The stability of principals remaining year after year at the same school has been identified as impactful on school improvement (Bartanen et al., 2019; Donley et al., 2020). A review of literature recognized the opportunity to identify and describe experiences and factors that influence positive attitude of job satisfaction and job stability among…

The professional development of principals is a key element in improving the quality of educational systems. Although it is common for the training of educational leaders to be associated to formal pre- and in-service principal development programmes, informal learning opportunities are increasingly common. However, research analysing informal…

California is facing a critical need for trained school leaders in the coming years. As current leaders retire, schools could be faced with teachers stepping out of the classroom and into the increasingly demanding job of the principalship with little or no preparation. With few leadership development opportunities available in entry-level…

Being a principal was the most demanding job the author ever had. He worked hard, mostly in isolation. Like most principals, he struggled to manage the position's political and bureaucratic necessities in order to concentrate on what he thought was the fundamental work of schools: teaching and learning. He struggled to continue to learn and grow…

Why would anyone want to become a superintendent? Those who seek the job do so for the same reason they became educators in the first place--they care about kids and they want to help students achieve. Beyond that, the profession attracts individuals who see themselves, or are seen by others, as leaders. A similar rationale applies to why…

Research has provided an increasing amount of information about the work-related behaviors associated with effective school administrator practices. Considerably less is known about the factors that bring individuals to pursue school leadership positions and enroll in principal preparation programs. The focus of this paper is research on the…

Nine recommendations for joint action by institutions of higher education, states, and school districts to prepare, select, and reward principals are proposed and discussed in this booklet. The booklet's introductory pages note the changes in the principal's role that have resulted from the new demands placed on education by reform efforts. The…