THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL’S ROLE IN LARGE-SCALE ASSESSMENT - read online free

Oct 15, 2026

Interpretive research investigates how 25 elementary school principals describe their assessment knowledge, the use of large-scale assessments (LSA) in their schools, and how their roles are changing. Findings indicate that external accountability pressures are redefining principalship, emphasizing teaching other staff about assessment, advocating for assessment, and organizing and managing data. The paper argues that these emerging functions can reshape instructional leadership by strengthening how data informs learning and professional development.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Principals’ role changes under large-scale assessment

Interview evidence on assessment use and responsibilities

Implications for assessment leadership and instructional leadership

THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL’S ROLE IN LARGE-SCALE ASSESSMENT Paul Newton, University of Alberta, Scott Tunison, Saskatoon Public Schools, and Melody Viczko, University of Alberta This paper reports on an interpretive study in which 25 elementary principals were asked about their assessment knowledge, the use of large-scale assessments in their schools, and principals‟ perceptions on their roles with respect to large-scale assessments. Principals in this study suggested that the current context of largescale assessment and accountability has resulted in their roles being redefined. In particular, they suggested that it is the principal‟s role to teach other staff members about assessment, to advocate for assessment, and to organize and manage data. We argue that these emerging roles have the potential to redefine instructional leadership in schools. Introduction Over the past decade, large-scale assessments (LSA) have become a prominent feature of school reform efforts in Canada (Klinger, DeLuca, & Miller, 2008). Virtually all school systems in the country have expended considerable effort in preparing staff members to use data from these assessments, yet relatively little academic attention has been paid to the role of school principals in these LSAs (Noonan & Renihan, 2006) . In this paper, we report on an interpretive study in which principals were asked to discuss their level of assessment knowledge, how LSAs are used in schools, and the emerging roles and responsibilities of principals in the context of large-scale assessments. The findings ofthis study suggest that the principalship is undergoing significant changes in response to the external pressures placed upon school systems by school reform initiatives, particularly those initiatives that employ large-scale assessment as a key driver for school-level accountability. Noonan and Renihan (2006) argued that the role of the principal has changed significantly because of “the sustained emphasis among governments throughout the world on school accountability for student achievement”(p. 1) . Similarly, they suggested that these reforms have resulted in a “shift in emphasis from the supervision of teaching to the supervision of learning”(p. 4) . In this study, we interviewed 25 elementary school principals about: (a) how data from the Canadian Achievement Test (version 3) (CAT3), the Canadian Test of Cognitive Skill (CTCS), and the provincial achievement tests (PAT) were being used in their schools; (b) the school administrator‟s role in large-scale assessment; and (c) the types of supports required by principals with respect to large-scale assessment. The increased attention on LSAs has led to profound changes in the work of school principals. One change that has become central to the work of school-level administrators is that of “an educative role …in nurturing assessment-related professional development”(Noonan & Renihan, 2006, p. 8) Similarly, Picciano (2006) stated that “teachers‟ use of data-driven decision processes [e.g., LSA data] needs the support of confident administrators [and these data should be used as a springboard] for supporting professional development activities”(p. 144) . Lunenburg and Irby (2006) stated that teachers “need training on using assessment results to diagnose learning gaps”(p. 16). Matthews and Crow (2003) stated that “the principal may have to help others understand which set of data is more important to consider in the assessment of the program”(p. 185). Presumably, it will fall to school principals to provide the training necessary for teachers to be successful in using LSA data, if not directly, then through the provision of appropriate professional development targeted at assessment. The increasing centrality of LSAs in the work of principals has implications for the knowledge base of the principalship. Principals require sophisticated knowledge of the nature and purpose of LSAs, as well as the processes by which asse

FAQs

What was the focus of the interpretive study?

The study explored principals’ assessment knowledge, how large-scale assessments are used in their schools, and principals’ perceptions of their roles related to large-scale assessments.

How did principals describe changes to their roles?

Principals suggested that accountability and LSA conditions redefined their roles, including teaching staff about assessment, advocating for assessment, and organizing and managing data.

What are the proposed implications for instructional leadership?

The paper argues that these emerging principal roles have the potential to redefine instructional leadership by shifting emphasis toward how learning and professional development are supported through assessment data.

Oct 15, 2026

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