A policy analysis of state-level policies regarding principal professional development

This project was a fifty state policy analysis of principal professional development policies. Literature about principal professional development provided the research to support criteria for quality principal professional development. Leading experts in the field of educational leadership provided insight and validated the criteria created and utilized in this project.;State principal professional development policies were analyzed using the literature-supported criteria created for this policy analysis. State department of education websites included state polices on principal professional development. Using the expert-validated indicators to analyze the state policies, data were collected for every state professional development policy. Trends, by state and by criterion, determined over the course of the policy analysis, led to outcomes and recommendations.;The state professional development policy data indicated the majority of states did not have professional development policies supported by academic literature. However, there were states that met many of the expert-validated criteria and indicators and could be considered exemplars for other states to emulate. Recommendations for states to consider in response to the findings were provided and the feasibility of each recommendation was provided.