The role of school principals has grown more complex in recent years. Today, a principal is expected not just to manage day-to-day operations, but to be a leader of learning, an evaluator of teaching, and a driver of school improvement. As teacher evaluation expectations rise, principals must navigate new demands that stretch their time, energy, and focus.
While many believe that instructional leadership is at the heart of school success, few principals spend significant time observing teaching or offering feedback. The expanding scope of evaluation systems, along with pressures around data, compliance, and student outcomes, adds to this challenge.
Rising Expectations: What Principals Are Now Asked to Do
Modern teacher evaluation models require principals to:
- Conduct regular classroom observations
- Gather and analyse data from student assessments and surveys
- Provide timely, evidence-based feedback
- Support teachers in professional growth
- Align evaluation practices with school improvement goals
These expectations aim to increase accountability and improve teaching quality. In theory, this is good for schools. In practice, it’s a heavy lift.
The Benefits of Stronger Evaluation Practices
Despite the workload, many principals recognise value in evolving teacher evaluation expectations. Done well, they:
- Clarify teaching goals and expectations
- Create data-informed insights to guide improvement
- Foster professional learning
- Increase fairness in performance review
- Strengthen the link between teaching and student results
By using multiple data points including observation notes, student growth data, and feedback from learners, principals gain a fuller picture of teacher impact.
The Challenges Principals Face
While the benefits are clear, so are the barriers. Principals commonly report:
- Not enough time for frequent, meaningful observations
- Difficulty balancing evaluations with daily leadership demands
- Reduced time for informal relationship-building
- Uncertainty about what instructional leadership should look like in practice
Without a shared definition or codified practice, instructional leadership varies widely between schools and systems.
Lack of Clarity in Leadership Practice
Tasks like goal setting, classroom walk-throughs, and curriculum supervision are core to instructional leadership—but how principals implement them differs. In many cases, principals are left to interpret these tasks on their own, creating inconsistency across schools.
This lack of clarity causes stress for teachers, administrators, and parents. Without a common framework, teacher evaluation becomes a fragmented process rather than a strategic tool for growth.
Moving From Compliance to Culture
Too often, evaluation is seen as a remedial measure, fixing what’s broken. This mindset has led to roles like “Instructional Coach” or “Leader of Pedagogy” being introduced as patch solutions. But the deeper issue is poor initial teacher preparation and unclear expectations for teaching quality.
Real improvement comes when principals, teachers, and support staff work together to build a professional culture. That means:
- Shared understanding of effective teaching
- Collaborative observation and feedback systems
- Ongoing, embedded professional learning
- Transparency in how data is used to support—not judge—teachers
Finding Balance as an Instructional Leader
Principals must balance evaluation with instructional support. The goal isn’t just to judge teacher performance but to help improve it.
Here’s how:
- Use data not just to assess, but to guide conversations
- Create time for walk-throughs and peer observation
- Align evaluation to growth, not just accountability
- Build trust through feedback and shared ownership of improvement
Done well, teacher evaluation expectations don’t diminish the principal’s role but rather they elevate it. They provide structure, direction, and opportunities for leadership that make a real difference to student outcomes.
How clearly defined are instructional leadership expectations in your school or system? What steps could help bring greater clarity and coherence?
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