Four years into a massive Wallace Foundation effort to help six large urban school districts improve their principal pipelines, an independent study reveals all districts have made impressive strides in helping principals strengthen leadership and classroom instruction.
The report on the Wallace Foundation’s Principal Pipeline Initiative notes that novice school principals directly benefit from improved quality of their training, hiring, evaluations, mentoring and other support during their crucial first years on the job.
In fact, district superintendents and school leaders were so committed to the training program’s success that benefits were quick to come.
“To a striking extent, all six districts carried out the kinds of policies and practices called for by the Principal Pipeline Initiative,” said lead author Brenda Turnbull of Policy Studies Associates, the group that conducted the study. “The result has been that both superintendents and novice principals are already reporting changes for the better.”
(Next page: Key report findings and strategies to boost school leadership)
Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland's prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Latest posts by Laura Ascione (see all) - Children learn best on paper: We need better technology, not less of it - July 13, 2026
- In districts, reaching readiness, retention, and success - March 5, 2026
- AI use is on the rise, but is guidance keeping pace? - January 2, 2026
- Children learn best on paper: We need better technology, not less of it - July 13, 2026
- In districts, reaching readiness, retention, and success - March 5, 2026
- AI use is on the rise, but is guidance keeping pace? - January 2, 2026