Principal Evaluation Policies and Teacher Perception of Principals Focus on Learning-Centered Leadership Practices

• In Event: The Implications of Testing Teachers and Students

Abstract

There is widespread agreement among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners that principals play a critical role in providing high-quality education to PK-12 students. Principals influence teaching (directly) and learning (indirectly) through leadership practices that are well established in the literature. In the past several years, most states have approved legislation mandating that public school principals be evaluated annually using measures that incorporate students’ academic growth. This paper focuses on how district policies regarding principal evaluation are related to principals’ leadership practices in 23 districts across three states. We code evaluation policies from each of the 23 districts and relate dimensions of this policies to overall perception of principal focus on learning as reported by the teachers in their buildings.

Authors

• Shaun Michael Dougherty, Vanderbilt University

• Morgaen L. Donaldson, University of Connecticut - Storrs

• Madeline Mavrogordato, Michigan State University

• Peter A. Youngs, University of Virginia

• Reem Al Ghanem, University of Connecticut - Storrs