Policymakers at every level of government and the public understand that few issues are more important than improving the performance of America’s K-12 students, particularly those in urban, low-performing schools. The School Leadership Research Project fills a gap in existing research by providing a systematic, data-rich analysis of school leadership, including the school leadership labor market and what makes some school leaders more effective than others. The multi-year study analyzes and identifies the personal characteristics, preparation experiences, behaviors and orientations of school leaders that positively impact student outcomes. The data include longitudinal staff, student and school data from district administrative databases, surveys of teachers and school leaders, and principal observational data.

The School Leadership Research Project models conceptually and empirically 1) the school leadership labor supply and 2) how school leaders’ characteristics, behaviors, and experiences affect student outcomes.

School Leadership Effectiveness Model

This project is also interested in the job of school leaders and what makes a school leader effective. If the research on teacher recruitment and retention is any indication, the quality of the individual is as important as whether there is someone to fill the position.