The focus of this study was to examine how well Educational Leadership programs prepare principals to serve as literacy leaders. The role of a school leader is complex and multifaceted involving managerial duties and resource allocation (Jenkins, 2009). Yet, the primary role of the school leader is "…to promote the learning and success for all students" (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 1). In a 2017 report commissioned by the Learning Policy Institute, Sutcher, Podolsky and Espinoza noted a strong positive correlation between instructional leadership and student achievement. This raises questions and concerns regarding the extent to which leadership preparation programs are preparing K-12 leaders for an essential facet of their future work such as literacy instruction. Considering the findings in this study, the educational community might consider requiring educational leadership candidates to take courses in literacy in an effort to help them propel their teachers forward, prior to distributing principal certifications.