Principal Selection

Effective leadership is the single most important factor in the success of any organization. Selecting the right person to guide the education process is critical. Councils that face the challenge of hiring the right person to lead their school need the resources to assist them through the process. One of the first things council members must do is receive training on principal selection as outlined in KRS 160.345(2)(h).

If the vacancy to be filled is the position of principal, the school council shall select the new principal from among those persons recommended by the local superintendent. When a vacancy in the school principalship occurs, the school council shall receive training in recruitment and interviewing techniques prior to carrying out the process of selecting a principal. The council shall select the trainer to deliver the training. Personnel decisions made at the school level under the authority of this subsection shall be binding on the superintendent who completes the hiring.

JCPS provides professional development in new-principal selection. This training directs councils through the selection process, helping them understand their role and determining important characteristics for the principal to possess. As these characteristics are determined, the information provided in training helps guide the council and/or the Interview Committee in preparing to interview the candidates for principal.

It is extremely important that a council has a well-drafted principal selection policy in place. The SBDM Policy Manual provides examples of how to select a principal. Councils will find that developing and adopting a selection policy that has specific, clear guidelines is the key to establishing a smooth selection process. Points to consider in a principal selection policy include the following:

• The process for gaining input from the total school community (parents, faculty/staff, and the local community)

• The process for identifying characteristics of a principal from the JCPS Principal Profile

• The description of who will be involved in the interview process (i.e., an Interview Committee that includes council members or an Interview Committee that consists only of council members. If your council has within its bylaws that there is 1/3 parent representation on all committees, this committee also will have 1/3 parent representation.)

• The description of the interview process, including specific regulations regarding how questions will be asked, whether sessions will be open or closed, etc.

• The process for aligning identified characteristics for a principal and the interview questions

• The process for creating interview questions (who will be involved and how)

• The description of the decision-making process for your council (Is it through consensus only? What happens if a consensus can’t be reached?)

• The description of the process in the event the council is unable to select a candidate

• The description of the process in the event a principal who is the chair of the SBDM Council removes himself or herself from the principal selection process

• According to KRS 160.345, the SBDM Council selects the principal. A description of how the council will use input from the committees to help with the selection process if a committee is used

Some of the most common errors that occur during the principal selection process are violations in open meetings and open records laws. SBDM Council meetings are open meetings. However, councils may go into closed session to review written material, to conduct interviews, and to discuss the candidates for the position. The decision to recommend a candidate as principal to the superintendent must be made in open session by the SBDM Council. Councils must follow the decision-making process as outlined in their principal selection policy. If a council is not convening at its regularly scheduled meeting, the meeting is considered a special meeting. Special meetings require 24 hours written notice to all members of the council, an established meeting agenda, and media notification 24 hours in advance. In the area of open records, councils must take time to review meeting minutes so that those minutes accurately reflect the action taken by the council.

Principal selection is one of the most important decisions a council makes. Beginning this process by following the correct procedures will reap positive results. For additional information regarding principal selection training, contact the JCPS Department of Human Resources at 485-3012 or Kim Wilson, SBDM specialist, at 485-3056.