Preparing School Leaders for a Changing World

Lessons from Exemplary Leadership Development Programs—Final Report

A groundbreaking report provides case studies and practical guidelines to help district and state policymakers reinvent how principals are prepared for their jobs.

April 2007

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A school principal chats with a teacher.

Table of Contents

Overview

Research Approach

Implementation Tips

Ideas In Practice

Author(s)
Linda Darling-Hammond, Michelle LaPointe, Debra Meyerson, and Margaret Orr

Publisher(s)
Stanford University

Page Count 255 pages

Summary

How we did this

The study examined eight exemplary pre- and in-service principal development programs with evidence of producing strong outcomes. To understand how the programs operate and how they are funded, researchers interviewed program faculty and administrators, participants and graduates, district personnel, and other stakeholders. They reviewed program documents and observed meetings, courses, and workshops. Researchers also surveyed program participants and graduates about their preparation, practices, and attitudes, comparing their responses to those of a national random sample of principals. In addition, for each program, they observed graduates in their jobs as principals, interviewed and surveyed the teachers with whom they work, and examined data on school practices and achievement trends.

Study after study has shown that universities and districts fall short in preparing effective school leaders. This groundbreaking report describes the qualities of eight principal training programs that succeed in preparing strong instructional leaders. They include both university preparation and in-service leadership development. Researchers draw on these examples to show how districts, universities, and policymakers can make high-quality principal development the rule rather than the exception.

The eight principal programs produced outstanding results for their participants compared with principals in a national random sample. Researchers found a number of positive results for graduates of exemplary principal preparation programs, including that they:

Felt better prepared for the principalship
Were more interested in remaining in the principal job despite serving more challenging schools
Spent more time on instructional leadership

Findings were similarly positive for those enrolled in exemplary on-the-job principal training.

A staggering 80 percent of superintendents and 69 percent of principals think that leadership training in schools of education is out of touch with the realities of today’s districts, according to a recent Public Agenda survey.

Characteristics of Exemplary Programs

The report identifies many common elements in the most effective pre-service and in-service principal preparation programs. These include:

A curriculum aligned with state or other professional standards for school leaders. Researchers find that professional standards influence programs to focus more deeply on instructional leadership and school improvement.
A consistent model of leadership woven into every program element. For example, coursework is reinforced by clinical experiences organized around the same key leadership principles.
Rigorous recruitment and selective admission. Exemplary programs were more likely than other programs to recruit teachers with strong instructional backgrounds and demonstrated leadership ability. They also selected candidates who better reflected the diverse communities they would serve.
A professional support network that encourages informal problem-solving among peers. Universities can establish such networks by admitting aspiring principals in cohorts who attend the same classes. Districts can establish study groups, principal networks, or peer mentoring. Researchers find that informal discussions about shared challenges amplify formal learning.

Supports for Exemplary Programs

Exemplary principal programs had a number of supports. Among them:

A core team of leaders who acted as tireless champions. Program faculty members attributed the success and survival of their programs to committed leaders. These leaders organized partnerships, secured resources, and implemented critical program features.
Formal partnerships between university preparation programs and the districts their graduates served. This allowed partners to align preservice preparation with in-service professional development. Without reinforcement, the impact of even high-quality preparation fades over time.
Strong funding. Exemplary programs were well funded although funding sources varied. Some made use of foundation and federal grants. But reliable funding streams from tuition, general operating budgets, and state programs offered more stability. Researchers urged state and district decision-makers to devote sufficient resources to support high-impact programs.

Key Takeaways

Researchers identified eight exemplary pre-service and in-service principal preparation programs. These programs produced outstanding results for their participants compared with principals in a national random sample. For example, graduates of exemplary programs were more interested in remaining in their principal jobs despite serving more challenging schools. They also spent more time on instructional leadership, among other positive outcomes.
Researchers identified many characteristics shared by exemplary principal preparation programs. One is a curriculum aligned with state or other professional standards for school leaders. Researchers found that professional standards influence programs to focus more deeply on instructional leadership and school improvement.
Exemplary programs have a consistent model of leadership woven into every program element. For example, coursework is reinforced by clinical experiences organized around the same key leadership principles.
Principal preparation is more effective when university programs form partnerships with districts their graduates serve. This allows partners to align pre-service preparation with in-service professional development. Without reinforcement, the impact of even high-quality preparation fades over time.
Exemplary programs are well funded. Researchers urged state and district decision-makers to devote sufficient resources to support high-impact programs.