Learning Forward, in partnership with the Arizona Department of Education, is one of five recipients of nearly $2.5 million in the Principals Path to Leadership grant program, designed to expand effective principal preparation programs and share their best practices broadly to impact education reform. Learning Forward Executive Director Stephanie Hirsh says that the $465,000 three-year grant from American Express and National Association of Secondary School Principals will allow the organization to expand its Learning Leaders for Learning Schools program for 80 principals and aspiring principals in the Greater Phoenix area and, later, scale up nationally. “Research tells us that school leadership is second only to classroom instruction as a school-based influence on student achievement,” Hirsh said. “The Leadership standard of the Standards for Professional Learning