School Leadership: Development of an Evaluation Instrument and Process for Administrators

Kathy L. McCormick, Rowan University

Abstract

This action research study was conducted for purposes of changing the formal evaluation for school administrators to one constructed around the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) 2008 standards, inclusive of multifaceted components aimed to increase the active participation of both the evaluator and the individual being evaluated. The previous instrument assessed leaders' performance on a set of generic indicators. There were no requirements for pre-evaluation conferences, nor did the school leader have formal opportunity for self-reflection. Outcomes were not linked to district goals, to individual or district professional growth plans, nor to standards or criteria-based process of leadership assessment.

The research design consisted of sequential mixed methods to include multiple stages of data collection and analysis. A quantitative approach was employed as the primary mechanism of analysis and a qualitative component assisted with further examination of participants' perceptions and preferences regarding the development of a new school leader evaluation instrument and process.

Quantitative research occurred as three distinct survey questionnaires to ascertain how administrators perceived the prior and new instruments. Qualitative methods consisted of observation, interview, and artifact review to obtain data relative to the prior and a newly development instrument.