The Changing
Role of School Leaders
Michigan Leaders Address the Issue
of Principal Certification
by Marianne Yared McGuire,
Chair, Elevating Educational Leadership Task Force, Michigan State
Board of Education
In August 2002, the State Board of Education’s Task Force
on Elevating Educational Leadership presented findings of its
year-long study on school administrators. The report concluded
that the role of principal has dramatically changed over the past
decade. The position of principal has taken on multiple layers
of duties with expertise required in the following areas:
- Curriculum
- Grant writing and fundraising
- Law
- Marketing and public relations
- Diplomacy with parents and the community
- Security and safety
- Special education
- Education administrator
- Building manager
Consequently, the Task Force concluded that academic needs of
individuals seeking to be a principal are downplayed while managerial
aspects are accented. The Task Force report found that fewer educators
aspire to the position of school principal, those who do apply
focus more on their managerial capabilities than on their academic
backgrounds.
The Task Force concluded that a continuing focus on the role
of principal as manager is not beneficial to improving the educational
performance of students. When a principal is hired based on managerial
qualifications, s/he may not have the background necessary to
offer needed guidance on student behavior, curriculum development,
or other instructionally relevant issues. The Task Force recommends
that schools need principals who are familiar with a variety of
data sources and know how to analyze the results and apply them
toward elevating student achievement.
“It might be a little extreme to say we found a way to put the “pal” back in principal, but hopefully, with the task force report’s recommendations in place, we will see a day in the near future when principals aren’t so isolated by the overwhelming nature
of the job.”
Marianne Yared McGuire, Elevating Educational Leadership Task Force Chair
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As policy makers, the State Board has an obligation to assure
children, parents, and commu-nities that their schools are staffed
with leaders qualified to help teachers teach what students are
required to learn and that principals complete a scholarly, research-based
preparation and certification process. We need to affirm that
every school has a leader who is educated to offer the best opportunities
possible for the teachers and students in that building.
For more information, contact:
Marianne Yared McGuire, (313) 882-5289, mcguiremar@earthlink.net
or State Board of Education, 608 West Allegan St., P.O. Box 30008,
Lansing, MI 48909, (517) 373-3324, www.michigan.gov/mde.
Did You Know...
Members of the State Board of Education
Are Elected
Eight members of the State
Board of Education are elected at-large on a statewide
partisan ballot to serve eight-year terms. Two Board members
are elected every two years. In addition to eight voting
members, the Board has two ex-officio members—the Governor
and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Vacancies
on the Board are filled by gubernatorial appointment for
the remainder of the term. The Board elects officers for
two-year terms.
The State Board’s Mandate
“Leadership and general supervision over all public
education, including adult education and instructional programs
in state institutions, except as to institutions of higher
education granting baccalaureate degrees, is vested in a
State Board of Education. It shall serve as the general
planning and coordinating body for all public education,
and shall advise the legislature as to the financial requirements
in connection therewith...” Excerpt from The Constitution,
article VII, Section 3
Examples of Statutory Powers
- Appointing the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
- Approving accreditation standards for school districts.
- Setting criteria for grants awarded by the Department
of Education.
- Approving teacher preparation standards.
- Approving K-12 curriculum standards.
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