ERIC Number: EJ851761
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Sep
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-5984
EISSN: N/A
The Evaluation of Principals: What and How Do States and Urban Districts Assess Leadership?
Goldring, Ellen; Cravens, Xiu Chen; Murphy, Joseph; Porter, Andrew C.; Elliott, Stephen N.; Carson, Becca
Elementary School Journal, v110 n1 p19-39 Sep 2009
In this article we present results of a comprehensive review of principal leadership assessment practices in the United States. Our analyses of both the general content and the usage of 65 instruments, 56 at the district level and 9 at the state level, provided an in-depth look at what and how districts and states evaluate principals. Using the learning-centered leadership framework, we focused on identifying the congruence (or lack thereof) between documented assessment practices and the research-based criteria for effective leadership that are associated with improved school performance. Using an iterative and deductive process for instrument content analysis, we found that states and districts focused on a variety of performance areas (e.g., management, external environment, or personal traits) when evaluating their principals, with different formats at various levels of specificity. We also found very limited coverage of leadership behaviors that ensure rigorous curriculum and quality instruction, which are linked with schoolwide improvement for the ultimate purpose of enhanced student learning. In seeking information on how principals are evaluated, we found that in most cases, the practices of leadership assessment lacked justification and documentation in terms of the utility, psychometric properties, and accuracy of the instruments. (Contains 4 figures, 2 tables and 1 note.)
Descriptors: Principals, Instructional Leadership, Leadership Effectiveness, Performance Based Assessment, Psychometrics, Measures (Individuals), Content Analysis, Test Validity, Test Reliability
University of Chicago Press. Journals Division, P.O. Box 37005, Chicago, IL 60637. Tel: 877-705-1878; Tel: 773-753-3347; Fax: 877-705-1879; Fax: 773-753-0811; e-mail: subscriptions@press.uchicago.edu; Web site: http://www.journal.uchicago.edu
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United States
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R305A080370
IES Cited: ED556130; ED563446; ED550494