Section 29.130  Superintendent

 

Each candidate for the superintendent's endorsement shall be required to meet the standards set forth in this Section in addition to those set forth in Section 29.100 of this Part.

 

a)         Facilitating a Vision of Educational Excellence - The competent school superintendent is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of educational excellence that is shared and supported by the school community.

 

1)         Knowledge Indicators - The competent superintendent:

 

A)        understands the needs of different groups in a pluralistic society.

 

B)        understands theories and methodologies of teaching and learning.

 

C)        understands the principles of developing, implementing, and evaluating long-term plans.

 

D)        understands theories of and research on organizational and educational leadership.

 

E)         understands information sources, data collection, and data analysis strategies.

 

F)         understands appropriate channels and media for communicating plans, ideas, and goals to the board of education, staff, parents, students, and the community.

 

G)        understands effective consensus-building and negotiation skills.

 

H)        understands the historical, moral, philosophical, and political traditions of education in the USA and other countries.

 

I)          understands systems and theories of educational assessment and evaluation.

 

J)         understands human and financial resources needed to implement and support the realization of the district's vision, mission, and goals.

 

2)         Performance Indicators - The competent superintendent:

 

A)        facilitates and engages in activities that promote the success of all students by understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

 

B)        facilitates and engages in activities that promote appropriate academic rigor and excellence for all students and staff.

 

C)        facilitates and engages in activities that support a nurturing and high-performing culture and climate through the use of symbols, ceremonies, stories, and similar activities reflecting the diversity of the school community.

 

D)        facilitates and engages in activities that collaboratively develop vision and goals among teachers, support staff, students, administrators, board members, parents, and community members.

 

E)         facilitates and engages in activities that articulate and model core beliefs of the school district and effectively communicates and takes actions to achieve the district's vision, mission, and goals.

 

F)         facilitates and engages in activities that form and implement educational programs, policies, plans, and actions to realize the district's vision, mission, and goals.

 

G)        facilitates and engages in activities that form and implement vision, mission, and goals that shape purpose and direction for individuals and groups.

 

H)        facilitates and engages in activities that affect the collection, organization and analysis of a variety of information, including data on student performance, to assess progress toward the district's vision, mission, and goals.

 

I)          facilitates and engages in activities that develop an implementation plan in which objectives and strategies to achieve the district's vision, mission, and goals are clearly articulated and linked to students' learning.

 

J)         facilitates and engages in activities that identify, clarify, and address barriers to achieving the vision, mission, and goals.

 

K)        facilitates and engages in activities that obtain and organize financial, human, and material resources to realize the district's vision, mission, and goals.

 

L)         facilitates and engages in activities that monitor, evaluate, and revise the district's vision, mission, goals, and implementation plans regularly.

 

b)         Learning Environment and Instructional Program - The competent school superintendent is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by advocating and nurturing a constantly improving learning environment and an instructional program based upon educationally sound principles of curriculum development, learning and teaching theory, and professional development.

 

1)         Knowledge Indicators - The competent superintendent:

 

A)        understands the principles of human growth and development and their application to the school environment and instructional program.

 

B)        understands the concept of school climate as it applies to students' and staff's performance.

 

C)        understands the educational change process.

 

D)        understands a variety of educational research methodologies and their comparable strengths and weaknesses.

 

E)         understands cognition and learning theories and their relationship to instruction.

 

F)         understands technology applications for administrators, staff, and students that enhance the learning and instructional program.

 

G)        understands a variety of methods for assessing and evaluating students' performance.

 

H)        understands professional development models and adult learning theory.

 

2)         Performance Indicators - The competent superintendent:

 

A)        facilitates and engages in activities that develop a climate that is supportive of continuous improvement of the instructional program.

 

B)        facilitates and engages in activities that apply the principles of human growth and development.

 

C)        facilitates and engages in activities that systematically design and implement procedures and instruments for evaluating the instructional program.

 

D)        facilitates and engages in activities that systematically support staff development to enhance the learning environment and the instructional program.

 

E)         facilitates and engages in activities that use best practices and sound educational research to inform changes in instructional practices and curricular materials.

 

F)         facilitates and engages in activities that promote reflective practices among administrators, teachers, and staff.

 

G)        facilitates and engages in activities that promote an environment that encourages responsible risk-taking.

 

H)        facilitates and engages in activities that provide a climate in which treatment of all individuals with respect, dignity, and fairness is valued.

 

I)          facilitates and engages in activities that promote the appropriate use of technology to enhance students' learning and professionals' growth.

 

J)         facilitates and engages in activities that promote high expectations for self, staff, and students.

 

K)        facilitates and engages in activities that deal with the ambiguity and uncertainty that accompanies the change process.

 

L)         facilitates and engages in activities that result in systematic assessment of and response to individual students' academic performance, reporting on that performance, and evaluation of the instructional program.

 

M)       facilitates and engages in activities that connect educational standards to the instructional program.

 

N)        facilitates and engages in activities that coordinate district staff and outside agencies in determining and enforcing educational standards.

 

O)        facilitates and engages in activities that foster lifelong learning.

 

c)         Management - The competent school superintendent is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by ensuring management of the organization, operations, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.

 

1)         Knowledge Indicators - The competent superintendent:

 

A)        has knowledge and understanding of a variety of practices and models for the management of the school district as an organizational system.

 

B)        has knowledge and understanding of principles of human resource management and development to maximize the effectiveness of all constituents of the school district.

 

C)        has knowledge and understanding of practices, policies, and procedures for operating and maintaining the school district's facilities, equipment, and auxiliary services.

 

D)        has knowledge and understanding of principles of financial planning and management for efficient fiscal operation in support of the school district's vision, mission, and goals.

 

E)         has knowledge and understanding of school districts' operational policies and procedures that enhance student learning.

 

F)         has knowledge and understanding of practices and procedures to ensure safe and secure schools for students, parents, staff, and community members.

 

G)        has knowledge and understanding of practices and procedures to ensure that school districts' management functions are supported by current technologies.

 

2)         Performance Indicators - The competent superintendent:

 

A)        facilitates and engages in activities that use core organizational processes (including planning, communication, decision making, problem solving, and information management) for operational effectiveness and organizational development.

 

B)        facilitates and engages in activities that empower all constituents of the school district (e.g., staff, students, and parents) as leaders to support change efforts through the use of delegation, collaboration, and collegial strategies.

 

C)        facilitates and engages in activities that employ supervisory and performance appraisal techniques to enhance and develop the knowledge and skills of instructional and non-instructional staff.

 

D)        facilitates and engages in activities that support and facilitate professional development activities for all constituents of the school district, focusing on the improvement of teaching and learning outcomes.

 

E)         facilitates and engages in activities that use core human resource processes (including recruitment, selection, induction, and negotiation) to support an effective learning environment.

 

F)         facilitates and engages in activities that ensure the physical plant is accessible, well maintained, functional, secure, and conducive to the support of the full range of the school district's curricular and extracurricular programs.

 

G)        facilitates and engages in activities that provide efficient delivery of core auxiliary services (including health and nutrition, pupil transportation, risk management, and school security).

 

H)        facilitates and engages in activities that identify financial and material assets and resources and acquire them for subsequent allocation according to the school district's goals and goal priorities.

 

I)          facilitates and engages in activities that maximize fiscal resources through core financial management processes (including planning, budgeting, procurement, accounting, and monitoring).

 

J)         facilitates and engages in activities that create operational plans and procedures in support of school district's vision, mission, and goals.

 

K)        facilitates and engages in activities that use organizational monitoring systems to ensure policy implementation.

 

L)         facilitates and engages in activities that use management techniques to define roles, assign functions, and delegate accountability relative to achieving goals.

 

M)       facilitates and engages in activities that operate school plant, equipment, and support systems securely, safely, efficiently, and effectively.

 

N)        facilitates and engages in activities that maintain secure, safe, clean, and esthetically pleasing school environments that foster student learning.

 

O)        facilitates and engages in activities that identify management functions that can be improved using technology.

 

P)         facilitates and engages in activities that provide ongoing training and review to ensure the productive and efficient use of technology in school district management.

 

d)         Collaboration with Families and Communities - The competent school superintendent is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by collaborating with families and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs and mobilizing community resources.

 

1)         Knowledge Indicators - The competent superintendent:

 

A)        has knowledge and understanding of the multiple groups of stakeholders that comprise the school community, which includes but is not limited to parents, religious groups, business and industry, service organizations, local and county government, students, other taxpayers, and employees of organizations within the community.

 

B)        has knowledge and understanding of the conditions and dynamics of the racial, ethnic, linguistic, religious, and socio-economic diversity of the community.

 

C)        has knowledge and understanding of community resources that provide services that support the vision, mission, and goals of the school district.

 

D)        has knowledge and understanding of school-community relations and marketing strategies and processes.

 

E)         has knowledge and understanding of emerging issues and trends that potentially affect the school community and the mission of the school.

 

F)         has knowledge and understanding of successful models of partnerships between district schools and families, businesses, community groups, government agencies, and higher education.

 

G)        has knowledge and understanding of the political nature of schools and how the political system operates.

 

2)         Performance Indicators - The competent superintendent:

 

A)        facilitates and engages in activities that clearly articulate the district's vision, mission, and goals to multiple stakeholders.

 

B)        facilitates and engages in activities that use political structures and skills to build community support for the district's priorities.

 

C)        facilitates and engages in activities that provide effective communication with individuals and organizations throughout the community.

 

D)        facilitates and engages in activities that inform the district's decision making by collecting and organizing a variety of formal and informal information from multiple stakeholders.

 

E)         facilitates and engages in activities that provide communications from the district that are written and spoken clearly and forcefully.

 

F)         facilitates and engages in activities that demonstrate formal and informal listening skills.

 

G)        facilitates and engages in activities that demonstrate group leadership skills.

 

H)        facilitates and engages in activities that identify and consider various political interests within the community environment in the district's decision making.

 

I)          facilitates and engages in activities that educate the community about school funding and referenda.

 

J)         facilitates and engages in activities that mediate conflict between the district and various stakeholders.

 

K)        facilitates and engages in activities that involve the school organization and community in school improvement efforts.

 

L)         facilitates and engages in activities that demonstrate the ability to build consensus.

 

M)       facilitates and engages in activities that foster educational partnerships with a variety of persons and organizations to promote delivery of educational opportunities.

 

e)         Knowledge of Laws, Regulations and Professional Ethics - The competent school superintendent is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by understanding and applying knowledge of laws, regulations, and professional ethics related to schools and children.

 

1)         Knowledge Indicators - The competent superintendent:

 

A)        has knowledge and understanding of current legal, regulatory, and ethical issues affecting education.

 

B)        has knowledge and understanding of the legal rights and responsibilities of students, staff, and parents/guardians.

 

C)        has knowledge and understanding of federal and State education laws and regulations.

 

D)        has knowledge and understanding of the legal aspects of school administration.

 

E)         has knowledge and understanding of the system of public school governance in Illinois.

 

F)         has knowledge and understanding of the responsibilities and functions of school committees and boards.

 

G)        has knowledge and understanding of procedures for formulating and implementing board policies and operating procedures.

 

H)        has knowledge and understanding of the moral and ethical responsibilities of schools and members of the school community.

 

I)          has knowledge and understanding of how to establish and implement policies that promote ethical behavior and high professional standards through collaboration with stakeholders.

 

J)         has knowledge and understanding of how the Illinois and U.S. Constitutions, a district's policies, and laws regulate the behavior of students, staff, and administrators in the schools.

 

K)        has knowledge and understanding of the role of public education in developing and renewing a democratic society and an economically productive nation.

 

L)         has knowledge and understanding of models and strategies of change and conflict resolution as applied to schools.

 

2)         Performance Indicators - The competent superintendent:

 

A)        facilitates and engages in activities that ensure an ongoing dialogue with and among representatives of diverse community groups.

 

B)        facilitates and engages in activities that lead the school community to operate within the framework of policies, laws, and regulations enacted by local, State, and federal authorities and professional ethical standards.

 

C)        facilitates and engages in activities that foster a board/superintendent working relationship that promotes and actualizes the district's vision, missions, and goals.

 

D)        facilitates and engages in activities that shape public policy to provide high-quality education for students.

 

E)         facilitates and engages in activities that provide clear distinctions between board policies and operating procedures.

 

F)         facilitates and engages in activities that base decisions on the legal, moral, and ethical implications of policy options and political strategies.

 

G)        facilitates and engages in activities that create a collaborative relationship with staff to implement policies to promote behavior and professional practices consistent with high ethical standards.