ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the policy change process that resulted in dramatic improvements to principal preparation in Illinois. It explores how a broad group of stakeholders was engaged for more than a decade in the effort. The chapter also provides descriptions of both how the change process occurred and ultimately what changes were included in the new state policy. It aims to develop various documents dating back to the beginning of the reform effort in 2000, which included committee and task force meeting minutes, final reports, and other artifacts from various collaborations. The chapter shows how the policy change process progressed through the regular interactions of advocacy coalitions that operated within the education policy arena. The initial phase of policy change, involving problem identification, was informed primarily by research and practice. Advance Illinois convened a Principal Preparation Steering Committee focused on supporting the proposed policy changes.
