To drive student engagement and academic outcomes, many states are encouraging the creation of innovative high schools that offer flexible, student-centered postsecondary pathways and relevant, competency-based learning experiences.
But what's lacking are systems to prepare principals on how to lead these school models, according to a report released this month by the National Association of State Boards of Education.
According to the report — which was written in collaboration with MDRC, a nonprofit social policy research organization — there are a variety of innovative high school models including those that offer early college programs, small theme-based high schools, career academies, and P-TECH schools that combine high school and college coursework with work-based learning.
Essential school leadership strategies identified in the report for starting and sustaining innovative high schools include:
- A rigorous, coherent instructional vision.
- Strong, trusting relationships.
- Distributed leadership roles across staff.
- The alignment and monitoring of partnerships with organizations such as colleges, employers and community groups.
Yet there's a gap between the demands and expectations of these school models and what principals are ready to do, which "can undermine even the best-designed models," the report said.
NASBE and MDRC recommend these three areas of state support for principals of innovative high schools:
- Preparation and licensure. States should ensure preparation programs include essential elements of high-quality principal preparation, such as instructional leadership, people and resource management, and change management, alongside internship opportunities.
North Carolina’s Principal Fellows Program, for instance, provides candidates financial support, cohort-based training, coaching and a fulltime internship leading to a master’s degree in school administration. Participants then commit to school leadership positions in the state. - Professional development and support. States can require mentoring, coaching and leadership development for early career principals.
In Pennsylvania, principals and assistant principals are required to participate in its cohort-based Principal Inspired Leadership program during their first five years as new administrators. The program, which combines coursework and on-the-job learning, was shown to boost student math achievement by increasing teacher effectiveness. - Regulatory flexibility. Policies around staffing ratios, scheduling requirements and seat time can quash school leaders' ability to innovate, the report said. State agencies or boards can consider waivers to these regulations for innovative schools to allow for more flexibility.
In Colorado, schools can submit innovation plans to their district that identify state statutes, district policies and collective bargaining provisions they want waived. The district then submits those plans to the state. Schools that receive waivers still remain accountable for assessment and accountability requirements.
Additionally, NASBE is focusing on student experiences in transformed schools. The association's High School Transformation State Network includes a cohort of states that aim to build state boards' capacity to improve student experiences and prepare them for the future.
