Chapter 1
Strategic Leadership
Course: School Leaders Licensure Assessment 6990
Subject: School Leaders Licensure Assessment 6990
Chapter: Strategic Leadership
A school leader promotes a culture where improvement is expected, supported, and continuously monitored. Improvement is not reactive but embedded into school systems, instructional routines, and leadership practices. The leader uses cycles of inquiry, aligns improvement strategies to the school vision, and ensures that all students benefit equitably from these efforts.
1. How to use and interpret multiple sources of data to conduct a needs analysis to identify unique strengths, needs, gaps, and areas of improvement for students and teachers
A school leader uses data as the foundation for school planning. Needs analysis identifies who is thriving, who needs support, and which instructional practices or structures must change.
Key actions: • Review schoolwide outcome data and subgroup data to identify gaps • Examine multiple data points rather than relying on a single measure • Compare current performance to district/state goals and past data trends • Identify strengths to leverage (e.g., strong teacher-student relationships, effective grade-level teams) • Analyze teacher practice data to identify PD and coaching priorities • Use root-cause analysis to determine why a problem exists (not just symptoms)