Preparing Principals for a Changing World

Praise for Preparing Principals for a Changing World "Linda Darling-Hammond and her co-authors focus laser-like attention on school leadership, superbly underscoring the urgent need to get it right. This book is full of clear recommendations on how to shape and sustain the leadership talent our schools deserve. It involves collaborative, common-sensed approaches, such as cohort structures, carefully targeted recruitment, collegial support networks, and real-world learning experiences." Arlene Ackerman, superintendent, School District of Philadelphia "Preparing Principals for a Changing World is the definitive guide for educators engaged in leadership. This profoundly insightful book clearly addresses the key issues of how to best prepare and support principals." Michael Fullan, author of The Six Secrets of Change: What the Best Leaders Do to Help Their Organizations Survive and Thrive "Linda Darling-Hammond and her co-authors provide research and insight that drives home the point that effective principals are a prerequisite for effective schools. They explicitly state that principals' preparation, development, and readiness are critical factors in advancing and sustaining successful school redesign. Additionally, Darling-Hammond and her colleagues highlight the characteristics of principal development programsidentifying the specific components that make a difference in preparing school leaders and best practices that have the potential to impact all preparation programs. This book makes a significant contribution to the preparation of tomorrow's school leaders." Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director, National Association of Secondary School Principals

Linda Darling-Hammond is the Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education at Stanford University, where she serves as co-director of the School Redesign Network and the Stanford Educational Leadership Institute. Among her more than 300 publications are the award-winning books, The Right to Learn, Powerful Learning, Powerful Teacher Education, Teaching as the Learning Profession, and Preparing Teachers for a Changing World. Debra Meyerson is an associate professor at Stanford Universitys School of Education and co-founder and director of Stanfords Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society and its program on Private Initiatives and Public Education. She is the author of Tempered Radicals. Michelle LaPointe has over fifteen years of experience evaluating programs for children and analyzing educational polices. While a research analyst at the U.S. Department of Education (ED), she co-authored the 2004 Report to Congress on the Implementation and Impact of the Comprehensive School Reform Program, and contributed to the 2001 Title I report High Standards for All Students. Margaret Terry Orr is on the faculty of the Bank Street College of Education where she directs the Future School Leaders Academy and other partnership leadership preparation programs. She is co-author of Developing Effective Principals Through Collaborative Inquiry.

Preface vii Acknowledgments ix About the Authors xi 1. Developing School Leadership: The Current Challenge 1 2. Studying Exemplary Programs 23 3. Preparing New Leaders: What Successful Programs Do 45 4. Sustaining School Leaders: Supports for On-the-Job Learning 79 5. Evaluating Programs: What Well-Prepared Principals Know and are Able to Do 99 6. Supporting Exemplary Programs 123 7. Creating Policy for Leadership Development 149 8. Pulling it All Together: Conclusions and Implications 179 Appendix A: Research Methods 193 Appendix B: Survey Instruments 217 Appendix C: Cross-State Comparisons of Principals Survey Responses 281 References 301 Index 309