The Reference Desk, using available evidence and research, provides quick-turnaround responses to questions submitted by education stakeholders around the Northeast and Islands Region. Every Friday, REL-NEI highlights one or two questions submitted to its Reference Desk.

What Does the Research Say About Professional Development for Principals?

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 both require states to promote the development of a highly qualified education workforce. The Reference Desk has received a number of questions concerning requirements for highly qualified teachers and this Digest previously has featured two of those questions, focusing specifically on effective practices for teachers’ professional development. This week’s entry addresses the related topic of professional development for principals.

Question

What does research say about professional development for school principals?

Research Synopsis

Reference Desk Researchers found several resources summarizing the research on professional development for principals. According to Fenwick (2002; see below), “[c]ontemporary models of school reform acknowledge the principal as the passport to school success. The modern principal is no longer the ‘principal’ teacher, but rather the manager of an increasingly complex organization.” Furthermore, Darling-Hammond (2007; see below) argues that “the quality of training principals receive before they assume their positions, and the continuing professional development they get once they are hired and throughout their careers, has a lot to do with whether school leaders can meet the increasingly tough expectations of these jobs.”

Publicly Available Resources

Preparing School Leaders for a Changing World: Lessons from Exemplary Leadership Development Programs — Final Report. Darling-Hammond, L., LaPointe, M., Meyerson, D., and Orr, M.; April 2007; Stanford Educational Leadership Institute; 255 pages.

From page 143: “Our research suggests that it is possible to create pre- and in-service programs that develop principals who can engage successfully in many of the practices found to be associated with school success: cultivating a shared vision and practices, leading instructional improvement, developing organizational capacity, and managing change…[P]rincipals who participated in the preparation and professional development programs selected as exemplary [in this study] reported being significantly better prepared, holding more positive attitudes, and engaging in more effective practices on average than did the principals in their relevant comparison groups.” This study was informed by the related 2005 literature review: School Leadership Study: Developing Successful Principals (Review of Research).
Professional Development of Principals. ERIC Digest. Fenwick, L.T., and Pierce, M.C.; 2002; Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Teaching and Teacher Education; ERIC #ED477731; 8 pages.

From the abstract: “This digest asserts that principals benefit from professional development that examines best practices, provides coaching support, encourages risk taking designed to improve student learning, cultivates team relationships, and provides quality time for reflection and renewal. Three different philosophical orientations guide the education and professional development of principals: traditional/scientific management, which exposes the principal to the research base on management and the behavioral sciences; craft, in which principals are trained by other experienced professionals; and reflective inquiry, in which the principal is encouraged to generate knowledge through a process of systematic inquiry.”
School Leadership that Works: From Research to Results. Marzano, R. J., Waters, T., & McNulty, B. A.; 2005; Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development; 194 pages.
According to this book synopsis, “the authors have developed a list of 21 leadership responsibilities that have a significant effect on student achievement… [b]ased on their analysis of 69 studies…and a recent survey of more than 650 building principals.” The book describes “[s]pecific behaviors associated with the 21 leadership responsibilities” and outlines a “5-step plan for effective leadership.” Read a summary of the research presented at a 2003 CCSSO (Council of Chief State School Officers) Policy Conference.

The Reference Desk also found these organizations to be helpful in learning more about professional development for school leaders:

National Institute of School Leadership (NISL)

From the website, “Researchers benchmarked the training of school principals worldwide and the training of leaders and managers in business, the military, medicine, and other fields to create a state-of-the-art executive education program for principals and other school and district leaders.”
Wallace Foundation Knowledge Center: Educational Leadership

This Wallace Foundation Knowledge Topic webpage links to a variety of resources “about strengthening the performance of education leaders to improve student achievement.”
National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)

From the website: “The mission of NASSP is to promote excellence in school leadership.”
National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP)

From the website: “The mission of the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) is to lead in the advocacy and support for elementary and middle level principals and other education leaders in their commitment for all children.”

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