Massachusetts Performance Assessment for Leaders (PAL)
PAL Candidate Assessment Handbook
performance in the priority academic area that clarifies factors contributing to the performance problem, including findings from observations and staff and student interviews, focus groups, and/or surveys pertaining to student and teacher cultures and to the school culture overall.
Document existing school programs, services, and practices that are relevant to the student group’s performance in the priority area and identify the gaps in effectiveness and opportunities for improvement.
Solicit input from school leaders, teachers, and other relevant stakeholders throughout the inquiry and planning process about the student learning needs, priorities, gaps, and opportunities for improvement. Also solicit proposed improvement strategies.
Develop a vision, a set of action strategies, and a proposed detailed plan to improve the student group’s learning in the priority academic area, based on the data and input you collected and analyzed.
Solicit feedback about the need for addressing the student group’s performance in the proposed priority area and the relevance and feasibility of the proposed plan from school leaders and key stakeholder groups in the school and its community.
Evaluate the feedback and make appropriate revisions to the plan to reflect the feedback.
Summarize and constructively critique the leadership skills and practices that you used or developed in completing this task.
What Questions Do You Need to Consider to Complete This Task?
What school and district data exist about student performance, school context, and school culture?
Which individuals at the school and district level are best informed to advise you on the selection of a priority academic area?
What clarifying information, relevant to the selection and improvement of the priority academic area, can be obtained from observations and interviews with stakeholders?
What sources of evidence make an argument compelling when advocating for educational changes on behalf of the targeted student group(s)?
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PAL Candidate Assessment Handbook
Each school has a unique set of attributes that defines its context, including grade span, size, staffing composition, resources, attrition rates, and the demographic characteristics of students and staff. Consider the elements of the school context that are relevant to the priority academic area and targeted student group you select and the school vision and plan you develop.
