Schools that support teachers and other members of the school community in taking initiative and exercising leadership over their work look and feel different from schools where decision-making and influence are more centralized. A growing body of research, backed by the experience of teachers and school leaders across the country, supports the…

This policy brief details three recommendations for how principals can lead schools to college and career readiness. They include: (1) Revising school leadership standards to focus on those most critical for ambitious instructional leadership and providing technical assistance and resources; (2) Strengthening and investing in high-quality…

How and how much should students be tested? What information should schools and districts be required to collect and monitor? And what should be done when that information suggests a school is not meeting the expectations? Those questions are at the heart of Congressional discussions regarding the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary…

Since 2000, "New Leaders" have prepared outstanding principals to transform America's underserved schools and communities. Yet the role has become vastly more complex and demanding--and principals, no matter how heroic, cannot do it all alone. Great leaders, by definition, bring out the best in their people to create exceptional teams.…

Across the education field, there is unusual consensus that strong teacher leaders are key to improving our nation's schools. Unfortunately, clear expectations for what teacher leaders should do, and strategies to prepare them to do it, are few and far between. A recent survey found that while 86 percent of urban school districts have teacher…

This brief outlines a series of proposals for using federal policy to bolster school leadership. The Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA) should highlight the unique role that principals play by targeting funding within the law to build principals' capacity as instructional leaders, culture builders and talent managers. ESEA should also…

This policy brief was developed specifically for federal policymakers, and builds upon the policy recommendations included in "Leading from Every Seat: Empowering Principals to Cultivate Teacher Leadership for School Improvement." The recommendations in this report include the following: (1) Uncover New Leadership Ideas and Seed…

School leaders are critical in the lives of students and to the development of their teachers. Unfortunately, in too many instances, principals are effective in spite of--rather than because of--district conditions. To truly improve student achievement for all students across the country, well-prepared principals need the tools, support, and…

School leaders are critical in the lives of students and to the development of their teachers. Unfortunately, in too many instances, principals are effective in spite of--rather than because of--district conditions. To truly improve student achievement for all students across the country, well-prepared principals need the tools, support, and…

New Leaders and the George W. Bush Institute's Alliance to Reform Education Leadership (AREL) released a report entitled "Great Principals at Scale: Creating District Conditions that Enable All Principals to Be Effective" in June 2014. This brief summarizes the framework presented in that report and recommends actions that states and the…

School leaders are critical in the lives of students and to the development of their teachers. Unfortunately, in too many instances, principals are effective in spite of--rather than because of--district conditions. To truly improve student achievement for all students across the country, well-prepared principals need the tools, support, and…

Principals are critical to the success of any school improvement effort--from increasing academic rigor toward college- and career-ready standards to teacher evaluation and support. They ensure this success by building a strong, shared vision and leading effective implementation for staff, students, and families. The federal government has an…

Despite the recent push to design and adopt educator evaluation systems, many states and local educational agencies (LEAs) have focused primarily on teacher evaluations and lack the appropriate attention to design and implementation of school leader evaluations and aligned professional development. And, since principals are responsible for…

This report is the executive summary of a research study that identifies the actions that great principals take to ensure and amplify great teaching. The findings are based on an in-depth analysis of the leadership practices in more than 200 district (134) and charter (77) schools that saw substantial gains in student achievement in seven urban…

Recent New Leaders' research found principals are critical to teacher success in three ways: (1) developing teachers--working with teachers to improve skill and classroom practice; (2) managing talent--hiring, placing teachers, and monitoring performance; and (3) creating a great place to work--shaping schools into places where teachers want to…