H1 Introduction

The challenge for schools to foster the development of highly educated and versatile students is greater now than ever before. Graham (1991) suggests that it is no longer acceptable to allow children to slide through academically weak curricular. States have high accountability measures which set forth criteria for student outcomes that in many instances exceed competencies aligned with NCLB. The present accountability era focuses on what students can do, not only what has been taught in classrooms. Schools that fail to meet these requirements in many instances face dire consequences including but not limited to closures and reduction in funding.

Driven by the serious consequences of school accountability, school improvement is the focal point in the community of professional educators. Numerous programs and strategies for improving schools have been implemented over the years. While they differ in many respects, one common theme is the importance of the school leader. The principal (school leader,) it is said, is the critical component of school improvement (Sorenson & Macheal, 1996). Recent data released from the Southern Regional Board of Educators (SREB) suggest that the school leader impacts as much as twenty percent of the achievement levels of students in schools.

The Louisiana State Department of Education places great emphasis on the role of the principal in school improvement. Within the department, the Office of Quality Educators - Leadership Development focuses on the role of the principal. The Office of Quality Educators (1997) has established and redesigned (2007) seven Standards for School Leaders in Louisiana (SSLL) - the first of which is the possession of a vision. It is noteworthy that both the Educational Leadership Constituents Council (ELCC) and Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) have standards for School Leaders as well. The SSLL and ISLLC are closely aligned. For instance, both standard ones address vision.

H2 Perspectives of Vision and the Process

Vision is elaborated as in the SSLL as the school leader engaging the school community in the developing and maintaining a student -centered vision. Forming the basis for school goals, the vision guides the preparation of students as effective life long learners in a pluralistic society. School leaders are expected to demonstrate the following performances associated with establishing and maintaining a vision for the school:

Work collaboratively with the school community to develop and maintain a shared vision;

Bring the school vision to life by using it to guide decision making about students and instructional programs;

Maintain faculty focus on developing learning experiences that will enable students to prosper in subsequent grades as adults;

Maintain open communication with the school community and effectively convey high expectations for student learning to the community;

Provide opportunities and support for collaboration, the exchange of ideas, experimentation with innovative teaching strategies, and ongoing school improvement;

Monitor, assess, and revise the school vision and goals as needed; and

Foster the integration of students into mainstream society while valuing diversity.

One of the initial steps a school leader must take towards school improvement is to set a vision for the school (Rakiz & Sawnsen, 2000). The development of the vision is a process, and it is critical for the school leaders to involve both internal and external stakeholders. Data analyses are a very pertinent part of developing the vision.

A vision is much more than the articulation of statements and beliefs. It reflects the continuous reflection, action, re-evaluation, and communication among the principal and staff. It is essential for school leaders to posses a vision for schools that is communicated and shared by the faculty, staff, students, parents, and school community. Inclusive of the school goals, the vision provides a realistic perception of present functional levels of students - academic, disciplinary, and all other aspects deemed critical for school improvement. The vision becomes critical for school improvement because it also includes the desired functional levels - providing the framework for action steps toward improvement. Therefore, the short and long term goals are established based on the present levels of academic, behavioral, and other pertinent variables revealed in data analyses.

According to Conley (1992), a clear vision exists when people in an organization share an explicit agreement on the values, beliefs, purposes, and goals that should guide their behavior. A clear vision is the internal compass-providing direction. It also helps to establish behavioral norms. Teachers have an established standard by which they can align their own performances in classrooms.

The vision of the school is the "educational platform" that addresses the schools beliefs, and it helps to create a "community mind." Carr (1995) identifies vision as a critical quality of leadership. An educational leader creates the vision, the mental picture of the school and seeks agreement and action of teachers and the school community. According to Fritz (1996), school improvement is accomplished when a clearly understood vision exists. Tension develops between the real and ideal pushing workers to reduce the gap. The vision challenges everyone in the school environment and has a unifying effect causing people to work closely together.

Developing the vision is much more than articulating statements or belief followed by implementation. As previously cited, a vision requires continuous reflection, action, and re-evaluation. Different schools of though exist on the need of having written statements. Fritz (1996) cautions that written statements frequently become political compromises. Conley and colleagues (1998) report that some schools progressed with vision before articulating them in writing.

However, creating readiness is critical. The principal must create a culture and climate for change (Lashway, 1998). All participants should have the opportunity to examine their thinking which can be achieved through forming study groups, visiting schools that have restructured, or collecting data that challenges present assumption. Guiding characteristics and action steps regarding the vision may originate by teachers, but the principal must play the greatest role in helping to facilitate.

H3 The Impact of Society

Murphy (1998) suggests that the educational industry is challenged because businesses and organizations are shifting from an industrial world to a communication, service world, and the economic, political, and social domains impact education. The changes in society have influenced important assumptions about intelligence and knowledge. The specific implication for the classroom and curriculum is that a learner-centered pedagogy is emerging with the role of the teacher changing from a content specialist who transmits knowledge to a facilitator of learning (Murphy, 1998).

Rakiz & Swanson (2000) describe leadership as being in a period of dynamic change. It has been noted that the skills required for educational leaders are remarkably different than for administrators a few decades ago (Sorenson & Machell, 1996). According to Murphy (1998), principals will have to know more and do more to meet the changing schools in a changing society.

The complexities of the school environments contribute to the changes in skills and additional responsibilities required of educational leaders. Educational leaders must facilitate “the development of a vision for the organization’s mission and communicate that mission effectively” (Rakiz & Swanson, 2000).

H4 The Role of School Leader

The vision must be one that all members can embrace. Adoption of a vision becomes an evolutionary process. Communication and collaboration are important among all "stakeholders", and the principal is continuously the promoter and chief investigator. As previously cited, that the principal creates the culture for change (Lashway, 1998). Concrete policies are developed by the chief investigator- at some point, a link must be made to addresses curriculum, staffing, and evaluation. According to Weiss (1995), the principal must take lead and actively push in order for the credibility of the vision to remain vital. Action steps become as critical as continuous communication.

Principals must also remain focus on what the vision means as it relates to the classroom. Elmore and colleagues (1996) concluded that teachers would not automatically view the implications for the classroom. This role requires the principal to facilitate instructional leadership. According to Weber (1989), instructional leadership includes the functions: promoting a positive learning climate, observing and giving feedback to teachers, managing curriculum and instruction, and assessing the instructional program.

According to Lashway (1995), instructional leadership has taken a new direction that emphasizes organizational culture rather than technical tasks. Principals promote a positive learning climate by "setting high expectations" for students as well as teachers. Administrative initiatives like minimizing outside intrusion of class time and rewarding achievement are examples of methods to establish high expectations for students. Providing feedback to teachers is easily achieved by supporting new approaches. Sometimes teachers only need encouragement. As it relates to managing curriculum and assessing the instructional programs, today's principals are challenged to carry out these functions with a less direct and more collaborative approach - involve teachers in establishing objectives, monitoring scope and sequence, choosing textbooks, and exploring assessments utilizing professional judgment.

Murphy (1992) predicts that the future role of the principal is going to be significantly different from the past. He suggests that principals must have visionary practices bringing certain passions to their jobs that effect others deeply. Future administrators must view their tasks more as a mission rather than a job! The development of strong commitment and the creation of a moral order bonding leaders and followers will become essential for administrators and teachers. Like Lashway (1988), Murphy (1992) suggests that instructional leadership will become more necessary. In addition to instructional leadership, Murphy (1992) also believes that curricular leadership will be at the forefront, and administrators must remain focus on teaching and learning.

H5 Conclusion

Developing a vision is a critical component of school improvement and school leadership; in addition, the development of a vision is an evolutionary process. It is debated whether the initial step in the development of a vision is a written statement, but it is essential that the principal create an environment of change. A guiding "frame-work" of action is essential with ongoing communication, assessment, and re-evaluation that are driven by the chief investigator. The link is then made to the classroom and curriculum by the principal.

Collaboration is critical among the principal and all "stakeholders" - teachers, paraprofessionals, etc. The vision may originate within teachers or any staff members, but the principal has the responsibility in the development, communicating, and providing the opportunity for growth. The principal must also be an instructional leader and a curricular leader.

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