Department of Education
Kevin Huffman, Commissioner

School Leadership and Organization Culture

Policy, Governance and Strategic Planning

Communication and Community Resources

Organizational Management and Shared Decision-Making

Curriculum Planning and Management

Instructional Management and Assessment

Human Resources and Professional Development

Values and Ethics Leadership

School Leadership and Organization Culture

• Developing collective vision; shaping school system culture and climate;
• Promoting academic rigor and excellence;
• Providing purpose and direction for individuals and groups;
• Communicating expectations; understanding national and international issues affecting education;
• Setting organization priorities; recognizing and respecting diversity; and
• Serving as articulate spokesperson for the welfare of students.

Policy, Governance and Strategic Planning

• Developing procedures, relationships and strategies for working with board of education;
• Developing mutual expectations with board of education;
• Adjusting local policy to meet state, federal and constitution provisions and standards;
• Understanding public school governance in a democratic society;
• Recognizing and applying standards involving civil and criminal liabilities; and
• Encouraging innovation and formulating strategic plans, goals and change efforts with board of education, staff, and community.

Communications and Community Resources

• Articulating school system purpose and priorities to the community and mass media;
• Requesting and responding to community feedback;
• Identifying and addressing issues;
• Building consensus and mediating conflicts;
• Formulating and carrying out plans for internal and external communications;
• Aligning the needs of constituencies and developing community support for school priorities and programs;
• Building partnerships with parents, business and civic organizations; and
• Relating political initiatives and referenda to the welfare of children.

Organizational Management and Shared Decision-Making

• Gathering, analyzing and using data for decision making;
• Managing data flow;
• Framing and developing priorities and formulating solutions to problems;
• Resolving complex problems;
• Planning and scheduling personal and organization work;
• Establishing procedures to regulate activities and projects;
• Delegating and empowering others to assume responsibility and carry out tasks;
• Securing and allocating human and material resources;
• Using technological applications to enhance administration of school system;
• Developing and managing the school system budget; and
• Maintaining accurate fiscal records.

Curriculum Planning and Development

• Designing curriculum and strategic plan to enhance teaching and learning in multiple contexts;
• Developing and supporting early childhood education and parent involvement;
• Planning to anticipate occupational trends and their educational implications;
• Identifying taxonomies of instructional goals and objectives;
• Validating processes and procedures for curricular units;
• Understanding and using theories of cognitive development;
• Aligning and sequencing curriculum to ensure improved student performance and higher order thinking; and
• Determining the proper use of computers and other informational technologies for learning.

Instructional Management and Assessment

• Implementing an instructional system based upon research findings on learning, child and family development, instructional strategies and time, classroom structure and management, technology and resources, multicultural sensitivity, integration of curriculum and resources, and assessment strategies;
• Acquiring and interpreting key student assessment information to improve instruction; and
• Addressing state and national content standards, and performance standards and assessments.

Human Resources and Professional Development

• Developing a staff evaluation and development system to improve performance;
• Selecting and implementing appropriate models for supervision based upon adult learning and motivation research;
• Identifying and designing attractive employee benefit packages;
• Understanding and applying legal requirements for personnel selection, development, retention and dismissal;
• Identifying high quality professional development opportunities for self and staff; and
• Acquiring new learnings.

Values and Ethics of Leadership

• Understanding and modeling appropriate value systems, ethics and moral leadership;
• Promoting moral and ethical practices in each classroom and school;
• Understanding and describing the role of education in a democratic society;
• Exhibiting multicultural and ethnic understanding and related behavior;
• Adapting educational programming to the needs of diverse constituencies;
• Balancing complex community demands in the best interest of students;
• Scanning and monitoring the environment for staff and student development opportunities;
• Responding ethically and skillfully to the mass media; and
• Coordinating with community agencies to help students grow and develop as caring, informed citizens.