The current 2003 Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Performance-Based Principal Evaluation instrument is not being implemented widely among the 524 public school districts in Missouri. In analyzing the effectiveness of the instrument as it relates to the characteristics of an effective leader based on the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Standards and McREL Balanced Leadership, the overall relationship is weak. This is a study of the critical leadership characteristics reflected in the Missouri PBPE, highlighting the relationship of the instrument to the ISLLC Standards as well as the McREL Balanced Leadership framework. A history of the development of the Missouri PBPE, the ISLLC Standards, and the McREL Balanced Leadership framework allow the reader to gauge their effectiveness and clarify the inconsistent use of the Missouri PBPE instrument among Missouri public school districts.

In presenting the critical criteria of the Missouri PBPE in terms of principal responsibilities and behaviors, the team makes comparisons among the 21 responsibilities identified in the Balanced Leadership framework as well as the measures outlined in the ISLLC Standards and their emphasis. The relationship shows weaknesses in the Missouri PBPE model, thus allowing the reader to make recommendations as to how to improve this model. Omission of critical criteria from the Missouri PBPE instrument doesn't allow the evaluator to complete a comprehensive evaluation of an administrator that will ultimately help in self improvement in performance.

The findings of this study were fascinating as it shows how a practical evaluation instrument, created with a consortium of educators and practitioners, falls short of its intended target to be used state-wide. Identification of the critical criteria in the instrument highlights its deficiencies as measured by the ISLLC Standards and the McREL Balanced Leadership framework. Further study may allow educator teams to construct a more precise evaluation tool that includes more critical and varied criteria related to the performance of an administrator.