Principal Programs Get $75 Million Boost from Foundation

New grants will support leader-development efforts in six districts

A residency program in Denver, and mentorship and leadership-development programs in Georgia’s Gwinnett County school system are among the projects getting a financial injection over the next five years from a new $75 million Wallace Foundation investment that is aimed at improving the pipeline leading to the principal’s office.

Educators generally agree that good principals are second only to good teachers in their positive influence on student learning. But research hasn’t yet answered the question of whether investing in solid principal training and support leads to achievement gains.

With the new funding program unveiled last week, the New York-based philanthropy is attempting to close the knowledge gap. The $75 million in grants will go to six school districts that are working on comprehensive methods to identify, train, evaluate, and support principals. The Wallace Foundation also supports coverage of leadership, expanded learning time, and arts learning in Education Week .