A Review of Principal Internships

              A Review of Principal Internships
The following are examples of state innovations related to field based experiences for principal preparation. These include one year full-time internships that are part of master’s degree programs, structured internship requirements (though not full-time, one year) during preparation programs, pathway programs (Louisiana) that follow aspiring leaders (principals as well as teacher leadership) through the leadership continuum, and residency programs that follow a tiered certification model. We hope that providing a variety of examples will guide task force members in ways that the field based experience component can be strengthened without negatively affecting principals in any particular demographic area of the state. When possible, strategies influencing principals in rural areas are addressed.
Finally, in an effort to build on an existing post-certification foundation, components of the Illinois Distinguished Principal Leader Institute (IDPLI) are highlighted and cross-walked with selected field-based experience components from other states across the country. Illinois already has a foundation in place as to what distinguished principals should be able to know and do as well as the most effective learning activities that develop these distinguished leaders. It would be to the State’s advantage to use the standards and learning and assessment activities developed for the IDPLI to backward map the competencies and training for novice and aspiring school leaders to build a continuum of school leader development.
Examples of States’ Field Based Experience Requirements
Program
Program Overview
Program Components
Assessments
Exit Criteria
IL Distinguished Principal Leadership Institute
http://www.ilprincipals.org/pages/IDPLI.html
This is a 3-year program for experienced principals to transform them into visionary leaders of our schools. Principals will be expected to practice and demonstrate competencies in five leadership performance areas:
Fostering the mission of the school;
Leading change;
Knowledge of teaching and learning;
Building collaborative relationships; and
Building accountability systems
The crux of this program is to develop visionary leaders who improve student achievement.
Principals participate in 4 in-person sessions per year that are guided by a trained facilitator. In between these face-to-face sessions, principals will remain receive support and build a professional learning community through electronic delivery systems such as webinars, listservs, podcasts, etc.
Data analysis and use (school and student performance)
Action research & collaborative work with faculty
Receives support from at least one performance coach
Program personnel conduct formative and summative evaluations of principal performance on criteria rubrics associated with all five leadership performance areas.
Portfolio assessments are conducted twice a year for formative purposes, and the third time as the summative evaluation
Principals must demonstrate improved performance on rubrics related to the five leadership performance areas. Notably, principals must demonstrate improved student performance over the three years of the
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