Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Research Articles

The Rule (Getting Out of Disagreement Is Desirable) and its Applications in the Book “Eiaanat Alttalibeen”, of The Scholar Al-Bakri Al-Shafi’i

The main aim of this study is to evaluate the quality management of math instruction at the university level according to (ISLLC) Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium 2015, Standard 4. Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, so it aims to: prepare a list of sub standards for quality management of mathematics members performance at the universities of Kurdistan Region of Iraq, through which the component of the 4th standard could be measured e.g. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, identify the extent of achieved performance in general, and in each areas and finally to find out the significant differences in achieved performance among areas and universities. The researcher used the analytical descriptive method for collection, classification and processing the data. Based on analysis of the fourth standard the researcher prepared a list of statements (sub standards) that cover the quality of math instruction management, through the faculty members performance, the list contains 23 sub standards, according to which the researcher designed a questionnaire consisted of 23 items allocated on the three areas. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire was checked. The questionnaire was implemented from (8/2) - (22/2)/ 2020. An intentional sample of universities was used. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for processing the data.  

Rural School Leadership for Collaborative Community Development

In this article we address the role of rural schools in community development. We first discuss the largely historical linkages between rural schools and the communities they serve, and what this means for both school and community well-being. We then consider the newly revised standards for preparing school administrators, developed by the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium, and how these standards may align with community-building efforts. In sum, we argue that enlightened educational leadership that seriously takes into account the 21st Century needs of students – as well as the communities in which they reside – cannot help but interpret academic and community improvement goals as mutually reinforcing priorities.

Positive school leadership

In November 2015, the National Policy Board for Educational Administration — a coalition of nine professional associations — adopted the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL), a set of guidelines for the training, certification, hiring, evaluation, and supervision of school principals and superintendents. While it draws heavily from the earlier standards published by the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium in 2008, PSEL is distinguished by a positive, asset-based approach to school management and leadership.

DO LEADERS’ EXPERIENCE AND CONCENTRATION AREA INFLUENCE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE?

The purpose of this study was to examine the educational background of leaders in small, high poverty, high minority schools in an effort to determine if the leader’s concentration area and background were related to the academic success of the students. Through a causal comparative design, a modified version of the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Self- Assessment (CCSSO, 2000) was used to collect data from principals and assistant principals to answer the following research questions: Is there a difference between the leader’s concentration area (counseling, mathematics, language arts, science, etc.) and school rating? Is there a difference between the number of years of experience and school rating? This study used the Chi Square Test of Independence, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and a post-hoc comparison to identify differences between the variables and research questions. The findings revealed that two or more years of experience at the same school had a significant impact on the academic rating of the school, while concentration area did not significantly impact the overall academic school rating. Keywords: educational leadership, minority, poverty, tenure, concentration area

What’s in a Name? The Confluence of Confederate Symbolism and the Disparate Experiences of African American Students in a Central Virginia High School

In 2015-2016, news stories from Charleston, South Carolina, and the University of Missouri, among others, motivated and inspired many people to organize against assaults on the Black community generally and Black students in particular. Similarly, Black students at Robert E. Lee High School in Virginia have come together around what they perceive as racist symbolism and inequitable educational policies and practices. The Black student leaders at Robert E. Lee High School have presented their school principal with a list of demands. Meanwhile, the school’s football and basketball teams, The Rebels, are threatening to go on strike until students’ demands are addressed. This case study could be used in educational leadership graduate programs as well as curriculum and instruction coursework, especially in courses that emphasize social justice and ethical decision making. Particularly relevant courses might include School-Community Relations, Organizational Culture, Politics of Education, Contemporary Issues in Education, Visionary Planning and Strategies, and Schools as Learning Communities. In addition, this case study aligns with Standards 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 of the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Standards and can be integrated in leadership preparation programs accordingly. This case might also be used in school district–sponsored professional development workshops for current and/or aspiring administrators.

Leveraging Standards to Promote Program Quality

Standards provide a foundation for thinking about leadership development and practice. This article explores three sets of standards that impact educational leadership preparation: (a) the recently revised Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards, which are now known as the Practice Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL); (b) the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) standards, which are currently under revision; and (c) the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) standards. In addition to reviewing each set, how they are used, and how they differ, we share findings from a survey of preparation program directors focused on how influential and beneficial these standards are in promoting leadership preparation program improvement.

Effects of Leadership on Student Success through the Balanced Leadership Framework

Attempts have been made to identify behavior patterns peculiar to leadership by many institutions and organizations; also numerous studies have been conducted in this area. Of all these organizations, The Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) identifies the definitive standards of school leadership. Examining these standards in detail, Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) has developed new behavior patterns and focuses on student success related to school leadership; accordingly, in 1998 the Balanced Leadership Framework was suggested as a new leadership approach. In accordance with this framework, to know what to do is not generally considered sufficient to transform classes and schools. It is also significantly important for leaders to know why some actions are necessary, when they need to be applied, and how to apply them in classes and schools skillfully. Hence, the Balanced Leadership Framework has been developed to specify school leaders' own leadership behaviors and to benefit from the research aiming to establish effective school leaders. Thereby, McREL, after the meta-analysis, identifies 21 leadership responsibilities. In this study, after reviewing the literature, a qualitative analysis related to the 8 leadership responsibilities (Culture, Ideals and Beliefs, Communication, Visibility, Input, Relationships, Situational Awareness, Affirmation) that are necessary to form the Purposeful Community has been made. 15 teachers have been asked how leadership responsibilities affect student success and the results are discussed in this study. As a result, the effects of these 8 leadership responsibilities on student success have been clarified explicitly.

When Aspirations Exceed Actions

Research has begun to articulate actions of social justice leaders, but as a field we still know little about how a broad range of leaders view and enact equitable practice. In this study, we use a set of “leadership for equity” rubrics to examine how 114 school and district leaders rated and provided evidence of equitable or inequitable practices related to visionary leadership and instructional improvement (two core responsibilities of leadership as identified by the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium's standards). The rubrics define equitable leadership along a continuum from unsatisfactory to exemplary, with a rating of proficient requiring evidence of action and change in policies and practices designed to produce equitable outcomes. Although leaders tended to rate themselves as proficient or above on the rubrics, their ratings were more favorable than what their supporting evidence warranted. We use this misalignment between participants’ espoused and enacted behaviors to (a) discuss the need to better define key concepts in social justice leadership theory and practice and (b) highlight how leadership development and professional growth tools can counter rather than maintain status quo leadership practice.

A Comparison of Preferred Urban Administrative Dispositions Between Constituency Groups

This research study analyzes preferred leadership dispositions for teachers, parents, and school leaders. Respondents selected their most preferred dispositions from a list of 20 (Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium) leadership standards. Similarities and differences were discerned among the constituent groups. School leaders, teachers, and parents were strongly correlated in their aggregate ranked preferences yet data evidenced unique differences expressed by each group. As a result of the findings, there are inferences suggested for school leaders to consider in their leadership role.

Radical Recentering

Background: The widely adopted Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium standards are designed to guide the preparation and professional development of educational leaders. However, the standards’ limited mention of race, class, ethnicity, ability, gender, sexuality, or other marginalized identities suggests that addressing persistent inequities need not be a central concern of preparation programs and leaders in P-12 schools. Purpose and Proposed Model: In this article, we put forth a new set of standards with equity at the core. We seek to advance the conversation about why standards centered on equity are needed—particularly in light of a proposed standards refresh—and what implications would follow from equity-focused standards. To this end, we offer 10 high-leverage equitable leadership practices, identified through research and the extant literature as those most likely to mitigate disparities for students who have not been well served due to their race, class, ethnicity, home language, and/or ability. We discuss how a set of equity-focused leadership standards would facilitate radical changes in leadership preparation programs, professional development, and evaluation. Implications: We aim for this work to augment the conversation around leadership standards and compel action to bring equity to the center.

Color-Blind Leadership

Purpose: Working from the driving research question— is the explicit consideration of race present in the ISLLC and ELCC standards?—this article explores the implications of a school leadership landscape reliant on a collection of color-blind leadership standards to guide the preparation and practice of school leaders. In doing so, we analyze the language of the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) and the Educational Leaders Constituent Council (ELCC) standards and their accompanying reports using a critical race theory framework. Research Methods: In our analysis of the ISLLC and ELCC standards, we performed a multistep review of these standards’ leadership domains and their components. Our hybrid methodology employs empirical and theoretical elements of content and textual analysis. Drawing on the tenets of critical race theory, we provide an analysis of the extent to which the standards’ language address, or fail to address, issues of race, racism, and culture. Findings: The words race, ethnicity, and color do not appear in either the primary or substandards of the ISLLC and ELCC standards. Despite this fact, the bibliography for the ELCC standards includes works that boldly discuss issues of race and racism in education. Additionally, three key findings emerged from the textual analysis: (1) a conflation of culture, climate, and school culture; (2) a sidestepping of race and race language; and (3) an underdeveloped conceptualization of social justice. Implications for Research and Practice: We present our case citing the importance of a color-conscious educational leadership paradigm supported by inclusive leadership standards. We conclude with proposals for the improvement of leadership policy and preparation program standards.

From preservice leaders to advocacy leaders: exploring intersections in standards for advocacy in educational leadership and school counselling

In this empirically based paper, we discuss educational leadership preparation as it relates to social justice, the concept of advocacy and the standards that guide leadership and counselling, respectively. To reveal how preservice leaders conceptualize advocacy as understood in professional standards, we draw on our research with 11 preservice students about the current US Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium standards and its relationship to what educational leaders should be able to know and do. Based on the insights students shared, we looked to the school counselling field to see how explicitly advocacy and social justice are defined for preservice counselors in standards and competencies for practice. We suggest that leadership programmes can look to school counselling and other disciplines to further inform them in preparing leaders for advocacy. We discuss why including more definitive advocacy and social justice language in leadership standards carries implications for future educational reforms. With more explicit and intentional definitions and examples of advocacy and social justice in education leadership standards, the better the likelihood that once students step into a school leadership role, they are prepared and willing to use their skills and knowledge in action.

Emotional, Spiritual Intelligence Create Exemplary Leaders

Emotional, Spiritual Intelligence Create Exemplary Leaders

Important Shifts in Curriculum of Educational Leadership Preparation

This article looks at shifts in pedagogy used to prepare school leaders. Leaders for America’s Schools is the focus around which the authors build their case, beginning with a recap of the early phases of administrator training. Next, the authors examine A Nation at Risk and the impact the educational reform movement had on administration preparation. This section examines Leaders for America’s Schools, the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium standards, and the impacts of neoliberalism, globalization, and social justice on preparation. The authors conclude by describing current pedagogy used in an exemplary leadership preparation program.

Identifying the Professional Development Needs of Public School Principals Based on the Interstate School Leader Licensure Consortium Standards

The roles and responsibilities of principals are increasingly focused on instructional leadership. In many states, changes in the preparation and credentialing of future principals have been based on recognized leadership standards. Requirements for practicing principals to complete professional development aligned with such standards have also increased. This article presents the results of a preliminary study on principals’ self-identification of professional development needs based on the 2008 Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Standards and their preferences for professional development delivery methods to meet those needs.

Investigating Roles of Online School Principals

This study explores the instructional leadership skills required from online principals, as defined by one state’s (Idaho) adaptation of the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards (1996) as a requirement for professional certification. Specifically, this qualitative study examined six sets of paired online principals and teachers who interacted in a supervision/evaluation cycle. A discrepancy theme emerged: Principals viewed themselves as instructional leaders, as defined by ISLLC/Idaho Standard 2—Instructional Leadership—whereas online teachers viewed their online principals as managers. Closing the discrepancy is discussed through changes in leadership behavior and standards.

Linking theory with practice: a longitudinal analysis of student portfolios in principal preparation

This presentation analyses five years of data from student portfolios required as part of a principal preparation programme. Portfolios serve as continuous student progress assessment from programme entry to exit, evaluation of each student’s understanding and application of Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) and National Educational Technology Standards‐A and linkage of theoretical knowledge to field‐based projects. Continuing pressure on institutions of higher education to demonstrate student growth and achievement for accreditation purposes make inquiries such as this timely. Results from the study reveal that students in the principal preparation programme are better able to show mastery of the six ISLLC standards at the programme conclusion than at the midpoint. Further, results reveal a change in student perceptions of the principalship from that of organizational leader to that of visionary and instructional leader at the conclusion of the programme.

Preparing Special Education Administrators for Inclusion in Diverse, Standards-Based Contexts: Beyond the Council for Exceptional Children and the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium

Special education administrators must be prepared for their leadership roles in inclusive, culturally diverse, standards-based school settings. These challenges create the need for new skills, required for effective special education leaders in the 21st century. In this article, the authors examine the standards used to prepare special education administrators, and they offer new insights into the knowledge and skills needed to facilitate the inclusion of diverse students with disabilities in standards-based classrooms.

Children's spirit

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to increase awareness of the interactions among school leadership standards, cultural competence, and decision‐making practices for chief school executives.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve this objective, 1,087 chief school executives, who were members of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) in 2006, completed an electronic survey. Respondents rank‐ordered eight leadership standards, from most to least important. These standards focused specifically on diversity issues promoted through school leadership programs within the USA (American Association of School Administrators, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium). Chief school executives also completed a 12‐item survey identifying what training they received during their graduate studies to help them meet the needs of diverse student populations.FindingsRespondents ranked the three most important diversity standards that promoted the success of all school‐age children; the remaining diversity standards that focused specifically on marginalized populations were ranked as less important. The least important diversity standard was the ability and willingness to reject any arguments of a one‐to‐one correlation between race and culture or race and intelligence. Respondents indicated that their school districts do not promote culturally responsive professional development – also that their school leadership preparation programs did not prepare them for equity issues emphasized in the national standards.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that chief school executives might not have the ability or willingness to validate the cultural and ethnic experiences of the school communities they serve.Originality/valueUnderstanding the implications of responding to marginalization as an institutionalized concept is just beginning to surface in scholarship and research. The study increases awareness of the interactions among school leadership standards, cultural competence, and decision‐making practices for chief school executives and makes recommendations for practice and further research.

Using technology to enhance collaborative learning

PurposeThe purpose of this research project is to explore the use of technology in enhancing and creating opportunities for collaborative learning by connecting prospective school leaders and practicing principals from multiple settings.Design/methodology/approachThis was a research project in which an internet‐based network system was created in “LiveText” (software) for cross‐collaborative learning among intern prospective school leaders, practicing school administrators from different school settings and university faculty. Data were gathered through focus group discussions, surveys, reflections and the interns' portfolios.FindingsResponses from participants indicated that the technology used in this project: created a forum for prospective school leaders to network and be involved in experiences spanning multiple settings and multiple mentors; enabled the participants to better understand issues of urban/inner‐city, suburban, rural, elementary, middle, and high schools; created opportunities for interns to assess their own knowledge, skills, and dispositions based on Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards; and enabled the development of web‐based electronic portfolios through “LiveText.”Originality/valueThe project demonstrated how technology can be used as a programmatic tool to enhance collaborative learning by: first, countering logistical and structural challenges of organizing multiple setting leadership experiences for aspiring school leaders; and second, dismantling barriers that separate prospective school leaders from diverse practicing school leaders and schools and, thereby, building both strong and weak ties.