The Southern Regional Education Board, a nonprofit group based in Atlanta, is urging states to focus on improving graduate programs that train elementary- and secondary-school principals. The nonprofit group is releasing a 100-page report, “Schools Can’t Wait: Accelerating the Redesign of University Principal Preparation Programs,” that identifies some model programs and suggests a plan for state policy makers and college leaders to improve the training of principals.

“Many universities are not getting the job done and are in no particular hurry to redesign their programs to ensure that aspiring principals are thoroughly prepared for their role in improving curriculum, instruction, and student achievement,” said David S. Spence, president of the Southern Regional Education Board.

Among their recommendations, the group is encouraging states to create a commission to oversee the redesign of university programs that train elementary- and secondary-school leaders and to require universities and public-school districts to enter into partnerships to improve the content of courses in those programs.

The issue of better preparation for teachers and the principals who lead them has been a rising priority for years and has drawn increased scrutiny as federal laws like the No Child Left Behind Act have focused attention on the deficiencies of public schools in recent years (The Chronicle, April 13, 2005, and September 23, 2005). But efforts to get states, schools, and colleges to cooperate on those matters has repeatedly hit snags (The Chronicle, March 10).