Study: 89815

Department-funded evaluation

Review Details

Reviewed: June 2022

No statistically significant positive
findings

Meets WWC standards without reservations

For:

Department-funded evaluation (findings for National Institute for School Leadership’s Executive Development Program )

Using:

Rating:

Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a cluster randomized controlled trial with low cluster-level attrition and individual-level non-response.

This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.

Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Findings

General Literacy Achievement outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome measure	Comparison	Period	Sample	Intervention mean	Comparison mean	Significant?	Improvement index	Evidence tier
Reading Achievement	National Institute for School Leadership’s Executive Development Program vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample - Year 3; 63,337 students	0.01	0.03	No	--

General Mathematics Achievement outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome measure	Comparison	Period	Sample	Intervention mean	Comparison mean	Significant?	Improvement index	Evidence tier
State math assessment	National Institute for School Leadership’s Executive Development Program vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample - Year 3; 63,337 students	0.03	0.04	No	--

Secondary school attendance outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome measure	Comparison	Period	Sample	Intervention mean	Comparison mean	Significant?	Improvement index	Evidence tier
Attendance	National Institute for School Leadership’s Executive Development Program vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample - Year 3; 63,337 students	170.08	170.06	No	--

Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Sample Characteristics

Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.

16% English language learners
Other or unknown: 100%
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South, West

Race
Black		19%
Other or unknown		49%
White		32%

Ethnicity
Hispanic		40%
Not Hispanic or Latino		60%

Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch
Free or reduced price lunch (FRPL)		72%
No FRPL		28%

Study Details

Setting

The implementation of the National Institute for School Leadership’s (NISL’s) Executive Development Program (EDP) and paired coaching spanned three states, 332 middle schools, and 118 school districts.

Study sample

The middle school principals were characterized as novice principals (defined as less than five years of experience) and with no prior experience with the EDP. Students in the sample were primarily nonwhite (68%), with 40% of the sample identified as Hispanic, 19% Black, 32% White, and 9% other race. Most of the study students came from low-income backgrounds and were therefore eligible for free or reduced-price lunch or categorized as having lower socioeconomic status (72%). Sixteen percent of students were classified as English learners (ELs).

Intervention Group

The National Institute for School Leadership’s (NISL’s) Executive Development Program (EDP) is a widely used principal professional development program. The EDP provides principals with supports to build their skills, knowledge, and resources to set the direction for teachers, improve their instruction, and create an effective school environment rooted in professional learning. The EDP also includes diagnostic tools principals can use for their school planning. In this intervention, principals participate in an in-person program that is typically delivered in 24 full-day sessions, two per month, over 12 months. Additionally, NISL-certified coaches offer at least 60 hours of one-on-one coaching to principals, both in-person and remotely.

Comparison Group

Principals in the control group were placed on a waitlist for the three-year period of the study, after which they received the 12-month EDP. During the study period, principals and students in the comparison group were likely exposed to support services as they had been in the past.

Support for implementation

No implementation support was described separate from the intervention components, which included professional development and coaching, diagnostic tools, and a year-long in-person development program.

Effects of the Executive Development Program and Aligned Coaching for School Principals in Three U.S. States. Investing in Innovation Study Final Report. Research Report. RR-A259-1