About The PSEL Tool
The 2015 Professional Standards for Educational Leaders represent the best thinking and latest research related to the impact of leadership on student achievement. The role of the school leader has shifted from a focus on management to a focus on student learning through strong and effective instructional leadership.
Making the standards more “actionable” is the goal of the Leadership Reflection & Growth Tool, which promotes self-reflection and meaningful dialogue by school and district leaders. The tool applies to building-based leaders, as well as central office. In utilizing this tool, key points to consider are:
- This is not an evaluation tool. It is intended for personal and/or team reflection. The goal of the reflection is to target areas of potential growth in leadership practices for both individuals and leadership teams.
- The terms used in the key (emerging, developing and sustaining) reflect growth in leadership practices. The terms are not evaluative.
- Context is critical. For example a leader who has been in a school/district for a significant time may have been able to apply actions related to various standards at the sustaining level. That same leader may move to another district and find that due to conditions in the district, they are again operating at the emerging level. The context of your position, will also determine the priority of the standards you are focused on at any given time. You may determine your current position does not currently require the action delineated for a particular standard you identify as emerging.
- School and district goals, as well as the identification of targeted areas for professional growth, will determine the focus of individual and/or leadership team professional development needs.