 | TAP: Successful School Leadership
 | | Jackie Raye |
Successful School Leadership in a TAP School
Best Practices in Instructional Leadership (May 2009)
Jackie Raye, assistant principal
Cityview Performing Arts, Minneapolis
“To promote successful TAP implementation, supporting and enhancing exemplary principal leadership is crucial.”
The Teacher Advancement Program (TAP) is a research-based school improvement model designed to attract, retain and motivate the best talent in the teaching profession. In 1999, the Milken Family Foundation launched the Teacher Advancement Program (TAP), to ensure excellence and rigor in the educational experience of every student. The Minneapolis Public Schools participation began in 2004 with three sites and now in 2008-09 has 14 sites, involving over 600 teachers.
The comprehensive TAP system is built on four elements.
Multiple Career Paths: Teachers at TAP schools take the role of mentor and instructional coach. Both have the role of mentoring and coaching teachers on their teams. They also plan site-based professional growth (see Ongoing Applied Professional Growth, below). The mentor teaches one or two classes per day and mentors the balance of the day. The instructional coaches assist the mentors and are released one hour per day for their TAP responsibilities.
Instructionally Focused Observations: Each teacher is evaluated three times per year. The administrator, mentor, and coach each do one observation. The TAP rubric used for the evaluation is then used as a coaching tool to assist the teacher.
Ongoing Applied Professional Growth: Weekly professional development is given to teachers based on the needs of the students at the site. Support of the mentor is given to teachers to assure the strategies are implemented. Teachers are required to document the new learning they receive, the collaboration with their mentor, and the results of the formative assessments of their students.
Professional-based Compensation: Teachers receive additional compensation based on the results of their evaluations, the student gains, and their documentation of involvement in the program. Teachers in coaching and mentor positions also receive additional one-time payments each year they are in the position.
The principal is the leader of the school and ultimately guides the TAP effort. Therefore in order to promote successful TAP implementation, supporting and enhancing exemplary principal leadership is crucial.
“A successful principal in a TAP school empowers their mentors and professional development team to research best practices based on student need in an effort to improve student achievement,” said Kevin Oldenburg, Cityview TAP mentor.
“Principals need to have the ability to build collegiality and trust among staff to allow teachers to be open and take risks,” said Christine Ramsey, Cityview TAP mentor.
The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) has developed a set of leadership standards that define what successful school leadership in a TAP school should look like. TAP principals should have expertise in four areas:
• Developing a school’s academic improvement plan.
• Communicating student progress.
• Instructional leadership knowledge of quality instructional practices.
• Instructional leadership knowledge of curriculum.
The building principal is the primary instructional leader in a TAP school. Their personal involvement in TAP as a role model, communicator of the vision, and primary voice behind the school plan is significant in maintaining the quality of each of the TAP elements within the school.
For more information about MN TAP please contact: Paul Hegre Minneapolis, Lead TAP mentor, at Phegre@mpls.k12.mn.us; or Steve Dibb, MN TAP director, Minnesota Department of Education, at steve.dibb@state.mn.us.
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