACHER AND ,EADERSHIP )MPACTS ON 3TUDENT !CHIEVEMENT

0UT ANOTHER WAY A STUDENT SCORING AT THE TH PERCENTILE WHO SPENDS TWO YEARS IN AN AVERAGE
SCHOOL WITH AN AVERAGE TEACHER IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE SCORING AT THE TH ACHIEVEMENT PERCENTILE
4HAT SAME STUDENT HAVING SPENT TWO YEARS IN A hMOST EFFECTIVEv SCHOOL WITH A hMOST EFFECTIVEv
TEACHER ROCKETS TO THE TH ACHIEVEMENT PERCENTILE 4HE CONVERSE ALSO HOLDS )F THIS SAME
STUDENT SPENDS TWO YEARS IN A hLEAST EFFECTIVEv SCHOOL WITH A hLEAST EFFECTIVEv TEACHER THAT
STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL PLUNGES TO THE THIRD PERCENTILE -ARZANO   "ECAUSE SCHOOLS
CAN HAVE SUCH A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IT IS CRITICAL THAT THEY PUT INTO PLACE
POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT SUPPORT STUDENTS LEARNING

&OR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW STUDENTS LEARNING HAS BEEN EQUATED WITH STUDENTS PROFICIENCY
RELATIVE TO THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS CAPTURED IN STATE STANDARDS .EARLY EVERY STATE AND MOST
DISTRICTS HAVE DEVELOPED ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR WHAT STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW AND BE ABLE TO
DO BEFORE GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL )N FACT
3TATES SHOULD CONSIDER DISTILLING THEIR THE .O #HILD ,EFT "EHIND !CT NOW MANDATES
CURRENT STANDARDS AND BENCHMARKS INTO THAT STATES IMPLEMENT STATEWIDE ACCOUNTABILITY
A CORE OF ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IDENTIFYING SYSTEMS hBASED ON CHALLENGING 3TATE STANDARDSv

WHICH CONTENT IS ESSENTIAL FOR STUDENTS TO ! LONG RECOGNIZED PROBLEM HOWEVER IS THE
LEARN AND WHICH IS NOT ESSENTIAL LARGE NUMBER OF STANDARDS TEACHERS MUST ADDRESS
GIVEN THE FINITE AMOUNT OF TIME AVAILABLE FOR
INSTRUCTION IN THE TYPICAL SCHOOL DAY AND YEAR )N MANY SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS ATTEMPTING TO TEACH
ALL OF THESE STANDARDS HAS RESULTED IN A CURRICULUM THAT IS TOO EXTENSIVE AND THEREFORE AFFECTS
STUDENTS IN DEPTH UNDERSTANDING AS WELL AS THEIR PERFORMANCE ON STANDARDIZED ACHIEVEMENT
TESTS 4O ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM STATES SHOULD CONSIDER DISTILLING THEIR CURRENT STANDARDS AND
BENCHMARKS INTO A CORE OF ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IDENTIFYING WHICH CONTENT IS ESSENTIAL FOR STUDENTS
TO LEARN AND WHICH IS NOT ESSENTIAL 7HEN IDENTIFYING ESSENTIAL CONTENT IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO
CONSIDER WHAT KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS STUDENTS WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR IN STATE ASSESSMENTS

4HE )MPORTANCE OF %FFECTIVE 4EACHING

.UMEROUS STUDIES REVEAL THE TREMENDOUS IMPACT SCHOOLS

AND TEACHERS CAN HAVE ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT &OR EXAMPLE vvœÀÌÃÊ>ÀiÊ՘`iÀÜ>Þʈ˜Ê“>˜ÞÊ
A STUDY CONDUCTED BY 3ANDERS AND (ORN  REVIEWED IN ÃÌ>ÌiÃÊ̜ʈ`i˜ÌˆvÞÊiÃÃi˜Ìˆ>Ê
ÛiÀÃÕÃʘœ˜‡iÃÃi˜Ìˆ>ÊVœ˜Ìi˜Ì°Ê
-ARZANO  REVEALS A  PERCENTAGE POINT DIFFERENCE IN
/…iÊ-œÕ̅Ê>ŽœÌ>Êi«>À̓i˜ÌÊ
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT BETWEEN STUDENTS WITH hMOST EFFECTIVEv œvÊ `ÕV>̈œ˜]ÊvœÀÊiÝ>“«i]ʅ>ÃÊ
AND hLEAST EFFECTIVEv TEACHERS )N CLASSROOMS HEADED BY TEACHERS ˆ`i˜Ìˆwi`Ê̅iÊiÃÃi˜Ìˆ>ÊVœÀiʜvÊ
CHARACTERIZED AS hMOST EFFECTIVEv STUDENTS POSTED ACHIEVEMENT ̅iÊÃÌ>Ìi½ÃÊVœ˜Ìi˜ÌÊÃÌ>˜`>À`Ãʈ˜Ê
GAINS OF  PERCENTAGE POINTS OVER THE COURSE OF ONE ACADEMIC “>̅i“>̈VÃÊ>˜`ÊÀi>`ˆ˜}°Ê
YEAR WHEREAS IN CLASSROOMS LED BY hLEAST EFFECTIVEv TEACHERS
/œÊ>ÃÈÃÌÊ«À>V̈̈œ˜iÀÃʈ˜Ê
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT GAINS AVERAGED  PERCENTAGE POINTS
ˆ`i˜Ìˆvވ˜}ÊiÃÃi˜Ìˆ>ÊÃÌ>˜`>À`Ã]Ê
-ARZANO   V, ʅ>ÃÊÀiVi˜ÌÞÊVœ“«iÌi`Ê
>Ê}Ո`iÊvœÀʈ`i˜Ìˆvވ˜}ÊiÃÃi˜Ìˆ>Ê
%FFECTIVE TEACHING BEGINS WITH EFFECTIVE TEACHER PREPARATION )N Vœ˜Ìi˜ÌÊ>˜`Ê«iÀvœÀ“>˜ViʏiÛiÃÊ
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS STATES SHOULD FOCUS THEIR EFFORTS ­i˜`>ÊEÊ-˜Þ`iÀ]ÊÓääήʭÃiiÊ
ON ENSURING THAT GRADUATES HAVE STRONG CONTENT EXPERTISE AND ÜÜÜ°“VÀi°œÀ}ÊvœÀÊ`iÌ>ˆÃ®°
ARE EQUIPPED TO USE RESEARCH BASED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

 . /6 % - " % 2    

FINAL POLICY BRIEF FALL     !-

 3CHOOL 4EACHER AND ,EADERSHIP )MPACTS ON 3TUDENT !CHIEVEMENT

4O ENSURE THAT PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS HAVE GAINED THESE COMPETENCIES SEVERAL STATES INCLUDING
.ORTH #AROLINA )NDIANA AND +ANSAS HAVE IMPLEMENTED OR HAVE BEGUN THE MOVE TOWARD
PERFORMANCE BASED TEACHER LICENSURE SYSTEMS

+ANSAS FOR EXAMPLE HAS DEVELOPED A

)N TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS STATES PERFORMANCE BASED LICENSURE SYSTEM IN
SHOULD FOCUS THEIR EFFORTS ON ENSURING THAT WHICH TEACHER CANDIDATES RECEIVE A TWO YEAR
GRADUATES HAVE STRONG CONTENT EXPERTISE CONDITIONAL LICENSE UPON COMPLETION OF A
AND ARE EQUIPPED TO USE RESEARCH BASED TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM )N ORDER TO RECEIVE
A PROFESSIONAL TEACHING LICENSE TEACHERS ARE
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
REQUIRED TO COMPLETE A PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
DEVELOPED BY A COMMITTEE OF PRACTITIONERS
AND HIGHER EDUCATION FACULTY 4EACHERS SELECT A UNIT ON WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE ASSESSED
ADMINISTER PRE AND POST TESTS TO STUDENTS ON THAT UNIT AND TURN IN A REPORT TO THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 4HE REPORT INCLUDES STUDENT DEMOGRAPHIC DATA AND A SELF REFLECTION
COMPONENT WHICH DETAILS WHY A TEACHER BELIEVES STUDENTS DID OR DIDNT LEARN AND WHAT THAT
TEACHER MIGHT DO DIFFERENTLY IN THE FUTURE 3EE WWWKSBESTATEKSUS FOR MORE INFORMATION

/NE MARK OF AN EFFECTIVE TEACHER IS THE ABILITY TO USE AN ARRAY OF RESEARCH BASED INSTRUCTIONAL
STRATEGIES -C2%,S META ANALYSIS OF THE RESEARCH ON INSTRUCTION -ARZANO  IDENTIFIES NINE
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES THAT ENHANCE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

)DENTIFYING SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES 4HE CLASSROOM PRACTICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE
INSTRUCTIONAL CATEGORY OF IDENTIFYING SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES INCLUDE COMPARISON
TASKS CLASSIFYING TASKS THE USE OF METAPHORS AND THE USE OF ANALOGIES

3UMMARIZING AND NOTE TAKING 3UMMARIZING AND NOTE TAKING FOCUS ON DISTILLING AND
ANALYZING INFORMATION THUS STRENGTHENING STUDENTS UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONTENT

2EINFORCING EFFORT AND PROVIDING RECOGNITION "Y REINFORCING EFFORT AND PROVIDING
RECOGNITION TEACHERS UNDERSCORE THAT STUDENTS EFFORTS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LEVELS
OF ACHIEVEMENT

(OMEWORK AND PRACTICE (OMEWORK AND PRACTICE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO
DEEPEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND STRENGTHEN THEIR SKILLS

% .ONLINGUISTIC REPRESENTATIONS .ONLINGUISTIC REPRESENTATIONS CAN TAKE A VARIETY OF FORMS

INCLUDING GRAPHIC REPRESENTATIONS PHYSICAL MODELS MENTAL PICTURES DRAWINGS AND
KINESTHETIC CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

% #OOPERATIVE LEARNING 4HERE ARE FIVE DEFINING ELEMENTS OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING

POSITIVE INTERDEPENDENCE FACE TO FACE PROMOTIVE INTERACTION INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP
ACCOUNTABILITY INTERPERSONAL AND SMALL GROUP SKILLS AND GROUP PROCESSING

. /6 % - " % 2     

FINAL POLICY BRIEF FALL     !-

 3CHOOL 4EACHER AND ,EADERSHIP )MPACTS ON 3TUDENT !CHIEVEMENT

% 3ETTING GOALS AND PROVIDING FEEDBACK 'OAL SETTING ESTABLISHES A DIRECTION FOR LEARNING
)NVOLVING STUDENTS IN THE GOAL SETTING PROCESS CAN INCREASE STUDENTS ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
THEIR OWN LEARNING

% 'ENERATING AND TESTING HYPOTHESES 0ROCESSES THAT ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO GENERATE AND
TEST HYPOTHESES INCLUDE SYSTEMS ANALYSIS INVENTION EXPERIMENTAL INQUIRY DECISION
MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING

% !CTIVATING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE #UES QUESTIONS AND ADVANCE ORGANIZERS GIVE STUDENTS A
PREVIEW OF WHAT THEY ARE ABOUT TO LEARN OR EXPERIENCE AND THUS HELP ACTIVATE STUDENTS
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

"Y INTEGRATING THESE STRATEGIES INTO THEIR CURRENT CLASSROOM PRACTICE TEACHERS CAN HELP
STUDENTS DEEPEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND STRENGTHEN THEIR PROFICIENCY 2ECOMMENDATIONS FOR
IMPLEMENTING THESE NINE RESEARCH BASED STRATEGIES ARE DETAILED IN #LASSROOM )NSTRUCTION THAT
7ORKS -ARZANO 0ICKERING  0OLLOCK  

%NSURING THAT TEACHERS HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT RESEARCH BASED
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES REQUIRES POLICIES THAT SPECIFICALLY SUPPORT TEACHERS LEARNING 0ROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT IS THE DOMINANT APPROACH TO IMPROVING TEACHERS KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AND IS
CRITICAL TO MAINTAINING TEACHERS EFFECTIVENESS YET
4O POSITIVELY INFLUENCE TEACHERS IT CAN SOMETIMES BE GIVEN SHORT SHRIFT )N %DUCATION
7EEKS  1UALITY #OUNTS REPORT FOR EXAMPLE
EFFECTIVENESS IN THE CLASSROOM SCHOOLS
 PERCENT OF TEACHERS SURVEYED SAID THAT DURING
NEED TO IMPLEMENT COHERENT MEANINGFUL THE PREVIOUS YEAR THEY HAD HAD NO TRAINING IN
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS UNDERSTANDING AND USING STATE STANDARDS 3IXTY EIGHT
AND ENSURE THAT TEACHERS ARE GIVEN PERCENT OF TEACHERS NOTED THAT THEY HAD HAD hSOMEv
ADEQUATE TIME AND SUPPORTS TO PUT OR hLITTLEv ACCESS TO TRAINING IN STATE ASSESSMENTS
WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED INTO PRACTICE 4O POSITIVELY INFLUENCE TEACHERS EFFECTIVENESS
IN THE CLASSROOM SCHOOLS NEED TO IMPLEMENT
COHERENT MEANINGFUL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND ENSURE THAT TEACHERS ARE GIVEN
ADEQUATE TIME AND SUPPORTS TO PUT WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED INTO PRACTICE 4HE 53 $EPARTMENT
OF %DUCATION  HAS IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING

% &OCUSES ON TEACHERS AS CENTRAL TO STUDENT LEARNING YET INCLUDES ALL OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
SCHOOL COMMUNITY

% &OCUSES ON INDIVIDUAL COLLEGIAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL IMPROVEMENT

% 2ESPECTS AND NURTURES THE INTELLECTUAL AND LEADERSHIP CAPACITY OF TEACHERS PRINCIPALS
AND OTHERS IN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY

% 2EFLECTS BEST AVAILABLE RESEARCH AND PRACTICE IN TEACHING LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP

 . /6 % - " % 2    

FINAL POLICY BRIEF FALL     !-

 3CHOOL 4EACHER AND ,EADERSHIP )MPACTS ON 3TUDENT !CHIEVEMENT

% )S PLANNED COLLABORATIVELY BY THOSE WHO WILL PARTICIPATE IN AND FACILITATE THAT

DEVELOPMENT

% 2EQUIRES SUBSTANTIAL TIME AND OTHER RESOURCES

% )S DRIVEN BY A COHERENT LONG TERM PLAN

0ROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEES WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO DESIGN THEIR OVERALL PLANS TO
FOCUS ON CLEAR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL IMPROVEMENT GOALS USING RESEARCH
BASED PROGRAMS TO ACHIEVE THEM

4HE #RITICAL 2OLE OF ,EADERSHIP

%FFECTIVE LEADERSHIP ADDS VALUE TO THE IMPACT OF CLASSROOM AND TEACHER PRACTICES AND ENSURES
THAT LASTING CHANGE FLOURISHES !WARENESS OF THE SCHOOL AND TEACHER PRACTICES THAT IMPACT
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS CRITICAL BUT WITHOUT EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP THERE IS LESS OF A POSSIBILITY
THAT SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS WILL ADDRESS THESE VARIABLES IN A COHERENT AND MEANINGFUL WAY

-C2%, HAS IDENTIFIED  LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES WITH STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIPS TO

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT THAT WHEN CONSISTENTLY IMPLEMENTED CAN HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT 7ATERS -ARZANO  -C.ULTY   4HESE RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE SUCH
TASKS AS ESTABLISHING A SET OF STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES AND ROUTINES INVOLVING TEACHERS
IN THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF IMPORTANT DECISIONS AND POLICIES AND MONITORING THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF SCHOOL PRACTICES AND THEIR IMPACT ON STUDENT LEARNING

4HE CALIBER OF LEADERSHIP IN A SCHOOL CAN HAVE A DRAMATIC EFFECT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
!CCORDING TO 7ATERS -ARZANO AND -C.ULTY   THE AVERAGE EFFECT SIZE BETWEEN
LEADERSHIP AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS  7ATERS ET AL EXPLAIN THIS CORRELATION AS FOLLOWS

#ONSIDER TWO SCHOOLS SCHOOL !  SCHOOL " WITH SIMILAR STUDENT AND TEACHER
POPULATIONS "OTH DEMONSTRATE ACHIEVEMENT ON A STANDARDIZED NORM REFERENCED
TEST AT THE TH PERCENTILE 0RINCIPALS IN BOTH SCHOOLS ARE ALSO AVERAGE ˆ THAT
IS THEIR ABILITIES IN THE  KEY LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES ARE RANKED AT THE TH
PERCENTILE .OW ASSUME THAT THE PRINCIPAL OF SCHOOL " IMPROVES HER DEMONSTRATED
ABILITIES IN ALL  RESPONSIBILITIES BY EXACTLY ONE STANDARD DEVIATION   
/UR RESEARCH FINDINGS INDICATE THAT THIS INCREASE IN LEADERSHIP ABILITY WOULD
TRANSLATE INTO MEAN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AT SCHOOL " THAT IS  PERCENTILE POINTS
HIGHER THAN SCHOOL ! P 

"ECAUSE LEADERSHIP HAS SUCH A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT STATE AND DISTRICT
POLICYMAKERS ARE SHIFTING LEADER PREPARATION PROGRAMS TOWARD A DUAL FOCUS ON LEADERSHIP
SKILLS AND MANAGEMENT TRAINING 0RINCIPALS NEED CORE KNOWLEDGE AS WELL AS MANAGEMENT
SKILLS TO INFORM AND LEAD CHANGE 4OO AS DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS MOVE TOWARD INCREASINGLY DATA
DRIVEN SYSTEMS IT IS CRITICAL THAT PRINCIPALS UNDERSTAND HOW TO INTERPRET RESEARCH FINDINGS AND
EVALUATIVE DATA

. /6 % - " % 2     

FINAL POLICY BRIEF FALL     !-

 3CHOOL 4EACHER AND ,EADERSHIP )MPACTS ON 3TUDENT !CHIEVEMENT

4O ENSURE THAT PRINCIPALS GAIN THIS NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE STATES ARE MOVING TOWARD A
PERFORMANCE
BASED PRINCIPAL LICENSURE SYSTEM IN WHICH PROSPECTIVE PRINCIPALS ARE REQUIRED
TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN THE FIELD PRIOR TO LICENSURE /THER STATES ARE MANDATING
THAT NEWLY APPOINTED PRINCIPALS UNDERGO INDUCTION
)MPLEMENTING INTENSIVE ADMINISTRATOR PROGRAMS )N ,OUISIANA FOR INSTANCE ALL NEW
PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS ARE REQUIRED TO
TRAINING PROGRAMS HAS THE POTENTIAL
PARTICIPATE IN THE ,OUISIANA 0RINCIPAL )NDUCTION
TO INCREASE THE EFFICACY AND RETENTION PROGRAM 4HE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM ACCORDING TO
OF ADMINISTRATORS IN THAT PRINCIPALS
MAY BE BETTER PREPARED TO HANDLE THE
LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS
MYRIAD CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH
RUNNING A SCHOOL
THE ,OUISIANA $EPARTMENT OF %DUCATION IS TO hBUILD
THE CAPACITY OF NEW BUILDING
TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP TO THEIR SCHOOLS IN BOTH
INSTRUCTIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREAS WITHIN THE
SCHOOLv ,OUISIANA $EPARTMENT OF %DUCATION ND 

0ROGRAMS SUCH AS THESE MIGHT INDIRECTLY ADDRESS AN ISSUE OF CONCERN FOR MANY STATES
ADMINISTRATOR TURNOVER )N URBAN AND RURAL AREAS IN PARTICULAR WHICH CAN HAVE HIGH NUMBERS
OF LOW PERFORMING HIGH POVERTY SCHOOLS IT CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR DISTRICTS TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN
PRINCIPALS )MPLEMENTING INTENSIVE ADMINISTRATOR TRAINING PROGRAMS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO INCREASE
THE EFFICACY AND RETENTION OF ADMINISTRATORS IN THAT PRINCIPALS MAY BE BETTER PREPARED TO HANDLE
THE MYRIAD CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH RUNNING A SCHOOL

)N THE CASE OF PERFORMANCE BASED ADMINISTRATOR AND TEACHER LICENSURE PROGRAMS EDUCATOR
PREPARATION INSTITUTIONS HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY )N ORDER TO CREATE EFFECTIVE
PERFORMANCE BASED LICENSURE SYSTEMS STATE BOARDS OF EDUCATION ARE PARTNERING WITH COLLEGES
AND UNIVERSITIES TO DEVELOP EDUCATOR TRAINING STANDARDS AND ALIGN EDUCATOR PERFORMANCE
ASSESSMENTS WITH UNIVERSITY COURSES &OR EXAMPLE +ANSASS TEACHER PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
WHICH TEACHERS COMPLETE PRIOR TO RECEIVING PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION WAS DEVELOPED IN
CONJUNCTION WITH HIGHER EDUCATION FACULTY

&INAL 4HOUGHTS

)NITIATING FOCUSED LASTING CHANGE IN A SCHOOL SYSTEM CAN BE A DAUNTING TASK )MPLEMENTING THE
POLICIES DETAILED IN THIS BRIEF HOWEVER CAN HELP STATES DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS EDGE CLOSER TO
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