For stronger schools, train stronger leaders
In an era of tight budgets, rigorous standards and unprecedented accountability, educators at every level are under pressure to find proven ways to increase the success of their students. Research shows that strong school leaders are critical to providing children with a world-class education. Improving their effectiveness may be one of the most efficient ways to improve instruction and learning across districts and states.
Nevertheless, as a recent report found, developing school leaders is often the last item on a long list of school-system priorities. Cash-strapped states and districts that do invest in school-leader training often choose between two inadequate solutions. Most often they tap homegrown programs that frequently lack a strong research base, are short in duration and are narrowly focused on teacher evaluation or the issue du jour. Other programs are often too costly for more than a few participants; this compels administrators to target only a handful of school leaders, making it difficult to have a larger impact. What’s most often missing from such programs are ways to connect the dots between best practices in leadership with those in teaching, learning and curriculum. This bridge between school leadership and classroom instruction is essential to impacting student success.
Dr. Chris Nicastro, right, is the Missouri Commissioner of Education. Dr. Bob Hughes is the president and CEO of the National Institute for School Leadership, a leading provider of professional development for school leaders.
An increased focus on measuring and accountability means that principals must be more than capable managers. They must also be instructional visionaries who motivate their staff, establish high expectations for performance and create a safe and supportive climate for effective teaching and innovation to take place. All school leaders need to have the tools,
