Developing Effective Principals: What Kind of Learning Matters?

The Learning Policy Institute (LPI) report Developing Effective Principals: What Kind of Learning Matters? adds to an extensive body of research indicating that high-quality principal preparation and professional development programs lead to positive school, principal, teacher, and student outcomes. Based on a review of peer-reviewed research and survey data, the LPI report identifies characteristics of Read more about Developing Effective Principals: What Kind of Learning Matters?[…]

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Redesigning University Principal Preparation Programs: A Systemic Approach for Change and Sustainability

Research has shown that school principals matter greatly to teaching and learning, but the university training they receive for the job has struggled to keep pace with the post’s growing demands. To test a path forward, in 2016 The Wallace Foundation launched the University Principal Preparation Initiative, providing support to seven universities in seven different Read more about Redesigning University Principal Preparation Programs: A Systemic Approach for Change and Sustainability[…]

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Educator Learning to Enact the Science of Learning and Development

Research advances in neuroscience and the developmental and learning sciences have provided us with important insights about how people learn and develop. This new knowledge points to important transformations in teaching practice, which in turn require transformations in educator development in order to support all educators in developing the knowledge, skills, and dispositions associated with Read more about Educator Learning to Enact the Science of Learning and Development[…]

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The Leaders we Need Now: Evolution of the Principalship

How have principals experienced changes in schooling over the last two years? To answer this question, the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) launched Leaders We Need Now, a series of research reports on how the unprecedented crises and turmoil in 2020–21 have affected the work of principals and the impact these changes will Read more about The Leaders we Need Now: Evolution of the Principalship[…]

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The Changing Role of School Leaders

Among all in-school factors that impact student learning, teachers carry the most weight — but school leaders are not far behind. Decades of research have proven the positive influence principals can have on student achievement, school climate and teaching quality. New evidence suggests that their impact may be even greater than previously thought, as principals Read more about The Changing Role of School Leaders[…]

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Principal Preparation Guidebook

The George W. Bush Institute Education Reform Initiative has released a new resource for districts, policymakers, and funders based on the initiative’s five-year research collaboration with four school districts. The newly released Principal Preparation Guidebook, the fourth in a series of guidebooks, provides guidance on how to effectively prepare a strong pool of principal candidates. Read more about Principal Preparation Guidebook[…]

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Principal Pipelines: A Feasible, Affordable, and Effective Way for Districts to Improve Schools

Rand has released a new report on The Wallace Foundation’s Principal Pipeline Initiative (PPI). Students performed up to 6 points above the median percentile on state tests in schools that implemented the program, which is aimed at improving school leaders. Research across the decades has confirmed that effective school leadership is associated with better outcomes Read more about Principal Pipelines: A Feasible, Affordable, and Effective Way for Districts to Improve Schools[…]

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Preparing School Leaders for Success

A growing body of research points to the ways in which principals influence teachers, classrooms, and, ultimately, student achievement. A new study by RAND examines the New Leaders Aspiring Principals program. Aspiring Principals has three core features: selective recruitment and admission, training and endorsement, and support for principals early in their tenure. RAND’s report is Read more about Preparing School Leaders for Success[…]

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Providing High-Quality Technical Assistance in Teacher Preparation

Many organizations offer technical assistance (TA) to teacher preparation programs seeking to improve their programming. But until recently, there was no common way to assess the impact of that technical assistance or even define what high-quality technical assistance looks like. How can TA providers better understand the impact their technical assistance actually has on teacher Read more about Providing High-Quality Technical Assistance in Teacher Preparation[…]

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Revisioning the Principal Supervisor Role

Principals and districts benefit when principal supervisors move beyond the role of administrator to coach and mentor, according to a new Vanderbilt University report. The report, “A New Role Emerges for Principal Supervisors: Evidence from Six Districts in the Principal Supervisor Initiative,”   details the implementation of five key components to reshape the supervisor position in Read more about Revisioning the Principal Supervisor Role[…]

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NAESP Study about the Principalship

Social-emotional learning, mental health, and student poverty are among the top student-related concerns of Pre-K through grade 8 principals, according to The Pre-K School Leader in 2018: A 10-Year Study.    Since 1928, the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) has collected data on the climate, challenges, and conditions that mark the principalship. In Read more about NAESP Study about the Principalship[…]

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Don’t Rate Teaching Schools Based on Student Test Scores, Study Warns

In recent years, public officials have sought to determine the quality of our nation’s teacher preparation programs, both the traditional programs at colleges and universities, as well as alternative preparation programs like Teach for America. One proposed way to do this is to track graduates into the classrooms where they become teachers to see how Read more about Don’t Rate Teaching Schools Based on Student Test Scores, Study Warns[…]

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Issue Brief: Effective School Leaders

School administrators serve as instructional leaders and set the tone for the culture of a school. The principal’s influence is pivotal. In Core Education’s May issue brief, we explore effective school leadership and recommendations for policy to improve the preparation, support, and evaluation of educational leaders. In addition, we review the research-based factors that make Read more about Issue Brief: Effective School Leaders[…]

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50-State Comparison: School Leader Certification and Preparation Programs

Research shows school leadership is a pivotal factor in improving student achievement and retaining quality teachers. In fact, among school-related factors, leadership is found to have one of the greatest impacts on student learning — second only to classroom instruction. However, many districts are challenged by high rates of turnover, resulting in shortages and inexperienced Read more about 50-State Comparison: School Leader Certification and Preparation Programs[…]

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Guiding Principals: State Efforts to Bolster Instructional Leadership

In her newest policy paper and accompanying data visualization, Roxanne Garza explores how support systems for principals vary across the country. Over the last decade, the term instructional leader has worked its way into the vernacular of the education community to describe the role of school principals. What people actually mean when using this term, Read more about Guiding Principals: State Efforts to Bolster Instructional Leadership[…]

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Preparing to Lead: Lessons in Principal Development for High Performing Education Systems

Of all in-school influences on student learning, leadership is second only to teaching quality. Indeed, when it comes to whole-system improvement, some argue that improving the quality of school leadership is a higher strategic priority than improving the quality of individual teachers, due to a principal’s influence across a school. While school leadership is routinely Read more about Preparing to Lead: Lessons in Principal Development for High Performing Education Systems[…]

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