This technical supplement provides details on the survey methodology and results presented in the report "Developing Effective Principals: What Kind of Learning Matters?" The full report shows that principals' access to high-quality learning opportunities varies across states and by school poverty level. To draw these conclusions, the…

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…

The relevance of the investigated problem is conditioned by absence of the single approach to the common criteria and mechanisms of a pedagogical educational establishment's assessment; the current assessment principles of planning and management are out-of-date. The aim of this article is to analyze theoretical approaches and concepts of…

Principals who are strong, effective, responsive leaders help to inspire and enhance the abilities of their teachers and other school staff to do excellent work. Such principals also tend to retain great teachers and create opportunities for them to take on new leadership roles. This leads to the following key question: What can state policymakers…

A primary goal of school districts' investments in professional development for principals is to enhance their effectiveness. This study examines the connection between administrator professional development and performance in a national sample of schools. We show that not all types of administrator professional development participation correlate…

A recent study investigated administrator development at a regional assessment center when no specific structured developmental program was provided by the center or by the sponsoring organization. Former participants in an assessment center are likely to pursue professional development activities even though formal postassessment programs are…

Elements of a principal renewal program to help principals improve their instructional leadership skills are described in this paper. Nine topics of the staff development training program are highlighted, which are learned through supervised nonjudgmental practice: quality schools development; quality principal characteristics; time management;…

Findings from a study that explored the training/development opportunities desired by secondary school heads in Negara Brunei Darussalam are presented in this paper. A questionnaire administered to 22 national secondary school college heads who attended a workshop in July 1991 elicited 16 completions. Information was gathered about those aspects…

Discusses recent trends in professional education that incorporate administrator mentoring. Explores the use of mentoring at the preservice preparation level by the Danforth Principals' Program and its use in the process of professional induction by the Ohio LEAD Center. Discusses selection and training of mentors. Explores characteristics of…

This paper presents findings of a study that explored ways in which educators used reflective practices for administrative problem solving. Specifically, the study explored the ways in which administrators used a cognitive-coaching framework to guide their thinking and contributed to their practical wisdom through structured reflection of their…

A study examined the impact and cost effectiveness of a principal leadership-development program. The program is based on one-on-one interaction between the participant and a leadership analyst, and it includes the following components: assessment, feedback, and construction of a one-year personal development plan. A survey mailed to 195 Illinois…

Now in the third year of operation, the Oklahoma Leadership in Educational Administration (LEAD) Project is implementing a professional development program for state educational administrators. The mission of the project is to develop and implement a research-based leadership skills training model to improve the effectiveness of practicing school…

Maine's 1985 Administrator Certification Law crafted new preservice, induction, and professional development expectations keyed to 12 competency areas. Between 1986-1988, three pilot sites were established to assess the efficacy of the competencies and test a new procedure linking renewal to an administrator support system based on three…

Findings of a study that determined the benefits of mentoring as part of an administrator preparation program are discussed in this paper. In-depth interviews were conducted with nine practicing administrators, who worked directly with aspiring administrators who served as candidates in one cycle of the Danforth Foundation Program for the…

Various organizations in Oklahoma that had an interest in administrator preparation, certification, and professional development pooled their efforts and worked collegially to apply for and use the state Leadership in Educational Administration Development (LEAD) grant for the professional improvement of state school administrators. The LEAD…