AWSP Leadership Framework

An effective leader creates a culture that fosters mutual accountability; it becomes the responsibility of all staff to make sure that all students are successful. An effective leader advocates, nurtures, and sustains a school culture and instructional program that is welcoming, that is built on mutual trust, and that promotes student learning and staff professional growth. 

An effective leader supports the community (both in and out of school) to develop a more nuanced understanding of what it means to be safe. Physical, emotional, and intellectual safety are critical and necessary conditions for effective teaching and learning to take place. This criterion addresses three areas of school safety: physical safety (2.1), social/emotional/intellectual safety (2.2), and identity safety (2.3).

Criterion three focuses on leading the development, implementation, and evaluation of a data-driven plan for increasing student achievement, including the use of multiple student data elements. Data includes both quantitative and qualitative information. Effective leaders use data to guide decisions across all aspects of school systems and the other seven leadership criteria.

Criterion four revolves around assisting instructional staff with alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment with state and local district learning goals. Along with Criterion 5, this criterion identifies key aspects of the principal’s role as instructional leader tied to curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Criterion 4 deals with the “what” and Criterion 5 deals with “how.” The big idea of this criterion is reflected in an understanding of the power and importance of a guaranteed and viable curriculum for each and every student in the school. 

Criterion five revolved around monitoring, assisting, and evaluating effective instruction and assessment practices. Along with Criterion 4 — Aligning Curriculum, this criterion identifies key aspects of the principal’s role as instructional leader tied to improving instruction. Criterion 4 deals with the “what” and Criterion 5 deals with “how.” The big idea of this criterion in addressing the “how” is instructional supervision and evaluation that promotes teacher growth and improved instruction throughout the building. 

Criterion six revolves around managing both staff and fiscal resources to support student achievement and legal responsibilities. Effective leaders manage themselves, their human resources, and fiscal resources in transparent ways such that the capacity of the school community to make complicated decisions grows.

Criterion seven revolves around partnering with families and communities to promote learning. An effective school leader recognizes and capitalizes on the potential that families and communities can have on students’ achievement. When these relationships are functioning well, families and communities understand the work of the school and are proud to claim the school as their own. An effective leader understands these influences to be valuable resources and works to establish trusting partnerships between homes, the larger community, and the school. 

Criterion eight revolves around demonstrating commitment to closing opportunity and achievement gaps. This criterion focuses on the principal’s responsibility to analyze achievement of groups of students who have had an historical disadvantage, as well as the achievement of individual students who are not realizing learning potential.