As found in Preparing School Leaders for a Changing World (Darling-Hammond et al., 2007), guidance and mentorship from expert, experienced principals supports principals’ learning. Most of the comprehensive programs described that enabled greater principal effectiveness included mentoring or coaching. Notably, in the CEL professional development program, the distinguishing feature for the subset of principals whose work with teachers boosted student achievement was the high-quality mentoring they received. While outcomes of the comprehensive programs cannot be attributed solely or primarily to the mentoring and/or coaching they provided, those that have this feature have positively influenced principal practice.
Additional research conducted over the past 2 decades specifically examining mentoring and coaching corroborates the earlier research. It also offers new insights into the outcomes related to mentoring and coaching, as well as the mechanisms by which mentoring and coaching work to support school leaders, and the factors that are most important for productive mentoring and coaching programs. These studies consistently found that mentors and coaches can play an important role in building the capacity of school leaders (i.e., Goff et al., 2014; Grissom & Harrington, 2010; Houchens et al., 2012; Lackritz et al., 2019; Wise & Cavazos, 2017). Across studies, principals described their experiences with mentoring or coaching programs as positively influencing their leadership practices and as the most valued of all their professional development opportunities.
- Wallace Foundation, Developing Effective Principals: What Kind of Learning Matters (May 2022)
Administrators who participate with USA-Kansas Leadership coaching will administer a 360 survey electronically to their staff and supervisors to receive individual survey results around the domains of building culture. The survey is followed by the creation of an Individual Plan of Study and monthly collaborative coaching sessions with trained coaches to address self-selected growth areas.
Administrators with more than one year in their current administrative placement.
“This is my 6th year as a principal. I have always been a person that wants to grow and improve every year, but my growth this year has easily outweighed the previous five years combined! I attribute this to Jessica’s guidance and the opportunity to learn alongside other like-minded leaders hungry for growth. The 360 survey that I had my staff complete provided valuable feedback and offered me the “nudge” I needed to challenge the status quo and initiate positive change.”
– Tyler Weinbrenner, Principal, Hillsboro MS/HS