Triple Bottom Line Theory was developed originally for businesses. It has been adapted for international educators in the article below. The idea is that as leaders we need to be aware of multiple bottom lines in order for our school’s to be successful.
The three bottom lines are:
- Fiscal: this is a very measurable and important bottom line for schools and requires a strong background in budgeting/finance.
- Academic: this is also a very measurable bottom line and requires identification of what academic outcomes are important for you to measure at your respective school.
- Intangible Core: this is a difficult bottom line to measure as it relates to qualitative data connected to values and dispositions.
Simultaneously incorporating three bottom lines requires systems thinking on the part of educational leaders. This systems thinking in combination with the use of the data cycle can lead to the ultimate goal for educational leaders: improved educational outcomes for students.
Link to scholarly article explaining Triple Bottom Line theory for international educators