Framework

Field 115: Educational Leadership

The framework below is a detailed outline that explains the knowledge and skills that this assessment measures.

Framework

Domain		Range of Competencies	Approximate Percentage of Assessment Score
I 1	Mission-Driven, Collaborative, and Ethical Leadership	0001–0002	20%
II 2	Student Learning and Well-Being, Staff Professional Capacity, and School Culture	0003–0005	30%
III 3	Organizational, Human Resource, Operational, Systems, and Resource Management	0006–0007	20%
IV 4	Application of Decision-Making Strategies for School Improvement	0008–0010	30%

Domain I 1 –Mission-Driven, Collaborative, and Ethical Leadership

0001 Understand how to provide leadership in developing, advocating, and enacting a shared mission, vision, and statement of core values; collaborating with stakeholder groups; and mobilizing school and community resources to promote the academic success and well-being of each student.

Includes:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of major theories and concepts in educational leadership; the importance of viewing all aspects of educational leadership through the lens of student learning; and relationships between leadership theory and practice in the context of contemporary educational issues.
2. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for facilitating the development of a shared mission, vision, and statement of core values based on data from multiple measures of student learning and for promoting the academic success and well-being of each student.
3. Apply knowledge of the characteristics of a sound and sustainable educational mission and vision and the importance of ensuring alignment between a school's mission, vision, and core values and the district's mission, vision, and goals.
4. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for effectively communicating a school's shared mission, vision, and statement of core values; helping all stakeholders understand the mission, vision, and core values; and encouraging the entire school community to work toward achieving the mission and vision.
5. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for leveraging and marshaling sufficient resources, including the integration of technology, to implement and attain the school's mission and vision and promote the academic success and well-being of each student.
6. Demonstrate knowledge of potential barriers to accomplishing a school's mission and vision, and apply knowledge of effective ways to address and overcome barriers.
7. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for developing school programs, plans, and activities to ensure that they are integrated, articulated through the grades, and consistent with the mission, vision, and core values.
8. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for including each stakeholder group in change efforts and for using the experiences and perspectives of each group to achieve the school's mission and vision.
9. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for communicating school and district information on a regular and predictable basis to all parents/guardians through a variety of media and ensuring that all constituents have ample access to information sources.
10. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for strengthening schools through family and community partnerships and leveraging community support to promote the core values of academic success and well-being for each student.

0002 Understand the legal dimensions of educational leadership and the political, social, economic, ethical, and cultural contexts of education in promoting the success of each student.

Includes:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of constitutional rights and protections for students and staff (e.g., due process, equal access, free speech, freedom from harassment) in various educational contexts and of the role of the educational administrator in monitoring and ensuring their implementation.
2. Apply knowledge of how district policies and specific laws (e.g., policies and laws related to students with disabilities, English language learners [ELLs], parents/guardians, mandated reporting, confidentiality, the responsible and appropriate use of technology, liability) at the federal, state, and local levels affect individuals and schools, and how to ensure that schools operate consistently within the parameters of applicable laws, policies, regulations, and requirements.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of democratic education, including the role of schools in preparing students to be productive citizens and to meet challenges of the future, and the ways in which historical, cultural, and philosophical factors; federal, state, and local policy decisions; and prevailing practices influence education.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of the political, social, economic, and cultural contexts of education at the local, regional, state, and federal levels that affect public schools, and apply knowledge of how to respond to and influence these contexts.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of public school governance, including the structure and organization of public schooling and the roles and responsibilities of various individuals and system components.
6. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for working effectively with all stakeholders, including district and local leaders, to generate support for schools, promote public policies that benefit all students, and encourage improvement in teaching and learning.
7. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for welcoming the community, effectively communicating with various audiences and for various educational purposes, and for developing and nurturing public support.
8. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for learning about and addressing the expectations, needs, goals, and aspirations of family and community groups, including incorporating this knowledge as a basis for decision making.
9. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for responding fairly, responsibly, and ethically to concerns related to each student's access to educational opportunities and for acting with personal and professional integrity in various educational contexts.
10. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for holding oneself and others accountable for exhibiting personal and professional ethics, integrity, justice, and fairness and for using the influence and power inherent in a leadership position to enhance the educational program, promote learning for each student group, and make fair and appropriate decisions.

Domain II 2 –Student Learning and Well-Being, Staff Professional Capacity, and School Culture

0003 Understand how to cultivate a welcoming, caring, and supportive learning culture emphasizing high expectations, access to opportunities, and an instructional program promoting the academic success and well-being of each student.

Includes:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of how to shape a welcoming and constructive school culture that supports high expectations and individual growth opportunities for each student and staff member.
2. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for creating a safe, supportive, and appropriately challenging learning environment for each student by promoting core values among all members of the school community.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of student behavior management systems and their role in student success, and apply knowledge of skills and strategies for developing and implementing positive and fair behavior management systems that promote and support a collaborative culture of learning.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of standards-based curricula and apply knowledge of how to work collaboratively with school stakeholders (e.g., administrators, faculty, staff) to integrate and articulate programs throughout the grades.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of existing and potential systemic barriers in education, and apply knowledge of how to provide access to educational opportunities, the curriculum, and available programmatic supports to each student and their parents/guardians.
6. Demonstrate knowledge of how to incorporate culturally responsive practices into the curriculum and educational activities in ways that enhance teaching and learning.
7. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for engaging parents/guardians in the instructional program and in behavior management systems in ways that support high expectations.

0004 Understand effective teaching and learning and the use of instructional leadership to promote the academic success and well-being of each student.

Includes:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of theories, principles, and concepts related to student learning and development and best-practice applications in school settings.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of effective, research-based curriculum, instruction, and assessment, and apply knowledge of how to plan, organize, and supervise curriculum, instruction, and assessment to meet educational standards.
3. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for making evidence-based decisions regarding instructional improvement, including changes in practice, by analyzing, evaluating, and using various types of data to engage staff in advancing instructional effectiveness.
4. Apply knowledge of how to support improvements in the academic performance of each student by using multiple formative and summative assessments to continuously evaluate learning.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of classroom structures, schedules, instructional materials, and grouping practices that support teaching and learning goals and that facilitate active learning and promote student reflection and inquiry.
6. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for creating a dynamic learning environment that appropriately integrates assorted technologies to facilitate student learning, creativity, and collaboration.
7. Demonstrate knowledge of how the whole child influences teaching and learning, and apply knowledge of how to use research-based strategies to maximize achievement for English language learners (ELLs), students with disabilities, and all other student populations.
8. Demonstrate knowledge of policies and practices for determining student learning needs, placing students in appropriate learning contexts, and ensuring full access to the curriculum for each student.
9. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for coordinating the identification, acquisition, and use of internal and external resources to provide support for and enhance the achievement of each student.

0005 Understand how to develop the professional capacity of faculty, staff, and self to promote lifelong learning and the success of each student.

Includes:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of adult learning and their use in designing, facilitating, and implementing effective, motivating, and data-driven professional development programs and opportunities that focus on authentic problems and student outcomes.
2. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for implementing effective induction plans for new educators using a variety of methods (i.e., mentoring, coaching, observation, and feedback) to promote effective teaching and improve performance for all faculty and staff.
3. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for using data to assess and diagnose instructional needs, define faculty and staff goals for continuous improvement, and collaboratively design differentiated professional development to meet needs and achieve school goals.
4. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for building faculty and staff capacity through systems of support and development, integrating opportunities for continuous learning into the educational environment, and engaging faculty and staff in ongoing reflection and self-assessment.
5. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for providing opportunities for all faculty and staff members to develop and use skills for collaboration, distributed leadership, reflection, shared decision making, and problem solving in support of student learning.
6. Apply knowledge of how to support, motivate, recognize, and celebrate faculty and staff at various stages in career development.
7. Apply knowledge of how to develop and implement a plan for self-improvement and continuous learning, use various types of activities and resources to engage in effective professional development, and reflect on personal leadership practices and their influence on others.
8. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for using time and technology effectively to improve educational leadership and promote personal and professional growth.

Domain III 3 –Organizational, Human Resource, Operational, Systems, and Resource Management

0006 Understand organizational management and human resource management and their use in creating positive and productive learning systems that promote the academic success and well-being of each student.

Includes:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for establishing, monitoring, and evaluating organizational structures, processes, and systems that promote a culture of collaboration and maintain a focus on continuous improvement and the academic success and well-being of each student.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of mindsets and practices (e.g., cycle of inquiry, systems thinking) to manage organizational complexity, identify priorities, and improve organizational effectiveness and student outcomes.
3. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for engaging in collaborative, data-driven problem solving and decision making aimed at improving the learning environment by addressing stakeholder concerns, overcoming barriers, and promoting the academic success and well-being of each student.
4. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for trust building, team building, consensus building, and conflict resolution and for promoting a sense of shared responsibility among all members of the educational community.
5. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for communicating with the broader community (e.g., parents/guardians, agencies, businesses, community organizations) to promote organizational improvement.
6. Demonstrate knowledge of effective, legal, equitable, and ethical procedures for recruiting, hiring, inducting, and retaining staff and evaluating, supervising, disciplining, and dismissing staff.
7. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for coordinating and aligning human resources, including making appropriate staffing and educator placement decisions, to support organizational goals and promote access to learning opportunities for all student groups.
8. Demonstrate knowledge of labor relations as they relate to education, including contract implementation and management within the local setting.
9. Apply knowledge of how to manage legal and contractual agreements and records in ways that foster a professional work environment and ensure privacy and confidentiality for all students, faculty, and staff, including using appropriate technological tools.
10. Demonstrate knowledge of policies and procedures related to human resource administration, including relevant state and federal laws and regulations.

0007 Understand operational and resource management and their use in creating a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment that promotes the success and well-being of each student.

Includes:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of practices and procedures (e.g., recordkeeping, repair and maintenance, custodial services) and legal requirements (e.g., fire safety codes, Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA] regulations) for sustaining a safe and productive school environment, including the use of technological tools to support the management of school operations.
2. Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for managing school operations effectively within the structure of public education rules, regulations, and laws and for developing, implementing, managing, and modifying operational plans, procedures, and schedules to support student learning.
3. Apply knowledge of legal and policy requirements related to school safety, practices related to crisis planning and emergency management, and strategies for developing and implementing procedures for student and staff safety and building security, including student behavior management principles and tiered disciplinary measures.
4. Apply knowledge of strategies for allocating and utilizing space to meet instructional needs and to accommodate extended learning programs (e.g., intervention programs, before/after-school programs, summer school programs, volunteer programs).
5. Demonstrate knowledge of procedures, practices, and legal requirements for managing auxiliary services (e.g., federal and state regulations related to food services, health services, student transportation, free and reduced-price meals).
6. Apply knowledge of how to legally and ethically allocate resources in alignment with teaching and learning goals for each student, including strategies for maximizing existing resources and seeking new resources to enhance teaching and learning.
7. Apply knowledge of procedures for evaluating the use of resources, their educational impact, the financial implications of serving student populations with varied educational needs, and the relationship between resource management and educational leadership.
8. Demonstrate knowledge of school finance, including relevant laws and regulations (e.g., state and local revenue sources, capital and operational funding, federal funding) and their role in meeting educational needs.
9. Apply knowledge of procedures for developing, managing, monitoring, and reporting on budgets and for involving stakeholders in budgeting processes, including communicating accurate financial information to a variety of audiences (e.g., school boards, community members).
10. Apply knowledge of procedures for establishing and ensuring internal controls to safeguard financial operations, adherence to restrictions on the transfer and use of funds from various sources, the use of current technologies for financial management and business procedures, and accurate recordkeeping and reporting, including legal requirements.

Domain IV 4 –Application of Decision-Making Strategies for School Improvement

0008 Apply systems and resource management strategies to address management challenges faced by schools and school leaders.

Includes:

1. Analyze educational leadership scenarios and assess school challenges related to organizational management, school operations, resource management, and school safety.
2. Recognize factors within the school community that can affect organizational management, school operations, resource management, and school safety practices for staff and students.
3. Identify actions educational leaders can take related to organizational management, school operations, resource management, or school safety and demonstrate understanding of how such actions address school challenges.
4. Apply knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements related to school and district operations, as well as strategies for ensuring that solutions to operations issues meet relevant legal and regulatory requirements.

0009 Plan and implement strategies for promoting the academic success and well-being of each student.

Includes:

1. Analyze educational leadership scenarios and evaluate access to high-quality instruction, access to school resources, outcomes related to learning, and outcomes related to student behavior for students in various groups.
2. Apply knowledge of the types of school-based data and other information (e.g., assessment performance data, perception survey data, anecdotal notes from classroom observations) relevant to promoting the academic success and well-being of each student.
3. Demonstrate understanding of how school-based data and other information can be utilized in support of planning for change initiatives.
4. Recognize factors within the school community that can affect change initiatives to promote the academic success and well-being of each student.
5. Analyze the impact of various factors within the school community (e.g., school culture, availability of resources, scheduling) on the planning and implementation of change initiatives.

0010 Analyze qualitative and quantitative school building data, identify areas of strength and need in a school, and develop and explain plans to address needs while building on school strengths.

Includes:

1. Analyze and assess qualitative and quantitative school building data (e.g., student achievement data, demographic data, site meeting minutes and summaries, survey results, memoranda and other school communications).
2. Demonstrate knowledge of leadership strategies and practices that create a school culture of high expectations for student learning and ensure that each student has access to effective educators, learning opportunities, and academic and social support.
3. Identify areas of strength and need in a school based on the analysis of relevant information, including identifying data-based evidence of school strengths and needs.
4. Apply knowledge of strategies for building on areas of strength in a school and addressing areas of need, including identifying, implementing, and evaluating strategic plans to address school needs and build on areas of strength.
5. Apply knowledge of strategies for communicating with school and community stakeholders about school plans to maintain a continuous improvement culture, including explaining how plans address school needs and promote improvements in teaching and success for all students.

 

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