A good school requires a good principal, nearly everyone agrees.
But most states collect little or no information about how their
principals are prepared, licensed, supported and evaluated,
concludes Operating in the Dark, an analysis by the Dallas-based
George W. Bush Institute. “While 47 states reported they have
adopted standards for principal effectiveness . . . just 17
states include learning outcomes when evaluating principal-
preparation programs,” notes Ed Week. “Only six
states—Connecticut, Georgia, New Mexico, Rhode Island,
Tennessee, and Washington—use some evidence of effectiveness in
renewing principals’ licenses.”Rhode Island creating
comprehensive systems to follow principals from their training
programs through licensing, placement, and school leadership.