Toward Instructional Leadership: Principals’ Perceptions of Large-Scale Assessment in Schools - Issue 140 - March 12, 2013

Oct 15, 2026

Study examines Saskatchewan school principals’ perceptions of large-scale assessment reform and how reform has influenced their principal roles. Findings indicate that, particularly regarding provincial assessments, large-scale measures affected principals more positively than negatively or not at all. The study reports possible links between assessment reforms and a movement toward instructional leadership practices, such as goal setting, improving instruction, and measuring changes in student learning. Implications are provided.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages30

Reading Time1 h 16 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Background to the Study: The Role of the Principal

Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, Issue \#140, March 12, 2013. © by CJEAP and the author(s) . TOWARD INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP: PRINCIPALS’ PERCEPTIONS OF LARGE-SCALE ASSESSMENT IN SCHOOLS Michelle Prytula, Brian Noonan, and Laurie Hellsten, University of Saskatchewan This paper describes a study of the perceptions that Saskatchewan school principals have regarding large-scale assessment reform and their perceptions of how assessment reform has affected their roles as principals. The findings revealed that large-scale assessments, especially provincial assessments, have affected the principal in Saskatchewan more positively than negatively or not at all, and that large-scale assessments appeared, in some cases, to have catalyzed the principals to move toward practices of instructional leadership, including goal setting, improving instructional practices, and measuring changes in student learning. Implications are included. Introduction A growing body of research on effective schools demonstrates relationships between leadership focused on outcomes and student success (Crum & Sherman, 2008; Dinham, 2005; Leithwood & Jantzi, 2008; Leithwood, Patten, & Jantzi, 2010) . At the same time, research exploring the relationship between leadership and student learning in the context of the current accountability movement has shown extensive implications for the role of the principal (Elmore, 2008; Leithwood, 2000; Renihan, 2008). Historical changes to the role of the principal, including recent decades, have expanded the principal's role and increased its complexity, demanding more time of the principal than ever before (Goodwin, Cunningham, & Childress, 2003; Lashway, Toward Instructional Leadership: Principals’ Perceptions of Large-Scale Assessment in Schools As a result, some principals are struggling with increased stress on the job, challenging and rigid reporting requirements, and lack of time to do the work (Tirozzi, 2001; Volante, Cherubini, & Drake, 2008). Although encouraged by leadership theory, some principals struggle with abandoning managerial roles for instructional leadership roles, but are confronted with little professional development support (Hargreaves, 2009; Volante, et al., 2008) . Others perceive themselves as not capable of handling this “daunting set of expectations”(Noonan & Renihan, 2006, p. 9) . Despite these efforts, many succumb to the middle manager role of the principal, stuck between pleasing those above and pleasing those below (Hallinger, 2003) . In Saskatchewan, schools are increasingly faced with assessment reform, complemented by regular pan-Canadian and provincial assessment initiatives. Saskatchewan recently added its own provincial assessment in 2006. This assessment reform creates conditions which challenge the traditional conceptions of leadership, and, coupled with public scrutiny, create significant tensions in the work of the principal. Until now, little research has been conducted on how the role of school principals has been affected. This paper describes a study of the perceptions that Saskatchewan school principals have regarding large-scale assessment reform and their perceptions of how assessment reform has affected their roles as principals. Background to the Study: The Role of the Principal The role of the principal has changed considerably since its formal inception in the early 1900s, shifting according to political eras and societal changes (Goodwin, et al., 2003) . The principal’s role did not exist in the one-room schoolhouse, as teachers performed all functions. As schools grew in size and bureaucracy increased, the role was officially recognized in the early 1900s as one of manager and coordinator of activities. The nature of the role varied Toward Instructional Leadership: Principals’ Perceptions of Large-Scale Assessment in Schools over time depending on social paradigm, politics, and the economy, but it was with the deve

FAQs

What does the study focus on regarding Saskatchewan principals?

The study examines principals’ perceptions of large-scale assessment reform and how the reform has affected their roles as principals.

What were the key findings about large-scale assessments?

Large-scale assessments, especially provincial assessments, affected Saskatchewan principals more positively than negatively or not at all.

How may assessment reform influence principals’ practices?

In some cases, assessment reform appears to catalyze principals to shift toward instructional leadership, including goal setting, improving instructional practices, and measuring changes in student learning.

Oct 15, 2026

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