SECTION 4: FOR ADMINISTRATORS

Resources for principals and assistant principals who want to lead with evidence, restore order, and advocate for students and teachers.

Restore Order & Discipline in Your Building

The Fordham Institute’s practical guide for school leaders on supporting classroom discipline makes clear that administrators set the conditions for either functional or failing classrooms. Key principles: be visibly present in hallways every day; back teachers up consistently so students know expectations are real; and ensure consequences are administered by teachers — not always escalated to the office. Alabama and Louisiana’s Teachers’ Bill of Rights laws, which restored order and gave both states the only post-pandemic academic gains in the country, are the model. Advocate for MCPS to follow suit.

Simplify the Environment — Less Clutter, More Focus

A Carnegie Mellon University study found that students in heavily decorated classrooms scored only 42% on lesson content — versus 55% in simpler rooms. Walk your buildings with fresh eyes: support teachers in paring down wall displays to only what’s tied to current instruction. A calm, purposeful environment is a leadership decision that costs nothing and pays dividends in focus and learning.

Advance Evidence-Based Curriculum & Instruction

Follow Karen Vaites’ Substack for literacy and curriculum research grounded in the Science of Reading and Southern Surge best practices. Review Freedom in Education’s knowledge-rich curriculum recommendations. Push for whole books and textbooks — especially in math — so parents can follow along at home. Prioritize field trips for every grade; immersive learning is irreplaceable.

Prioritize Infrastructure & Safety

Advocate urgently for capital investment in your building. Mold, collapsing ceilings, and failing plumbing are not inconveniences — they are safety failures that rob students of instructional time and teachers of their dignity. Document every deferred maintenance issue and bring it to the Board with data. Continue advocating for the return of dedicated School Resource Officers — as your fellow MCPS principals formally requested in December 2020.

Know Your Legal & Policy Rights

Consult the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty for model policies supporting parental rights in curriculum and opt-out decisions. Review the 2025-26 MCPS Student Code of Conduct and enforce it with consistency and equity across your building — every student, every teacher, every time.

Expand Recess & Outdoor Time

Research consistently shows that recess improves attention, behavior, and academic performance — especially in elementary school. Protect and expand recess time for all grades. Pair it with outdoor learning opportunities whenever possible. A child who moves and breathes fresh air learns better. This is not enrichment — it is brain science.