The American Rescue Plan Act has made funds available to states and districts to speed up recovery from the effects of COVID-19, including addressing learning loss. The Wallace Foundation has distilled evidence from its work that may be helpful in informing choices about how to spend those funds, as well as how to implement key strategies.…

This paper highlights the successful efforts of one state, Maryland, to strategically select and train its most promising future leaders in order to prepare them for the leadership responsibilities associated with leading schools that have increased expectations for all students. Under the leadership of the governor's office, and with support from…

Principals have a substantial effect on the quality of learning in their schools. Likewise, districts have a substantial effect on the quality of their leaders. A growing number of large school districts are focusing on two objectives to strengthen school leadership: (1) building a pipeline of new principals who are ready to tackle the most…

Effective leaders must find ways to motivate their employees to provide maximum success for the organization. In today's world of high accountability, this ability is paramount to the success and survival of schools, and is an especially important skill for early career principals to master. Knowledge of the factors that might have contributed to…

For those who have just been appointed to their first headship or who are aspiring to be a head of school, they undoubtedly know the importance of the mechanics of finance, curriculum, development, and trustee work. These are critical to their success. After four years of headship, however, the author has come to learn that the intangibles can be…

Beginning school administrators face a predictable set of professional challenges that are very personal. By addressing these challenges as opportunities for learning and growth, new administrators can become leaders. This article offers several tips on how school administrators can adapt to their new positions.

During the author's first decade in school administration, coupled with his work with the National Association of Elementary School Principals' National Principal Mentoring Certification Program, he has collected a few nuggets worth sharing to rookie principals. In this article, he discusses what he calls his 7UP (Seven Unyielding Principles): (1)…

Two key insights guide Rhode Island's work to support principals. First, leaders at all experience levels need support from a network of colleagues. Second, leaders grow when they work with colleagues of diverse experience levels. That led Rhode Island to create a continuum of support that enables principals to address their learning needs through…

Purpose: This article aims to set the scene for this Special Issue on beginning principals and to inform one's understanding of how new principals manage their work lives to make a difference in their schools. Design/methodology/approach: Based on recent literature on beginning principals, the paper draws together and analyses issues encompassing…

This book describes a professional development model for new and experienced principals -- a collaborative leadership inquiry seminar. The authors combine existing models of structured professional conversations about education into an on-going leadership development experience that will work in large, urban school districts. They examine how to…

Purpose: The paper seeks to develop a conceptual framework capable of informing future research into beginning principalship in diverse cultural contexts. Design/methodology/approach: Based on recent literature, and specifically drawing on contributions to this Special Issue, the paper explores the relationship between externally generated…

Many districts are struggling with the problem of administrator retention. Hoffman (2004) identifies some of the reasons for this: (1) Increased accountability expectations; (2) Diminished or static levels of resources to support reform efforts; (3) Greater administrator vulnerability to sanctions; (4) The complex demands of government and the…

New Leaders for New Schools is the brainchild of a group of graduates from Harvard's business and education schools, including CEO Jonathan Schnur, a former Clinton administration official. New Leaders was designed to supply new blood to cities that were reportedly facing shortages of qualified principals ready to turn around dysfunctional…

Purpose: This paper sets out to posit that the new economy places a new set of demands on schools and those who lead. Mindfulness, intentional engagement of people and adaptive confidence are needed developmental features of beginning principal success. The paper examines how beginning principals in Canada respond to the capacity-building work of…