Clark County Wants to Improve School Leadership. But What's the Definition of an Effective Principal?

Staff members at Jerome Mack Middle School braced themselves for bad news before the district’s top leader paid them a visit last spring. The 1,300-student school in east Las Vegas had been chosen for the “Innovative School” pilot program spearheaded by Clark County Superintendent Jesus Jara. On the surface, it appeared like a win-win for teachers, who would receive an automatic $10,000 bonus as part of the program’s effort to recruit and retain educators at struggling middle schools.