This paper explores Illinois's shift from a general administrative license, called a "Type 75" license, to a "PK-12 Principal Endorsement." It includes both a history of the reform efforts and a look at how implementation has fared nearly a decade after the legislation was signed into law. It also offers lessons and…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to reconceptualize the theory-practice gap in educational leadership, not as a deficit, but as a necessity for legitimacy within institutional contexts. Design/methodology/approach: This paper draws on institutional theory to reframe the theory-practice gap, which is often seen as a deficit of leaders or…

This paper explores the challenges and opportunities of the English Language Learner (ELL) components of Illinois' new principal preparation legislation [Illinois Public Act 96-0903]. In 2011, Illinois passed Illinois Public Act 96-0903 creating new rules for principal preparation programs requiring institutions or organizations certifying…

The case positions the reader as a faculty member who must advise a student who is struggling in his administrative internship. The case walks the reader through a set of internship experiences that place the intern in an increasingly uncomfortable position with his internship sponsor. These experiences encourage the reader to reflect on the…

With 95% of students with disabilities receiving instruction in general education settings for some portion of the school day (U.S. Department of Education, 2012), educating students with disabilities has become an important dimension in the improvement of schools in the United States. Recent federal policies, including the Individuals With…

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe the nature of preparation among a nonpurposeful sample of 17 leadership preparation programs and to investigate the relationship of their participants' characteristics, program experiences, leadership learning, and initial career outcomes. The study was guided by prior research on innovative…

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…

How leaders learn to become leaders has been an area of much research. When asked what were the key experiences in learning leadership, leaders often speak of the importance of "on-the-job" experiences, yet these experiences are rarely fully detailed in the research literature. The importance of "apprenticeships" and being…

The assistant principalship is poorly defined and structured, does not provide personal fulfillment for its occupants, and does not function effectively as a preparation grounds for future principals. The position should be used as a career position exclusively, until it can be permanently eliminated through restructuring. (59 references) (MLH)

One way for principal interns to reflect on their own learning during the internship experience is through the use of written journals, which can also provide their supervisors with valuable information regarding the interns' professional growth as well as the effectiveness of the internship program itself. However, the organization and assessment…

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…

A school environment analysis is a comprehensive set of techniques that assess productivity and satisfaction of both students and staff. While the means to school environment assessment are not particularly complicated or time consuming, the analysis must be conducted in a comprehensive and systematic fashion, using a variety of types of data.…

The program described in this report trained 10 aspiring principals by combining inschool experience as administrators-in-training in Richland County (South Carolina) School District One with enrollment in four University of South Carolina (USC) courses leading to administrative certification. The report begins with the superintendent's…

The purpose of this study was to explore how often 159 practicing teachers enrolled in a university Master's degree principal preparation program observed their mentor principals model the four mandated Texas standards-based instructional leadership competencies for the principalship. The competencies focus on leadership through curriculum and…