Mentoring and coaching programs are associated with stronger principal practices, higher teacher ratings, and better student outcomes¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r2 · q2–q3
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Principals who participated in mentoring or coaching programs had higher teacher ratings, greater student achievement outcomes, and stronger practices than non-participants. → Darling-Hammond 2026 q2 i? In a random assignment study of the CEL program, positive effects on principal practice and student achievement appeared only for more experienced participants who received higher-quality coaching. → Darling-Hammond 2026 (2)

Evidence¶

Darling-Hammond 2026¶

Darling-Hammond, L., Fitz, J., Giani, M. V., Gordon, M. F., & Wechsler, M. (2026). The principal effect: How investing in school leaders is key to solving education's challenges. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/644.197

q2 · i? · review · r2

The review reports two studies in which mentoring or coaching participants had "higher teacher ratings, greater student achievement outcomes, and stronger practices" than non-participants; five additional studies reported principals' own accounts of improved practice.

"In two studies, researchers found that principals who participated in mentoring or coaching programs had higher teacher ratings, greater student achievement outcomes, and stronger practices (e.g., providing feedback to teachers, discussing actions and goals aligned with feedback) than those who did not participate."

Darling-Hammond 2026 (2)¶

Darling-Hammond, L., Fitz, J., Giani, M. V., Gordon, M. F., & Wechsler, M. (2026). The principal effect: How investing in school leaders is key to solving education's challenges. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/644.197

q3 · i? · review · r2

A multistate random assignment study of the University of Washington's CEL program, a 2-year program training principals in classroom observation and feedback, found increased teacher professional development access and retention, but effects on practice and achievement "only for the subset" who were more experienced with higher-quality coaching.

"A multistate, random assignment study of the program found that teachers in schools led by CEL participants had increased access to professional development and increased retention rates. However, researchers found positive effects on principal practice and student achievement only for the subset of CEL participants who were more experienced and who received higher-quality coaching."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Teacher coaching programs improve teachers' instructional practice by a pooled 0.49 SD across 43 causal studies — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• Elementary schools led by LAUNCH principals show higher teacher-parent interaction and more reformed literacy practices — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Access to mentors and coaches is inequitably distributed, with high-poverty schools far less likely to have supported principals — related
• Student teachers who perceived their mentors modeled effective instruction and provided coaching, feedback, and job assistance felt better prepared, and domain-specific coaching was related to higher first-year REACH ratings — related
• NLNS and UIC elementary schools rated more positively than non-program principal schools on several measures — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• School leaders in higher-wealth schools are more likely to attend high-quality principal preparation programs, creating inequitable access — related
• No differences in student learning gains found between LAUNCH or NLNS principals and comparable or veteran principals — reports the opposite
• Literacy coaching responsibilities fall into two major areas: teacher mentoring and literacy program advocacy — related
• Balanced Leadership® may increase school leader retention at the school (potentially positive effects rating) — a narrower finding that bears on this claim