Secretary of Education Arne Duncan addressed over 200 educators at NAESP's National Leaders Conference today, calling for support for principals' professional development.

"You can't find a great school without a great principal," said Duncan, stressing the vital role principals play in fostering school culture. For too long, he said, the Department of Education has devoted too little energy to promoting professional development for school leaders. He promised to press for increased funding for professional development specifically for principals. Strong principals and strong teachers go hand in hand, he said.

"We want to empower you to build great teams," he said.

Duncan spoke to principals on the last day of the National Leaders Conference, which has brought education leaders together from across the nation to call on lawmakers for policies that build the capacity of principals. On the heels of their day spent pressing Capitol Hill lawmakers for reauthorization of the stalled  Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), principals asked Duncan in a question-and-answer session about education funding.

"NCLB is funamentally broken," he said. Though Duncan said he'd hoped for bipartisan reauthorization of the ESEA, state No Child Left Behind waivers have become "plan B."  

Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education Deb Delisle also spoke, thanking principals for their dedication and calling for teamwork among principals, superintendents, and school boards. She told principals to "stay tuned" for word on possible across-the-board funding cuts.