Journal of Education & Social Policy

An Examination of Principals’ Perceptions of Professional Development in an Urban School District
Mary K. Boudreaux

Abstract
School districts require teachers to engage in continuous learning of new skills. Federal and state laws rely on multiple indicators to measure and improve student performance. However, punitive attention through the No Child Left Behind legislation has been directed at professional development as a means to improve student academic achievement even though there is a diverse body of research linking professional development to student achievement and academic performance as a positive strategy in high-performing schools and districts. The specific purpose of this study is to examine principals’ perceptions of teacher professional development. These dimensions include: amount of time, sufficient resources, alignment with school improvement plan, datadriven, reflective, follow-up, collaboration, evaluation, implementation and student learning. The results of this research will help to validate the need for principal support of teachers having practice time to implement strategies introduced during professional development so that student achievement is positively impacted.

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