In 2020, Metro Nashville Public Schools collaborated with the Tennessee Education Research Alliance (TERA) and the Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) to explore the current state of principal effectiveness in the district and develop strategies for improving leadership in the district.

Using qualitative and quantitative data, as well as national best practice research, the team analyzed MNPS’ leadership values and created a set of belief statements about the role of the principal, competencies, and the role of the district.  Additionally, the Core Team which was comprised of representatives from the district leadership team and principal supervisor developed a leadership framework that was adopted by MNPS in December 2020. The team culminated the project with a set of strategies and pilots around leadership foundations, selection, and development to galvanize leaders to accelerate principal effectiveness.

We created this guide to capture seven months of brainstorming, data, strategies, and project artifacts to support the implementation of recommendations.

In this section, you will find the MNPS Leadership Framework, which was collaboratively revised to reflect the district’s values and priorities.  The Principal Quality Theory of Action illustrates the district’s goals for the Principal Quality Initiative including the strategies, outcomes, and ultimate positive impact of increased principal effectiveness. 

The Explore page presents five top priorities and six long-term strategies that are sequenced for maximum impact. Each strategy is based in research and reflective of national best practices.

The Project Artifacts created during our time together are now available through downloadable links. This section includes all workshop powerpoints, sample tools, etc.

For questions about this guide, please contact Katie Cour at [email protected]. 

A Leadership Framework is a set of principles defining what leaders must know and be able to do. It serves as a road map for aspiring leaders and as an anchor for district leadership. An effective framework aligns to and provides the language for roles and responsibilities, key behaviors, and evaluation metrics.

In November 2020, the Core Team formally adopted this MNPS Leadership Framework.