Chapter 3: Raising the Quality of Principal Leadership Development: Lessons From a Collaboration Between an Urban School District, a State Leadership Institute, and a University Leadership Program

University principal preparation programs have been criticized for lacking selectivity in admissions, being academically weak, and all too often, being disconnected from the day-to-day challenges of schools and communities. In order to train more effective leaders for public schools, preparation programs require up-to-date research applied in real-life situations, as well curricula that draw upon the intellectual and experiential resources of a variety of partners. This chapter presents the 3-year outcomes of one such partnership between a university, a school district, and a state institute that has created and supported learning for effective school leadership.