CPACE: Notes on School Improvement Leadership

Roles, Delegation, and Models of Leadership

Impact of a Leader's Personal Values and Beliefs on the Effectiveness of Leadership
A leader's personal values and beliefs shape his or her behavior, as well as expectations from staff and students. One's personal beliefs will dictate what is prioritized as a leader and as a campus team. If the leader's values and beliefs reflect positive attributes, these can have a positive impact on the effectiveness of leadership. In contrast, beliefs and values that are contrary to district and community norms can make it difficult to lead effectively. Additionally, if staff members have values and beliefs that are contrary to the leader's, they may find it difficult to follow the leader. For example, if the leader values reading and believes that everyone should be an avid reader, he or she would likely emphasize and prioritize reading initiatives and be effective in promoting reading on campus. On the other hand, if a leader did not personally value a characteristic such as punctuality in staff and students, that leader may have difficult effectively enforcing promptness among staff and students on campus. The leader's values and beliefs are often demonstrated in the school mission and vision, as well as through the leader's words and actions.

Acting as a Role Model
People observe the leader's behavior for alignment between his or her words and actions. This alignment is necessary for a leader to be viewed as genuine and authentic. The leader serves as a role model for both staff and students. For staff, the leader should exemplify the mission and vision of the school through behavior and words. The leader should also set the example in adhering to campus and district policy, like those described in the employee handbook. Additionally, the leader should set the example for campus culture, such as how staff members treat one another and students. For students, the leader is a role model in dress, conduct, speech, and other areas. Many people in the community may look up to the leader as well as an example to follow. As a role model, the leader's behavior can influence the behavior of others as he or she comes into contact with them.

Servant Leader
A servant leader is a person who leads by serving others first. A servant leader identifies the team's needs by assessing the team or listening to team members and then meets those needs. Meeting the team's needs helps to equip them to get their job done effectively and efficiently. A servant leader shares power through empowering others to be effective and by providing them with the tools and resources to be effective. This is in contrast to a leader who exerts authority over others in a 'top-down' approach. A servant leader is often found participating in the work with the team, both to support the team and to experience the team members' jobs. A faculty with a servant leader is more likely to feel more confident in their ability to do their job because their leader has empowered and equipped them and does not micromanage their work. Servant leaders are often described as caring, compassionate, thoughtful, and humble.

Transactional and Transformational Leadership Styles
Transactional and transformational leadership styles are very different and produce different results from team members. Transactional leaders are most concerned about how to effectively implement and perform under the current rules, policies, and procedures, whereas transformational leaders are focused on change and improvement. Transactional leaders emphasize compliance and monitor progress toward goals using systems of rewards and punishment. These leaders can be task-oriented or focused on results only. These types of leaders can become micromanagers. In contrast, transformational leaders focus on the staff behaviors that lead to success. They focus on organizational values and implementation of the mission and vision in order to meet goals. These types of leaders focus on growing staff members in order to meet goals and solicit staff buy-in in the decision-making process. There are pros and cons of each leadership style and many leaders alternate between these leadership styles or blend them together in order to lead effectively.

Shared Leadership
Shared leadership is the delegation of authority and responsibility to other team members. This type of leadership is the opposite of authoritarian leadership or micromanaging. Instead, a leader will appoint people with particular leadership responsibilities and grant them the authority to fulfill those responsibilities. For example, the school leader may ask a skilled teacher to lead a curriculum revision process and supervise a group of other teachers on the task. When sharing leadership, responsibility can be delegated to any staff persons who are capable of fulfilling the role. It is not dependent on job titles. Shared leadership also involves including team members in the leader's decision-making processes.
This means that the school leader may solicit opinions, ideas, and feedback from staff members before making a decision. This can be accomplished through focus groups, appointing advisors, or taking votes during meetings.

Using a Variety of Roles to Accomplish Vision

Campus Roles That Can Help Accomplish the Vision
Many roles are performed on campus to ensure that day-to-day activities are carried out. Each of these roles can contribute to accomplishing the school vision. Some of the roles include the administrative team, school counselors, teacher leaders, and support staff. The administrative team is essential in accomplishing the vision because projects and assignments that directly impact the vision and school goals can be delegated to them. These administrators have the authority and training to support the leader in leading the campus to success. School counselors can help accomplish the vision by supporting the psychosocial needs of students so that they can be their best, academically and socially.
School counselors are often part of the team that handles student scheduling and post-graduation plans, so they can help students meet the expectations associated with campus goals. Teacher leaders can also help to accomplish the vision by leading, encouraging, and supporting their fellow teachers. Finally, support staff can help accomplish the vision by ensuring that plan logistics are appropriate, communication is timely and effective, and staff and stakeholders feel supported and equipped to implement the vision.

Distributing
Responsibility and the Role of Shared Vision

Helping Goal Implementation with a Shared Vision
A vision can be shared in two ways. In the development of a vision, the leader can solicit the opinions and feedback of stakeholders so that a variety of perspectives, opinions, and beliefs can be incorporated into the vision. When the vision is developed in this manner, participants can see their contribution to the vision by the way that it is articulated and implemented. A vision is also shared when a leader effectively communicates the vision, the rationale for the vision, and the plans for implementing the vision to stakeholders. When a vision is shared, this can assist with goal implementation because of buy-in from stakeholders. People are more willing to agree with and participate in plans that they helped to develop. Additionally, having a shared vision means that stakeholders will understand it well enough to work toward goal implementation, even without direct supervision from the leader. They will be able to take action to advance toward the campus goals.

Importance of Delegating Tasks and Responsibilities
Leading a campus is a great responsibility that cannot be done alone. To lead effectively, a leader must delegate tasks and responsibilities. Delegation is important because a leader does not have the time or resources to perform all responsibilities alone. Most initiatives require a team of people to get the job done in a timely and efficient manner. Delegation is also important because a leader will not have all of the skills necessary to perform every task. For example, a project may require computer networking expertise, which the leader may not have. In order for projects to be completely effective, tasks and responsibilities should be delegated according to skillsets. Delegation is also important because there are tasks and responsibilities that only the leader can perform, so his or her time should prioritize these types of activities. Other activities that can be accomplished by other team members should be delegated whenever possible. Delegation also ensures that the campus will run efficiently in the absence of the leader, such as during a meeting or other event.

Relationship Between Delegation and Accountability
For delegation to be effective, a leader must hold team members accountable. A leader cannot delegate tasks and responsibilities without checking on the progress, or he or she may discover too late that the job was not done or did not meet expectations. Instead, a leader can incorporate accountability into delegation. This can be done by setting regular check-in dates with team members to meet about task progress, providing the leader with an opportunity to give feedback. The leader can also set certain milestones that must be accomplished to demonstrate progress. The leader should emphasize to the team member that completion of the project is his or her responsibility and that completion is a reflection of job performance. When a leader includes accountability through regular check-ins, pre-established milestones, and communication of responsibility, the team member will be clear about expectations and able to perform the delegated task, and the leader will be reassured that the job is being completed to satisfaction.

Relationship Between Delegation and Authority
For effective delegation of tasks and responsibilities, those responsible must have the appropriate authority to accomplish the tasks. Often, the projects that need to be delegated are not ones that can be done independently. They require the coordination of other people and resources. It may be necessary for the school leader to expressly communicate to the person to whom the task is delegated as well as those assisting that the project leader has the authority to implement the project. This will help those leading the project to have confidence in their ability to get the job done. For example, if a project requires the scheduling of a community meeting, the project leader would need the authority to secure the venue, make purchases, and gather volunteers for the event. Providing team members with authority enables them to accomplish their delegated tasks with little to no dependence on the school leader. In contrast, when a project leader does not have the appropriate authority to get the project done, the project could be delayed or remain incomplete, waiting on assistance from the school leader.

Monitoring and Communicating About Progress Toward the Goal

Effectively Monitoring Goal Progress
A leader effectively monitors goal progress by implementing clear checkpoints and milestones in goal activities. Each goal should be broken down into smaller goals, or milestones, that can be reviewed in regular intervals. This allows the leader to analyze progress toward the goal in a timely manner so that, if progress is insufficient, there is time to intervene and make changes to the action steps. For example, if the campus goal is to achieve a 90% passing rate on reading assessments for third-grade students, the campus leader would want established milestones to monitor reading progress throughout the school year. The leader may review reading data every three weeks to determine if third-grade students are reaching and maintaining a 90% passing rate in reading. If not, the leader could implement additional strategies to increase the support for reading instruction. Checkpoints for goals are often aligned with grading periods, as identified on the school academic calendar.

Effectively Communicating Goal Progress
Goal progress should be communicated effectively and in a timely manner, especially to those who are instrumental in achieving the goal. First, the school leader should monitor goal progress closely so that it can be communicated in a timely manner. Communicating goal progress is pointless if it is done with no time left to make adjustments. The school leader should communicate progress consistently, whether positive or negative. Communicating positive goal progress is encouraging to others and reassures them that their actions are appropriate. This can serve as positive reinforcement that may even increase staff performance. In contrast, communicating negative goal progress is necessary so that corrections can be made. When communicating goal progress, conducting in-person conversations or meetings is beneficial because it allows for two-way communication. During these conversations, the school leader may discover unexpected barriers and challenges that need to be addressed.

Revising Goals

Adjusting Vision, Goals, Implementation, and Communication Strategies

Continuous Improvement
The process of continuous improvement is the ongoing act of assessing performance and adjusting efforts to improve that performance. With a process of continuous improvement, parts of the work process can be addressed before they begin to fail. Low-performing processes are improved as well as performance that is considered acceptable. All aspects of the work process are examined to determine where improvements can be made to reach excellence. To implement a process of continuous improvement, procedures of evaluation must be developed and implemented at regular checkpoints. Based on these evaluations, the leadership team can identify areas of improvement and initiate interventions and actions based on these areas. In schools, the regular evaluation of process toward the campus vision and goals can be developed into a process of continuous improvement. However, campus leaders must focus on both the strengths and weaknesses of the campus in this process. Deficient areas can be improved to perform to standard and areas performing at standard can be innovated for improvement.

Effectively Monitoring Progress
A leader can effectively monitor progress by planning regular checkpoints, analyzing data, and actively engaging in the work. The leader must plan in advance when to check progress on the projects and tasks that are being implemented on campus. This monitoring should include the projects that the leader is working on as well as those that have been delegated to others. These checkpoints should occur with enough frequency that adjustments can be made in a timely manner. The leader must also
analyze data on a regular basis. All goals should have measurable metrics, which means that data points can demonstrate whether the goal is on track to be achieved. Therefore, a leader must be skilled at analyzing data and making decisions based on it. Finally, a leader can effectively monitor progress by viewing the work and engaging in it firsthand. For example, if a campus goal is to reduce the number of students who are tardy, the school leader may engage in morning duty to monitor the arrival and attendance tracking of students. This engagement can add context to the data and help the leader to identify areas of improvement.

Facilitating Self-Directed Change and Improvement on Campus
Self-directed change and improvement can help achieve the campus vision and goals. Staff members who can make changes and improvement to their practice on their own do not require as much intervention of campus leaders and coaches as other staff members, freeing those resources to be utilized in other areas. To succeed on their own, staff members must be fully aware of the campus visions and goals and the expectations placed on them in pursuit of those goals. A leader can facilitate self-directed change and improvement by providing adequate staff resources, such as instructional resources and professional development opportunities. The leader must also provide staff members with access to data for monitoring progress and performance. Finally, the leader must develop a culture and climate of self-improvement in which staff are comfortable revealing weaknesses and taking risks to improve their practice.

Helping with Adjustment of the Vision and Goals by Self-Reflection
Self-reflection is the process of examining one's self in relation to a desired expectation of performance. This process can help with adjusting the vision and goals when it is completed by those responsible for carrying out tasks and projects related to the vision and goals. Self-reflection can help to determine whether the goals should be revised or if they or the people striving toward the goals need improvement.
For example, if a campus goal is to improve reading instruction, reading teachers could engage in self-reflection to determine if they are implementing the action plan with fidelity and are teaching to their best ability. If not, the teachers would engage in self-directed change to meet the goal. In contrast, if the reading teachers were faithfully implementing the action plan and performing to the best of their ability, this could indicate that the goal itself and its associated strategies may require revision to meet the students' needs. When all staff members engage in self-reflection, it becomes easier for the campus as a whole to make changes and improve.

Systematically Reviewing and Revising Goals
Goals are not concrete and should be reviewed and revised periodically. A leader can examine goals to determine whether a campus is likely to achieve or exceed them. A leader can also determine whether goals are in complete alignment with the vision of the schools. Just as a leader regularly monitors the activities implemented for the completion of the goal, the leader will need to examine the goals themselves. Since a goal is measurable, the leader can determine if the current data shows that the campus is on track for meeting it. The leader may observe unexpected barriers to achieving the goal that require a revision or the setting of an additional goal. For example, if the school sets a goal for reading performance, the leader may notice that students receiving special education services are not performing as well as students who do not receive these services, and that their reading performance is contributing to a low overall reading performance goal. The leader may then create a new goal that specifically addresses the needs of this student population with its own set of strategies and interventions.

Determining If Communication Strategies Need to Be Adjusted
Communication of the vision and goals to all stakeholders is critical to the successful achievement of the vision and goals. The leader will know that communication strategies need to be adjusted if staff members have difficulty articulating or implementing the goals and vision. All staff members should be able to discuss the campus goals and vision among themselves and with other stakeholders. If they are unable to do this, it is possible that communication was not effective initially or that subsequent communication of changes and adjustments to the vision and goals was ineffective. Another indication that communication strategies need adjustment is difficulty for staff members in implementing
the action plans related to the vision and goals. If they are unclear about what is expected of them or what steps they need to take to meet expectations, these aspects of the action plan may not have been conveyed clearly. Communicating effectively removes barriers to implementation.

Gathering Data and Identifying Strong and Weak Areas

Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses of Campus Performance
The school leader can use quantitative, anecdotal, and observational data to identify the strengths and weaknesses of campus performance. This involves regular reporting of student performance data and other data points related to key areas such as attendance and discipline. This data is usually analyzed in relation to goal setting and review, so leaders can actively identify the strengths and weaknesses of the campus when this data is reviewed. Also, other team members or district office personnel might convey areas of strength or weakness to the leaders based on their campus experiences. These people may share how a particular teacher or department is performing or provide feedback regarding a system or process on campus. Also, a leader may make observations on campus to help identify areas of strength or needed improvement. For example, a leader may participate in lunch duty in the cafeteria and observe processes that need to be improved. A leader should refer to multiple sources of data and evidence to develop a holistic view of the strengths and weaknesses of campus performance.

Addressing Identified Strengths on Campus
A leader should address identified strengths on campus by using them as opportunities for praise and reinforcement, as well as leverage for improvement. Effective leaders encourage staff by praising and celebrating achievements and recognizing strengths.
This motivates staff members to continue the effective performance. For strengths to remain as strengths, a leader must recognize them and reinforce the actions and attitudes that led to their achievement. The leader can also use these strengths as leverage for making improvements. For example, if the third-grade reading teachers have consistently achieved high performance in reading, this can be recognized and praised. Then the strategies that these teachers implement in the third-grade classroom can be analyzed for application to the other grade levels. Reinforcing and praising strengths builds confidence in team members, helping them to address needed improvements on campus.
Similarly, the skills that are effective in building the strengths can also be applied to areas of weakness.

Addressing Identified Weaknesses on Campus
Weaknesses identified on campus must be addressed to improve them. However, this should be done strategically to avoid demoralizing team members. If a leader identifies multiple weaknesses, they can be prioritized rather than attempting to address all of the weaknesses at once. Attempting to address all at one time can be overwhelming to team members. When developing plans to address weaknesses, the leader needs to identify how the strengths of the campus and the individual team members can be used to improve the areas of weakness. For example, a campus may be having difficulty with classroom management, but certain teachers may be effective classroom managers. These teachers can be used to develop a campus-wide strategy for addressing this area of weakness. Similarly, the campus may demonstrate weakness in math performance, but strength in reading performance. The campus leader can identify the strategies that make reading performance effective and implement them in math instruction.

Using School Accountability Measures to Identify Strengths and Weaknesses
The purpose of school accountability measures is to ensure that all students are learning and performing according to predetermined standards. These measures of accountability are standardized, and the state and federal governments provide assessments of schools based on these accountability standards. School leaders can use these school reports to identify areas of strength and weakness in the school programming as measured by performance on state-mandated assessments. For example, the school leader may review the school's accountability ratings and find that the third-grade class did not perform according to expectations in reading. Based on that information, the leader can identify which teachers taught third-grade reading, what curriculum was used, and other factors that may have impacted students' scores. That information can then be used to determine what aspects of the third-grade reading program are strong and which are weak and need improvement. School accountability measures are a critical means of determining a school's strengths and weaknesses.

Implementing Change

Professional Development
To implement change, identifying areas for improvement is not enough. Staff members need to know what they can do to improve their practice. As a result, professional development can help a leader implement change. When leaders participate in professional development themselves, they can learn how to be better leaders and how to implement new or better instructional practices on campus. When teachers and other staff participate in professional development, they can also learn how to grow as professionals and implement improved instructional strategies in the classroom. Leaders should tailor professional development to meet the needs of the staff and to address campus weaknesses. Leaders should also offer opportunities for staff members to participate in individualized and group professional development, organized by content area, grade level, or shared strengths or weaknesses. Also, leaders should implement professional development in innovative ways, such as coaching, modeling, book talks, and other professional development strategies.

Studying Research-Based and Proven Best Practices
Areas of deficit or weakness on campus often result from a lack of knowledge rather than a lack of capability. Leaders and team members must continually learn about their practice and how they can improve and should search for successful strategies that can be implemented on their campus. To address weak areas, it is better to implement strategies that are backed by research and have been proven to obtain good results. This can save the campus the time, effort, and resources that could be wasted if untested, unproven strategies are implemented unsuccessfully. When a leader is looking for strategies to foster change on campus, using research-based, proven best practices is beneficial because there will be clear direction for successfully implementing the strategy as well as an idea of the expected results. When untested strategies are implemented, the outcome is less sure. Untested strategies also often take more research and a process of trial and error to implement, also known as a learning curve, both of which can delay the implementation of change.

Enlisting Support for Change on Campus
A leader cannot bring about campus change alone. To make changes happen, the leader must enlist support. Fostering change as a change agent requires leaders to be strategic in how they communicate the change and how they garner supporters for it. First, the leader needs to communicate the change effectively. Many people are unwilling to support changes because they fear the unknown. The leader should not only communicate what is to be changed, but also how it will affect the various staff members and how they are aligned to the vision and goals. Next, the leader needs to gather other leaders within the team and persuade them to support the change. Leaders on campus may carry official titles of leadership or simply have influence over other staff members. Enlisting the support of these people will positively affect the perceptions of the remaining staff. Lastly, the leader needs to be a constant advocate of change and participate in it. Staff members will watch the leader to see if the desire for change is authentic and long-lasting. They will be more likely to support it when they observe that the leader is serious about change.

Anticipating and Preparing for When to Implement Change
When implementing change, a school leader should anticipate and prepare for varying levels of support, as well as direct opposition to the change. Some team members will be as
enthusiastic about the change as the leader. The leader should be prepared to leverage these team members by encouraging them, providing them with resources necessary to implement the changes, and using them to influence the other team members. Some team members will be indecisive about the change and not quite ready to support it. The leader should be prepared to spend more time and resources on this group to help encourage them to support the change. This group may require additional communication strategies and support to bring them on board. The school leader should also anticipate a third group of staff members who are opposed to the change and may even be vocal in their opposition. The school leader should be prepared to defend the change and offer rebuttals to arguments against it, both publicly and privately. The majority of the leader's focus should be on the first two groups; however, the oppositional group can be detrimental to the progress of the first two groups if it is not addressed appropriately.

Modeling Openness to Change
The leader is a model on campus and team members will imitate his or her attitudes. If a leader would like the staff to be open to proposed change, he or she must also be a model of openness to change. There are many ways to accomplish a goal, and just because something is working does not mean that it cannot be improved. Changes may be proposed by team members other than the leader, from the school district, or even from the state. In these instances, the leader should model openness to change. The leader can be receptive to the proposed change and optimistic as to how the change can positively affect the campus. The leader can also demonstrate a positive attitude during the change, should it be implemented. The leader can expect a similar response from staff if change is proposed on campus, so leadership should model the qualities and attitudes they desire from staff. In contrast, if the leader is not open to change, staff will likely imitate that attitude and be opposed to changes proposed by the leader.

Personal and Professional Ethics

Integrity
Integrity refers to being honest and trustworthy and exhibiting moral principles. A person with integrity is generally of good character. A school leader can demonstrate integrity by behaving in a trustworthy manner with district personnel, staff, students, parents, and community stakeholders. The school leader should behave ethically in regard to all aspects of the position, including finance, personnel issues, and student matters. A school leader with integrity will hold him or herself and others accountable for ethical behavior, will recognize when ethics have been breached, and will take appropriate action in response. A school leader will also implement systems and procedures to ensure that the rights and confidentiality of students and staff are maintained at all times.

When a Situation Presents a Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest is a situation in which the school leader can obtain personal gain or harm from a decision made as a leader. For example, a school leader may determine that the school gymnasium needs to be repainted. A family member of the leader owns a company that provides such a service and offers a bid. This would present a conflict of interest for the leader because he or she would potentially derive a benefit from hiring a family member's business to complete the job. Other situations that could present a conflict of interest may include hiring or terminating staff, awarding or disciplining a student who is a family member, or voting in an official capacity for colleagues or family members. A school leader should be aware of potential conflicts of interest and alert superiors should such a situation arise.

How Laws and Regulations Protect Privacy and Confidentiality of Information
Laws and regulations have been enacted to protect the privacy and confidentiality of students and staff in schools. Specifically, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.
Any school that receives funds from the United States Department of Education is subject to this law. It provides guidelines for who can access or view student records, who can alter student records, and what student information can be disseminated without student or parental consent. School leaders must abide by this law and implement policies and procedures on campus that ensure other school personnel also abide by this law. Additionally, schools have the obligation to inform parents and students aged 18 or older of their rights under FERPA.

Situations Involving Issues of Ethics and Integrity
A school leader will find that many of the situations they encounter involve issues of ethics and integrity.
These situations may involve students, parents, personnel, and community members. Situations regarding students may involve grades, retention or promotion, assigning consequences in discipline matters, awards and recognition, and others. Situations involving parents may be student related or involve fundraising, elections to committees, or others. Situations regarding personnel may involve reprimands or other discipline, promotions, pay, and others. Additionally, situations involving community members may involve voting and elections, awarding contracts, exchanging services, and more. The leader must also use ethics and integrity in their own decision-making processes in regard to budgeting, school academic and extracurricular programming, and business and community partnerships.

Elements of a Transparent Decision-Making Process
Some school decisions require input from stakeholders. In these decisions, it is important to have a transparent decision-making process so that all stakeholders can be assured that the decision is made ethically and with integrity. First, stakeholders must be notified in advance of the decision to be made. They should also have access to relevant information for making the decision, in accordance with any privacy or confidentiality regulations. They should be notified in advance of any
public meetings related to the decision and documented meeting minutes should be made available. Any voting related to the decision should also be documented for transparency. Finally, when the school leader has made a decision, it should be shared with stakeholders along with the rationale for it, such as community input, votes, and other information.

Ensuring Equitable Treatment of Students and Staff
The best way that the school leader can ensure equitable treatment of students and staff is to develop policies and procedures and adhere to them. When there are policies and procedures in place, the school leader can refer to these to determine the best course of action when dealing with students and staff. For example, if a student has excessive school absences, a school attendance policy should dictate when and how to address absenteeism. Similarly, if a staff member dresses unprofessionally for work, an employee handbook should outline how to address the staff member. In a situation with no guiding policy, the school leader should use discretion in handling the situation and subsequently develop a guiding policy for future incidents. This can be in the form of memorandums or addendums to existing student and staff handbooks. While there may be extenuating circumstances that require the school leader's discretion, policies and procedures ensure that all are treated equitably.

Ensuring That Others Are Acting Ethically
A leader can ensure that others are acting ethically by communicating expectations regarding ethical behavior. The leader can provide staff with documents and training that explain these expectations. Employees should acknowledge receipt of such documentation by signing to confirm that they have received them as well as signing in at training sessions to confirm participation. The leader can also monitor employee behavior. This can be done in person by walking around and observing performance or remotely by instructing others on the leadership team to observe employee behavior or monitoring with security cameras. Security cameras are useful in areas that are most prone to unethical conduct, such as places where money is exchanged, entrances and exits, records storage, and areas on campus that are not frequently trafficked. Additionally, the leader can implement consequences for unethical behavior and address such behavior swiftly. Employees may be encouraged to behave ethically to avoid consequences for unethical behavior.

Consequences of Unethical Behavior
Consequences for an employee's unethical behavior can vary, depending on the severity of the offense. For a minor offense, the employee may receive a verbal or written reprimand to be included in his or her personnel file. This type of situation may require a formal conference with the school leader or other school district staff. More severe offenses can result in suspension, reassignment, or termination of employment. For example, if an employee has behaved in an unethical manner involving exchange of money, he or she may be reassigned to a position that does not require interaction with money. Severe offenses can result in the suspension or revocation of state licensure. Ethical offenses that involve breaking the law can also result in legal consequences such as fines, probation, or even imprisonment as determined by city, state, and federal law.

Steps to Take When Ethics Have Been Breached
If a school leader has been made aware of an ethical violation, it is his or her responsibility to act immediately. In many cases, there are procedures or guidelines that a school leader should follow, as determined by the school district. These procedures may include notifying district personnel, initiating an investigation, conferencing with the offending employee, drafting a formal note of reprimand, and other actions. There should also be guidance from the school district on notifying outside authorities or organizations, such as law enforcement or Child Protective Services. In some instances, district personnel or an entity acting on their behalf handle the situation and the school leader takes on a role of support and facilitation. It is important for a school leader to take reports of unethical behavior seriously and act quickly and appropriately. Additionally, the school leader should maintain thorough documentation of the events and timelines for audit purposes.

Justice and Fairness

Social Justice
Social justice refers to the fair and equitable treatment of all people, regardless of their status in society. Factors such as socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, place of residence, and others influence the privileges that certain people may have in society. These privileges, or lack thereof, can be reflected in the school system as well. The concept of social justice as it relates to education means that all students, regardless of their social status, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other identifying factor, are entitled to an equitable education and access to educational resources. For example, it is considered a social injustice for children in poverty to have outdated textbooks and a lack of access to technology in schools. Social justice in education refers to advocating for children who are typically marginalized and disenfranchised so that they can receive the same educational opportunities as other children.

Advocating for All Children
A school leader is in a unique position to be an advocate for all children on campus. First, the school leader needs to ensure that the academic and extracurricular programming is accessible to all children and reflective of the needs of all children on campus. Next, the school leader should ensure that all special programming is properly funded and implemented on campus. This can include programs such as
Title I, special education, gifted and talented programs, English as a Second Language programs, career and technology programs, and many others. Finally, some inequities are the result of governmental policy, which affect the school. The school leader can use his or her voice and authority to influence policy and promote social justice in the school. Examples of these types of policy issues include school finance and funding, school zoning, school vouchers, and many others.

Communication of Expectations for the Staff and Students

Importance of Communicating Expectations to Staff and Students
The school leader must communicate expectations to staff and students to increase the likelihood that staff and students will meet those expectations. It is difficult for staff and students to meet expectations if they are unaware of them. This can result in unintentional disregard of expectations. For example, teachers may decide to leave campus during an instructional planning period. If the teachers are unaware that the school leader expects them to remain on campus even when they do not have class, it will be difficult for the school leader to hold them accountable for that behavior. Likewise, the school leader should communicate expectations of behavior to students before a presumed offense is committed. A school leader must effectively communicate expectations so that students and staff will know what behavior to demonstrate and so the school leader can hold them accountable for those behaviors.

Communicating Expectations to Staff and Students
A school leader has many opportunities to communicate expectations to staff and students. These expectations can be written and shared in employee and student handbooks or codes of conduct. These documents can be printed as well as made available online. The school leader may require that staff and students provide a signature acknowledging receipt of such documents. Additionally, expectations for behavior can be communicated or reinforced during announcements, in assemblies or meetings, and in individual conversations. Many school leaders post expectations for behavior on posters in school hallways and classrooms. These often take the form of classroom rules for behavior, hallway expectations, cafeteria expectations, and so on. When correcting behavior that does not meet expectations, the school leader can reinforce expectations for the offender. For example, the school leader may verbalize to an employee that he or she is late to work and remind him or her of the expected arrival time.

Advocacy

Appropriateness and Efficacy of System for Protecting and Advocating for Students
A school leader should have systems in place for the protection and advocacy of students. These systems should be based on the needs of the student population and should be responsive to the changing needs and concerns of these students. A school leader will know if these systems are appropriate and effective in various ways. First, there should be a student culture of safety in school. This culture involves students feeling free to engage in the academic program, social activities, and extracurricular activities. Also, students should have an adequate voice. An appropriate and effective system for protection and advocacy will allow various avenues for students to contribute their ideas and voice their concerns. Additionally, there will be evidence that students are supported in times of need or crisis. This means that socio-emotional needs are identified and addressed quickly so that students can engage in the school program. These systems are effective and appropriate only if they benefit all students. If some groups of students are marginalized or neglected on campus, the school leader must revisit the appropriateness and efficacy of the school's systems.

Potential Opportunities to Serve as an Advocate for Students
Advocacy for students is necessary whenever any group of students is or has the potential to be marginalized.
These groups are commonly students of low socioeconomic status, minority status, immigrant status, or a different sexual orientation. However, any student or group of students can need advocacy at any given time. There is an opportunity to advocate for these students when their right to an equitable education in a safe environment is threatened. For example, a school leader may observe that an academic program offered in the district consistently leaves out students who receive special education services. The school leader may advocate for that group of students by calling for a review of the application and acceptance criteria to drive change. Opportunities for student advocacy can occur on campus, within the school district, or within the local, state, and federal political arenas.

Confidentiality

Maintaining Student Confidentiality
A school leader must maintain student confidentiality according to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act (FERPA). This involves keeping student information and records confidential. However, when advocating for students, the school leader may be informed of student information by other staff members, parents, or the students themselves that should also be kept confidential. Keeping the students' confidentiality means not sharing private information with outside parties unnecessarily. This fosters trust between the school leader and the student or other stakeholders. Establishing this trust helps to create a school culture in which students and their families are willing to share sensitive information with the school staff to help advocate for a student. For example, a parent may inform the school leader that the family has recently become homeless. Certain documents must be completed and certain staff need to be informed of this information to advocate for the homeless student, but the school leader must ensure that the sensitive information remains as private as possible. There are circumstances in which the student's confidentiality may need to be breached, but the school leader should make an effort to maintain that confidentiality.

Situations in Which Student Confidentiality Must Be Breached
A school leader and other school staff must do their best to maintain the confidence of students, but under some circumstances a student's confidentiality must be breached. If students confide in a staff member that they are being harmed, pose harm to themselves, or pose harm to others, school staff members have the responsibility to act on that information for the protection of those students or others. For example, a student may confide in a teacher that he or she is contemplating suicide. The teacher would then break the student's confidentiality and inform the school leader of the student's intentions. The teacher and the school leader would then contact the student's parents and the proper authorities to obtain immediate help for the student. Other examples that warrant a breach in student confidentiality include information related to child abuse or neglect or threats of violence to others.

Motivating Students

Intrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation is motivation that comes from within. It is a person's own drive to succeed or to accomplish a goal. For students, this intrinsic motivation may be the result of education and career goals, family expectations, social influences, and more. Intrinsic motivation may drive students to meet or exceed academic performance expectations, participate in and excel in extracurricular activities, or choose certain education and career pathways. Intrinsic motivation is affected very little by outside influences because the drive comes from within. For example, a high school student may desire to become a writer and consequently excels in English Language Arts classes. This student may have an English Language Arts teacher that he or she does not get along with, but because the drive to become a writer is intrinsic, the student may still work hard and perform well in that class. Intrinsic motivation is considered more effective than extrinsic motivation. Students who excel in school, especially in the face of obstacles and challenges, are often intrinsically motivated.

Extrinsic Motivation
Extrinsic motivation is motivation that comes from an outside source, such as another person, and is in the form of a reward. The reward can be tangible, such as money, prizes, or gifts, or it can be intangible, such as an experience, recognition, or approval. Teachers and other staff often use extrinsic motivation to encourage students to perform at a certain level or behave in a certain way. For example, a teacher may tell her third-grade class that all students who complete their homework will receive stickers. The students will be motivated to complete their homework and earn stickers. Extrinsic motivation can be effective with students, especially when they are lacking intrinsic motivation. However, extrinsic motivation is considered less effective than intrinsic motivation because in the absence of the reward, motivation significantly decreases. Additionally, if the reward loses its appeal, motivation will decrease. For example, if the third-grade teacher were to stop offering stickers for homework, the number of completed homework assignments might decline. Similarly, students may be less excited about receiving stickers for homework near the end of the school year, resulting in fewer completed homework assignments.

Motivating Students
School staff can create systems of rewards to motivate students to engage in the academic program, perform at higher levels, and behave in an acceptable manner. Rewards can be given for individual and collective behaviors. Some schools have used point systems or merit systems to reward and motivate students. Students can redeem points for prizes, participation in field trips, or participation in other school activities. Some schools use stickers, tickets, or other means of reinforcing positive student behaviors, which can be redeemed as well. For example, a student may earn a ticket for participating in class discussion, which can be redeemed for a prize. This reward would encourage the student to increase participation in class discussion. Students may also be motivated by public recognition, such as receiving an award at an awards ceremony, being identified on the school website or a classroom bulletin board, or having their names announced during school announcements. Students are motivated when rewards systems are clear, fair, and consistent and when expectations are clearly outlined.

Aspects of the School That Can Demotivate Students
Perceived negative aspects of the school can decrease student motivation, causing them to disengage in the school program. If a student perceives school as unsafe, he or she may have poor school attendance or arrive late to school. If a student perceives the teacher to be unfair or ineffective, the student may not desire to perform well in that class, resulting in poor grades and possibly behavioral problems. When students perceive school rules or policies as unfair or inequitable, they may be discouraged from abiding by those policies or engaging in the programs that the policies or procedures apply to. For example, a student may desire to audition for a role in the school play. However, the student views the audition process as unfair and believes that certain students will be chosen for the roles regardless of who auditions. Consequently, that student will choose not to audition for the play or engage in the theater program. School leaders must identify aspects of the school and school program that may demotivate students and remedy these where possible.

Transparency, Feedback, and Reflection

Transparent Decision-Making Based on Data

Transparent Decision-Making
Transparent decision-making is the act of making sure that the process, logic, and rationale used to make a decision are clear and open to others. When decision-making is transparent, any critical information used to inform that decision is also readily available to others for review. This transparency allows others to understand how the decision was made. For example, if a school leader were to decide whether or not to eliminate the art program, a transparent decision-making process would allow stakeholders and team members to observe and understand how the school leader makes the decision. The process may start with publicly making known that the decision needed to be made. Then, data relating to the art program would be provided, including data related to any other programming that may be compared to the art program. Additional rationale could be documented, such as evaluating the position of the art program in relation to the school vision and goals. Based on this relevant information, observers of the decision-making process would be able to understand and even predict the decision that the leader would make.

Using Data to Support Transparent Decision-Making
Data is essential to offering transparency in decision-making. Data is objective, which makes it less refutable. Stakeholders may question or contest a school leader's decisions in some cases, but are less likely to question or contest the data influencing those decisions. Data that is shared may include financial data, student performance data, or data related to school demographics such as enrollment, attendance, or discipline. When data is shared with stakeholders, it is easier for them to understand the basis and determining factors for decisions. For example, if a school leader decides to eliminate a school program based on poor student participation, the school leader can be transparent and provide the attendance and participation data for that program to the stakeholders. As a result, the stakeholders will understand that the decision is based on objective data. Additionally, basing decisions on data will encourage the school leader to make sound decisions based on concrete data whenever possible because the school leader will be aware that the decision-making process will be observed by stakeholders.

Most Effective Data in Supporting Transparent Decision-Making

Staff
Providing data is an essential component of transparency in decision-making. The school leader can share data such as school performance data and individual student data to demonstrate how a decision was made. Teachers and staff understand and are able to look at student data as employees working directly with students. This data can help them understand why decisions are made about certain curricular programs, school discipline procedures, and other aspects of the school program. Also, the school leader can use data to support conversations with staff regarding individual performance, which can lead to decision-making. For example, a school leader may determine that a third-grade reading teacher should be reassigned to a fourth-grade classroom. The leader can use student performance data and the teacher's performance evaluation data to explain the decision to the teacher. A school leader should always protect the confidentiality of students and personnel when applicable.

Community Stakeholders
Providing data is an essential component of transparency in decision-making. When being transparent with stakeholders, the school leader must be careful to protect the confidentiality of school, student, and personnel data. As a result, the school leader should be selective about the data that is shared with stakeholders and the manner in which it is shared. Data that is already public and is used to make a decision can be helpful when sharing data with stakeholders. The school leader should be prepared to explain the data, the measures used to obtain it, and its implications. Although the school leader cannot share individual student and staff data, the school leader can share aggregates of the data. For example, the school leader may provide data of third-grade student performance on a recent benchmark assessment. Data that is shared with stakeholders should be clear, easy to understand, and purposeful so that it adds to the transparency of the decision-making process.

Allowing for Feedback

Importance of Gathering Feedback
Feedback is the process of gathering information from an outside source to evaluate or correct a particular course of action. A school leader should seek feedback to ensure that he or she is on the correct path when making decisions. Without feedback, a school leader may proceed with a course of action, only to realize later that it was a mistake. For example, a leader may decide to host parent meetings on
Wednesday evenings. After hosting the first meeting with poor turnout, the leader may find that many families in the community attend church on Wednesday evenings. Had the leader gathered feedback, a different time might have been chosen. Gathering feedback can help the school leader make corrections or alter a course in a timely manner. Additionally, gathering feedback from stakeholders demonstrates that the school leader is humble and receptive to feedback. Perceived humility in the leader can help in team building and relationship building with the staff and the community. Gathering feedback also increases buy-in from those providing the feedback, such as members of the leadership team, key community members, or school district office personnel.

Gathering Feedback
A school leader can gather feedback from stakeholders in various ways to aid in their decision-making. A primary way of gathering feedback is presenting ideas and plans to the campus leadership team. The leadership team may include assistant principals, deans, or other leaders on campus. This team is effective in providing feedback because they know the campus, students, and community well and have demonstrated leadership skills and thinking. For example, the leadership team may provide feedback on a lunch schedule based on their experiences from lunch duty in the cafeteria. Also, supervising district personnel are often available to provide feedback to the school leader, especially in confidential matters.
The school leader can also solicit feedback from students, parents, and community members. This type of feedback can help the school leader see situations and potential decisions from other perspectives. For example, a student may provide feedback that the proposed after school program does not interest the student body. Also, gathering and implementing feedback from stakeholders can increase stakeholder buy-in and support of the school's vision and goals.

Responding to Negative Feedback
When a leader solicits feedback from students, staff, or stakeholders, it is possible that the feedback may be negative.
The negative feedback may be in relation to aspects of the school program or in relation to the leader. When a leader receives feedback, he or she must avoid an immediate emotional response to the feedback. First the leader must determine whether the feedback has validity. People providing feedback can sometimes speak out of anger or frustration and deliver the feedback in a harsh way. However, delivery of the feedback does not necessarily determine whether the feedback is valid. Consequently, the leader must reflect upon his or her practice and identify whether the feedback identifies an area of improvement for the leader or the school program. If so, the leader must acknowledge this weak area and take steps to improve it. When improvements have been made, if possible, the leader should seek feedback once again to determine if the concerns of the stakeholders have been addressed.

Responding to Positive Feedback
Positive feedback from stakeholders can be encouraging for the school leader. Sometimes this feedback is solicited and other times it is volunteered. Positive feedback can be used for reflection and improvement. First, the leader needs to determine the validity of the feedback. Some people may feel the need to offer flattery or unsubstantiated positive feedback in an effort to favorably position themselves. Therefore, a leader must not assume that his or her performance or the school's performance is favorable because one or two people offered a compliment. Next, the leader must not become overconfident in the area that has received positive feedback. Instead, the feedback should encourage the leader to continue the actions that led to the favorable outcome to continue to achieve good results. Positive feedback can also be shared with other staff so they can be assured that they are performing well in the identified area.

Honest Self-Reflection

Conducting Honest Self-Reflection
Honest self-reflection is a component of growth and efficacy as a school leader. A school leader should set aside time to reflect on personal performance as a leader, based on identified leadership expectations and standards. There are many models of leadership that the school leader can use for comparison, but most school districts select or develop a tool for leadership evaluation. These evaluation tools include the expectations for leadership skills, performance, and behaviors. School leaders can use the tools to identify their own strengths and weaknesses. Also, any time a leader is reading professional materials such as books or articles related to leadership, it is an opportunity to reflect on how he or she measures against the skills identified in the resource. Often, stakeholders such as parents or community members offer criticisms of the leader. The school leader should reflect upon the validity of those criticisms to determine areas for improvement. For example, during a parent conference, a parent may complain that the leader is a poor communicator. Even though the parent may have made the statement in a moment of frustration or anger, the school leader should take the opportunity to reflect upon his or her communication skills and how those skills were used in that situation.

Addressing Weaknesses Revealed Through Self-Reflection
Once a leader has identified weaknesses through self-reflection, he or she can take several steps to address them. First, the school leader can read books, articles, and other resources related to the areas of weakness. For example, if the school leader has difficulty with time management, he or she can identify resources that can help to cultivate better time management skills. A leader can also participate in training or professional development related to the identified areas of weakness. A variety of professional organizations provide workshops and training related to various leadership competencies. The leader can also seek assistance from a supervisor or other district staff person. A supervisor can offer suggestions or guidance for improvement in a deficient area. Additionally, the school leader can obtain mentors and coaches outside of the school organization that can provide objective skill building in the school leader's deficit areas. Mentors may be retired principals or other types of leaders who are in the school leader's network and are willing to share their expertise. Mentors do not typically require payment. In contrast, coaches are often hired to help with targeted skill-building and professional growth.

Effect of Leader's Self-Reflection on the Leadership Team
A leader's self-reflection can affect the leadership team in a number of ways. First, it sets an example as a school leader that self-reflection should be a part of leadership practice. This also demonstrates to the leadership team that the leader is aware that he or she is not perfect and is making efforts to address identified weaknesses. The leadership team should be comprised of people who help to compensate for the leader's weaknesses. Therefore, when a leader identifies his or her weaknesses, this can lead to adjustment of the leadership team. For example, if the leader determines that his or her leadership in math and science is weak, the leader may identify a person who is strong in math and science to be a part of the leadership team. Additionally, a leader's self-reflection can lead to shifting roles and responsibilities on the leadership team and reflection about the strengths and weaknesses of the entire team.

Effect of Leader's Self-Reflection on Stakeholders
A leader's self-reflection can affect how he or she is perceived by stakeholders as well as the leader's relationship with stakeholders. When stakeholders observe the leader committing to self-improvement and making changes, they may conclude that the leader is humble and willing to improve the practice and the operation of the school. This can build hope and trust among stakeholders. For example, the leader may communicate to stakeholders that he or she is working on improving communication skills and is committed to doing a better job of returning phone calls and responding to emails. Similarly, engagement in self-reflection and self-improvement demonstrates that the leader is responsive to feedback. It is difficult to engage with a leader who believes that he or she knows everything, does not want feedback, and cannot receive criticism. In contrast, a leader who reflects and improves can encourage stakeholders to engage with the leader and the school, and relationships can be built between the leader and stakeholders.