Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Barbara Byrd-Bennett announced a comprehensive, multi-tiered Principal Quality Strategy to recruit, retain and reward quality principals with the goal of ensuring every school in the District has strong and effective leadership by the start of the 2014-2015 school year. The Strategy, made up of five initiatives, aligns with CPS’s broader efforts to build greater accountability at every level of the District and create school environments that help all Chicago students become successful in college, career and life. The five initiatives of the Principal Quality Strategy are:
Recruitment: Ensuring a high-quality principal for every school begins with recruiting aspiring leaders through the Chicago Leadership Collaborative (CLC), which was announced by Mayor Emanuel in November 2012. Made up of four external partners, the CLC facilitates internships for aspiring principals, providing hands-on experience to help them become proficient in principal competencies and gain real-world experience as a school leader.
Eligibility and Selection: A significantly upgraded eligibility and selection process for CPS principals will ensure that the pool of principal candidates offers high quality professionals for all schools. The new process includes two steps: an initial screening and a “Day in the Life” simulation, which will assess candidates’ abilities to manage real-life stressors and expected responsibilities that principals face on a daily basis. In recognition of the critical role parents and communities play in supporting schools and children, family and community engagement will be included in the criteria for assessing principal candidates.
Leadership Development: For existing principals, greater opportunities for leadership development will be available through two significant investments. New principals will receive focused support on fundamental school leadership skills. Rising principals, generally mid-career school leaders showing signs of success, will receive targeted support to advance specific skills such as use of data, financial management, and parental engagement. Additional support for veteran principals will be offered next year to assist them in reaching career goals.
Effective Measures of Performance: Implementing CPS’s improved evaluation system, announced by CEO Byrd-Bennett in January 2013, will further support principal quality by incorporating a balanced assessment of success by measuring both student growth tied to national benchmarks and principal performance factors.
Recognition and Rewards: Starting this year, CPS will encourage and reward outstanding performance through the Principal Achievement Awards, which recognize and reward principals whose school, staff, and students demonstrate significant improvement based on specific evaluation criteria. Honorees meeting two of the evaluation benchmarks will receive a $5,000 award, those meeting three benchmarks will receive a $10,000 award, and those meeting all four benchmarks will receive a $20,000 award.
