Today's school leaders are often stretched thin, juggling increasingly complex challenges with limited resources. This situation is exacerbated by veteran administrators leaving the profession, leaving less experienced principals and assistant principals to lead schools without substantial support. To address the evolving needs of school leaders,…

This article describes a partnership that launched a principal professional learning community (PLC) that emphasized shared learning, peer calibration, and reflective practice. The PLC created space for building-level administrators, including principals and assistant principals, to learn with and from one another in role-alike groups. Its purpose…

This paper describes a participatory action research project that was delivered on Saturday mornings to vice-principals (VPs) in two Anglophone school districts in the province of New Brunswick, Canada, in 2022 and 2023. The project was set up as an invitational five-part seminar series that was grounded in educational theory and leadership…

Among numerous responsibilities, conducting effective classroom observations is crucial for school leaders. This research explores the perspectives of 23 aspiring and practicing school leaders about their experiences of learning classroom observation skills with LeadWise simulation, an interactive e-learning tool. Qualitative analyses of text data…

In spring 2025, the authors surveyed 207 American School District Panel member districts about principal pipelines, preparations, and supports. In this report, the authors describe the principal pipeline in school districts across the United States and the prevalence of professional development (PD) targeted at building and strengthening…

This critical ethnographic case study explores the impact of Performance-Based Assessment Tasks (PBATs) on high school dynamics and instructional practices, particularly in schools serving immigrant communities. PBATs, considered alternatives to standardized testing, have shown promise in enhancing student engagement, critical thinking, and…