2014-15 State of Education in Tennessee | Page 39

In October 2013, Governor Haslam announced the creation of a new principal preparation program, partnering school districts and Vanderbilt University to train approximately 30 school leaders every year. In an address to education stakeholders, Governor Haslam emphasized the importance of school leaders, stating, “Successful organizations have great leaders at the top, and one of the most important things we can do to transform our schools is to have each one led by a great principal.”107 The creation of this program signifies an important investment in the state’s continued commitment to school leadership. Principal Evaluation: In order to improve student access to high-quality school leaders, it is essential for current principals to receive actionable feedback that allows them to develop as instructional leaders throughout their career. The principal evaluation rubric was revised in 2014 to align with the TILS and to better reflect current research on best practices in school leadership. This revised evaluation will be implemented in the 2014-15 school year.108 To ensure the revised principal evaluation rubric is implemente