I look forward to the Friday 2/16 presentation from 11:15 – 12:15 titled, How Principals Affect Students and Schools. In addition to my role as superintendent, I serve at two Southern California universities that prepare the next generation of principals and other education leaders. We are experiencing a shortage of highly qualified candidates interested in the principalship. In fact, the State of California has just released a Diverse Education Leaders Pipeline Initiative Grant Program aimed at school districts interested in securing grant funding to train, place, and retain diverse and culturally responsive administrators in transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to improve pupil outcomes and meet the needs of California’s education workforce. I was a principal for 17 years before becoming a superintendent and it remains my favorite of all my jobs in education. For some reason the message on just how affective, effective principals can be has been lost on the future principals of the world. I can't wait to hear what Grissom, Wilson, Spence, Battle, and Kunihisa have to say. I would love to get your take on the issue too and whether or not it's a concern in your state or district.