This book provides guidelines to Boards of Education and the members of communities to conduct a high-quality, research-based evaluation of their school superintendent. It also includes examples of contemporary practices of evaluating superintendents practiced across the United States. In exploring the important issue of evaluation for the superintendent the complexities and aspects of the process that make it unique are highlighted.

Issues addressed include:

The evaluation process proposed ensures fairness to the superintendent as well as providing accountability to the school district and community. The focus of all evaluations should be on improved performance. Evaluation is a means to an end. The ultimate purpose of superintendent evaluation is improving individual performance in order to ensure quality services and programs to students.

Michael F. DiPaola, Ed.D.is Chancellor Professor in the School of Education at William& Mary whose career in public schools spanned three decades, serving as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, high school principal, and district superintendent. Since joining the university faculty in 1998 his teaching and research, in the Educational Policy, Planning& Leadership Program, has focused on the interactions of professionals in school organizations, formative and summative assessment of professionals, school improvement, and the preparation of school leaders.

Tracey L. Schneider, J.D., Ph.D. began her career in education as an education law attorney and worked for more than a decade with school administrators and boards to understand and comply with laws impacting schools. She is currently Assistant Professor at Stockton University and travels throughout the country providing training and professional development to school administrators, school boards, and attorneys on a variety of education law and policy issues.

Steven R. Staples, Ed.D.is an Executive Professor in the School of Education at William& Mary whose career in public schools spanned four decades, serving as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, assistant superintendent and school superintendent for last 17 of those years. In 2008 joined faculty of the School of Education at William& Mary until 2012, when became the executive director of the state superintendents association. In 2014 Steve was selected and served as State Superintendent of Public Instruction for the Commonwealth of Virginia from 2014 until 2018, when he returned to William& Mary.

Preface: Superintendent Evaluation: an introduction

Chapter 1 superintendent evaluation: getting started

Chapter 2 background and history

Chapter 3 current status of superintendent evaluation state-by-state

Chapter 4 performance standards: the foundation for superintendent evaluation

Chapter 5 documenting the superintendents performance

Chapter 6 implementing the superintendents performance evaluation

Chapter 7 where do we go from here?

Appendices

A: American association of school administrators (aasa) standards and indicators

B: recommended superintendent domains, performance standards, and performance

Indicators

C: superintendent annual performance goals

D: staff and community surveys

E: self-assessment, performance checklist, and interim review

F: superintendent summative evaluation

G: sample summative evaluation form i

H: sample summative evaluation form ii

I: sample summative evaluation form iii

J: sample summative evaluation form iv

K: sample board of education policy evaluation of the superintendent

L: sample board of education procedures evaluation of the superintendent

M: summary tables: superintendent evaluation state-by-state

Index

About the authors