This paper addresses the professional development (PD) for school leaders and its impact. It draws on an extensive study in four German states comprising around 2000 participants in a four-phase program. This part of the study takes survey data from 521 aspiring school leaders of phase 1 into account and examines successful characteristics of the preparatory program based on various perceptions (the participants’, the trainers’, the persons’ in charge of the design and conduction). Moreover, it explores the extent to which the participants experience the program’s impact on their daily work. Finally, changes in the participants’ perceptions of their role as school leaders, their responsibilities, and their tasks are examined before and after participation in the program (through intra-individual datalinking).

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