Forward Moving
Districts
Information Summarized by Iowa Support Team as
they Study Identified Buildings and Districts
Actions in those Buildings and Districts that Created
Comprehensive Systemic Change to Increase Student
Achievement
Role of the Principal in that Process
Key Actions of Principals in
“Forward-Moving” Districts
Articulate a clear vision
Communicate high expectations for student learning
Promote a positive learning environment
Deal with change
Share leadership
Use data to drive decisions, set direction, and determine actions
Live the plan
Promote collaboration
Use data to monitor, adjust, and evaluate implementation of professional
development and learning of students
Celebrate learning
Clear Vision
Consciously challenge the status quo
Develop and share vision of learning with students,
staff, families, and the community
Evaluate all proposals for change and requests for
resources based on their impact of achieving the vision
of learning
Be willing to lead the change the initiatives that will
achieve the vision.
Allocate resources, time, people, $, based on
achievement of the vision
Communicate High Expectations
for Student Learning
Develop and advocate a sense of purpose focused on
learning among students, staff, parents/families, and
community
Possess knowledge about effective CIA
Inspire teachers and students to accomplish things that
might be beyond their grasp.
Portray positive attitude about the ability of staff and
students to accomplish high expectations.
Frequent visitor to classrooms, constantly gathering
evidence of achievement of the expectations.
Positive Learning
Environment
Share a purpose of school with staff and students
Share the vision of the school should look like
Protect instructional time
Establish goals for learning
Know and expect quality in CIA
Be continually aware of the impact of the practices
and procedures on student achievement.
Provide routines and structures that promote
learning and teaching
Dealing With Change
Challenge the status quo, always considering new and better
ways of doing things.
Prepare yourselves for understanding and dealing with the
change process (both 1st and 2nd order change)
Be willing to operate at the edge versus the center of
competence
Stay focused on the vision and the high expectations for learning
Recognize that buy-in will come when teachers see that their
actions are impacting student achievement.
Shared Leadership
Learn how to collect, analyze, and report data
Provide professional development in the
areas that staff is expected to work (data
analysis, professional development, school
improvement, systems thinking)
Be an active participant of the team
Know and be able to recognize quality
instruction and learning
Use of Data to Drive Decisions, Set
Direction, and Determine Actions
Become skilled at using data to make decisions
Develop the skills of the leadership team and
the entire staff in data analysis
Allocate resources- time, people, and moneybased on data
Align curriculum, instruction, and assessment
with the standards of the learning.
Do the Plan
Know quality curriculum, instruction, and
assessment
Allocate resources to assure the
implementation of the plan.
Systematic and frequent visits to the
classroom.
Be visible during the implementation of
professional development.
Monitor the implementation and adjust plans
based on the needs of students.
Collaboration
Learn and teach collaboration skills
Become aware of personal aspects of teachers and
staff, focusing on the development of relationships.
Allocate time for collaboration; it assures
communication and cohesion among staff about
teaching and learning
Be present and a part of collaboration times of
teachers in order to monitor and adjust the focus, to
provide needed support to teachers, and to celebrate
accomplishments.
Use of Data to Monitor,
Adjust, and Evaluate
Become proficient in using both formative and summative
assessments to determine next steps in increasing student
achievement.
Provide PD for the leadership team and the teachers in using data
to make decisions
Take part in PD that develops skills in structured walk-throughs
and inventories of instructional practices
Continually monitor the effectiveness of the school’s curricular,
instructional, and assessment practices.
Examine student work; question students about their learning
Make frequent and systematic visits to classrooms.
Be continually aware of the impact of the school’s practices on
student achievement.
Celebration
Systematically and fairly recognize and celebrate the
accomplishments of students.
Systematically and fairly recognize and celebrate the
accomplishments of teachers
Be highly visible to staff, students, and parents
Inspire teachers and students to accomplish things
that might be beyond their grasp.
Portray a positive attitude about the ability of staff
and students to accomplish substantial things.