One of the most important jobs in education is that of the principal. Research has consistently shown that after teachers, principals have the most impact on student achievement when it comes to in-school factors.
But, the principalship is also one of the toughest and loneliest professions which, experts say, leads to high turnover within the position.
How to train—and retain—principals is the focus of a new Education Week special report out today called “Shaping Strong School Leaders.”
I reported on how KIPP is providing an intensive, ‘real world’ training experience for its rising principals. The report examines other issues relevant to charter and private school leadership such as:
- how to deepen the bench of future school leaders;
- the importance of quality, ongoing professional development for principals; and
- tapping teacher-leaders to take on substantive leadership roles within schools.
You can dig into the full report here and explore other related multimedia features including a photo gallery depicting the daily lives of principals of all types from across the country.
Photo: Elizabeth Valerio, a KIPP assistant principal, visits a 6th grade math class at KIPP Rise Academy in Newark, N.J. She is training to open and lead a KIPP school in St. Louis next fall. Photo by Mark Abramson for Education Week.