M PP R
Multidimensional Principal Performance Rubric
Field Guide:
Principal
Joanne Picone-Zocchia
Copyright © 2014 by Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
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“Multidimensional Principal Performance Rubric” and “MPPR” are
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© 2014 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or distributed without permission.
Acknowledgements
The MPPR, its process and supporting activities have benefitted from the
input of many districts and individual educators who have provided
thoughts and feedback on the Multidimensional Principal Performance
Rubric and the activities included in this Field Guide. These contributions
have been invaluable and continue to influence ongoing MPPR
development and support initiatives. Many thanks to all who have
offered their perspective.
Sincere appreciation as well to our MPPR research forum participants and
their districts, including Lisa Brady, Frank Caliguiri, Matt Clifford, Eva
Demyen, Bill Donohue, Robin Elliser, David Gamberg, Suzanne Gilmour,
Theresa Gray, Patrick Harrigan, Laurie Hedges, Pamela Kissel, Brett Lane,
Barbara Martorana, Lisa McGary, Karen McGraw, Kimberly Moritz,
Brenda Myers, Noreen Nouza, Ellen O'Neill, Terry Orr, Marijo Pearson,
Evan Powderly, Anne Smith, Carol Stehm, Linda Sykut and Jeff
Woodberry. Their willingness to share their processes, challenges,
insights and results in implementing the MPPR has greatly informed our
understanding of the needs of the field.
© 2014 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or distributed without permission.
With tremendous respect, this Field Guide is dedicated to educational
leaders and their work in supporting improved learning
© 2014 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or distributed without permission.
Contents
Introduction
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Chapter 1: Getting Started
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Why are we doing this?
How is the MPPR structured?
What does “best practice” in the use of the MPPR include?
Understanding and Interpreting the Levels of the MPPR
Processing/Reflection Questions
Chapter 2: Implementing the Multidimensional
Principal Performance Rubric
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How is the MPPR best used in assessing principal practice?
Improvement Goals as an Entry Point for the MPPR
Focusing on Goals That Are Both SMART and WISE
Processing/Reflection Questions
Chapter 3: A 5-Step Process for MPPR Assessment
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Key Assumptions
The MPPR Implementation Process
Frequently Asked Questions: Implementation
What is a reasonable timeline?
How can we integrate MPPR into our current
approaches?
What gives…and what are the tradeoffs?
Adjusting and Adapting the MPPR Implementation Process
Processing/Reflection Questions
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21
Chapter 4: A Practical Guide to the MPPR
Implementation Process
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Guided walkthrough of each of the 5 steps, including:
Detailed explanations of actions for each step
Workbook Activities
Frequently Asked Questions and Responses
Processing/Reflection Questions
Chapter 5: In Support of Success
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65
Anchoring Assessment and Evaluation of Practice
What constitutes quality “evidence”?
Promoting excellence (Signature Practices)
Scoring the MPPR
Processing/Reflection Questions
Conclusion
85
Professional Evaluation as an Opportunity
© 2014 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or distributed without permission.
MPPR Field Guide: Principal
Key assumptions that inform the MPPR
Implementation Process:
1. Improving practice is most worthy as a goal if addressed in the
service of improving learning (in fact, improving anything in
education is most worthy as a goal in the service of improving
learning).
2. Attainment of standards does not happen in the absence of
conditions that promote those standards…and the conditions, even
if most supportive, cannot be held accountable in the absence of a
sincere and focused effort to improve.
3. Evaluation is a shared responsibility. Those being evaluated are
responsible for learning and improving their practice so that they
can attain the highest possible standards, while those who are
charged with evaluating have the responsibility to ensure that the
conditions and opportunities that exist are conducive to
attainment of standards.
4. Both the principal and the evaluator come to the evaluation
process from different perspectives, informed by their place in the
school system. These perspectives can be maximized to improve
the learning and attainment of goals.
5. Co-construction of understanding and co-identification of goals,
processes, practices and artifacts provide the foundation for
ongoing collaboration around improved practice and school
improvement and reduces the possibility of “gotcha” as a
perception or reality in evaluation.
A truly “balanced assessment” system incorporates a variety of
purposeful assessment moments: diagnostic, formative and summative.
The 5-Step MPPR Implementation Process provides the framework for a
balanced principal assessment system. Step 1 creates the diagnostic
moment, while Steps 2, 3 and 4 provide multiple formative assessment
opportunities by maintaining a focus on learning, improving and on
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MPPR Field Guide: Principal
STEP I: CURRENT REALITY
What do principals
do?
What do evaluators
do?
 self-assessment, MPPR
Part 1
 reflection on strengths
and needs
 assessment, MPPR Part
1
 reflection on district
context or existing
conditions that are
supporting current
quality of principal
practice
Principals and principal evaluators share assessment
and reflections. Where there is disagreement,
examples are found to help illustrate impressions. (12 hour meeting, with possible follow up to share
examples if necessary)
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© 2014 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or distributed without permission.
A Practical Guide to the MPPR Implementation Process
The purpose of the Current Reality step inside the overall MPPR
Implementation Process is twofold:
1. To establish a baseline that generates diagnostic information
about strengths and opportunities for improvement and provides
the basis for goals and data to ground later claims of growth,
improvement and attainment.
2. To provide an opportunity for principals and their evaluators to
share initial impressions and tune their interpretations of MPPR
criteria. In the first year of implementation, a baseline
assessment provides a low-stakes initial opportunity for principals
and their evaluators to apply MPPR criteria to existing practice.
When engaging in baseline assessment, use the rubric analytically,
highlighting or marking individual descriptors or segments of descriptors,
as they best apply to your current practice. This will provide the most
fine-grained information and will allow you to focus on opportunities to
maximize on specific strengths or to determine where practice can be
improved.
Individual Component: Activity P I-a - Baseline Self-Assessment
1. Complete a self-assessment using the MPPR (there is a copy of the
MPPR in the workbook).
a. Base your assessment on your impression of your own
practice. For Part 2, consider your most recent goal
setting/attainment activities. There is no need for specific
pieces of “evidence” at this point, however, you should be
able to have a conversation about what is making you say
what you say.
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MPPR Field Guide: Principal
b. Use the rubric analytically, highlighting or marking each
individual descriptor. Choose the descriptor – or piece of
descriptor – that best reflects your practice.
c. You may notice that your self-assessment falls into more than
one level (you may see a piece of the descriptor in level 3 and
a piece of the descriptor in level 2), especially if this is the
first time that you are using the MPPR, and this is fine.
d. Be sure to focus on what is, not what you believe could or
should be.
e. In some cases, you may feel that existing circumstances cause
you to select descriptors at one level over another. Select
the descriptors that most closely relate to your current
practice, no matter what you believe the reason might be.
2. Prepare for the collaborative meeting with your evaluator by
considering the strengths and opportunities for improvement that
your self-assessment uncovered. You may want to respond to
some or all of the questions in Activity P I-b - Baseline SelfAssessment Reflection.
Collaborative Component: Tuning meeting
This conference is a “tuning” activity – an opportunity for you and your
evaluator to identify the places in the rubric that lead you to interpret
things differently, as well as the places where your perceptions are
already attuned to one another.
The purpose of this conference is to:
 help develop a shared understanding of the criteria
 identify the areas where concrete illustrations of practice are most
necessary to support both principal and principal evaluator in
applying the criteria consistently.
40
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In Support of Success
Domain 1
MPPR Domain 1 (Shared Vision of Learning) includes practices that
promote ongoing, sustainable improvement. They connect school
improvement with attainment of school wide goals that are grounded in
shared vision, mission and data. Processes the principal could be
involved in, and which Domain 1 might support or be visible inside
include:
 Visioning within the area of responsibility (and checking the
alignment between that vision and the district vision)
 Budgeting
 Induction (staff and student)
 Goal setting and strategic planning
 Decision-making
 Monitoring/responding to the effectiveness of decisions, actions
and strategies
Structures that could house or be influenced by Domain 1 include
professional learning communities, cross-role planning and decisionmaking teams, mentor-mentee pairing, action research or collegial
inquiry groups, etc.
Domain 2
Practices that relate to and evidence MPPR Domain 2 (School Culture
and Instructional Program) include:
 the use of standards, assessment data and student work to
identify, address, monitor and respond to student needs and
progress
 providing, implementing and following up on expectations for
quality teacher practice as related to your area of responsibility
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MPPR Field Guide: Principal
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arranging for professional development to support expectations
of quality
feedback to teachers and other staff
Processes inside which these practices could be nested, and which they
could inform, include scheduling, professional development, curriculum
development, teacher observation and evaluation, analysis and use of
data, technology integration, etc.
Structures that could promote Domain 2-focused learning, work and
improvement are professional learning communities, faculty meetings,
grade level or team meetings, etc.
Domain 3
Practices that illustrate or are supported by Safe, Efficient, Effective
Learning Environment (MPPR Domain 3) focus on operational efficiency,
address the capacity for shared leadership, ensure safety in a variety of
circumstances, etc.
Processes that could encompass and be informed by these practices are:
 Energy conservation
 Budgeting
 Induction
 Scheduling
 Leadership development
Structures that would change or be changed by attention to Domain 3 are
shared decision-making teams, safety/crisis plan committees, etc.
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