Districts Redefine Role of Principal Supervisors
New efforts focus on administrators in charge of school leaders
Last year, the district cut the supervisor-to-principal ratio to 1-to-20, from 1-to-40. Mr. Vitti hopes to reduce it even further. Supervisors are expected to spend 80 percent of their time in the schools. To ensure that's the case, no districtwide meetings are scheduled before 1 p.m. Supervisors are also now assigned primarily by school levels—by elementary, middle, and high schools—and not by geography. Grouping supervisors by grade levels fosters deeper collaboration, learning, and problem-solving among principals in similar environments who face similar challenges. It also makes it easier to coordinate meaningful professional development.
Duval County also created the Four Pillars of Instructional Leadership, which defines the hallmarks of good instructional practices for principals and supervisors. It then teamed up with TNTP, formerly The New Teacher Project, a national nonprofit that trains teachers for posts in low-income schools, and the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning, to offer professional development on the new standards and instructional coaching for both principals and supervisors. At minimum, communication between the district and principals about district goals and initiatives has improved. That has led to deeper trust and greater ownership at the school building level, Mr. Vitti said.
Read the full article on Education Week.
Stay in the Know
Sign up for updates on our latest research, insights, and high-impact work.
"*" indicates required fields
About TNTP
TNTP is the nation’s leading research, policy, and consulting organization dedicated to transforming America’s public education system, so that every generation thrives.
Today, we work side-by-side with educators, system leaders, and communities across 39 states and over 6,000 districts nationwide to reach ambitious goals for student success.
Yet the possibilities we imagine push far beyond the walls of school and the education field alone. We are catalyzing a movement across sectors to create multiple pathways for young people to achieve academic, economic, and social mobility.