I designed this study to explore elementary assistant principals' perspectives of their roles as instructional leaders while fulfilling other administrative duties typically associated with the assistant principal position. I aimed to build on existing research on the role of contemporary elementary assistant principals as instructional leaders.…

Assistant principals typically begin their careers as teachers and transition to the role of assistant principal after completing a certification program that characteristically focuses on the principalship. Once they move into the role of assistant principal, many feel unprepared as the job responsibilities, assigned by the principal, usually…

Many professions have long runways to leadership, with mentorship and increasing levels of responsibility. In contrast, the path to school leadership has historically not been well-defined. But that is changing. The role of assistant principals has become a major stepping stone to the principalship. Once thought of primarily as disciplinarians,…

Research has shown that the role of the assistant principal has changed little over the last 25 years (Searby et al., 2016). Assistant principals receive the same leadership preparation training as a principal; yet they are mostly tasked with basic compliance roles such as student management, personnel management, and discipline. After "No…

The purpose of this case is to illuminate the nuances of one of the most important roles on a school campus--the role of the assistant principal; with a focus on Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) women assistant principals. This case is for educational leaders interested in understanding the power dynamics between an assistant principal…

Principals in Sweden face leadership challenges as pedagogical leaders of School-age educare Centers (SAECs). This study examines how principals identify both professional development needs as well as challenges they face in supporting the SAEC teachers. The empirical data is based on reflections from 29 principals and vice-principals from four…

This guide was created to support district leadership in preparing assistant principals for promotion to and success in the principalship. In particular, the guide is intended for use by those who regularly plan for, create, lead, and develop principal leadership training opportunities; those who have responsibilities in pipeline development and…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine principals' perspectives on a model of professional development (PD) in writing. Participants were 14 principals and seven assistants from a rural district's K to 12 school system who shared in an interview their challenges and advice for effective PD at a building and district level. Their…

It is important to explain the scope of the concept of mentoring, which has been becoming increasingly important in training and supporting the professional development of educational administrators. In this context, the aim of this study is to examine the concept of mentoring, the functions of mentoring, and the studies carried out on the…

With the growing population of English Language Learners, there is a need to focus on ELL education from a new perspective as principals' school priorities and practices directly influence teacher priorities and practices (Dufour & Marzano, 2011; Walker et al., 2004). Elmore (2000) stated that "leadership is the guidance and direction of…

This study investigated the impact that district leader actions have on the overall development and capacity of assistant principals who oversee special education programs in their school buildings. Across the nation and within the Ocean County School District (OCSD), the number of students with disabilities has steadily increased. Notably, OCSD…

The purpose of this study was to identify factors that served as barriers to principal engagement in the professional development process, and identify what resources or supports were needed to increase engagement. The 249 survey participants were drawn from 112 different school systems. From that group 20 principals were purposefully sampled for…

This case study aimed to look at the stories of building administrators during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. The administrators' stories were examined through the lens of Getzels and Guba's (1957) Administrative Theory Framework and intended to reexamine principal preparation programs and professional development. The…

The development of critical skills for deputy principals is a matter which deserves attention, owing to the critical role which deputy principals are expected to play in school management. However, this area of research is neglected and has received limited attention in the literature that focuses on school leadership development. In this vein,…

This paper considers the effectiveness of leadership development (LD) processes in relation to school leaders' needs within an eastern Chinese District Education Bureau (DEB). The analysis is based on Chinese and English sources relating to LD, documentary analysis of DEB initiatives and interviews with ten school leaders from two schools. The…