Far fewer elementary principals participate in authentic, job-embedded professional learning than have access to professional development content¶

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? Only 32% of principals shared leadership practices with peers three or more times in the past 2 years, 23% had a mentor or coach, and 56% met with a PLC three or more times in the past 2 years. → 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

Survey findings section of the NAESP-LPI study: descriptive percentages for three authentic learning activities. The report adds that 23% had a mentor or coach and 56% regularly participated in PLCs (Figure 3).

"fewer than one third of all principals (32%) were able to spend time sharing leadership practices with their peers three or more times in the past 2 years, a constructive “applied” activity in reinforcing learning."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Only 46% of principals reported a preparation internship involving real leadership responsibilities, and few in-service principals had coaching or mentoring — related
• Access to mentors and coaches is inequitably distributed, with high-poverty schools far less likely to have supported principals — related
• Networks and professional learning communities of practicing principals support sharing best practices and problem solving on the job — related
• Most U.S. elementary school principals report access to professional development content identified as important for building leadership capacity — related
• State policy differences shape principals' access to high-quality learning: California principals report more access than national peers, North Carolina principals less — related
• Most principals face obstacles to professional learning—time, coverage, and funds—with funding obstacles concentrated in schools serving many students of color — related
• Field-based internships and on-the-job coaching by expert principals are reported as principals' most valuable but least experienced learning opportunity — related
• Principals with access to high-quality professional learning opportunities are more likely to stay in the profession — related
• Access to high-quality principal learning varies by school poverty level: principals in high-poverty schools report fewer opportunities — related
• A two-year professional learning community helped eight REL Midwest researchers identify collaborative-research challenges and apply solutions in their alliance work — related