Traditional principal preparation programs (PPPs) that include coursework and internship opportunities are most commonly the basis by which aspiring school leaders are prepared for future work (Dickens, et al., 2021; Grissom, Jason A., et al., 2018; Kearney & Valadez, 2015; Oliver, et al., 2018). The COVID-19 pandemic provided a challenge for…

This review provides a synthesis of research from the past decade on beginning principals and the professional supports they access to cope with role-related demands. The synthesis is based on empirical research studies conducted from the perspectives of beginning principals and contributes to the knowledge base on principal wellbeing and…

The aim of the article is to explore newly appointed principals' professional identity formation in Sweden. By addressing five specific aspects of principals' professional identity, the article analyses how principals depict their 'knowledge', 'understandings', 'experiences and wisdom', 'values' and 'beliefs' in forming a professional identity.…

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the approaches of newly appointed principals in New York State to build capacity through their Instructional Leadership Team (ILT). Interviews were conducted with 16 newly appointed principals to dive into their lived experiences using ILTs in their schools. Two approaches were identified: general…

The problem addressed by this study was that new school administrators are not prepared to lead special education programs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore new school administrators' perceptions of their preparation and knowledge in leading special education programs in a kindergarten through 12th grade school setting.…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how novice female principals experienced preparedness upon completing an aspiring leaders program through a regional leadership development organization. This study provided voice to female principals and highlighted their lived experiences. Purposive sampling was utilized to identify nine…

The attrition rate for novice principals is a critical issue for schools, districts, and the nation. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of novice principals and how they conceptualize the role of the principal. The novice principals in the study worked in the Washington…

This study explores the ways in which charter schools manage principalship socialization of individuals as they move into principalship roles. The topic is important in the context of increasing concerns about the need for quality educational principalship and the pressure charter schools face to demonstrate higher levels of student achievement…

Purpose: This paper aims to highlight how a group of novice principals in Connecticut and New York used relational, dispositional and situational factors to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The study aims to support new principals and educational leaders. Design/methodology/approach: Using Mutch's (2015) dispositional, relational and…

The school principal is a critical influence on instructional quality, leading teaching and learning towards improved student achievement. For that reason, it is imperative that the first-year principal receives support to manage this complexity during year one transition. This role assumes added difficulty as the literature described the tension…

Educational leadership, including special education leadership, could benefit from learning sciences and advanced technologies used in other fields (e.g., psychology, medicine). Despite over 30 years of research, leadership preparation is not yet incorporating critical knowledge from the learning sciences to understand the expert versus novice…

The study examines factors that boost principals' sense of resilience in their first year, as well as those that undermine it. 61 interviews were conducted with 21 school principals from five different districts throughout their first year in the role. Analysis revealed five categories of resilience-undermining factors. (1) Work overload that…

A change in leadership has a ripple effect on everyone in the school community, and whether it results in good or bad appointments, it can have a lasting impact on individuals and communities alike. New principals must understand and adapt to their new context if they are to be successful school leaders and must come to terms with and negotiate…

The expectations and demands of an instructional leader can be overwhelming for a first-year principal. Understanding the complexity of leadership in today's school system and meeting the needs in educating our minority students while working to meet state and federal guidelines is a challenging feat for any principal. This phenomenological study…

In this qualitative ethnographic research study, I focused on a first-year assistant principal's leadership experiences in an urban PK-8 school environment and the coaching, mentoring, support, and training needed to develop an effective building administrator who will be retained in the assistant principal position. The guiding research questions…