New Research-Based Evaluation of School Leaders

No school initiative starts without the support of their school administrator, but how can schools evaluate school leadership? Vanderbilt University announces a program that evaluates school leadership using six core components related to student learning, including high standards, rigorous curriculum and performance accountability. Six additional evaluation areas measure leadership skills like planning, advocating, and communicating.  The program, The Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education (VAL-ED), will be distributed by Discovery Education. VAL-ED was field tested in 100 elementary schools, 100 middle schools, and 100 high schools in 53 districts in 27 states to show how a principal's performance compares with their peers nationwide.
Details: The VAL-ED leadership assessment takes just 20-25 minutes, in either online or pencil and paper formats. The assessment instrument has 72 questions that evaluate 72 behaviors.
Bottom line: A quick and easy tool to measure abstract leadership skills.