School Administration Manager Project
(also known as SAMs)

Additional Resources

SAMs Overview - Overview PPT is also available

Principals are called to be instructional leaders. While we know principals cannot and should not get rid of all management duties, there are many things that principals do (address building maintenance problems, scheduling, minor discipline issues) that eat up lots of their time. They live interruption-driven lives. A study commissioned in 2002 by The Wallace Foundation reviewed the impact of time on the principalship and sought to answer five questions: 

  • Can management duties be separated from instructional ones?
  • Can a School Administration Manager handle many of management duties? 
  • If principals have more time, will they spend more time in classrooms?
  • Will it improve relations with teachers? 
  • Will it have an impact on achievement? 

The study found that time was a huge factor and that having someone as a SAM can significantly affect the amount of time the principal has to be an instructional leader.

Iowa schools in project years 1-3:     

  • Linn-Mar:  3 elementary buildings
  • Clear Creek Amana:  1 elementary, 1 middle school, 1 high school
  • West Des Moines:  2 elementary buildings
  • Saydel:  1 middle school
  • Spencer:  1 elementary, 1 middle school
  • Storm Lake:  1 middle school, 1 high school
  • Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn: K-12/superintendent
  • Waterloo:  1 high school, 1 middle school
  • Council Bluffs:  3 elementaries, 2 middle schools, 2 high schools

 New schools fall '09  

  • Council Bluffs:  6 elementary buildings + additional team at middle school
  • Ft. Dodge (SINA): 1 middle school
  • Sioux City: 1 elementary
  • Linn-Mar:  2 new elementaries
  • Clear Creek Amana HS - A. Principal- 1 new high school team
  • Davenport:  2 intermediate schools

 Schools using ARRA funds to support project services: new fall '09  

  • Anamosa : Strawberry Hill Elementary
  • Sigourney:  elementary
  • Albia:  high school
  • West Sioux:  K-12
  • Independence:  elementary
  • Cedar Falls: high school

SAMs by the Numbers 

  • 45 teams currently participating
  • Project is 3 years old in Iowa - initial pilots were 3 schools in Linn-Mar CSD
  • 3 models are being used: full-time additional staff member, re-configured role or existing position with additional SAM responsibilities
  • Key components: Readiness, data collection, training, software, coaching, annual conference-state supported services