District Leader Evaluation

Unlocking District Achievement: The Impact of Effective Leadership

A Visionary Approach to District Leadership

The District Leader Evaluation Model builds upon three decades of research connecting district and school administrator behaviors, to teacher practices and student achievement outcomes. It serves as a cornerstone of a tightly integrated evaluation system that aligns all educators and support staff around the same goals.

The model focuses on the critical priority of student achievement and encourages district leaders to take deliberate actions that empower principals and drive learning. It is aligned with all six domains in the Focused School Leader Evaluation Model and provides a unified framework centered on measurable student success. This alignment strengthens the educational ecosystem, ensuring everyone works cohesively towards improved student outcomes.

male with arms crossed - learning organization education

Enhancing District Culture to Impact Student Achievement

The Marzano District Leader Evaluation Model is based on the most current research into the relationship between school district culture and student achievement.

The model is the only district leader evaluation framework designed to function as a part of an integrated system. It corresponds to both the Focused Teacher Evaluation and Focused School Leader Evaluation frameworks to maximize impact on raising student achievement. The model is also closely aligned with the Focused Non-Classroom Instructional Support Personnel Evaluation Model.

Features of the Marzano District Leader Evaluation Model (2018 Update):

Grounded in research linking district leadership to student success
Designed to function as part of an integrated, unified system across all our evaluation models
Focused squarely on boosting student achievement
Contains six domains with 20 elements of district leader actions and behaviors
Provides a comprehensive, evidence-based framework to ensure that district leaders are evaluated fairly and accurately
Comes with a full slate of tools, professional learning, and expert assistance

School district leader speaking to staff - district leader evaluation model concept

Roadmap to District Growth

The design of this evidence-based model explicitly connects instructional and operational leadership while balancing these interconnected responsibilities.

The framework identifies 20 elements, divided into six areas of expertise to encourage and measure school leader growth.

The first three areas focus on instructional leadership responsibilities:

A Data-Driven Focus to Support Student Achievement
Continuous Support for Improvement of Instruction
Continuous Support for a Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum

The second three areas focus on the operational aspects of leadership:

Community of Care and Collaboration
District Core Values
Resource Allocation Management

The protocols include a specific desired effect for each element and numerous sample evidence statements to support school growth and optimal student learning.

District leaders develop expertise as their performance is evaluated against specific criteria, alignment to professional standards, and specific evidence.