School Leadership

School leadership is second only to teaching among school-related factors in its impact on student learning, according to research. Moreover, principals strongly shape the conditions for high-quality teaching and are the prime factor in determining whether teachers stay in high-needs schools. High-quality principals, therefore, are vital to the effectiveness of our nation’s public schools, especially those serving the children with the fewest advantages in life.

Browse the reports and other resources on these pages for insights into school leadership and how to improve it.

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Video: Series Shows How Universities, School Districts Can Team Up to Redesign How Principals are Prepared	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/uppi-video-series.aspx	Video: Series Shows How Universities, School Districts Can Team Up to Redesign How Principals are Prepared	Watch Principal Preparation: A Roadmap for Reform and see how local partnerships are undertaking a complex process to rethink the way school leaders are prepared for the demands of the job. <br>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Video	<img alt="UPPI Video " src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/uppi-video-b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	5/14/2019 4:00:00 AM
Education Leadership: Evidence and Implications	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/Education-Leadership-Evidence-and-Implications.aspx	Education Leadership: Evidence and Implications	<p>A Technical Assistance Briefing for U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor <br></p>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Slide Presentation	<img alt="" height="100" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/House-Education-Labor-Committee-4-11-19-TA-b.jpg" width="133" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/House-Education-Labor-Committee-4-11-19-TA-a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	4/30/2019 4:00:00 AM
Memorandum: ESSA Evidence Review of the Principal Pipeline Initiative	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/ESSA-Evidence-Review-of-the-Principal-Pipeline-Initiative.aspx	Memorandum: ESSA Evidence Review of the Principal Pipeline Initiative	A RAND study showing student achievement and principal retention benefits from principal pipelines meets research standards necessary for funding of pipelines under Title I and other sections of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. <br>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Report	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/Abt-ESSA-Evidence-Review-PPI_20190402-1-b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/Abt-ESSA-Evidence-Review-PPI_20190402-1-a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	4/8/2019 4:00:00 AM
Principal Pipelines: A Feasible, Affordable, and Effective Way for Districts to Improve Schools	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/Principal-Pipelines-A-Feasible,-Affordable,-and-Effective-Way-for-Districts-to-Improve-Schools.aspx	Principal Pipelines: A Feasible, Affordable, and Effective Way for Districts to Improve Schools	Schools in large districts that built principal pipelines markedly outperformed similar schools in comparison districts in both reading and math, a groundbreaking RAND report finds. <br>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Report	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/Principal-Pipelines-A-Feasible-Affordable-and-Effective-Way-for-Districts-to-Improve-Schools-a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	4/8/2019 4:00:00 AM
Sustaining a Principal Pipeline	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/Sustainability-of-Principal-Pipeline-Initiative.aspx	Sustaining a Principal Pipeline	<p>Principal pipelines—a set of procedures and policies to cultivate and support effective school leaders—have evolved in certain ways but remain strong and valued, even after foundation funding for them ended, in six large districts that built them with foundation support.<br><br></p>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Report	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/Sustaining-a-Principal-Pipeline-b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/Sustaining-a-Principal-Pipeline-a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	2/14/2019 5:00:00 AM
Education Leadership: Evidence and Implications	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/Education-Leadership-Evidence-and-Implications-educational-briefing-U.S.-senators--oct-10-2018.aspx	Education Leadership: Evidence and Implications	<p>This educational briefing was given to U.S. senators and their staffs on Oct. 10, 2018.</p>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Slide Presentation	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/Notes-October-10-Senate-meeting-the-wallace-foundation-b-73.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/Notes-October-10-Senate-meeting-the-wallace-foundation-a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	12/12/2018 5:00:00 AM
Launching a Redesign of University Principal Preparation Programs: Partners Collaborate for Change	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/Launching-Redesign-University-Principal-Preparation-Programs.aspx	Launching a Redesign of University Principal Preparation Programs: Partners Collaborate for Change	Describing the first year of an effort to improve university training of future principals, this study finds that universities, school districts and others were able to form a firm partnership that led to a vision for better university principal training and concrete planning to enact it.	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Report	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/Launching-Redesign-University-Principal-Prep-Programs-b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/Launching-Redesign-University-Principal-Prep-Programs-a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	10/30/2018 4:00:00 AM
Educational Leadership: Evidence and Implications	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/Ed-Leadership-Lessons-for-DOE-meeting.aspx	Educational Leadership: Evidence and Implications	<p>This educational briefing was given to the U.S. Department of Education on Aug. 27, 2018</p>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Slide Presentation	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/ed-leadership-lessons-doe-b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/ed-leadership-lessons-doe-a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	10/12/2018 4:00:00 AM
A New Role Emerges for Principal Supervisors: Evidence from Six Districts in the Principal Supervisor Initiative	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/a-new-role-emerges-for-principal-supervisors.aspx	A New Role Emerges for Principal Supervisors: Evidence from Six Districts in the Principal Supervisor Initiative	Six school districts demonstrate the feasibility of substantially changing the role of the principal supervisor so it can focus more on principal support and less on operations. <br>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Report	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/A-New-Role-Emrges-for-Principal-Supervisors-b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/A-New-Role-Emrges-for-Principal-Supervisors-a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	7/10/2018 4:00:00 AM
A Briefing on Strengthening the School Leadership Pipeline and Connections to Federal Policy	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/strengthening-school-leadership-pipeline-and-connections-to-federal-policy.aspx	A Briefing on Strengthening the School Leadership Pipeline and Connections to Federal Policy	Senate education committee representatives heard evidence about the significance of effective school leadership and ways to cultivate it at a briefing by The Wallace Foundation May 11, 2018.	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Slide Presentation	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/Senate-briefing-slides-for-5-11-18-FINAL-b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="A Briefing on Strengthening the School Leadership Pipeline and Connections to Federal Policy" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/Senate-briefing-slides-for-5-11-18-FINAL-a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	5/24/2018 4:00:00 AM

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