Program Standard 3: Questions and Answers

Administrator induction coaches establish and maintain a formal, professional relationship with the candidate. They focus on the candidate's development and growth directed toward the attainment of professional and organizational leadership goals. The coach guides the new leader by creating conditions for reflection, dialogue, and action that support the new leader in building and extending her or his knowledge, skills, and dispositions to meet expectations expressed in the CPSEL. 

A Coach for a new administrator in a CASC induction program is trained and skilled in applying a variety of coaching strategies, skills and resources that can be customized for the context and needs of the candidate. Administrator coaches have a formal role with the candidate and focus on the candidate's understanding and application of CPSEL-based leadership outcomes.

A Mentor is an experienced practitioner who has an informal relationship with a candidate, fostering an understanding of culture, expectations, and the candidate's place and possible contributions to the work environment. A mentor provides a willing, nonjudgmental ear, counsel when sought and focuses on topics determined by the candidate. 

Effective coaches have a working knowledge of both leadership standards (CPSEL) and the developmental stages of leadership. In addition, they have knowledge of organizational culture, systems thinking, adult learning theory, and deep familiarity with the demands and complexity of the work of the candidates. Initial and ongoing training for coaches often address these items, refreshing and deepening the coaches' knowledge and practice. 

The induction program selects, prepares, assigns, supports, and supervises coaches, using well-defined criteria. (CASC Program Standard 3). Through partnership agreements (CASC Program Standard 2), the employer can be assigned responsibilities such as the identification, selection, training, matching, and retention of coaches. 

Coaches receive training prior to being assigned to a candidate. Initial training includes the development of knowledge and skills of coaching, goal setting, use of appropriate coaching instruments, and processes of formative and summative assessment designed to support candidate growth in the leadership competencies outlined in the CPSEL. 

The program provides coaches with ongoing training to refine coaching skills and engages them in ongoing professional learning in current educational trends, research and policy changes. The program provides ongoing support for individual coaching challenges, reflection on coaching practice, and opportunities for networking with coaching peers. 

The program identifies and assigns one of its coaches to each candidate within the first 30 days of days of the candidate's admission to the program, matching the coach and candidate according to defined criteria consistent with their assigned responsibilities. Clear procedures are in place for reassignment of coaches, if the candidate/coach pairing is not effective. 

Clear Administrative Services Credential (CASC) Program Handbook, June 2014

The coach needs skills that apply to:
• Goal setting and action planning
• Use of appropriate coaching instruments
• Selection of appropriate formative and summative assessments
• Holding self and candidate accountable
• Effectively building relationships, trust, and maintaining confidentiality
• Seeing and communicating different perspectives

A coach may find the following traits helpful when coaching:
• Nonjudgmental
• A Possibility Thinker
• Compassionate
• Inspirational
• Personable
• Intuitive
• Sincere
• Trustworthy
• Trustworthy
• A Risk Taker
• Action Oriented
• Focused on Results
• Knows Core Coaching Competencies
• Curious

There are various processes for identifying, selecting and hiring coaches that are dependent on the program sponsor's approach, the candidate's needs, and available resources. The following is an example of a process used by one of the state's largest coaching consortiums. For this program, local affiliates are responsible to hire coaches who meet the sponsoring institution's criteria, but the sponsoring institution takes responsibility to train, monitor, and retain only those coaches who fulfill coaching responsibilities successfully.


1. Review credential candidate applications and determine the current coaching needs (this is best done through an advisement meeting).
2. Review the cadre of current coach applications and their accompanying coach profiles for possible coach selection and candidate match.
   1. Select and match coaches who possess similar background experiences to that of each candidate. For example, match a coach with elementary experience with candidate placed at an elementary site or a coach with urban experience with candidate placed in urban setting. While similar experience is preferred, it may not always be possible do to availability and/or candidate job-site location
   2. All coaches:
      1. are required to attend the blended coaching training which includes program outcomes and tools used in the program
      2. must complete a rigorous certification process
      3. are qualified to coach all credential candidates
   3. Coaches who are not yet trained may be selected and matched based on their application and profile, then must complete coach training prior to the start of an assignment and commit to the expected ongoing training as well as submit a coaching portfolio for certification
3. Contact the selected coach applicant to determine availability.
4. Inform the potential coach of the required ongoing training sessions for the year.
5. Complete MOU between
   1. the coach and the local program
   2. the candidate and the local program
6. Maintain coach application files and résumés.
7. Submit selected coach applications and résumés to the consortium office. 

There are various ways a coach might assess her or his growth. S/he can
• Interview colleagues for self-evaluation
• Ask for feedback from the candidate
• Ask for feedback from the Program Supervisor
• Keep and review journals
• Personally reflect on evidence that documents coach behaviors, such as efficacy, flexibility, consciousness, craftsmanship, and/or interdependence