Michael F. DiPaola - Böcker

Superintendent evaluation is a unique process that is often neglected but critical in this era of accountability. This invaluable guide provides an overview of the entire process, including: crafting board policy, criteria for good policy, and prototype policy. It identifies the unique challenges posed by the evaluation process and describes a three-tiered model of evaluation. This model is anchored in the professional standards for superintendency established by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), the National School Boards Association (NSBA) Key Work of School Boards, the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Standards, and the National Technology Standards for School Administrators. Numerous sample forms are included to assist school districts in creating a customized evaluation protocol to enhance performance. Suggestions on next steps for the reader conclude the book and additional resources are described in the annotated bibliography. This handbook will be of interest to superintendents, school board members, and professionals involved in the development and support of superintendents.

This book provides guidelines to Boards of Education and the members of communities to conduct a high-quality, research-based evaluation of their school superintendent. It also includes examples of contemporary practices of evaluating superintendents practiced across the United States. In exploring the important issue of evaluation for the superintendent the complexities and aspects of the process that make it unique are highlighted. Issues addressed include:Existing state policies that require/govern superintendent evaluations & their impact on practiceEvaluation models that should be considered for evaluating superintendentsThe consequences of not having a clear set of policies/proceduresDetermining the major roles and responsibilities upon which the superintendent's evaluation should be based Documenting the superintendent’s job performanceThe policy, procedures, and training required for board members to successfully implement a superintendent evaluation systemThe evaluation process proposed ensures fairness to the superintendent as well as providing accountability to the school district and community. The focus of all evaluations should be on improved performance. Evaluation is a means to an end. The ultimate purpose of superintendent evaluation is improving individual performance in order to ensure quality services and programs to students.

This book provides guidelines to Boards of Education and the members of communities to conduct a high-quality, research-based evaluation of their school superintendent. It also includes examples of contemporary practices of evaluating superintendents practiced across the United States. In exploring the important issue of evaluation for the superintendent the complexities and aspects of the process that make it unique are highlighted. Issues addressed include:Existing state policies that require/govern superintendent evaluations & their impact on practiceEvaluation models that should be considered for evaluating superintendentsThe consequences of not having a clear set of policies/proceduresDetermining the major roles and responsibilities upon which the superintendent's evaluation should be based Documenting the superintendent’s job performanceThe policy, procedures, and training required for board members to successfully implement a superintendent evaluation systemThe evaluation process proposed ensures fairness to the superintendent as well as providing accountability to the school district and community. The focus of all evaluations should be on improved performance. Evaluation is a means to an end. The ultimate purpose of superintendent evaluation is improving individual performance in order to ensure quality services and programs to students.

This book is different than its predecessors in that it identifies and synthesizes twelve key constructs that have important implications for both administrators and researchers; these constructs guide administrators engaged in meaningful school improvement efforts and provide researchers an agenda for future study. The articles of the book capture decades of theoretical and research work.Essential Ideas for the Reform of American Schools identifies and synthesizes key constructs that have important implications for the improvement of schools. The articles have been written over a period of several decades and are grounded in theoretical analysis and empirical research. Together they form a coherent body of literature for both practitioners interested in improving schools and researchers committed to the study of school effectiveness.

This book is different than its predecessors in that it identifies and synthesizes twelve key constructs that have important implications for both administrators and researchers; these constructs guide administrators engaged in meaningful school improvement efforts and provide researchers an agenda for future study. The articles of the book capture decades of theoretical and research work.Essential Ideas for the Reform of American Schools identifies and synthesizes key constructs that have important implications for the improvement of schools. The articles have been written over a period of several decades and are grounded in theoretical analysis and empirical research. Together they form a coherent body of literature for both practitioners interested in improving schools and researchers committed to the study of school effectiveness.

Improving Schools: Studies in Leadership and Culture is the seventh in a series on research and theory dedicated to advancing our understanding of schools through empirical study and theoretical analysis. This book is organized around two broad concepts—leadership and culture, which have important implications for improving schools.The book begins with an analysis of the saliency of trust in the culture of schools. In the first chapter, Patrick Forsythís review of the consequences of school trust sets the tone for seeking and developing school cultures that enhance high academic performance of students. The investigation of school trust is traced over several decades at four research universities as scholars at each institution conceptualized, refined, and examined the consequences of school trust. It seems fair to conclude that a school culture that is anchored in values and norms of faculty trusting students and parents facilitates high academic achievement and positive outcomes.

Improving Schools: Studies in Leadership and Culture is the seventh in a series on research and theory dedicated to advancing our understanding of schools through empirical study and theoretical analysis. This book is organized around two broad concepts—leadership and culture, which have important implications for improving schools.The book begins with an analysis of the saliency of trust in the culture of schools. In the first chapter, Patrick Forsythís review of the consequences of school trust sets the tone for seeking and developing school cultures that enhance high academic performance of students. The investigation of school trust is traced over several decades at four research universities as scholars at each institution conceptualized, refined, and examined the consequences of school trust. It seems fair to conclude that a school culture that is anchored in values and norms of faculty trusting students and parents facilitates high academic achievement and positive outcomes.

Studies in School Improvement is the eighth volume in a series on research and theory in school administration dedicated to advancing our understanding of schools through empirical study and theoretical analysis. This selection of readings highlights a number of important factors in the stimulation and implementation of school improvement, including transformational leadership; change perspectives of teachers, principals, and the community; strategies for instructional change; learning environments and school culture; dropout prevention; professionalism; trust relations between the teachers and the board as well as trust between students and teachers; and admission decisions for educational leadership programs. In addition, a number of new, reliable and valid measures are developed and presented for the first time—instruments to assess: 1) change perspectives of the faculty, 2) professionalism of teachers, and 3) trust relations between students and teachers. These tools are valuable aids for both researchers and practitioners in their quest to understand and implement successful school improvement projects.

Studies in School Improvement is the eighth volume in a series on research and theory in school administration dedicated to advancing our understanding of schools through empirical study and theoretical analysis. This selection of readings highlights a number of important factors in the stimulation and implementation of school improvement, including transformational leadership; change perspectives of teachers, principals, and the community; strategies for instructional change; learning environments and school culture; dropout prevention; professionalism; trust relations between the teachers and the board as well as trust between students and teachers; and admission decisions for educational leadership programs. In addition, a number of new, reliable and valid measures are developed and presented for the first time—instruments to assess: 1) change perspectives of the faculty, 2) professionalism of teachers, and 3) trust relations between students and teachers. These tools are valuable aids for both researchers and practitioners in their quest to understand and implement successful school improvement projects.

Analyzing School Contexts is the ninth volume in a series of research and theory in school administration dedicated to advancing our understanding of schools through empirical study and theoretical analysis. The current selection of readings is loosely organized around the broad topics of school contexts, leadership, and organizational properties that influence the effectiveness of schools. The book begins with a reflective analysis of the importance of organizational theories and theorizing in educational in administration and then proceeds to examine research on how leaders, especially principals, can strengthen the instructional and academic capacity of the school to enhance teachers’ effectiveness in producing strong student outcomes. The analyses deal not only with what instructional leadership practices make positive differences in teaching and learning, but also with how district leadership is pivotal in developing school partnerships with business and how district mentoring programs to develop future school leaders succeed. Finally, we examine school climate, academic optimism of teachers, organizational trust, and the constraints and opportunities that the law provides to develop and maintain a respectful school environment conducive to learning.

Analyzing School Contexts is the ninth volume in a series of research and theory in school administration dedicated to advancing our understanding of schools through empirical study and theoretical analysis. The current selection of readings is loosely organized around the broad topics of school contexts, leadership, and organizational properties that influence the effectiveness of schools. The book begins with a reflective analysis of the importance of organizational theories and theorizing in educational in administration and then proceeds to examine research on how leaders, especially principals, can strengthen the instructional and academic capacity of the school to enhance teachers’ effectiveness in producing strong student outcomes. The analyses deal not only with what instructional leadership practices make positive differences in teaching and learning, but also with how district leadership is pivotal in developing school partnerships with business and how district mentoring programs to develop future school leaders succeed. Finally, we examine school climate, academic optimism of teachers, organizational trust, and the constraints and opportunities that the law provides to develop and maintain a respectful school environment conducive to learning.

This work integrates the core instructional leadership tasks of all principals: supervision, evaluation, and professional development. The text demonstrates a hands-on approach grounded in sound theory and rigorous research. It provides both a conceptual frame and realistic exercises that today’s principals and supervisors can use to improve their practice. The book highlights observation tools that focus on high-yield instructional strategies. Principals and supervisors are encouraged to collect data in classrooms and provide this instructional feedback so together with teachers they can reflect and identify areas for growth. The models of supervision, evaluation, and professional development are research-based and are consistent with contemporary challenges that confront principals and others committed to improving instruction.

In this second edition of Improving Instruction Through Supervision, Evaluation, and Professional Development we’ve maintained the conceptual framework while updating sections to provide the most recent research on instructional strategies that have the most promise of helping all students learn. Modifications of the law resulting from the reauthorization of the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act—Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (2015)—and their implication for practice are embedded throughout this new edition. Updated data collection tools for classroom observations are also provided. We included a link to a website that contains all the observation tools in electronic format so that observers can have the opportunity to collect data on a tablet or laptop, save the observation data as a PDF file and e-mail those data to the teacher observed.This new edition recognizes the reality that all principals are responsible for supervision, evaluation, and professional development of their teachers—tasks that are neither simple nor without conflict. The primary audience of this text is aspiring and practicing principals. We hope to help them understand both the theory and practice of supervision, evaluation, and professional development. However, observing instruction, collecting data for reflection, and having conversations about teaching, are not the sole provinces of principals. Master teachers, teacher leaders, and teacher colleagues can also benefit from the supervisory sections of the book, especially the chapters on high-quality instruction, improving instruction, and the classroom data collecting tools.The book provides numerous tools specifically designed to collect a variety of data in classrooms to improve instruction. Embedded in each chapter are exercises to apply Theory into Practice by responding to a set of questions posed by the key issues of the chapter. After the explication and illustration of the key concepts and principles of the chapter, actual Instructional Leadership Challenges as described by a successful practicing principal for reflection and analysis.

In this second edition of Improving Instruction Through Supervision, Evaluation, and Professional Development we’ve maintained the conceptual framework while updating sections to provide the most recent research on instructional strategies that have the most promise of helping all students learn. Modifications of the law resulting from the reauthorization of the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act—Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (2015)—and their implication for practice are embedded throughout this new edition. Updated data collection tools for classroom observations are also provided. We included a link to a website that contains all the observation tools in electronic format so that observers can have the opportunity to collect data on a tablet or laptop, save the observation data as a PDF file and e-mail those data to the teacher observed.This new edition recognizes the reality that all principals are responsible for supervision, evaluation, and professional development of their teachers—tasks that are neither simple nor without conflict. The primary audience of this text is aspiring and practicing principals. We hope to help them understand both the theory and practice of supervision, evaluation, and professional development. However, observing instruction, collecting data for reflection, and having conversations about teaching, are not the sole provinces of principals. Master teachers, teacher leaders, and teacher colleagues can also benefit from the supervisory sections of the book, especially the chapters on high-quality instruction, improving instruction, and the classroom data collecting tools.The book provides numerous tools specifically designed to collect a variety of data in classrooms to improve instruction. Embedded in each chapter are exercises to apply Theory into Practice by responding to a set of questions posed by the key issues of the chapter. After the explication and illustration of the key concepts and principles of the chapter, actual Instructional Leadership Challenges as described by a successful practicing principal for reflection and analysis.

Leadership and School Quality is the twelfth in a series on research and theory dedicated to advancing our understanding of schools through empirical study and theoretical analysis. Hence, the chapters include analyses that investigate relationships between school organizations and leadership behaviors that have an impact on teacher and school effectiveness.