Principal effectiveness matters for student outcomes, and strong principal pipelines matter for principal effectiveness. School districts looking to invest in such principal pipelines can use this guide to find the most promising federal funding sources to support their work.

Research shows benefits for students and schools from what have come to be described as “comprehensive, aligned principal pipelines”—​​​​​​​​​​​​​a set of coordinated (“aligned”) procedures and policies designed to cultivate and support effective school leaders across the range (“comprehensive”) of talent management activities under a district’s purview. 

The guide identifies seven categories of procedures and policies: 

1.  Leader Standards

2.  High-Quality Pre-Service Principal Preparation

3.  Selective Hiring and Placement

4.  Evaluation and Support

5.  Principal Supervisors

6.  Leader Tracking System

7.   Systems and Sustainability


For each category, the guide specifies related district activities, along with indicators of progress and the federal funding sources that may be most promising for each one.

Funding information for activities in all seven categories is also compiled into a single “at-a-glance” table. Part 2 of the guide provides details about each funding stream, including its purpose and core allowable uses; how it is allocated (e.g., by formula or in the form of competitive or discretionary grants); and the primary recipients.

The authors—an expert in principal pipelines (Brenda Turnbull) and two experts in federal education law and financing (Scott Palmer and Sean Worley)—recommend that district staff members who lead pipeline development efforts use the guide in consultation with their district federal program officers.

 Points of Interest

  • With the American Rescue Plan Act providing billions of additional dollars for education, school districts interested in strengthening their principal pipelines may need help navigating the federal funding landscape. This guide provides details about the various funding streams and the activities they support.
    Unsure how your district’s principal pipeline work fits into the new federal funding landscape? This guide has got you covered.
  • Principal effectiveness matters for student outcomes, and strong principal pipelines matter for principal effectiveness. Districts looking to invest in principal pipelines can use this guide to find the most promising federal funding sources.
    Looking to tap federal funds for your district’s principal pipeline? This guide will help you ask good questions and test your assumptions.

 Supplementary Materials