Administrator selection is of increasing importance due to the critical relationship between administration and school success. To determine the extent of incorporation of the assessment center method--a source of skill information used for administrator selection and development--into administrator preparation programs, sets of data-gathering…

Describes an assessment center that not only identifies strong candidates for administrative positions but also helps participants improve weak skills. (Author/JM)

This document considers several aspects of the use of assessment centers for the evaluation of school principals. Citing the literature, the document defines the assessment center concept, and describes the operation of a typical four-day assessment program. The paper also recounts efforts to ascertain the reliability of assessment results,…

Thirteen ideas for marketing and implementing the assessment center concept are presented. These call for a primary focus on individuals and on excellence, preparation and organization, assessor training, assessor newsletters, accessible locations, a statewide advisory board, an action plan, confidentiality, both causal and formal meetings,…

Although there are about 15,000 school districts in the United States, each headed by a superintendent, research on the superintendency has not been systematic and dynamic. This book presents a synthesis of research on the superintendency. Chapters include the following: (1) "Smoke, Mirrors, or Reality: Another Instructional Leader" (Shirley M.…

This article treats specific areas in which the assessment center can make significant contributions to university programs in educational administration: personal-professional growth, contributions to the preparation program, and linkages with the field. (TE)

This brief introductory article describes the NASSP's Assessment Center Project, a comprehensive plan to assist school districts in identifying and developing highly skilled school leaders. As such, it introduces a series of articles in which those who have used the NASSP Assessment Center describe their experiences. (TE)

Two success stories are presented of good teachers who were given a chance by the NASSP assessment center to demonstrate their administrative skills and were subsequently selected to fill administrative positions. Participation in the assessment center has provided more objective information on administrative candidates than was previously…

College and university faculty engaged in the preparation of school administrators should have a vital role in all applications of assessment centers and the principles upon which assessment centers are based. Faculty involvement in uses of assessment center technology can improve administrator preparation programs. (TE)

This essay shows how the assessment center concept can provide the research base to improve teaching and service in principal preparation programs at colleges and universities. (TE)

The success of the South Carolina Assessment Center Project, the first statewide center, is credited to five basic principles that have guided efforts thus far: (1) establish credibility; (2) pay attention to details; (3) apply safeguards; (4) maintain public support; and (5) make the assessment experience humane. (TE)

Directors, assessors, and participants in various NASSP-accredited assessment centers attest to the value of the experience from their own individual perspectives. Regardless of their performance and subsequent assessment, almost all participants indicate that they learned much about themselves. (TE)

The Michigan Institute for Educational Management's Assessment Center Program is based on evaluation of a candidate's strengths and weaknesses in 12 skill areas. The author, a high school principal, describes personal insights derived from this 12-fold evaluation process. (TE)

Describes the methods and objectives of assessment centers, and the benefits to academic libraries that participate in such programs. The discussion covers the usefulness of this process in collective bargaining situations, cost effectiveness, and guidelines for developing an assessment center. (33 notes with references) (CLB)

The National Conference of State Legislatures convened a task force in 2001 to examine the role of state legislatures in addressing the shortage of qualified and interested candidates for positions in school leadership. This report contains the work of the task force over an 18-month period. The task force sorted data, research, and information…