WestEd Resources

Effective Principals = School & District Success

An effective principal is essential to school success. But what does it mean to be an effective principal? How do district leaders develop principals' capacity to successfully lead schools throughout their careers? And what does research say about principal evaluation policies and best practices?

Since 2009, the California Comprehensive Center at WestEd has collaborated with members of the Integrated Leadership Development Initiative and other partners to produce resources for practitioners, policymakers, and others interested in developing accomplished school, as well as district, leaders.

These WestEd resources provide research, policy snapshots, promising practices, and examples to help school districts plan and implement comprehensive principal development and evaluation systems.

Standards for Principals

Key Features of a Comprehensive Principal Evaluation System

By: Ronald Leon, Stephen H. Davis, Karen Kearney, Nancy M. Sanders, Christopher Thomas

Produced by: Integrated Leadership Development Initiative

This publication, cowritten by Karen Kearney of the Leadership Initiative at WestEd, draws from an in-depth review of research and professional literature on principal evaluation and personnel evaluation standards to present 13 key features identified as critical in establishing a comprehensive principal evaluation system. more >

Format: PDF | Copyright: 2011

California Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (CPSEL)

Produced by: California School Leadership Academy at WestEd, Association of California School Administrators

We know that quality leadership matters in improving schools, districts, and student achievement. But what is quality leadership? The California Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, also known as the Comprehensive Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, lay out quality standards for site and district leaders. more >

Format: PDF | Copyright: 2004

Moving Leadership Standards Into Everyday Work: Descriptions of Practice

Edited by: Karen Kearney

Developing effective leadership is essential to guide and support schools through the changes required by standards-based education and high-stakes accountability. But what do effective leaders do? Moving Leadership Standards Into Everyday Work: Descriptions of Practice helps answer this essential question. more >

Price: $16.95 | Format: Trade Paper | Copyright: 2003
ISBN: 978-0-914409-17-5 | Order #: DOP-03-01

Guidance for the Selection and Support of Exemplary Principals Under the Quality Education Investment Act

This document adapts state leadership standards for district leaders who select, assign, and support exemplary principals for schools subject to the requirements of California's Quality Education Investment Act of 2006 and other initiatives for underperforming schools. more >

Format: PDF | Copyright: 2008

Performance Expectations and Indicators for Education Leaders

Edited by: Nancy M. Sanders, Karen Kearney

The Performance Expectations and Indicators, based on the six ISLLC Standards for School Leaders, describe observable and measurable leader actions required to improve teaching and learning for every student. more >

Format: PDF | Copyright: 2008

Developing Principals

Effective Principals for California Schools

Building a Coherent Leadership Development System

By: Karen Kearney

Produced by: Integrated Leadership Development Initiative

Is it really possible to have an effective principal in every school? This organizing frame for principal development recognizes that, with appropriate support, school-site leaders develop and hone their skills throughout the course of their career, becoming increasingly effective over time. Examining each stage in a principal's career — from aspiring principal to expert principal — this thought-provoking document serves as an organized and specific call to action for California's education policymakers at all levels. more >

Format: PDF | Copyright: 2010

Evaluating Principals

The Policies and Practices of Principal Evaluation

A Review of the Literature

By: Stephen H. Davis, Karen Kearney, Nancy M. Sanders

Produced by: Integrated Leadership Development Initiative

This comprehensive literature review, cowritten by Karen Kearney of the Leadership Initiative at WestEd, provides key points from primary and secondary sources that practitioners and policymakers can use to improve their principal evaluation systems. more >

Format: PDF | Copyright: 2011

A Brief Overview of Principal Evaluation Literature

Implications for Selecting Evaluation Models

By: Nancy M. Sanders, Karen Kearney

Produced by: Integrated Leadership Development Initiative

This overview provides highlights from The Policies and Practices of Principal Evaluation: A Review of the Literature, a comprehensive literature review of principal evaluation systems. With this base, the brief helps leaders consider options for developing their evaluation systems—building their own or choosing a commercially available product. more >

Using Multiple Forms of Data in Principal Evaluations: An Overview With Examples

By: Nancy M. Sanders, Karen Kearney, Scott Vince

What is one of the key features of a principal evaluation system? Using various types of data to inform your assessment. This brief demystifies the concept of collecting and using multiple forms of information in principal evaluation systems and provides examples of those who have done so successfully. more >

How Six States Are Implementing Principal Evaluation Systems

By: Heather Mattson Almanzán, Nancy M. Sanders, Karen Kearney

Produced by: Integrated Leadership Development Initiative

This brief, cowritten by Heather Mattson Almanzán and Karen Kearney of the Leadership Initiative at WestEd, provides policymakers and practitioners with information about current principal evaluation policies and systems, linked to useful resources, in six states. more >

How Four Districts Crafted Innovative Principal Evaluation Systems

Success Stories in Collaboration

By: Ben Keating

Produced by: Leadership Initiative at WestEd

Are you looking for concrete examples of how to innovate principal evaluation systems? These informal case studies, written by Ben Keating of the Leadership Initiative at WestEd, examine the role of collaboration in the implementation of principal evaluation systems in four school districts. more >