Bush group focus: Principals
DALLAS - The first initiative of the George W. Bush Institute will focus on improving the performance of school principals, former first lady Laura Bush announced Wednesday.
DALLAS - The first initiative of the George W. Bush Institute will focus on improving the performance of school principals, former first lady Laura Bush announced Wednesday.
"We know the teachers have a direct and enormous impact on student performance and school principals shape the environment in which teachers are able to operate successfully," she told a news conference at a Dallas high school.
The institute's Alliance to Reform Education Leadership, or AREL, will consist of school districts, universities, and foundations offering educational programs to current and future school leaders.
"A well-trained, energetic teacher can be stifled under lackluster or discouraging administrators," said Bush, a former school teacher.
The Bush Institute hopes to certify at least half the nation's public school principals by 2020.
"We hope that with our partners we can change the environment in which teachers operate and therefore help teachers succeed by helping their leaders succeed," said James K. Glassman, executive director of the institute.
The nonpartisan institute is part of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, which will include the presidential library and will be located on the Southern Methodist University campus in Dallas. Ground is set to be broken in November.
James W. Guthrie, senior fellow and director of education-policy studies at the institute, said program participants must meet certain criteria by, for instance, offering classes in areas including business and ethics, and guaranteeing that participants will spend time in schools.
He said they wanted those who participate to be better trained on how to manage schools. Guthrie said school districts in the alliance also must expand the roles of principals to make them more like chief executives.
Organizations in six cities are participating so far: school districts in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Plano in Texas; Marian University in Indianapolis; the business schools at Saint Louis University in Missouri and the University of Denver; and Southern Methodist University's school of education in Dallas.
"I think there's a growing awareness throughout the country that principals need the authority to go with the responsibility," Glassman said.
