3.7 An imperative for leadership preparation programs: preparing  (Page 8/12)

The role of educator has expanded beyond the original concept of student and teacher working together toward academic achievement. [Supplemental services and programs] are essential to ensure that students are ready to learn and that teachers, support staff, and school administrators are providing the essential services and support systems to ensure that all students have the best opportunity possible to achieve academically and become well-prepared, active, contributing members of society in the world beyond school (p. xii).

Performance expectations and the link to special programs and services

Each policy standard presented in Educational Leadership Policy Standards: ISLLC 2008 (Council of Chief State School Officers, 2008) and as presented and detailed in the companion guide, Performance Expectations and Indicators for Education Leaders: An ISLLC-Based Guide To Implementing Leader Standards And A Companion Guide To The Educational Leadership Policy Standards: ISLLC 2008 (hereafter referred to as the ISLLC-Based Guide) (Sanders&Kearney, 2008), carry equal weight and importance in informing policy development, university preparation programs, and the assessment and evaluation of school site administrative practices. With this in mind, it is important to look briefly at how meeting needs of students and communities through special programs and services is linked to each standards and performance expectation.

Vision, mission, and goals

Standard 1

Element A. High Expectations for All. Sanders&Kearney (2008) state, “The vision and goals establish high, measurable expectations for all students and educators.” (p.14). Indicator 4 under Element A states a leader, “Advocates for a specific vision of learning in which every student has equitable, appropriate, and effective learning opportunities and achieves at high levels” (Sanders&Kearney, 2008, p. 14). This indicator does not say some students should receive these learning opportunities, it states all students. All students encompasses a wide range of students in need of special programs and services including: ESL/bilingual students; those identified in need of special education services; students at-risk of academic failure or dropping out of school; abused, abandoned, and neglected children and young adults; those with health and human service related issues; those falling within the identifiable Title I category; as well as those identified as gifted and talented.

Element B. Shared Commitments to Implement the Vision, Mission, and Goals, provides leadership Indicators which address the importance of staff, community, and diverse stakeholders to be engaged in the commitment to build shared understanding, decision-making, support, responsibility, and “Advocates for and acts on commitments…to provide equitable, appropriate, and effective learning opportunities for every student” (Sanders&Kearney, 2008, p. 14).