Archived:Role of Leadership in Sustaining School Reform: Ready-to-Use Self-Assessment Instruments

A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

The Role of Leadership in Sustaining School Reform: Voices From the Field - July 1996

Ready-to-Use Self-Assessment Instruments

Self-assessment instruments designed to match particular programs or situations may serve as resources for leaders with different agendas. For example, the National Association of Elementary School Principals (1991) has published Proficiencies for Principals that includes several instruments that are especially relevant to the challenges of sustaining reform. Among them are communication (active listening), group processes, evaluation, and organizational management. For each proficiency there are several behavioral indicators that define the span of competencies. For each indicator, the self-assessor rates importance to the current position, current level of proficiency, and need for growth. In summary statements for each section, the self-assessor gives an overall rating and lists activities that could be used to improve skills. Following the assessment section is a professional development planning guide designed to facilitate further learning.

For those seeking assistance in analyzing common leadership functions and setting behavioral goals, the Professional Development Resource Book for School Principals (Leak, McKay, Splaine, Walker, & Heid, 1990) offers a comprehensive guide. For each of ten skill areas relevant to school leadership in general, Appendix A lists several skill clusters. Together they form a pool of possibilities for self-assessment tied to the challenges of a given setting.

Forum participants' stories about practice and their struggles with accountability measures that don't fit new models of schooling indicate that skill in self-assessment may be an essential component of leadership for sustained change. Whether they invent their own systems or adapt others to fit may not be as important as developing their own capacity to judge when their efforts are succeeding.

Table 2: Self-Assessment Criteria, Methods, and Analytic Strategies
Criteria What constitutes evidence in the following data collection methods?

Journaling Portfolio Development Surveying Working With a Mentor

Vision and values: Makes school vision--to be a caring academic community--a reference point in planning decisions Response to prompt every Friday: What did I do this week to cultivate our ability to act as a caring academic community? A file of clippings of newsletter items or copies of documents in which the school vision is appropriately referenced Subjects: School staff
Item: Name one thing we did at a staff meeting this month to help us create a more caring academic community. Mentor observes a major school community meeting or event and comments on evidence of leadership with respect to school vision.

Partnership and voice: Involves new people and kinds of people (e. g. , parents, retirees, college volunteers, business partners) in school activities A running record of new people (e. g. , parents who never came before) and types of people (e. g. , college and senior citizen volunteers) who attend each event, with a little about how they happened to come Copy of sign-in sheets for school volunteers and meetings, with annotations next to the names of newcomers that explain which segment of the community they represent and how they were recruited to come Subjects: Parents
Item: Listed below are activities for parents, students, and/or community members that we have done in the past. Please circle the ones you would come to if we did them at a convenient time this year. Mentor and leader review strategies used to advertise events and/or opportunities to be involved in school in light of participation records for each and discuss what has worked to stimulate participation and what else might be tried.

Knowledge and daring: Makes opportunities for staff to learn and advise Brief descriptions of learning opportunity, staff person who had it, and purpose it serves for the school Copy of memos suggesting or confirming staff participation; receipts or programs or training artifacts collected by staff and annotated to explain leadership support for activity Subjects: School Staff
Item: List the professional activities related to school programs that you have engaged in this semester. Mentor and leaders review the school budget together to identify resources that could be used for professional development.

Savvy and persistence: Responds promptly to routine district requests A running record of deadlines beaten, made, and missed A running record of deadlines beaten, made, and missed Subjects: School Improvement Team
Item: Listed below are some areas of school management that are essential for effectiveness. Circle three that you think need improvement. Next to each of the three, explain how you think it could be better. Mentor spends a day shadowing with a specific goal--(e. g. , monitoring listening skills or efficiency)--and debriefs with observations and advice.

Sample data analysis approach Track for improvements in the frequency or quality of desired behavior Create a matrix tally sheet, with school goals along one side and staff members along the other. Make a tally whenever a staff person is given a learning opportunity related to a school goal. Track changes from baseline data.
Identify activities that are attractive to parents.
Identify management areas most often cited. Identify indicators of success or growth in targeted areas and review them with mentor.

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**Table 2: Self-Assessment Criteria, Methods, and Analytic Strategies**
Criteria	What constitutes evidence in the following data collection methods?
Journaling	Portfolio Development	Surveying	Working With a Mentor
Vision and values: Makes school vision--to be a caring academic community--a reference point in planning decisions	Response to prompt every Friday: What did I do this week to cultivate our ability to act as a caring academic community?	A file of clippings of newsletter items or copies of documents in which the school vision is appropriately referenced	Subjects: School staff Item: Name one thing we did at a staff meeting this month to help us create a more caring academic community.	Mentor observes a major school community meeting or event and comments on evidence of leadership with respect to school vision.
Partnership and voice: Involves new people and kinds of people (e. g. , parents, retirees, college volunteers, business partners) in school activities	A running record of new people (e. g. , parents who never came before) and types of people (e. g. , college and senior citizen volunteers) who attend each event, with a little about how they happened to come	Copy of sign-in sheets for school volunteers and meetings, with annotations next to the names of newcomers that explain which segment of the community they represent and how they were recruited to come	Subjects: Parents Item: Listed below are activities for parents, students, and/or community members that we have done in the past. Please circle the ones you would come to if we did them at a convenient time this year.	Mentor and leader review strategies used to advertise events and/or opportunities to be involved in school in light of participation records for each and discuss what has worked to stimulate participation and what else might be tried.
Knowledge and daring: Makes opportunities for staff to learn and advise	Brief descriptions of learning opportunity, staff person who had it, and purpose it serves for the school	Copy of memos suggesting or confirming staff participation; receipts or programs or training artifacts collected by staff and annotated to explain leadership support for activity	Subjects: School Staff Item: List the professional activities related to school programs that you have engaged in this semester.	Mentor and leaders review the school budget together to identify resources that could be used for professional development.
Savvy and persistence: Responds promptly to routine district requests	A running record of deadlines beaten, made, and missed	A running record of deadlines beaten, made, and missed	Subjects: School Improvement Team Item: Listed below are some areas of school management that are essential for effectiveness. Circle three that you think need improvement. Next to each of the three, explain how you think it could be better.	Mentor spends a day shadowing with a specific goal--(e. g. , monitoring listening skills or efficiency)--and debriefs with observations and advice.
Sample data analysis approach	Track for improvements in the frequency or quality of desired behavior	Create a matrix tally sheet, with school goals along one side and staff members along the other. Make a tally whenever a staff person is given a learning opportunity related to a school goal.	Track changes from baseline data. Identify activities that are attractive to parents. Identify management areas most often cited.	Identify indicators of success or growth in targeted areas and review them with mentor.

[Developing a Self-Assessment System]

[Chapter 4 References]