There is a growing understanding that, after engaging teaching, educational leadership is the second most important factor accounting for student success. Despite this fundamental declaration, educational leadership has fallen through the cracks. Little interest has developed concerning in-depth studies of this important position in education.…

Much research exists about the development and behaviors of leaders for social justice. However, scant research exists on how to develop the courage necessary to promote social justice within leadership candidates. The purpose of this conceptual article is to present a framework for the inclusion of courage within existing leadership preparation…

School systems throughout the world are struggling with the issue of who will lead public schools today, and in the future. The patriarchal model from the past, when authority was not to be questioned and educational leadership was viewed in a straightforward, one-dimensional perspective, has been replaced by a complicated combination of…

Conflict management is one of the most stressful and frustrating aspects of a school leader's job. An inability to overcome conflicting viewpoints, ever more palpable in today's polarized climate, stymies innumerable school reform efforts. Yet, the subject is rarely examined in graduate-level leadership preparation programs or in-service…

Recent reports indicate the national principal attrition rate is at an all-time high. Scholars suggest a lack of responsive professional development as a leading factor in why principals leave the field. Further, the pandemic has exposed daily uncertainties for school leaders as they navigate new territory, bringing forth new considerations in how…

School leaders, specifically principals, play a pivotal role in shaping student learning outcomes. The benefits of strong leaders extend beyond academic achievement, such as reductions in absenteeism and exclusionary discipline. While quality principals are critical for creating and sustaining quality schools, the staffing pipeline is facing…

Emotional intelligence is good for business. That is the growing consensus across sectors in recent years. In schools, the focus on people's well-being and interpersonal skills is called social and emotional learning (SEL). The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) defines SEL as the process through which children and…

"Preparing Leaders for Deeper Learning" spotlights educational leaders as key actors in the urgent task of readying students for college, careers, and citizenship in an evolving world. Marjorie Wechsler and Steven Wojcikiewicz argue that, in response to new understandings of learning and development and emerging societal needs, K-12…

The pandemic has prompted many school leaders to better leverage digital learning and management. The switch to remote learning in March 2020 forced many administrators to embrace and adapt to technology. The lessons they learned and practices they adapted are continuing to influence their work today.

With more states and districts turning to veteran and retired school leaders to mentor and support new principals, the role of training for these leadership coaches is increasingly critical. Gill, a freelance journalist, highlights examples of training programs for principal coaches in Hillsborough County, Florida, New York City, and Prince…

This article details the creation and features of the Aspiring Principals Program, an intentional, mutually beneficial partnership between the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

Three schools spent time learning together in a Learning Forward Colorado Summer Institute focused on Learning Forward's book "Becoming a Learning System" (Hirsh et al., 2018). The book and the sessions with co-author Frederick Brown provided the blueprints and tools for building-based educational leaders to navigate a process for…

As schools become more racially, socioeconomically, and linguistically diverse, there are increasing calls for educational leaders to be more representative of student demographics and be explicitly prepared to advance equity through culturally responsive/relevant leadership practices. We discuss how applying an equity lens to three key content…

Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) administrators at all levels, across different programs and departments, engage in coaching with a set of common goals and principles. The coaching is designed to not only help them grow professionally but also build their capacity to coach those they supervise, including teachers and staff. LAUSD's…

All principals can learn and implement the actions and behaviors that have the biggest effect on student learning outcomes, namely: (1) to establish a clear schoolwide focus on delivering quality instructional experiences for all students; (2) to initiate, lead, and manage change in school processes, programs, personnel, professional learning, and…