National Principals’ Survey on Early Childhood Instructional Leadership

McCormick Institute for Early Childhood

BY Michael B. Abel, Teri N. Talan, Kelly D. Pollitt, Laura Bornfreund | July 1, 2016

The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University, and New America partnered to study early childhood instructional leadership in schools. The National Principals’ Survey on Early Childhood Instructional Leadership was conducted in 2016 with the NAESP membership. This environmental scan collected basic descriptive data about the roles within schools and districts that contribute to instructional leadership and teacher supervision in preK classrooms. The survey was designed to examine the distribution of leadership functions; the influence of elementary principals on supporting children transitioning to kindergarten; classroom activities in pre-K and primary classrooms; and the alignment of curriculum, standards, and instruction across the pre-K-3 continuum.

McCormick Institute for Early Childhood logo in blue text on a white-to-light-blue background
By Robyn Kelton & Nudrat Hassan June 25, 2026
Early childhood care and education (ECEC) program administrators play a pivotal role in shaping both the quality and sustainability of the programs they lead.
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