Most U.S. elementary school principals report access to professional development content identified as important for building leadership capacity¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2020 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · overdue for a recheck since 2025: baselines and conditions change

Subclaims¶

q2 i? In the NAESP-LPI survey, the topics most available were using student or school data for continuous school improvement (98%), supporting social-emotional development (95%), and helping teachers improve through cycles of observation and feedback (95%), with little variation by school characteristics or experience. → Levin 2020

Evidence¶

Levin 2020¶

Levin, S., Leung, M., Edgerton, A. K., & Scott, C. (2020). Elementary school principals’ professional learning: Current status and future needs. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. http://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/professional-learning-principals

q2 · i? · associational · r2

Descriptive statistics from the NAESP-LPI national survey of 407 elementary principals (41% response rate), reported in the study findings section. The article states there was “little variation in principals’ responses by school characteristics or principal experience.”

"the three topics most likely to be available to principals were using student or school data for continuous school improvement (98%), leading schools to support students’ social-emotional development (95%), and helping teachers improve through cycles of observation and feedback (95%)."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Far fewer elementary principals participate in authentic, job-embedded professional learning than have access to professional development content — related
• Most principals face obstacles to professional learning—time, coverage, and funds—with funding obstacles concentrated in schools serving many students of color — related
• Access to mentors and coaches is inequitably distributed, with high-poverty schools far less likely to have supported principals — related
• Only 46% of principals reported a preparation internship involving real leadership responsibilities, and few in-service principals had coaching or mentoring — related
• Elementary principals most frequently want professional development on whole child education, with rural principals especially likely to want physical and mental health content — related
• State policy differences shape principals' access to high-quality learning: California principals report more access than national peers, North Carolina principals less — related
• More than two thirds of principals want equity-focused professional development, with significant differences by community type — related
• Access to high-quality principal learning varies by school poverty level: principals in high-poverty schools report fewer opportunities — related
• Almost all LEAs planned professional development for principals and site leaders on early childhood topics — related