Housed at Indiana State University’s Principal Leadership Institute, the Indiana New Administrator Leadership Institute helps beginning administrators become more effective instructional leaders, while more quickly and comfortably assuming the duties and responsibilities of school administration. Participants also will receive extensive teacher evaluation training, coaching by highly qualified mentors, and monthly regional meetings with peers. The idea for INALI originated from discussions among the partnering associations in regards to the challenges school districts face in retaining new principals and administrators, and the need for additional support for these new educators.
“For our students to succeed, it is imperative we equip our principals and administrators with every tool they need to be effective,” said Dr. J.T. Coopman, executive director of the Indiana State Association of Public School Superintendents. “By offering this Institute to educational leaders, we are putting a model in place that will ultimately have a significant impact on our students, schools and communities.”Coopman added.
A direct link exists between administrator leadership, effective teachers and student achievement. Teacher turnover is reduced by four percent for every year a principal is at a school. And, effective principals can increase student test scores by ten percentile points after just one year on the job. While information for Indiana is anecdotal in nature, other state statistics show that less than 50 percent of principals remain at the same school after five years.
“A new principal can quickly become overwhelmed by the daily and diverse needs of running a school,” said Dr. Todd Bess, executive director of the Indiana Association of School Principals. “By utilizing the talents and experience of mentors and coaching, this Institute will give our principals concrete strategies to influence student and teacher success, while managing the day-to-day operations in their building,” Added Bass.
Participants in INALI receive membership in the Indiana Association of School Principals and will participate in the Association’s seminars and conferences. Mentors will conduct regional focus group meetings with recipients and communicate weekly to assist with questions or issues the new administrators face. The Institute is supported by a $600 school corporation fee and non-appropriated state dollars The Institute’s first workshop will be held July 20-22, 2014 at the Indiana Association of School Principals Conference Center in Indianapolis.
Applicants should apply at www.indianapli.org. Additional seminars will be held in September and February and at the Association’s Assistant Principal and Principal Conferences in November.
“The Indiana Principal Leadership Institute is thrilled to be a part of this effort to strengthen the leadership capacity of new principals and school administrators,” said Linda Marrs-Morford, executive director of the Indiana Principal Leadership Institute. “Through our work, we hope also to establish a baseline of how these new leaders are faring and compile data that can be used to enhance the new leader experience even more,” added Marrs-Morford
