Implementing a Cross-District Principal Mentoring Program: A Human Resources Approach to Developing Midcareer Principals’ Leadership Capacities

Despite the key role that principals play in leading schoolwide change, districts’ efforts to support principals are often limited, particularly in rural settings. In this article, we report the preliminary findings of a cross-district mentoring program for nine midcareer rural school principals. The collaboratively developed human resource initiative was intended to increase the principals’ capacities to use data to lead change in their schools. The program helped the principals address their schools’ improvement needs and determine their own professional learning requirements. Cross-district support was key to the success of the initiative. We conclude with practical implications for implementing similar mentoring programs.