0.17 Tareilo, j. (october 2011). the role of university leadership

Ncpea education leadership review: portland conference special edition, volume 12, number 3 (october 2011)

Introduction

Assessing the effectiveness of a campus administrator is often difficult to determine. There are few standards in place other than district guidelines or school accountability as the result of state testing that judge or assess a principal’s impact on student learning, campus culture, and teacher effectiveness. Once a candidate is certified as a principal, there is little attention paid to the principal’s personal or professional growth as a school leader. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) in conjunction with other educational organizations plan to introduce an initiative that would allow acting principals the opportunity to work towards an advanced certification. This certification recognizes their efforts in sustaining continuous school and student success.

Beginning in 2012, NBPTS will focus its attention on the planning, design, and implementation of an advanced certification for school leaders that “signifies a high level of competency” (Tirozzi, 2011, p. 2). These efforts launched the inception of the National Board Certification for Educational Leaders (NBCEL) and its Phase I plans for the National Board Certification for Principals. As reported by NBPTS, this certification will serve as a means to recognize those school leaders who focus on and ensure the highest expectations for learning for all of their students (NBPTS, n.d.b). The development of this certification not only impacts the principals themselves but also the university programs that assisted them in their preparation for the principalship. If the emphasis of the leadership program leans toward the managerial duties associated with the principalship, a new outlook is required that places instructional and curriculum leadership as a critical concern.

Joseph Murphy (as cited in Moran, n.d.) states “effective leadership is a critical factor in school success. Advanced certification for principals and teacher leaders will support excellence within the profession and more importantly promote student success” (para. 3). Sustained student success comes from being attentive to the needs of all students as learners. If the focus of current leadership programs remains the same and quite possibly stagnant, the instructional demands of the principalship to establish high expectations for their students and their teachers need to be represented in that program’s course work and experiences.