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Redefining Curriculum Leadership for Principals: Perspectives of Texas Administrators 251
The definitions of instructional leadership have included curriculum development as
one of the key elements for principal effectiveness (Blasé & Blasé, 2004; DiPaola & Hoy,
2008); however, curriculum leadership requires that the principals lead the development,
implementation, and evaluation of the campus curriculum, in order to ensure effective
instruction in the classroom, not that they act only as followers of a district developed
curriculum. In essence, curriculum leadership encompasses instructional leadership as one
element in the implementation of curriculum and instruction, instead of the traditional view of
curriculum development as one element of instructional leadership.
The Principal’s Role as Curriculum Leader
According to Lunenburg and Ornstein (2000), the center of curriculum development lies
at the campus level which then requires the principal to be a leader of the curriculum. Glatthorn
(1997) asserted that in order to improve schools today, school leaders must assume the role of
curriculum leaders. These roles include the development of the curriculum, the implementation
of the curriculum, and the evaluation of the curriculum (DiPaola & Hoy, 2008). Curriculum
leadership, through active involvement, is vital to the improvement of schools.
Developing curriculum first requires that federal, state, and district required standards
be the foundation that drives the instruction (Blasé & Blasé, 2004). However, the role of the
principal in developing the curriculum is more complex than merely infusing standards into
classroom practices. The principal must ensure that the campus vision and goals are infused
into the standards, including being responsive to the cultural and individual differences of
their students (Glickman, 2002; Deal & Peterson, 2009). Ethical curriculum leaders would
then understand this process of creating campus curriculum that meets the vision of the
campus, envelopes the standards, and is equitable for all students.
The implementation of curriculum is what has been historically termed as instructional
leadership. It is the supervision and evaluation of teacher effectiveness in instructing the
curriculum (DiPaola & Hoy, 2008). Leading instruction means that the principal knows the
curriculum, knows how to evaluate effective instruction that is tied to the curriculum, and
understands effective instructional practices. Tomlinson and Imbeau (2010) stressed the
importance of principal leadership in differentiating instruction to meet individual student
needs. Principals are responsible for ensuring that teachers are effective in classroom
instruction that leads to successful student achievement and outcomes (Blasé & Blasé, 2004).
Appropriate teacher evaluation ensures appropriate curriculum evaluation.
Wiles and Bondi (2011) provided both standardized and non-standardized
measurements for evaluating curriculum effectiveness and proposed research as the method
for ensuring appropriate tools of measurement. In addition, curriculum evaluation assists
principals in determining effective professional development for individual teachers as well as
the campus. Once the curriculum is evaluated, the process for determining needs begins again.
This cycle of determining needs, developing curriculum, implementing curriculum
effectively, and evaluating curriculum and instructional needs defines the role of the principal
as the curriculum leader and redefines instructional leadership in action.
METHODOLOGY
A qualitative research methodology guided this study in order to determine how Texas
university professors, practicing principals, and practicing superintendents define curriculum
leadership for principals and the perceptions of these principals and superintendents on the