Principal Preparation Program

Prepare for the real work of school leadership. Opening soon.

Principals carry some of the most consequential work in a school. They lead adults, support students and families, guide instruction, manage operations, and hold steady through change.

Most preparation for that job happens somewhere else, in a program with no connection to the school a leader will actually lead, on a schedule that competes with the work rather than building on it.

Marshall Street is building the Principal Preparation Program the other way around. Aspiring school leaders will build the practice, judgment, and readiness the role requires, inside real schools and on real problems.

For partners, the program will strengthen leadership benches and prepare for transitions before they become urgent.

Who is it for

The Principal Preparation Program is for educators and leaders preparing for the principalship or senior school leadership. That includes:

Assistant principals
Deans
Teacher leaders
Instructional coaches
Emerging school leaders
Schools, networks, or districts preparing future principals from within

What Participants Will Experience

Participants will build the skills and judgment needed to lead schools with clarity and care. The program includes:

Guidance on Leadership practice connected to real school challenges
Coaching and feedback from practitioners who have led schools
Structured reflection on values, vision, and leadership identity
Instructional and adult leadership development
Practice with team leadership, problem-solving, and communication
A cohort of peers from a range of school contexts

The goal is to help aspiring principals understand the role before stepping fully into it and to prepare them to lead with both competence and humanity.

How Partners Benefit

Principal transitions strengthen entire learning communities when schools are prepared. They destabilize a school when they are not.

The Principal Preparation Program will help partners:

Develop leaders from within
Build stronger leadership benches
Prepare for succession and transition
Reduce reliance on last-minute hiring
Support continuity for students, families, and staff
Strengthen leadership practice across the organization

Strong principal preparation is not only about one person getting ready for a role. It is about helping schools stay steady through change.

Interested?

Program Logistics

The first cohort is planned to launch in the 2027-28 school year. Program timing, eligibility, cost, and application details will be posted in January 2027.

Join the Waitlist

Aspiring leaders and school partners can contact us to join the waitlist and to receive cohort dates, cost, and application details as soon as they are set.