What they have to say
"The SAMS project has given me the knowledge and tools to support
classroom environment and instruction. Teachers, parents and students
see me as a resource for their learning."
What is SAMS?
The National School Administration Manager (SAM) Project – funded by The Wallace Foundation -- helps give principals the time and skills to focus on instruction.
The SAM Initiative began in Louisville, KY, in 2002 with the Alternative School Administration Study, which looked at conditions that prevented principals from making instructional leadership their priority and developed strategies to change those conditions. Now, nine states, including Illinois are involved with developing and implementing SAMs. These states include: California, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, New York, and Texas. Mark Shellinger of Jefferson County School District coordinates the national SAMs expansion project.
For a list of state directors for other SAM states as well as contact information for Wallace Foundation officers, click on contact us on the national SAMs website.
The SAM Initiative is a process that allows principals to focus time on improving instruction and learning. As a part of SAMs, principals do not stop managing their buildings – they simply learn to delegate some of their management responsibilities -- creating more time to spend on teaching practice, student learning and school improvement.
The SAM Project consists of five core elements:
- A readiness and willingness by principals and districts to commit to increasing time for instructional leadership;
- An initial Time/Task Analysis Data Collection™ of how the principals spend their time;
- Principals’ engaging with a School Administration Manager (SAM) in daily meetings;
- External coaching; and
- Follow-up Time/Task Analysis Data Collection after one year to assess improvement.
The SAM Initiative is primarily a change process and a statewide and district wide change strategy. The project goes beyond simply adding new staff to help individual principals improve instruction in their schools. It aims to ensure that the entire community is aware that changing principal time use is critical to transforming schools. This is a complex change strategy that SAMs can help facilitate.
The SAM Initiative is also built around data and self-reflection. The first piece is the use of Time/Task Analysis Data Collection, which tracks how principals spend their time. Coupled with increased self-reflection and the support of a SAM, the project helps school leaders spend more time on instruction.
