A substantial and growing body of research suggests that strong school leadership is critical for shaping productive learning environments, supporting high-quality teachers and teaching, and influencing student outcomes. But what characteristics contribute to high-quality principal preparation programs and learning experiences? And to what extent…

This 10th edition toolkit was developed for use in states and districts taking part in Wallace Foundation-funded efforts to improve school leadership. It includes rubrics on candidate admissions, course content, pedagogy-andragogy, clinical practice, performance assessment, and graduate performance outcomes, and was designed to help principal…

The study focused on how principal mentors perceived the mentoring process by means of the metaphors they used to represent it. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 principal mentors. Findings were analysed qualitatively, generating themes as an inductive process, grounded in the various metaphors articulated by participants.…

This article explores the ways in which senior leaders in the learning and skills sector understand learning leadership and the influence on shaping their practice through the lens of senior leaders participating in a leadership programme. The article examines the extent to which personal theories of leadership are formed from our earliest…

Examines trainers' perceptions that head teachers present more problems as learners than other groups of managers. Partly because of professional isolation, secondary head teachers seem to have great difficulty with trainers' authority. Head teachers are frequently judgmental and resistant to experiential learning and personal change processes.…

A program that encourages knowledge generation and reflection is peer-assisted leadership (PAL), where principals shadow one another and conduct reflective interviews. Principals' reactions reveal their concerns about professional isolation, their need for relevant information, their frustrations as instructional leaders, and their desire to avoid…

Outcomes of the Experiential Program for Preparing School Principals (EPPSP) at Butler University in Indiana, an alternative process for training preservice school administrators, are presented in this report. The study examines the differences in perceptions of program preparation experience, instructional preferences, and overall satisfaction…

Effective schools research indicates that principals heavily influence student achievement and school improvement. Although principals are responsible for administering special education programs and ensuring appropriate evaluation and placement of handicapped students, their university preparation and professional training have been minimal and…