Principal Evaluation & Selection

LSC Assistance: Principal Evaluation, Retention, and Selection
Choosing a school principal is the number one job of a Chicago Local School Council. DFC support to LSCs in this important process. Read or download important documents, including
-- Ten Toughest Obstacles to Overcome in Principal Evaluation, Retention, and/or Selection
-- Q and A about Changes to the Open Meetings Act, effective January 1, 2004
-- Browse other principal evaluation and selection documents.

Approximately 300 Chicago Principals May Be Hired or Re-Hired This Year -- Ensure That Your LSC Makes the Most Informed Decision Possible. Find out if your school must complete a principal evaluation in the 2005-06 school year.

Free principal evaluation and selection workshops:
-- participants will receive credit for required LSC Lessons 5 or 6
-- registration is required; please call Shara Rowley at 312-236-7252, ext. 245

Please check back for Principal Evaluation & Selection Workshop dates and times

The research is clear. Chicago Public Schools that have raised student achievement in the last decade have both strong, effective Local School Councils and strong, effective principals.
• Excellent LSCs have an active working relationship with their principal. Excellent LSCs hold their principal accountable, but also respect their principal’s areas of authority.
• Excellent LSCs evaluate their principal fairly.
• Excellent LSCs select their school’s principal with great care.

During this year, at least 200 school principal positions are up for renewal. Nearly 100 more may retire. This is approximately HALF of all CPS school principals.

If your principal's contract expires in 2005-06, your LSC must conduct an evaluation of the principal's performance under the expiring contract.

Take these critical steps now:
• Learn how to develop a stronger working relationship with your principal.
• Learn how to evaluate your principal carefully and fairly. If your principal’s contract expires in June, your LSC must do a quality evaluation of your principal by January 1, 2006.
• Learn how to select the best possible principal — if you decide not to renew your principal's contract or if the position becomes vacant for another reason.

To become an excellent LSC, you need to:
• Understand your legal rights and responsibilities in principal evaluation, retention, and selection.
• Understand how effective LSCs and principals work together to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Are you recruiting, assisting, and recognizing first-rate teachers? Are you involving parents and community members in the educational process? Are you building the best school environment in which children can learn?

Learn about these and other key standards for evaluating and selecting the leader of your Chicago public school.

If your LSC has issues that you would like to discuss, we encourage you to e-mail us directly for assistance, or you may call 312/236-7252 and speak with Valencia Rias (ext 241).