This project began as a Principal Training Course in the belief that school principals must become the primary change agents. The purpose of the course was to develop the leadership and management skills of school principals, of both Jewish and Arab Israeli schools, in order to increase student social and academic achievement levels. The program was unique in combining active learning with direct mentorship of the principals in their schools.

Together with Yad Hanadiv, we identified the need and ran a very successful pilot program. Due to its success, the government agreed to take ownership and lead a national process and hence, the Israel Institute for School Leadership was established as a joint vision and venture between the IVN, the Israeli Ministry of Education and the Yad Hanadiv Foundation. The Institute is based on the recognition of the crucial contribution made by school principals to the quality of the educational endeavors of the institutions they manage. The vision incorporates the promotion of the education system in Israel and improvement of its performance by school principals, who constitute a leading professional community.

The Institute has already begun working on curriculum and program development. The plan is to start a government run pilot with small groups of principals in September. There could be no better outcome than the Ministry of Education incorporating Principal Training into its core philosophy, whereby raising the expectation and level of education throughout the country.