by Kate Rogers
When it comes to school reform, everyone has their go-to solution.
The recent dramatic turnaround of schools in Chicago, USA gives new evidence for a leadership-focused approach, and experts believe that dedicated investments in school CEOs helped fuel the Windy City’s academic reversal.
When education leaders have the support and training they need, student outcomes soar. Whether building a non-profit or developing the next iteration of the iPhone, effective leaders get things done.
If countries truly want a world-class education system, it must strengthen and retain excellent school and district leaders. After all, great leaders are at the centre of great schools, and strong principals can have a large impact on student achievement.
What’s more, principal turnover is costly — nearly USD$75,000 a hire — a burden that disproportionately affects the lowest-performing schools.
School leaders play a powerful role in the development of teachers. Teachers cite a lack of strong principal leadership as one of their main stressors, and many leave the profession due to a lack of administrative support.
Clearly, investing in leadership and talent development for schools and districts benefits students and teachers alike. But not nearly enough has been done. Many principals do not consider their jobs sustainable and often work 80-hour weeks.
Other fields know the value of great leadership, so they provide good pay checks and robust support. In business, the examples are even more robust. American companies devote nearly USD$14 billion to leadership development each year.
Reformers in other nations have committed to improving their school leaders. Singapore, for example, has rolled out programs to develop future school leaders, while Shanghai has a rigorous career ladder that ensures that strong teachers have the opportunity to become teacher leaders.
States now must step up to the plate and roll out better, more targeted programs. This includes ongoing professional development around everything from time management to fiscal strategy.
Education leaders also need opportunities to collaborate with their colleagues to learn best practices and grow as professionals.
It’s not easy to be an excellent school leader, to be sure. To be successful, they must set visionary goals, establish high standards, and manage a diverse set of stakeholders from students to school board members.
Leaders also, in the words of former principal Kerry Purcell, need “to help teachers become better teachers”.
Whether in a conference room or a classroom, we know leadership matters.
The author is executive vice president of The Holdsworth Center in Texas, USA. The organisation is an education leadership development centre.