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…

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…

For much of the past half-century, scholars from various parts of the world have studied the early stages of school principals' careers. This article presents the results of a review of research on novice principals (NPs) regarding its current status, intellectual structure and conceptual structure. The review conducted bibliometric and content…

Research on principal leadership is extensive; however, studies suggest such research cannot be generalized across all contexts, as educational leaders' needs are a result of the specific context in which they work. Since there is limited research on principal leadership in the Dominican Republic (DR), the country can benefit from current and…

The role of the principal, as an instructional leader is one of the most important roles in education today. The demands of high accountability that are placed on school principals have caused legislators and educational reformers to require more rigorous training for school leaders. Many states now have mandated state mentoring programs for entry…

There is increasing recognition that effective leadership and management are vital if schools are to be successful in providing good learning opportunities for students, and emerging evidence that high quality leadership makes a significant difference to school improvement and learning outcomes. However, in many countries, including South Africa,…

School districts are grappling with the problem of an alarming number of certified principals who are choosing not to enter the principalship. In many cases those who do enter are exiting only after a few years of service. Principals cite the long hours, low pay, and the stress of accountability as major reasons they are leaving the profession.…

Concerned about improving beginning principals' professional development, the Minnesota Administrators' Academy initiated an administrative mentoring program in the early 1990s. A recent evaluation found that successful mentoring relationships involved mutually respectful pairs that met at least monthly and participated in various activities…

Elements of California's Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program, which provides new teachers with one-on-one mentoring and professional support in their first two years of practice, are being applied to UC Santa Cruz's pilot project for beginning principals. Principals need intensive coaching and support when assuming their duties. (MLH)

Expectations from the standards movement, reform, and technological advances pose challenges for administrators. This article advocates principal preparation and cultivation through mentoring and coaching. It clarifies differences between mentoring and coaching; uses in succession planning, new principalships, and job changes; and benefits to both…

Through a collaborative effort, the New Teacher Center at the University of California Santa Cruz and the Association of California School Administrators are offering intensive, coaching-based induction support to first- and second-year administrators that is integral to their professional certification. This program rests on the commitment and…

This study was designed to examine the effectiveness of one element in the academic preparation of school administrators in Montana: the administrative internship. The paper begins with a review of relevant studies. As school districts demand more skills and abilities of administrators, especially in the techniques of collaboration and…

Anticipating a 50 percent turnover of principals in the next few years, school districts and university training programs are exploring mentoring as one way to help aspiring and beginning principals learn complex administrative tasks and ease into their roles. This monograph highlights some formal administrator mentorship programs in Oregon.…

Across the nation, districts are throwing beginning administrators into school leadership positions, mistakenly assuming they already know everything. Training programs are preparing principals for a long-obsolete work environment. Committed mentors and on-call coaches can help overwhelmed and overworked principals become effective leaders. (MLH)

Intended for the beginning principal and the principal's mentor, this book explores the duties in the principal's first year on the job from the viewpoint of both the principal and the mentor. It emphasizes organization during the first-year principalship; tasks to be accomplished each month; leading versus managing and how both can benefit the…