Association of Washington School Principals
Volume 1 – 2020-21
The New AWSP Leadership Framework 3.0
What’s new, what’s the same, and what you need to know
Jack Arend
Professional Development Director, AWSP
Evaluation Criteria: Creating a Culture, Ensuring School Safety, Planning with Data, Aligning Curriculum, Improving Instruction, Managing Resources, Engaging Families and Communities, Closing the Gap
We are very excited to introduce the third edition of our AWSP Leadership Framework.
Since 2010, this framework has been the premier professional growth resource for school leaders and school leader supervisors. Did you know we are the only state in our nation that has a Leadership Framework for school leaders, written exclusively by school leaders? This is one of the main reasons this document is so useful in supporting the great work being done by school leaders across our state.
This framework has been specifically designed as a resource for the ongoing growth and evaluation of school leaders. It is important for you to know that this new edition has been carefully crafted to be used by principals and assistant principals as they look to quantify and qualify the impact of their leadership.
The main focus of the Leadership Framework is to provide a guide on how to grow professionally throughout your leadership career. We know school leaders are evaluated every year, and we hope the process is centered around professional growth and collaboration with their supervisor. We designed the Framework and professional growth pages to support and encourage conversations between you and your colleagues, and you and your supervisor. It is our hope at AWSP that those conversations are centered around your growth and development as a leader.
The revision of the Framework was launched in 2018. A team of practicing and retired school leaders began to gather feedback from principals, assistant principals and principal supervisors on how to improve the framework and continue to make it relevant to the current landscape of education and educational leadership.
Beginning in the fall of 2019, districts across the state volunteered to be Framework Feedback partners and spent the first 6 months of the school year ‘test-driving’ the new Framework. AWSP traveled to these districts to hear directly from our members and their supervisors on what they liked, and what could be changed about this new version. These sessions were highly influential and allowed AWSP to continue refining the framework. The document was also reviewed by many statewide organizations, associations and committees. All of the feedback received was instrumental in improving the Framework for all school leaders in Washington State.
This new edition has been carefully crafted to be used by principals and assistant principals as they look to quantify and qualify the impact of their leadership.
Your new Leadership Framework now includes:
  • The AWSP definition of Equity and Racial Literacy with a greater emphasis on equity throughout all of the eight criterion.
  • A strong emphasis that this document is designed for you and your leadership growth.
  • Professional Growth pages to support you as you plan, implement, assess and reflect on the change you are leading in your building.
  • Clear and consistent examples of Proficient Administrative Behaviors for each component.
  • The AWSP Evidence of Impact Tool which is designed to help encourage school leaders in conversations about the impact of their leadership.
Watch this quick, informative video on all of the changes and updates to your new Leadership Framework.
AWSP also mailed every school leader in the state a hard copy of our newly refreshed framework in mid August. If you have not received yours, please contact us.
Many districts have already reached out to AWSP to provide professional learning workshops for their leaders based around the new Framework. If that sounds like something you would like for your district, please reach out to me at jack@awsp.org. ◼
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Association of Washington School Principals
Washington Principal | Volume 1 – 2020-21