New Briefs Highlight How Universities, Districts and States Each Can Work to Improve Principal Preparation

What can universities, their local school districts and state education agencies learn from a recent initiative that sought to improve principal preparation through partnerships among the three?

Three new briefs from the RAND Corporation—one for university principal preparation programs, one for districts, and one for state policymakers—summarize the lessons.

Research has shown that school principals matter greatly to teaching and learning, but universities have struggled to make the fundamental changes in principal preparation programs needed to ensure principals can "hit the ground running" in a job that has become increasingly demanding.

To test a path forward, in 2016 The Wallace Foundation launched the University Principal Preparation Initiative, providing support to seven universities in seven different states to better align their principal preparation programs with evidence-based practices.

The briefs condense the findings from RAND's five-year study of the initiative, in which each university – unusually – worked with state education departments and school districts. A takeaway for programs, districts and states alike is that strong, trusting partnerships are essential to the work.

Insights particular to each member of the trio include:

For principal preparation programs. Despite obstacles ranging from time constraints to some pushback from faculty members, program redesign, powered by partnership, and with the help of tools and mentor programs, is feasible and can lead to more intentional recruitment and admissions, curriculum, clinical experiences and use of cohorts.

For school districts. The work, though demanding, holds the prospect of three crucial benefits: principals whose preparation is more closely aligned with district needs, improved leadership development practices in the district, and the development of a data system to support and develop school leaders.

For states. State policymakers can be active participants in efforts to improve principal preparation, taking steps including developing strong principal standards.

Download the briefs: