Since its inception, New Leaders for New Schools has been driven by the fundamental belief that every child can succeed academically at high levels. New Leaders for New Schools also believes that an effective principal is a crucial lever for school improvement and transforming student achievement at scale. Thus, a focus on the selection, training,…

What's the best way to train an aspiring principal? Partnerships between universities and districts focused on building school leaders are not the norm--but perhaps they should be. In recent reports, the Southern Regional Education Board has noted a need for universities and school districts to share the responsibility of preparing future…

In 2000, the author took over the leadership of a large elementary school located in a small community in western Pinellas County, Florida. During her first year, the student population was around 950 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Today the school population is around 750 students, with 93 percent being white students who live in…

Why would anyone want to become a superintendent? Those who seek the job do so for the same reason they became educators in the first place--they care about kids and they want to help students achieve. Beyond that, the profession attracts individuals who see themselves, or are seen by others, as leaders. A similar rationale applies to why…

Serving as a new principal is not only demanding, it can also be a lonely job. But successful leadership doesn't happen in a vacuum, and principals need to know from their peers best practices about everything from focusing on instruction to planning fire drills. With this in mind, "Principal" magazine created a virtual roundtable--between…

This article describes how the Danforth Leadership Program at the University of Washington used Data-in-a-Day, a collaborative, action-research approach, at an urban elementary school to create a reciprocal learning experience focused on motivated learning for diverse students.

Schools are increasingly asked to expand their role in meeting the needs of all students. They are asked to provide a blend of synergistic ideas that are both traditional and progressive while dealing with huge differences in skill levels. The response of K-8 principals to this challenge can make all the difference in the world to children being…

Aspiring principals often have only a vague understanding of what the principalship entails--the loneliness, conflicts, dull routines, paperwork, and struggles to solve complex problems with limited resources. A recent study of southern principals showed that the induction practices (summer induction conferences and mentoring/internship programs)…

An educator who has conducted leadership programs for Chinese principals since 1985 examines the changes in that nation's schools over a 20-year period. He finds them making slow progress, thanks in part to educational exchange programs that have given principals the skills and educational foundations needed to overcome entrenched and system-wide…

Outlines the Situational Leadership II model and the four leadership styles and four development levels identified as important components in the development of situational leadership in school administrators. The model is used to teach principals how to vary their leadership style to fit the responses and capacities of their teachers. (MD)

To help alleviate the severe shortage of principals in the next 10 years, advocates principals sharing leadership with teachers as a strategy for recruiting teachers to the principalship. Also suggests several ways principal training programs can support and foster collaborative leadership. (PKP)

In a recent study, 18 Iowa and South Dakota elementary principals said the major reasons for developing a site council are to build broad-based accountability, create a results-oriented improvement agenda, and enhance a sense of community. Lack of adequate time and collaborative leadership training are obstacles to success. (MLH)

Describes the successful principal training program developed as a partnership between five Utah school districts and the Brigham Young University College of Education. It uses a modular curriculum and includes an internship under a mentor principal. A sidebar outlines the ten core competencies. (MD)

The author arrived at the Delta Principals Institute with low expectations and the same obstacles facing other principals from poverty-stricken areas: poor student achievement, staff apathy, lack of parental support, superannuated curricula, and poor community support. There he learned how to overcome these obstacles by using a more participative…