Effective Principals

An effective principal is essential to school success. These resources provide research, policy snapshots, promising practices, and examples to guide school districts in planning and implementing principal development and evaluation systems.

Evaluating Principals

Research and promising practices for developing effective principals through principal evaluation systems are included in this section.

• Research
  This section summarizes the research on principal evaluation policies and practices.

  The Policies and Practices of Principal Evaluation: A Review of the Literature
  This comprehensive literature review provides insights into what we know about principal evaluation as derived from a set of primary and secondary sources from reputable publications. Researchers identified themes and perspectives from the literature that might be useful to practitioners and policymakers working to improve district principal evaluation systems.

  Executive Summary of Policies and Practices of Principal Evaluation: A Review of the Literature
  This summary of The Policies and Practices of Principal Evaluation: A Review of the Literature presents, in condensed form, the salient themes and key points evident in the primary and secondary research on principal evaluation systems.

  A Brief Overview of Principal Evaluation Literature: Implications for Selecting Evaluation Models
  Written for practitioners and policymakers, this overview frames various factors to consider when determining whether to adapt an existing principal evaluation model or design a new one. The question is explored through the lens of key points from The Policies and Practices of Principal Evaluation: A Review of the Literature.

• Policy
  This section links research to state and local policies and provides specific policy implementation examples.

  How Six States Are Implementing Principal Evaluation Systems
  This brief provides state and district policymakers with information about currently operating state policies and systems of principal evaluation in six states.

  Principal Evaluation Policies in California: On the Precipice of Reform
  This brief outlines the California statewide, federal, and local policies directed at improving principal evaluation systems.

• Practice
  This section describes what districts are doing to support and evaluate principals.

  Using Multiple Forms of Data in Principal Evaluations: An Overview With Examples [UPDATED April 2012]
  This brief describes basic concepts for using multiple forms of data in principal evaluation systems. It then provides real examples to help guide educators in selecting and using multiple forms and sources of data, including illustrations that show what measures are used (e.g., student learning data) and how they are weighted. Explore eight examples from a range of districts, states, and organizations – Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, New Leaders, New York City, Tennessee, and Washington D.C.

  Key Features of a Comprehensive Principal Evaluation System [UPDATED January 2012]
  Drawn from a comprehensive review of research and professional literature on principal evaluation, 13 Key Features were identified as representing elements critical in establishing a comprehensive principal evaluation system.

  How Four Districts Crafted Innovative Principal Evaluation Systems: Success Stories in Collaboration
  These informal case studies focus on how multiple stakeholders – especially those from district management and labor – worked together to craft innovative principal evaluation systems in their districts. Districts include: Helena School District, Montana; Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland; New Haven Public Schools, Connecticut; and New York City Public Schools, New York.