Principals and PreK-3rd Reforms

Principals can make or break a school: They set school priorities. They lead efforts to improve instruction in all classrooms. They work to foster school improvement. They establish school climate.

In the March/April edition of Principal Magazine, Kristie Kauerz, a research professor of PreK-3^rd education and leadership at the University of Washington College of Education, writes on the important role of principals in implementing comprehensive PreK-3^rd improvement efforts.

In recent years, PreK-3^rd reforms have been gaining traction, Kauerz writes, because of their focus on the crucial early childhood years. PreK-3^rd reforms include high-quality preschool programs, full-day kindergarten and aligned early elementary settings that provide developmentally appropriate instruction and experiences that prioritize both cognitive and social-emotional development.

Kauerz notes that while comprehensive preK-3^rd approaches need “buy-in and leadership from a broad range of stakeholders (e.g., teachers, classroom aides, families, community organizations) elementary school principals are central to their success.” Principals have the ability to:

• Build and support relationships with multiple stakeholders;
• Foster and provide support for teamwork among teachers; and
• Work with teachers to understand and ensure developmentally appropriate and differentiated instruction to support young learners.

Yet making staffing and planning decisions that focus on PreK-3^rd is not intuitive for all elementary school principals. Many have not benefitted from training in early education nor have they ever taught in a primary grades classroom. Because of this, both pre-service and in-service professional development for principals is crucial, on how young children learn best, how to create high-quality early learning settings and what to expect of primary teachers.

When implemented with fidelity, the PreK-3^rd approach promotes teacher collaboration, development, and data sharing within and across grade levels; meaningful family engagement; partnerships between elementary schools and early learning programs; aligned curricula and assessments; and smooth transitions up through the grades.

The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) publishes Principal Magazine. Read the article by Kristie Kauerz, “The Path to Lifelong Success Begins with P-3” here.