PRIORITIZING PRINCIPALS GUIDEBOOK - Central Office Practices that Support School Leaders - The School Leadership District Cohort - May 2021

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Damian

Prioritizing Principals Guidebook examines how central office teams can strengthen school leadership and improve student outcomes. It explains why principals are pivotal to culture, instruction, staffing, and system alignment, and how leadership creates a multiplier effect across classrooms. The guidebook contrasts student-first, organized central office practices with compliance-focused approaches that can hinder principals. Evidence from research and RAND findings links improved principal leadership to stronger student performance and retention, with added urgency during COVID-19.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages44

Reading Time1 h 51 min

AccessFree to download

Why Focus on the Central Office?

Role and Impact of Principals

How Central Office Structure and Behavior Affect Campuses

Research Evidence and COVID-19 Context

PRIORITIZING PRINCIPALS G UIDEB OOK MAY 2021 PRIORITIZING PRINCIPALS GUIDEBOOK CENTRAL OFFICE PRACTICES THAT SUPPORT SCHOOL LEADERS THE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP DISTRICT COHORT MAY 2021 PRIORITIZING PRINCIPALS GUIDEBOOK CENTRAL OFFICE PRACTICES THAT SUPPORT SCHOOL LEADERS THE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP DISTRICT COHORT Guidebook Author: Dr. Gina Ikemoto, Senior Advisor, School Leadership Initiative Research and Editing Support: Anne Wicks, The Ann Kimball Johnson Director, Education Reform, George W. Bush Institute Dr. Eva Chiang, Director, Evaluation and Research, George W. Bush Institute Ann Clark, District Advisor, School Leadership Initiative Dr. Mikel Royal, District Advisor, School Leadership Initiative Alex Dowdy, Program Manager, Education Reform, George W. Bush Institute Expert Review: Brian Moskowitz, Long Beach Unified School District Matthew Smith, Des Moines School District Greg Basham, Hillsborough Public School District Glenn Pethel,(Retired) Gwinnett County Public Schools George W. Bush Institute School Leadership Initiative District Cohort: Austin Independent School District (TX) Chesterfield County Public Schools (VA) Fort Worth Independent School District (TX) Granite School District (UT) Housed within the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the George W. Bush Institute isan action-oriented, nonpartisan policy organization with the mission of developing leaders, advancing policy, and taking action to solve today’s most pressing challenges. Through three Impact Centers—Domestic Excellence, Global Leadership, and an Engagement Agenda—the Bush Institute delivers measurable results that save and improve lives. To learn more, [visit](visit www.BushCenter.org)[ ](visit www.BushCenter.org)[www.BushCenter.org](visit www.BushCenter.org). We are grateful for the continued generous support of the following: an anonymous donor, The AT&T Foundation, The BNSF Railway Foundation, Carstens Family Funds, CME Group Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. John W. Johnson, The Morris Foundation, Rainwater Charitable Foundation, and Sammons Enterprises, Inc. Why Focus on the Central Office? “There are two kinds of people in this district: those who teach and those who support those who teach.” —Alvin Wilbanks, Superintendent, Gwinnett County Public Schools Principals play a critical role in school improvement and student success.1 Research shows that principals are second only to teachers in school-level factors that affect student achievement.2 A recent review found that replacing a below-average principal with an above-average principal tended to have larger impacts on student learning than other educational interventions.3 The principal role is particularly important in low-performing schools, where improvement does not occur without strong leadership.4 Strong principals ensure that the school culture, instruction, staffing, and systems are all designed to support the achievement of every student. Principals have a multiplier effect, transforming classroom pockets of excellence into schoolwide systems of effective practice. Principals also play an important role in improving equity by disrupting systems of inequality and fostering culturally responsive classrooms.5 Strong principals are great bosses. Principals need the support of their district’s central office in order to lead their campuses well. This guidebook addresses how the structure and behavior of central office teams can make or break what happens on campuses. Those who are organized and authentically operate with a students-first mentality support the equitable achievement of all students. Those who are focused on compliance and nonstudent-focused outcomes can distract and disrupt the work of principals. Not surprisingly, a RAND study of six districts implementing comprehensive strategies to improve principal leadership found that their efforts had widespread positive effects on principals and in turn on students. Students in sc

FAQs

Why are principals considered critical to school improvement and student success?

The guidebook states that principals are second only to teachers in school-level factors affecting achievement. It also notes that improvements often require strong leadership, especially in low-performing schools.

How do central office teams influence what happens on campuses?

The guidebook explains that central office structure and behavior can make or break outcomes. Organized teams that operate with a students-first mentality support equitable achievement, while compliance-focused approaches can distract principals.

What does research say about supporting principals through central office strategies?

A RAND study cited in the guidebook reports widespread positive effects on principals and, in turn, students. Students in impacted principals’ schools outperformed comparison schools in math and reading, and principal retention improved.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Damian