Other Resources

Administrators Desk

From principals' favorite hallway displays to ways to deal with angry parents, Education World's "Administrator's Desk" has it all.

Principal Profiles

Each week "Education World" profiles a different school principal to get his or her insight into what it takes to lead a school community and reflect on their personal and professional challenges.

Turnaround Tales: Administrators, Educators Unite to Beat Odds

Faced with horrible scores on the first version of Maryland's state tests, staff at Rock Hall Elementary School raised standards for students and increased professional development for teachers, and saw scores climb. (Excerpted from Karin Chenoweth of "The Washington Post" and republished on the Education World Web site).

Professional Development

U.S. Department of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook

Many education administrator jobs require advanced degrees, strong communication skills, and the ability to collaborate. Excellent opportunities are expected since a large proportion of education administrators is expected to retire over the next 10 years. Learn more about the nature and conditions of administrator work, training, and earnings.

'Educational Leadership': Preparing for Success

Schools rely on teachers to assume a variety of formal and informal leadership roles -- but with little or no leadership training. These research-based strategies and practical advice from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development will help you move your career to another level.

Mentoring New Administrators to Success

"The distance from the classroom or assistant principal's office to the principal's office could be very short, but the expectations grow with every step toward that door."

Preparing the Next Generation of Urban School Leaders

"In an effort to deepen the pool of qualified urban principal candidates, the Institute for the Mentorship of Urban School Leaders at Lehigh University was established to give proven school leaders the training and support needed to be effective administrators." (Education World)

Other Organizations

National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)

NASSP provides educators with professional research-based and peer-tested resources, and practical tools and materials necessary to be visionary school leaders.

National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP)

Check out their blog "The Principal's Office"  where the door is always open for discussing the complexities of educational leadership.

American Association of School Administrators

These school system leaders are responsible for improving the quality of districts' educational systems and often represent high-quality public education in general for the community. They offer a host of publications. Check out "The School Administrator."

What the Research Says

Stanford University School Leadership Study

Principals play a vital role in setting the direction for successful schools, but existing knowledge on the best ways to prepare and develop highly-qualified principals is sparse. Learn more about this ongoing study aimed at filling in the gaps and determining what works. Also see their study overview "Developing Successful Principals." (PDF)

Preparing School Principals: A National Perspective on Policy and Program Innovations (PDF)

There is widespread and bipartisan acceptance of the need for America’s schools to improve. At the same time, implementing the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is forcing us to confront the weaknesses of contemporary school leadership and is making it impossible to ignore the escalating need for higher quality principals — individuals who have been prepared to provide the instructional leadership necessary to improve student achievement. (Institute for Educational Leadership, 2003)

Take This Job and Fill It -- Association of California School Administrators and the California Association of Professors of Educational Administration survey on school prinicpals - Statistical Data Included

Former Colorado governor and Los Angeles Unified School Superintendent Roy Romer discovered this his first month or so on the job. He expressed concern that L.A. Unified, the second largest school district in the United States, was about to open the 2000-2001 school with 40 unfilled principal positions.

Public School Principals Report on Their School Facilities: Fall 2005. Statistical Analysis Report (PDF)

The extent to which school buildings support education has been an important topic for policymakers. One issue is the physical condition of the buildings, particularly as they age. Another is the ability of the buildings to accommodate shifts in the nation's population. (National Center for Education Statistics, 2007)

Community & Family Engagement. Principals Share What Works (PDF)

This paper explores ways principals of community schools--and other principals who, though they may not yet identify their schools as community schools, are responding in a very similar manner--are working successfully with community partners, families, and other key stakeholders to improve student outcomes. (Coalition for Community Schools, 2006)

The Insiders: How Principals and Superintendents See Public Education Today. Reality Check 2006. Issue No. 4 (PDF)

This is the fourth in a series of reports from Reality Check 2006, an ongoing set of tracking surveys on education issues. Reality Check regularly surveys attitudes among public school parents, students, teachers, principals, and superintendents. (Public Agenda, 2006)

Challenges in Data-Based Decision-Making: Voices from Principals (PDF)

Principals in the infor mation age need to be information-driven, committed to shared leadership, and relentless about continuous improvement. They must reshape the processes, norms, and behaviors of teaching and learning around aggregating and interpreting shared information. In this article, the authors discuss the role of a principal in shaping the focus of a school and employing data-based decision-making strategies. (Education Horizons, 2006)

Is Your School Fit for Literacy? 10 Areas of Action for Principals (PDF)

The goal of this document is to provide a scheme that may be used by principals, literacy leaders, and school teams to take stock of the literacy health of their school. The assessment may show that the school is fit on most factors, or that a boost is needed in several areas. (Learning Point Associates / North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL, 2005)

NEA Resources

50 Signs Your School Is a Great School!

Education World asked 16 principals to share the great things that are happening in their schools -- and share they did!

Teachers Submit Their Wish Lists

Here are 20 ideas for rewarding teachers that have been submitted by principals to Education World.

Teachers Share Their Favorite Principal PA Interruptions

Several years ago, at the school where I previously taught, the assistant principal was excited about the arrival of the paychecks. He got on the PA and said, "Teachers, may I have your attention please: The eagle has landed. I repeat, the eagle has landed."

At least one teacher, who was concerned that she might have missed a change in the code language for "intruder in the building," actually locked down her classroom.

The Discipline Dean

Steven Johnston doesn’t send unruly students to the principal’s office. He’s one of a growing number of teachers whose job it is to set the tone for students at his school.

NEA Drop Out Prevention Plan

Here are four things school administrators can do to ensure students stay in school.

The Importance of Being A Colleague: A Perspective on Mentoring Teachers

A few years into my first teaching assignment, my principal announced to me that I was to have a student teacher in my classroom—someone to mentor, coach, and, presumably, teach how to teach, and—he tried to entice me—someone to share the load of grading papers and preparing lessons. I wasn't sold.

Alleviating Appraisal Anxiety

Although experienced teachers certainly already know the drill of administrator-conducted evaluations, novice educators might benefit from some of the pointers I have accumulated through the years.

Principals Offer Advice to Job Seekers

Have a plan, a portfolio, and a good attitude! That's just some of the advice Education World's "Principal Files" contributors have for soon-to-be college grads looking for their first teaching positions. Any educator who is involved in a job search will benefit from this advice from the people who are doing the hiring!

Illustrative Language for an RFP To Build Tests To Support Instruction and Accountability

In a separate report, Building Tests To Support Accountability and Instruction: A Guide for Policymakers¹ the Commission on Instructionally Supportive Assessment identifies nine requirements that must be satisfied if statewide tests are to support both instruction and accountability:

Student-Centered Learning

Educator Melba Smithwick never had too much difficulty trying out new ideas. But when a new principal encouraged a small group of teachers to give students more say in their learning, Smithwick hesitated.

Check out these additional NEA resources to help school leaders navigate key education issues.

• "No Child Left Behind"/ESEA  
• Accountability and Testing
• Charter Schools  
• Professional Pay   
• Special Education/IDEA  
• Vouchers