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…

This study is situated within a larger research initiative in a university-based School of Education that is continuing accreditation with the Council of Educator Preparation Programs. With a focus on candidates in the educational administrator program, this study examined how key assessments were used in clinical practice to support candidates.…

The Center for the Study of Education Policy utilized several grants to develop principal preparation program tools to assist programs in the implementation of the new standards and requirements for the licensure of school principals and assistant principals. Also, with the help of another grant in partnership with several PK-12 school districts,…

This article is a summary of a report prepared for the University Council for Educational Administration Program Improvement Project for the Wallace Foundation. This explores the research base for educational leadership preparation programs, specifically examining literature on program features. The review covers context, candidates, faculty,…

This article provides an overview of the contexts, the key features, and the evidentiary data--the criteria regarding candidates to engage in administrative work--for five innovative principal preparation programs. Short case studies and cross-case analysis of the sample programs are used to provide thorough descriptions. The five programs in fact…

No textbook that an aspiring principal encounters in preparing for the role of school leader discusses what steps to follow when a member--or members--of the school staff challenge standards of professional judgment and moral rectitude. Instead, the most reliable guide at the principal's disposal may be the "moral compass" upon which the…

Wyoming principals were surveyed regarding their perceptions of the strengths and deficits of their preparation program, their professional development needs as beginning principals, and the areas in which their districts offer professional development. Findings indicated much variation in perceptions of preparation program strengths and deficits.…

As the efficacy of educational administration programs has come under increased national scrutiny, one area which has received particular attention is the administrative internship component. In Illinois, various professional, governmental, and state-supported organizations such as the Commission on School Leader Preparation, Illinois Council of…

Describes the administrative-internship program at the University of Wisconsin. A major portion of the article is devoted to an analysis of data collected to appraise the program together with conclusions, implications, and a recapitulation. (Author/DN)

Claiming that there's an aura of dissatisfaction with the present pre- and inservice programs for principals, the writer reports his findings about existing programs and suggested improvements. (Editor)

A theme common to recommendations for change in school leader preparation is that preparation be grounded in practice and include field-based experience or internship. Despite recognition for reform, substantial change has been slow to emerge. This study was conducted in North Carolina in 1995 to assess revised leadership preparation programs…

This paper examines a program that was developed at the University of Texas at Arlington to equip future educational leaders to guide schools through important educational reforms. The program offers a balance of seminars and internship experiences, departing from the traditional university-based delivery of instruction. The evaluation of the…

Identifies key elements necessary for effective administrator preparation; highlights clinical aspects of preparation, exploring the importance, purposes, and design of effective internship experiences; reports findings from a study of the long-term impact of one preparation program that was designed around the key elements; and discusses…

This paper reviews the literature on the benefits of internship experiences for prospective and practicing school administrators and describes the Resource Mentor Program, implemented at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, reporting on an evaluation of that program. The program involves students choosing their own school-based resource mentors and…

The Department of Educational Administration, Higher Education, and Educational Research at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) uses the practicum in educational administration at the master's degree level as its primary vehicle in preparing school administrators. After listing and responding to the most frequent criticisms of…