Effects of the National Institute for School Leadership’s Executive Development Program on School Performance in Massachusetts

• In Event: Learning to Lead: Exploring Leadership Development, Effectiveness, and Capacity in U.S. Schools

Abstract

The National Institute of School Leadership’s (NISL's) Executive Development Program (EDP) was established to provide professional development to school leaders to drive their schools to high performance. The program emphasizes the role of principals as strategic thinkers and instructional leaders, and aims to ensure that the participating school leaders have the knowledge, skills, and tools to effectively set direction for teachers, support their staffs, and design an efficient organization. This study examined the effects of EDP on longitudinal school performance trends in Massachusetts, using a rigorous ex post facto design with carefully matched comparison group. A statistically significant effect of the EDP program was observed on mathematics achievement (effect size of +0.10), but not on reading/English Language Arts achievement.

Authors

• John A. Nunnery, Old Dominion University

• Shana L. Pribesh, Old Dominion University

• Steven M. Ross, Johns Hopkins University

• Cherng-Jyh Yen, Old Dominion University

• Elizabeth Hoag Carhart, Old Dominion University