Professional Development for Urban Principals in Underperforming Schools

Abstract

Principals in America’s lowest performing urban schools face many challenges, including public scrutiny as a consequence of being identified as such by state and federal legislation. These special circumstances have implications for the professional development of the leaders of these schools. This article chronicles the work of the Connecticut State Department of Education, local districts, faculty from a private university, and the principals of Connecticut’s 28 priority schools as they created coherence from state-mandated and district-mandated programs intended to bring about school improvement. A yearlong Urban Principals’ Academy (UPA) was devoted to addressing the instructional leadership, capacity building, and personal renewal needs of these principals. Details regarding the content of the UPA are presented with data gathered from the sessions. The article concludes with lessons learned regarding professional development for urban principals of underperforming schools in context of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.