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School Leadership

School Leadership

Effective school leaders are essential for ensuring that students have access to strong educational opportunities. They shape a vision of academic success for all students; create a positive school climate; cultivate leadership in others so that teachers and other adults feel empowered to realize their schools’ visions; guide instructional decisions that improve teaching and learning; and manage people, data, and processes to foster school improvement. They also play a major role in retaining effective teachers and ensuring their success in the classroom. Ultimately, school leaders have a significant impact on students’ experiences and achievement. 

The Learning Policy Institute’s work and research related to school leadership covers a variety of topics, including strategies to:
  • recruit and effectively prepare school leaders; 
  • create high-quality professional learning opportunities to build leadership capacity;
  • reduce principal turnover, which can be disruptive to school progress;
  • improve working conditions; and
  • ensure equitable and supportive accountability systems that encourage principals and other educators to work in high-needs schools.
The Wallace Foundation’s School Leadership Knowledge Center offers reports and other resources for insights into the importance of school leadership and strategies to improve it. Browse resources
View a complete list of LPI's publications, blogs, and events on the topic of school leadership. View all