ABSTRACT
This chapter explores state and local policies affecting principal preparation and professional development over the past several decades, examines current policy trends, and describes how policy can influence principal development opportunities and outcomes. In states and districts that have overhauled leadership and preparation program standards and have used them to inform preparation, clinically rich learning opportunities, and assessment, evidence suggests that the quality of principal learning has improved. Over time more state and local policymakers have adopted standards for principal licensing and program accreditation. However, few states adopted other high-leverage policies, such as requiring a rigorous selection process, a clinically rich internship, district-university partnerships, or a performance-based licensure assessment. All states developed plans to bolster their efforts to support leadership development through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) by strengthening preparation, reimagining on-the-job support, advancing equity-focused leadership, distributing leaders more equitably, and building leadership pipelines. Evidence from several states and districts shows that where leadership policies and implementation are strong, access to high-quality principal learning opportunities increases. Well-implemented systemic policies have resulted in students outperforming their peers from schools led by principals who were not participating in these programs. And major reforms have been associated with evidence of stronger principal preparedness, practices, and retention.
