PeopleAdmin Introduces Tool to Evaluate K–12 Principals

The link between principal leadership and student learning is strong. In fact, a 2015 report from education philanthropy The Wallace Foundation said that principals are “multipliers of effective training,” emphasizing how school leadership is second only to teaching among school-related influences on student learning. To help schools select principals that match their needs, a talent management software company has launched a new solution that can determine which candidate will make the most positive impact on a school.

The Principal Educators Professional Inventory (Principal EPI) from PeopleAdmin measures a candidate’s strengths based on dozens of data points to help select a principal that matches the school’s needs. “We developed and validated the Principal EPI by working with experts from the United States and Canada, including more than 500 principals and leaders from 43 urban, suburban and rural school districts,” said Nick Montgomery, chief research officer at PeopleAdmin, in a news release.

According to the company’s website, the platform initially has candidates complete a 45-minute assessment, which ranks their strengths in four categories:

  • Principal Responsibilities: Shows the candidate's knowledge of leading, teaching and learning;
  • Leadership Skills: Explores their creativity and decision-making skills, as well as implementation and follow through;
  • Leadership Disposition: Indicates the personality and values of a candidate; and
  • Principal Qualifications: Ensures the candidate has meet all of the qualifications to become a principal, including licensure requirements, teaching and leadership experiences.

After completing the assessment, candidates are ranked on the Principal ERI candidate grid, which is updated to the minute.

For individuals interested in learning more about the tool, PeopleAdmin is hosting a webinar Feb. 14 at 11 a.m. Central Time called “Today’s Challenges and Emerging Practices when Hiring Quality Teachers and School Principals.” The webinar is free for members of the American Association of School Personnel Administrators and $25 for non-members.

Further information is available on the PeopleAdmin site.

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