| (a) Purpose. The standards, indicators, knowledge,
and skills identified in this section shall be used to align with
the training, appraisal, and professional development of principals.
(b) Standards.
(1) Standard 1--Instructional Leadership. The principal
is responsible for ensuring every student receives high-quality instruction.
(A) Knowledge and skills.
(i) Effective instructional leaders:
(I) prioritize instruction and student achievement
by developing and sharing a clear definition of high-quality instruction
based on best practices from research;
(II) implement a rigorous curriculum aligned with state
standards;
(III) analyze the curriculum to ensure that teachers
align content across grades and that curricular scopes and sequences
meet the particular needs of their diverse student populations;
(IV) model instructional strategies and set expectations
for the content, rigor, and structure of lessons and unit plans; and
(V) routinely monitor and improve instruction by visiting
classrooms, giving formative feedback to teachers, and attending grade
or team meetings.
(ii) In schools led by effective instructional leaders,
data are used to determine instructional decisions and monitor progress.
Principals implement common interim assessment cycles to track classroom
trends and determine appropriate interventions. Staff have the capacity
to use data to drive effective instructional practices and interventions.
The principal's focus on instruction results in a school filled with
effective teachers who can describe, plan, and implement strong instruction
and classrooms filled with students actively engaged in cognitively
challenging and differentiated activities.
(B) Indicators.
(i) Rigorous and aligned curriculum and assessment.
The principal implements rigorous curricula and assessments aligned
with state standards, including college and career readiness standards.
(ii) Effective instructional practices. The principal
develops high-quality instructional practices among teachers that
improve student learning.
(iii) Data-driven instruction and interventions. The
principal monitors multiple forms of student data to inform instructional
and intervention decisions and to close the achievement gap.
(2) Standard 2--Human Capital. The principal is responsible
for ensuring there are high-quality teachers and staff in every classroom
and throughout the school.
(A) Knowledge and skills.
(i) Effective leaders of human capital:
(I) treat faculty/staff members as their most valuable
resource and invest in the development, support, and supervision of
the staff;
(II) ensure all staff have clear goals and expectations
that guide them and by which they are assessed;
(III) are strategic in selecting and hiring candidates
whose vision aligns with the school's vision and whose skills match
the school's needs;
(IV) ensure that, once hired, teachers develop and
grow by building layered supports that include regular observations,
actionable feedback, and coaching and school-wide supports so that
teachers know how they are performing;
(V) facilitate professional learning communities to
review data and support development;
(VI) create opportunities for effective teachers and
staff to take on a variety of leadership roles and delegate responsibilities
to staff and administrators on the leadership team; and
(VII) use data from multiple points of the year to
complete accurate evaluations of all staff, using evidence from regular
observations, student data, and other sources to evaluate the effectiveness
of teachers and staff.
(ii) In schools with effective leaders of human capital,
staff understand how they are being evaluated and what the expectations
are for their performance. Staff can identify areas of strength and
have opportunities to practice and receive feedback on growth areas
from the leadership team and peers. Staff evaluation data show variation
based on effectiveness but also show improvement across years as development
and retention efforts take effect. Across the school, staff support
each other's development through regular opportunities for collaboration,
and effective staff have access to a variety of leadership roles in
the school.
(B) Indicators.
(i) Targeted selection, placement, and retention. The
principal selects, places, and retains effective teachers and staff.
(ii) Tailored development, feedback, and coaching.
The principal coaches and develops teachers by giving individualized
feedback and aligned professional development opportunities.
(iii) Staff collaboration and leadership. The principal
implements collaborative structures and provides leadership opportunities
for effective teachers and staff.
(iv) Systematic evaluation and supervision. The principal
conducts rigorous evaluations of all staff using multiple data sources.
(3) Standard 3--Executive Leadership. The principal
is responsible for modeling a consistent focus on and commitment to
improving student learning.
(A) Knowledge and skills.
(i) Effective executive leaders:
(I) are committed to ensuring the success of the school;
(II) motivate the school community by modeling a relentless
pursuit of excellence;
(III) are reflective in their practice and strive to
continually improve, learn, and grow;
(IV) view unsuccessful experiences as learning opportunities,
remaining focused on solutions, and are not stymied by challenges
or setbacks. When a strategy fails, these principals analyze data,
assess implementation, and talk with stakeholders to understand what
went wrong and how to adapt strategies moving forward;
(V) keep staff inspired and focused on the end goal
even as they support effective change management;
(VI) have strong communication skills and understand
how to communicate a message in different ways to meet the needs of
various audiences;
(VII) are willing to listen to others and create opportunities
for staff and stakeholders to provide feedback; and
(VIII) treat all members of the community with respect
and develop strong, positive relationships with them.
(ii) In schools with effective executive leaders, teachers
and staff are motivated and committed to excellence. They are vested
in the school's improvement and participate in candid discussions
of progress and challenges. They are comfortable providing feedback
to the principal and other school leaders in pursuit of ongoing improvement,
and they welcome feedback from students' families in support of improved
student outcomes.
(B) Indicators.
(i) Resiliency and change management. The principal
remains solutions-oriented, treats challenges as opportunities, and
supports staff through changes.
(ii) Commitment to ongoing learning. The principal
proactively seeks and acts on feedback, reflects on personal growth
areas and seeks development opportunities, and accepts responsibility
for mistakes.
(iii) Communication and interpersonal skills. The principal
tailors communication strategies to the audience and develops meaningful
and positive relationships.
(iv) Ethical behavior. The principal adheres to the
educators' code of ethics in §247.2 of this title (relating to
Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators), including
following policies and procedures at his or her respective district.
(4) Standard 4--School Culture. The principal is responsible
for establishing and implementing a shared vision and culture of high
expectations for all staff and students.
(A) Knowledge and skills.
(i) Effective culture leaders:
(I) leverage school culture to drive improved outcomes
and create high expectations;
(II) establish and implement a shared vision of high
achievement for all students and use that vision as the foundation
for key decisions and priorities for the school;
(III) establish and communicate consistent expectations
for staff and students, providing supportive feedback to ensure a
positive campus environment;
(IV) focus on students' social and emotional development
and help students develop resiliency and self-advocacy skills; and
(V) treat families as key partners to support student
learning, creating structures for two-way communication and regular
updates on student progress. Regular opportunities exist for both
families and the community to engage with the school and participate
in school functions.
(ii) In schools with effective culture leaders, staff
believe in and are inspired by the school vision and have high expectations
for all students. Staff take responsibility for communicating the
vision in their classrooms and for implementing behavioral expectations
throughout the building, not only in their own classrooms. Teachers
regularly communicate with the families of their students to provide
updates on progress and actively work with families to support learning
at home. Members of the broader community regularly engage with the
school community.
(B) Indicators.
(i) Shared vision of high achievement. The principal
develops and implements a shared vision of high expectations for students
and staff.
(ii) Culture of high expectations. The principal establishes
and monitors clear expectations for adult and student conduct and
implements social and emotional supports for students.
(iii) Intentional family and community engagement.
The principal engages families and community members in student learning.
(iv) Safe school environment. The principal creates
an atmosphere of safety that encourages the social, emotional, and
physical well-being of staff and students.
(v) Discipline. The principal oversees an orderly environment,
maintaining expectations for student behavior while implementing a
variety of student discipline techniques to meet the needs of individual
students.
(5) Standard 5--Strategic Operations. The principal
is responsible for implementing systems that align with the school's
vision and improve the quality of instruction.
(A) Knowledge and skills.
(i) Effective leaders of strategic operations:
(I) assess the current needs of their schools, reviewing
a wide set of evidence to determine the schools' priorities and set
ambitious and measurable school goals, targets, and strategies that
form the schools' strategic plans;
(II) with their leadership teams, regularly monitor
multiple data points to evaluate progress toward goals, adjusting
strategies that are proving ineffective;
(III) develop a year-long calendar and a daily schedule
that strategically use time to both maximize instructional time and
to create regular time for teacher collaboration and data review;
(IV) are deliberate in the allocation of resources
(e.g., staff time, dollars, and tools), aligning them to the school
priorities and goals, and work to access additional resources as needed
to support learning; and
(V) treat central office staff as partners in achieving
goals and collaborate with staff throughout the district to adapt
policies as needed to meet the needs of students and staff.
(ii) In schools with effective leaders of strategic
operations, staff have access to resources needed to meet the needs
of all students. Staff understand the goals and expectations for students,
have clear strategies for meeting those goals, and have the capacity
to track progress. Members of the staff collaborate with the principal
to develop the school calendar. Teacher teams and administrator teams
meet regularly to review and improve instructional strategies and
analyze student data. Throughout the year, all staff participate in
formal development opportunities that build the capacity to identify
and implement strategies aligned to the school's improvement goals.
(B) Indicators.
(i) Strategic planning. The principal outlines and
tracks clear goals, targets, and strategies aligned to a school vision
that improves teacher effectiveness and student outcomes.
(ii) Maximized learning time. The principal implements
daily schedules and a year-long calendar that plan for regular data-driven
instruction cycles, give students access to diverse and rigorous course
offerings, and build in time for staff professional development.
(iii) Tactical resource management. The principal aligns
resources with the needs of the school and effectively monitors the
impact on school goals.
(iv) Policy implementation and advocacy. The principal
collaborates with district staff to implement and advocate for district
policies that meet the needs of students and staff.
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