Paper Example on Understanding School Laws as a Principal

Introduction

Several laws guide the setting up and the running of a school, there are federal and statutory laws that are to be considered especially, when handling the curriculum, developing the school, and even when hiring teachers. This essay discusses the importance of understanding these school laws as a principal.

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A principal is the head of the school; they are the persons responsible for the provision of strategic leadership on the direction a school system should take. The principals are responsible for development and the standardization of curricula. Apart from the provision of planning, they are also the main forces in the monitoring of student’s academic progress, inspire achievement, encourage parents to actively get involved with the school matters, and provide emergency protocols in a school set-up.

School Laws Guide Strategic Leadership

Educational laws apply to all schools. It underlines the importance of the cooperation between the teachers and the students in a given school system. It has a major emphasis on rights for every student, regardless of their ethnicity, physical abilities, or social class. An example is the school law enforcing the Education for Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA)(Pearson,2020). Principals are greatly involved in the daily admission of students to their schools. By understanding this essential education law of providing education to every student, they make the admission process free and fair, giving every deserving student a chance to be enrolled. Other school laws guide the erection of buildings within the school and the procedures that are to be followed when developing the school infrastructure. An example is the School Construction Assistance Program(SCAP), generated by each county, to ensure that there is a uniform constructions and conforms to budgets and safety standards(Militello.etal,2009). The principal is the leader in the development of a school that needs to adhere to the construction rules so that the school is legible for funding. School laws finally guide the principals in the development of internal policies and regulations to be followed by teachers and the students. These laws are meant to help make the learning environment conducive and safe for all students. The laws are a basis of expectations and the principals are accountable for any problem that occurs as a result of not adhering to the guidelines. The laws finally have set out guidelines to be implemented in times of emergency. These laws are important to the principals as they are the leaders of the school and are to guide all the other school stakeholders in the time of crises.

Conclusion

The principal needs to understand school laws due to their role as leaders in schools. The laws provide a basis for the formation of internal rules and regulations that are to guide the relationship between the teachers and the students in the learning environment. A clear understanding of the laws ensures that there are expectations and accountability. The principals need to understand the school laws because they guide the school relationships with the larger entities such as the state and the federal government. It contains proper guidelines in the development of the school especially the capacity and the development of the school. The construction of buildings in schools is to comply with specific guidelines such as bidding for some known contractors, for it to be approved.

References

Militello, M., Schimmel, D., & Eberwein, H. J. (2009). If they knew, they would change: How legal knowledge impacts principals' practice. NASSP Bulletin, 93(1), 27-52. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0192636509332691

Pearson, S. J. (2018). The Perceptions of School Counselors, Special Education Teachers, and Principals on their Preparedness to be on Anti-Bullying Policies Actors for Students with Disabilities. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1118363