Principal Leadership
What is this resource?This document synthesizes research on the characteristics of principal leadership associated with positive outcomes for students with disabilities in inclusive schools. It integrates those practices into a tool known as an “innovation configuration (IC) matrix” (located in Appendix A), which is a rubric that defines various levels of implementation based on the essential elements constituting identified practices. Note that while this tool was originally developed for pre-service preparation, it can also be used by practitioners working to make their schools into inclusive communities in which all students are able to be successful.
Why is it valuable?The IC matrix consolidates evidence-based principal leadership practices within a single tool that can be used to guide improvement, explicitly defining what different levels of implementation look like for specific practices. In doing so, it boils practices down to their essential features while still allowing the flexibility needed by school leaders to make them work within their unique contexts as they strive to foster inclusive success for students with disabilities.