Research Focus: Research tells us that it takes years of deliberate practice and ongoing coaching to become an "expert" in any field and that it can take from 3 to 7 years for a new teacher to grow into an effective educator. Yet, in America today, more than 50% of teachers quit in their first 5 years of service. In low performing…

There has been a growing emphasis among education policymakers on coaching as an important aspect of professional learning for school leaders. This paper describes a qualitative study of long-term leadership coaching for school principals. The study aims to fill the gap in the literature on coaching for experienced leaders and, reflecting the 2019…

The responsibilities of school principals in the United States have shifted to include instructional leadership in addition to the management of facilities and people. Principals at all levels can find it challenging to balance their administrative and instructional leadership roles. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand…

A substantial and growing body of research suggests that strong school leadership is critical for shaping productive learning environments, supporting high-quality teachers and teaching, and influencing student outcomes. But what characteristics contribute to high-quality principal preparation programs and learning experiences? And to what extent…

This interview study employs a distributed leadership perspective to explore three coach-principal dyads' perspectives on: (1) the strategies coaches use to gain entry to teachers' classrooms; (2) the barriers that impede coaches' access; and (3) the supports that facilitate coaches' access. Results indicate that the principals were largely…

Districts are increasingly investing in coaching programs to improve teacher practice and student outcomes. However, merely providing schools with the funding for a coaching position is not enough. To maximize the return on the investment of coaching, our research on the Dynamic Learning Project (DLP) shows that districts need to ensure that they…

California has a notable history of investing in educational leaders' professional learning. In 1983, the state launched the California School Leadership Academy (CSLA), which it funded until the academy was discontinued due to statewide budget cuts in 2003. Research showed that CSLA was a source of high-quality professional development. In 2019,…

Group coaching is emerging as an approach with a strong potential for developing leadership competencies. However, there is little research on its use in the professional training of school leaders. In this study, we investigate the outcome of and the processes involved in group coaching using data from reflection papers and evaluations. The…

A school's success is largely determined by the effectiveness of its principal--decades of research have made this clear. Less settled is the question of what principals need to know and do to drive positive outcomes in their schools. A recent report funded by The Wallace Foundation provides evidence on the connection between school principals and…

A recent synthesis of research from the last two decades confirms that principals can have a significant impact on student learning outcomes, accelerating annual student learning by more than two months. Effective principals focus on high-leverage instructional activities, build a productive culture and climate, facilitate collaboration and…

Leadership coaching is a process for principals who seek to become transformational leaders within their field. Leadership coaching involves high levels of reflective practices and additional tools for leaders to utilize to enhance their effective leadership practices. The purpose of this study was to identify coaching models that would be…

Principals have a complex task in leading their campus in providing a learning environment set to prepare students for academic success. The Texas standards for principal qualifications include the multiple roles expected of the principal in this leadership capacity. The new Texas Principal Evaluation and Support System (T-PESS) is designed with…

Strong leadership is essential in any successful instructional coaching effort. "Leading Student-Centered Coaching" provides principals and district leaders with the background, practices, and tools required for leading coaching efforts that have a profound and positive impact on student and teacher learning. Filled with practical ideas…

This qualitative case study examined the distribution of leadership and the implementation of an instructional reform in a low-performing urban middle school. Leadership for the instructional reform was widely distributed and stretched across formal and informal teacher leaders. School personnel were highly invested in the instructional model and…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of a virtual reality (VR) classroom experience for improving the capacity of instructional leaders. Specifically, school leaders used VR to build their classroom observation and analysis skills to prepare to have more effective post-observation conversations with teachers. The authors…