The purpose of this study was to assess the practice and challenges of school leaders’ in managing and leading continuous professional development. The study focuses on basic questions like the school leaders’ involvement in planning and implementation, the practice of leading and managing CPD activities, and challenges facein managing and leading of the CPD program. While conducting this research, quantitative method was employed and supplemented by qualitative approach. All nine secondary schools from Mekelle city were used in the study. From these schools 116 teachers and 90 school leaders (supervisors, principals, vice principals, unit leaders, facilitators and mentors) participated on responding the questionnaire. Sub-city CPD focal persons were participated in the interview, school CPD plan, CPD module, portfolio and other related CPD documents also taken for checking the quantitative data. To analyze the data, descriptive survey was used. To check significant statistical difference between the teachers’ percentage responses and the school leaders’ percentage responses t- test were taken. The major findings of the study indicated that involvement of school leaders in planning and in implementation of CPD were not systematic and not well organized. This is because of lack of resources, lack of trainings, workshops and experience sharing forums for teachers, lack of proper feedback provision, and inability to link CPD activities with students’ achievement. Besides, there were problems in stipulating teachers’ duties, monitoring CPD plan in implementation, promoting research culture and linking it with CPD program, proving effectiveness of need analyses conducted by each teacher, and selecting and sharing best models of CPD practice. The entire program was hampered by different challenges such as: inadequacy of resource, workload of mentors and facilitators, lack of school teachers and facilitators’ interest and commitment in planning and implementation. Therefore, it is recommended to plan and implement in light of CPD national framework, to work with collaboration of sub-city and city education officers in monitoring, to communicate with responsible bodies about incentive of effective CPD performers. So the school leaders need close follow up and support for their effective leadership and management of CPD to improve students’ achievement.