Effective Principal Initiative: Building a New School

Leader Appraisal System

Board Workshop

April 28, 2011

Agenda

The Need for an Appraisal System for School Leaders

Design Process

Overview of the Proposed New System

Next Steps

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 Principal leadership has a significant, measurable effect on student
achievement.

School-Based Factors Affecting

Student Achievement

Academic studies show

Teacher Impact that school leadership is
second only to classroom
teaching as an influence
on student achievement.

Principal Impact In fact, nearly 60% of the

within-school variance in
student achievement can
be accounted for by
teacher and principal
Other School-Based quality.
Factors

Source: Marzano, R. J., Waters, T., & McNulty, B. (2005). School leadership that works: From research to
results. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
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Ensuring that there is an effective principal in every school is a critical Core
Initiative in HISD’s Strategic Direction.

Board of Education
Goals for HISD from the
Declaration of Beliefs and Visions

1 2 3 4 5

Effective Effective Rigorous Culture

Data Driven
Teacher Principal Instructional of Trust
Account-
in Every in Every Standards through
ability
Classroom School &Supports Action

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 Effective Principal Initiative Vision: A strong, decisive leader focused on student
success in every school.

Effective Principal Initiative: 5 Key Strategies

Guided
Smart Useful Professional Safe, healthy
decision-
recruitment appraisals development environment
making

An Effective Principal in Every School

Improved Student Learning Outcomes

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Agenda

The Need for an Appraisal System for School Leaders

Design Process

Overview of the Proposed New System

Next Steps

6
SDMCs and the District Advisory Committee (DAC) will be consulted in the process
of developing the criteria and appraisal process.

• State guidelines require that HISD develop the performance criteria and appraisal
process for school leaders in consultation with the District Advisory Committee (DAC)
and the Shared Decision-Making Committees (SDMCs).

• The criteria will include the principles by which a school leader’s performance
will be evaluated.

• The appraisal process will include the set of rules and procedures under which
school leaders will be evaluated, including: assessment methods, the frequency
and timeline for observation, and modes for feedback.

• Feedback through principal surveys and advisory groups of central office staff, school
administrators, and others will be shared with the SDMCs and DAC for feedback.

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Design of the System
• Current Actions
o Partner secured
 Competitive bid process approved by the Board in November 2010
 Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) has
experience in research and analysis on the effects of principal leadership
practices on student achievement
o Advisory Committee established
 Central office leadership, school improvement officers, principals, and
assistant principals
o Field Test underway
 Over 60 HISD staff comprised of SIOs, principals, assistant principals, and
central office staff are assessing the proposed system during the months of
April and May
• Future Actions
o Overview presentation of the system and survey of all Principals
o Focus Groups
 To be conducted specifically to review the draft measures of student
learning
o SDMC and DAC
 Will review system and provide feedback in May
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Agenda

The Need for an Appraisal System for School Leaders

Design Process

Overview of the Proposed New System

Next Steps

9
Balanced Leadership Framework®

Purposeful Community

School-Level Leadership

Focus Magnitude
of of
Leadership Change

School-Level Leadership

Purposeful Community

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Appraisal Process Overview

Orientation Principal
Self- assessment
Final Evaluation
& Goal Setting Evaluator
Meeting Assessment of
Principal

End-of-year Meeting Between

Performance Principal &
Discussion Evaluator

Consolidated Mid-Year
Performance Evaluation
Assessment Discussion

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Measures of Student Learning: Rationale

• Outcomes Measure a Principal’s Primary Responsibility:  A principal’s

primary job is to ensure that students learn.  Principals should be judged by
whether they succeed at this central purpose. 

• Outcomes Align with Accountability Measures:  Principal evaluations

should be aligned with the student outcome measures that drive state and
district accountability systems.  Otherwise, principals receive mixed
messages about what is important, and school accountability (school ratings,
report cards, reconstitution, closure, turnaround) is not aligned with the
leader’s individual accountability.  

• Outcomes are Fair: Effective principals differ greatly in style and approach,
and context is important.  Yet all principals, regardless of style and context,
can and should be held accountable for achieving the school’s essential
educational goals.

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 Measures of Student Learning

Measure Description

1) Value-added growth (e.g., A district-rated measure of the extent to which a school’s

EVAAS) students’ average growth meets, exceeds, or falls short of
average growth.

2) TAKS (STAAR) Passing Rates Campus meets standards or improves towards standards in the
by Subject percentage of students scoring at the passing level on the TAKS
(STAAR) across grades by subject.

3) 2011 Stanford Achievement Gap Campus closes or eliminates the achievement gap between
minority and non-minority students on Stanford tests taken.

4) 2011 TAKS (STAAR) Campus shows an annual increase in the percentage of students
Commended by Subject scoring at the commended levels on the TAKS across grades by
subject. The annual target is a three percentage-point increase.
5) Average Student Attendance Campus shows an increase in student attendance (ADA).

6) Promotion rate Instructional leaders ensure that all students stay on-track to
graduate with their age-appropriate peers .
7) Completion rate Campus will increase the percentage of students identified as
graduating or remaining in school.

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Alignment of key leadership measures: School Leader, CSO/SIO and
Superintendent

Measure School CSO/ Superintendent

Leader SIO
Value-added growth   
(EVAAS)
Completion/promotion   
rates
TAKS commended by   
subject
Closing achievement   
gap*
TAKS passing rates by   
subject
Average student   
attendance

*As measured by TAKS or Stanford

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Agenda

The Need for an Appraisal System for School Leaders

Design Process

Overview of the Proposed New System

Next Steps

15
Next Steps

Design
• Complete field test
• Conduct focus groups
• Review and gather feedback from SDMCs and DAC
• Present proposal to Board of Education

Implementation
• Deliver training for all school leaders in late July/early August
• Develop a solution for an integrated technology platform to support
the new appraisal system
• Define a structured support plan for appraisers throughout year one
and beyond

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Timeline of Activities

April May June July/August Yr 2 and beyond

• Field Testing: through May 31 • Training for all school leaders:

through mid-August
• Focus Groups: week of May 2nd
• Integrated technology solution
• Principal Meeting: May 4th
• Ongoing support, i.e. training,
• Principal Survey: May 4th - 11th standardized protocols and forms,
for teachers and appraisers
• SDMC & DAC Reviews in May
• System audit and accountability
• Instructional & Administrative procedures
Consultation: early June
• Survey stakeholders, capture
• Board Agenda Item: June 9th feedback

• Board Workshop: June 16th or 23rd

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