ABSTRACT
This chapter synthesizes the findings of 52 research studies to examine how in-service professional development programs influence principals’ practices and perceptions, aspects of school functioning, and student outcomes. Studies have consistently found that principals participating in comprehensive professional development programs with the features of high-quality professional learning—a focus on instructional leadership, developing people, and managing change taught through applied learning with coaching and reflection—report increases in their understanding of leadership and, where studied, improvements in their leadership practices. A small number of studies also show links between high-quality principal professional development and student achievement. Other studies with unclear and/or mixed outcomes examined programs that lacked key features of high-quality professional development (e.g., expert coaching), experienced problems with implementation (e.g., low levels of principal participation), or experienced research limitations (e.g., insufficient duration, inadequate controls, inappropriate comparison groups). Regarding individual program elements, studies strongly suggest that three strategies are particularly important for professional learning: (1) individualized, one-on-one support by an expert mentor or coach; (2) communities of principals who can learn from their peers, build communication and collaboration skills, and learn new ways of thinking; and (3) applied, job-embedded learning tied to principals’ day-to-day practice.
