The purpose of this study was to understand the instructional leadership role development of new principals. The overarching research question that guided this study was: How do new principals transition into an instructional leadership role? Using a basic qualitative approach, 12 new principals participated in the study. Data collection included…

In the era of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), there has been heightened attention on the role that effective school and district leaders play in a wide range of issues, including school improvement, quality classroom instruction and broader discussions of equity. In 2017, Education Commission of the States reviewed legislation related to…

In the context of an impending global educational recruitment crisis, together with the recognition of the critical impact of effective leadership on educational outcomes, leadership preparation has become a focus of educational reform worldwide. The design and delivery of pre-appointment programmes for school leadership has significance for…

Although research has established links between the principal's instructional leadership and student achievement, there is considerable concern in the literature concerning the capacity of principal preparation programs to prepare instructional leaders. This study interviewed educational leadership faculty as well as expert principals and teacher…

This paper describes a study of mentoring programs for beginning principals in two different urban school districts. In both settings, the goal of mentoring was said to be support for instructional leadership behaviors by novice principals. This represents an alternative to traditional mentoring schemes designed solely to ensure that first year…

In this paper critical skills needed by beginning principals are identified in order to guide mentors as they support and assist novice principals by indicating effective ways of dealing with critical responsibilities. A review of related literature and research-based information is presented followed by a description of the study. Findings were…

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the challenges facing new principals in Africa. Design/methodology/approach: Based on recent research and literature, the paper analyses the experience of principals and proposes an induction model for principalship in Africa. Findings: School principals in Africa face a daunting challenge. They often work in…

This research reports the personal characteristics of middle-level principals, their professional and academic preparation, the nature of their jobs, their future plans, and their recommendations for the development of future middle-level principals. Implications for current middle-level principals are noted as are recommendations for the…

The Kentucky Beginning Principal Internship Program (KBPIP)--the first of its kind in the United States--was mandated by the Kentucky General Assembly to upgrade the quality of educational leadership in the schools through testing and an internship program especially for school principals. Following an overview of educational reform in Kentucky…

To understand the realities and complexities faced by beginning primary school principals, a group of researchers from Belgium, Canada, England, the Netherlands, and the United States launched a collaborative study in 2000. This report describes the Belgium arm of the study. The study set out to answer the following: What are similarities and…

This report defines six strategies that state and district leaders can employ to secure an ample supply of highly qualified school principals. The six strategies were drawn from research and direct experience in helping schools, universities, and state agencies rethink and redesign educational leadership programs. The six strategies are as…

Although some districts and areas have experienced difficulty finding good principals, there are far more candidates certified to be principals than there are principal vacancies to fill. This report describes a study based on a written indepth survey of human-resource directors supplemented by formal survey questions to school superintendents and…

While the shortage of qualified administrators is not as serious as the shortage of qualified teachers, some schools continue to fail to attract qualified leaders. Referred to as "hard-to-staff" schools, they are often characterized by high-poverty students, low test scores, high staff turnover, and under qualified teachers. This ERIC…

This document is a practical guide for designing principal-development programs. The target audience includes individuals involved in the design and implementation of principal-preparation and development programs, particularly at the school-district level. Chapter 1, "The Call for New School Leaders and Leadership Development," expresses the need…

This report describes a study of the factors that contributed to decisions by women to abandon their careers as school leaders. The purpose of the study was to extend analysis of socialization factors, particularly when they persuade school leaders to reconsider their careers in education. The study followed 25 women who completed the masters of…