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Education leaders are under public scrutiny as a group and are expected to foster and exhibit ethical behavior in their day-to-day work. They are expected to exhibit ethical behavior through professionalism, concern for and responsibility to others, and consideration of the community as a whole in their decision-making (Beyer, 2004). The education leader functions set forth under this standard address accountability for the academic and social success of all students, moral principles for self-guidance, democratic values, potential legal consequences for unethical decision-making, and social justice for every student in meeting their education needs (Council of Chief State School Officers, 2008). It is imperative that university preparation programs prepare all education leaders to act in an ethical manner in program planning, resource allocation, curriculum development, human resource management, providing a safe and secure learning environment, and offering the special programs and services that will support the academic and social success of every student.
An understanding of local, state, and federal policies, rules, and regulations is essential to the successful leadership of schools and school systems. Knowledge of laws pertaining to the social and academic success of all students is required for successful leadership. Accurately interpreting policy and laws and acting to influence education policy in a way that will advocate and benefit all students is an essential role of an education leader. Performance expectations described by Sanders&Kearney (2008) state,
The education leader believes in, values, and is committed to:
This Standard speaks to the necessity of education leaders to engage in on-going inquiry and professional development to remain current educational research and keep abreast of changes in policies and laws that affect the educational rights of children and families to the programs, services, and opportunities that will meet unique and special needs of every student.
How does all this relate to preparation and practice? Education leader practices suggested and discussed under each standard are not unique and many are implemented each day in schools across the nation. It is important for universities to regularly review the structure and curriculum of leadership preparation programs to determine whether there are any gaps in the preparation provided to candidates. Are candidates sufficiently prepared in the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and implement special programs and services at the PK-12 school level that will ensure quality educational programs for every student? The imperative and challenge for leadership preparation programs is to ensure that graduates have been prepared to meet the special and unique needs of the students, schools, and communities which they will serve. ISLLC 2008 provides a policy framework and guide for practicing administrators, school districts, university preparation programs, and state and national education agencies that can be utilized in the evaluation and assessment of education leadership across the nation. It provides a framework for university programs that can be directed toward the preparation of candidates with the knowledge and skill base to meet the unique needs of students and the communities they will serve. These skills can be applied to the development and maintenance of essential special programs and services to ensure academic achievement and success for all students.
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