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U.S. Department of Education
How prevalent among public school principals is participation in professional development in various topics, and how does this prevalence vary with school characteristics and principal experience?
The most prevalent professional development topic reported by public school principals was learning about supporting effective instruction (92 percent; Figure 4). Many principals also reported learning about analyzing and interpreting student achievement data and safety or school climate. About three-quarters of principals participated in professional development on the use of technology to support instruction, student motivation and engagement, and school improvement planning. About two-thirds of principals received training in school management and policy, and about half reported participating in professional development in social services for students, and human resource management.
Figure 4. Among public school principals with at least 1 year of experience at their current school and who participated in professional development during the last school year, percentage participating in professional development in various topics: 2017–18
NOTE: Percentages are from table 4; see https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2020045. Percentages are among those principals who indicated that, during the last school year (2016–17), they participated in any professional development activities as a principal at their current school.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), “Public School Principal Data File,” 2017–18.
Professional development in most topic areas varied little by principal experience or school characteristics (data not shown; see table 4 at https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2020045). However, topics related to planning and management, as well as social services for students, were most prevalent in city schools. Principals in city schools more often reported learning about school improvement planning (83 percent), school management and policy (72 percent), and human resource management (60 percent) than did principals in suburban, town, or rural schools (Figure 5). In addition, principals in city schools reported learning about social services for students (60 percent) more often than did principals in town or rural schools.
Figure 5. Among public school principals with at least 1 year of experience at their current school and who participated in professional development during the last school year, percentage participating in professional development in various management topics and social service provision for students, by community type: 2017–18
NOTE: Percentages are from table 4; see https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2020045. Percentages are among those principals who indicated that, during the last school year (2016–17), they participated in any professional development activities as a principal at their current school.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), “Public School Principal Data File,” 2017–18.
Considering the same content areas by the experience of public school principals, there is not significant variation in training rates in the subject areas of school improvement planning and social services for students (Figure 6). However, the least experienced principals engaged in professional development around school management and policy (72 percent) and human resource management (54 percent) at higher rates than more experienced principals.
Figure 6. Among public school principals with at least 1 year of experience at their current school and who participated in professional development during the last school year, percentage participating in professional development in various management topics and social service provision for students, by principal total years of experience: 2017–18
NOTE: Percentages are from table 4; see https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2020045. Percentages are among those principals who indicated that, during the last school year (2016–17), they participated in any professional development activities as a principal at their current school.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), “Public School Principal Data File,” 2017–18.
