by Mel Riddile

While teachers as a group make the most impact on student achievement, research continues to confirm that the principal is the single, most important individual contributing to student achievement. Ironically, school leaders are the most neglected group in terms of support and training. Yet, principals are the only group in the educational food chain truly being held accountable for student performance.

In an effort to change this situation, Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) and Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA) introduced the School Principal Recruitment and Training Act (S. 2896/H.R. 4354). The bill would fund the creation of a grant program to recruit, support, and prepare principals to improve student academic achievement in high-need schools. Provisions of the bill include:

• A one-year residency
• Focused coursework on instructional leadership, organizational management, and the use of data to inform instruction
• Ongoing support and professional development
• Skills assessment
• Mentoring
• Development of a high-quality evaluation
• Information clearinghouse to facilitate the sharing of best practices
• Development of standards and definitions of principal effectiveness

For more information, see the Principal’s Policy Blog