2015-16 Public Education in Tennessee: A Policymaker’s Guide | Page 18

PRINCIPAL PREPARATION
Jim Clifton, the Chairman and CEO of Gallup, stated that
Gallup’s research shows that “the single greatest and most
cost effective lever to improvement of K-12 education in
America is to build a pipeline of transformational future
principals.” For this reason, it is imperative that principal
preparation programs in Tennessee produce effective
graduates who have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to lead
schools across our state. Research outlines key components
of effective principal preparation programs including
a research-based curriculum focused on instructional
leadership skills and rich field experiences. In Tennessee,
state policy currently stipulates that all preparation programs
should undergo a thorough, regular, and meaningful program
approval process.

TOPIC TIMELINE
Over the past few years, Tennessee has taken important steps to
ensure that principal preparation programs are preparing graduates
who are able to lead schools across Tennessee. Here are key events:

2007-08: Tennessee convened a group called the “Leadership
Redesign Commission.” The development of the Tennessee
Learning Centered Leadership policy was the result of the
recommendations provided by this group appointed by the
SBOE and THEC.35
December 2008: The SBOE passed the Learning Centered

Leadership Policy.36 This policy instituted new standards for
principals, called the Tennessee Instructional Leadership
Standards (TILS), which “align [the] selection, preparation,
licensure, evaluation, and professional development” of
school principals.37 This update of Tennessee’s school
leadership policies translated into the redesign of the
admiss [ۜ