Leadership preparation is essential in developing critical skills of effective school leaders. Educational leadership preparation programs vary greatly in terms of program features, it is important to identify which specific elements are likely associated with program quality. Using multiple years of Initiative for Systemic Program Improvement…

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of program admission requirements, university-district partnerships, and course content integration on the internship within principal preparation programs. University principal preparation programs have been a focus of recent attention, specifically since 2005 when the report Arthur Levine…

During 36 years of continuous operation, The Brigham Young University-Public School Partnership has held fast to the values and principles on which it was based. All partners collaborate for excellence through efforts resulting in actions that benefit all participants and students. Though partners share goals and dispositions, many changes in…

This qualitative case study explores the impact of job-embedded principal preparation residency programs through the lens of a school district's administrator. The school-university partnership provided an innovative way to prepare aspiring school leaders. The job-embedded structure provided an authentic, contextual base experience where aspiring…

This study is an examination of a partnership between a Texas public school district and a higher education institute on a 15-month embedded principal internship. Within this district, 6 principal fellows from 5 different campuses participated in the internship program. The focus was to prepare aspiring principals with the knowledge and skills of…

This study sought to understand how aspiring administrators and supervising mentors contribute to the intern's opportunity to lead authentic administrative tasks during the administrative internship. Using case study methodology, we gathered data from six intern/mentor pairs through in-depth interviews, observations, journals, and logs. Several…

As the role of the principal changes, so too must principal preparation programs and the policies that guide them. In order to ensure that our schools have a strong supply of dynamic leaders who are adequately prepared for the demands of 21st century schools, there is a growing need for innovation and improvement in principal recruitment,…

In 2010, Illinois became one of the first states to legislatively require a complete redesign of all its principal preparation programs, with the goal of advancing statewide school improvement through strengthening school leadership. This effort was ambitious and sweeping, calling for radical shifts in previous practice, including: (1) A targeted…

After widespread accusations that universities were not adequately preparing school leadership candidates with real world experiences, the movement to reform U.S. university principal preparation began. The National Policy Board for Educational Administration approved the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) standards as guidelines…

In order to better serve our nation's youth, educational leadership preparation programs must be willing to transform current preparation practices. This paper emphasizes the need to develop high quality school leaders to successfully create and sustain necessary changes in schools. The dynamic transformation of a principal preparation program,…

The impetus for this study occurred when the principal of a secondary Professional Development School (PDS) questioned the traditional teacher education model utilized by the university partner. This principal asked the university to consider a model that better utilized both the teacher candidate and supervising teacher collaboratively to promote…

In 2010, Illinois policymakers sought to advance statewide school improvement by strengthening school leadership. Illinois became one of the first states to legislatively require a complete redesign of all its principal preparation programs with the goal of ensuring future principals would be "highly effective in leadership roles" and…

The aim of this study was to ascertain principals' preparedness as implemented by a Peninsula City Schools-Madison University partnership under the design constructs of planning, collaboration, internship, and mentorship. The study was framed upon research asserting that district-university partnerships are cultivating instructional leaders who…

Developing excellent principals who can set direction, develop people, redesign organizations, and lead instruction requires a system of high-quality preparation and professional development. This paper summarizes the elements of high-quality principal preparation and professional development programs that have been associated with positive school…

Policies for principal preparation and licensure are important levers for improving school leadership. By developing a rubric of research-based practices, this University Council of Educational Administration study aims to provide a formative tool for policy makers. Using a policy analysis frame by Roach et al., this study explores the state code,…