In the United States (U.S.), the heart of public education lies in the commitment to providing every child with the necessary resources for their learning and development. Today, in 2024, principals are responsible for ensuring all students have equitable access to education by integrating technological advancements, maintaining a rigorous…

Sustainability is the theme of this guide: how to ensure that what starts as an initiative to build an effective principal pipeline becomes a system with the staying power to function well and produce benefits for years to come. Sustaining a pipeline requires attending to the following six elements--as defined by the authors based on research and…

In the ESSA Leadership Learning Community (ELLC), education agency leaders, community organization leaders, and others have together taken on challenges facing schools and school leaders in their states. They have produced advice to state agencies on policy design and rollout, for example on official definitions of equity, on requirements for…

The purpose of the current article is to reflect systematically on articles published in Leadership and Policy in Schools (LPS) since its foundation in 2002 to the present time (2016). Based on qualitative content analysis of the journal's articles, it was found that "LPS" has published articles about clear and demarcated areas of study,…

This case study asks readers to contemplate what leadership practices may facilitate leadership succession at charter schools. The case narrative is followed by an activity designed for students in principal preparation programs. In this activity, students develop an exit strategy for the departing leader, a hiring plan for the charter school…

Multiple and complex issues simultaneously present themselves for the principal's attention. Learning how to identify, prioritize, synthesize, and act in relation to these issues poses a particular challenge to early career principals. This case study engages aspiring and current school leaders in critical reflection upon leadership opportunities…

This article draws upon an evaluation, carried out for the National College, of the piloting of the new National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) in England. The pilot programme focused on the personalisation of headship training to make it more customised to the identified needs of each individual. The reconfigured programme…

The significance of effective leadership and management for successful school and student outcomes is increasingly being recognised. This has led to consideration of the nature of preparation and development required to promote good leadership. There is now widespread acknowledgement of the need for specialised training for school principals. This…

The purpose of this study is to examine principal pedagogy from the perspective and experiences of urban education leaders; the aspiring principal and the veteran principal. The investigation is centered on the pedagogical experiences of school administrators that develop into the leadership attributes of proficient principals. An examination of…

Leadership succession planning is a means to identify the need for systematic and purposeful change in education. Policy, planning, and research suggest that there is an acute shortage of school leaders globally. By illumination of these facts, we detail and describe what is happening within a Canadian context, and this we argue is similar to what…

Succession planning has become increasingly important because of the shortage of headship applicants in England, and in many other countries. Leadership development is a central part of any succession planning strategy. This article compares the findings from two longitudinal studies, in England and South Africa, where the governments are seeking…

This article reports and interprets the findings of a study of headteachers' views and perceptions of continuing professional development (CPD) provision and their ongoing CPD needs and priorities, carried out in 2007 in Scotland, involving headteachers from the primary and secondary sectors. Topic areas in which headteachers generally were most…

Large school districts face a number of challenges due to their sheer size. One of these challenges involves staffing the role of the principal. With Baby Boomers reaching retirement age, large school districts, especially those experiencing growth, have to fill numerous leadership positions. In order to fill these positions efficiently and…

This qualitative research study used narrative inquiry to explore the assistant principal experiences that contribute to transformational leadership practices in new principals. Eight administrators, who were in their first or second year as a principal, participated in the study. The findings suggested that principals play an important role in…

School leaders are increasingly being asked, whether by rhetoric or policy, to measurably improve student achievement. The resultant need to assist school leaders in their ability to improve teaching and learning for all students in their schools led to the establishment of the National Institute of School Leadership's (NISL's) Executive…