The purpose of this case study was to explore the context and key features of a successful decade-long district and university principal preparation program. Despite the importance of such partnerships, long-standing partnerships appear to be far from the norm. The partnership was designed in collaboration with faculty at a flagship university in…

In one university-based school leadership preparation program, aspiring school principals were asked to intern virtually with principals during the COVID-19 school closures. During this internship experience, they interviewed principals about leading during a pandemic and wrote reflective responses explaining what they learned about leading during…

In this research, the authors describe one principal preparation program's approach to continuous improvement through accreditation processes. The framework for this research was based upon the Leadership-Focused Coaching (LFC) model (Gray, 2016) and a clinical approach to expand and improve an online educational leadership program by using data…

There is a growing realization that the role of educational leaders has been undergoing many changes in the era of globalization due to the diverse needs and expectations of the stakeholders of education. Schools have different specific needs due to their demographical structure, the academic achievement level of students, the experience of…

Demographics of the United States' school system continue to change and diversify. Meeting the needs of diverse learners is critical to the success of all children. Building and sustaining equitable learning environments has proven to be a challenging task for school leaders. Barriers that hinder equity continue to plague schools and are rooted in…

This quantitative causal-comparative study examined the impact of formal leadership training programs on educators possessing an administrator license within the public school systems of Tennessee. The investigation explored potential associations between program participation and elevated self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and retention rates. Data…

California has a two-tiered credential structure for education administrators. The first tier is the Preliminary Administrative Services Credential. An individual who has completed all requirements for a preliminary credential but does not have an offer of employment in an administrative position may apply for a Certificate of Eligibility, which…

A disconnect has long existed between what is typically taught in management education programs and what real-world organizations seek in their leadership candidates, particularly regarding interpersonal skills. Primary complaints from the business community revolve around issues of curriculum relevance and delivery methodologies that do not…

University preparation programs are designed to prepare educators and future educators for educational leadership positions, such as school principals or superintendents. While degree programs are designed to increase the effectiveness of future school leaders and prepare students for the job requirements, research on the efficacy of such programs…

In most of the Western world, high expectations of educational leadership exist. School leaders are regarded as important actors in the implementation of reforms, which are occurring at an increasing pace. Furthermore, they are regarded as professionals who can make judgments on behalf of their pupils, teachers, and schools. However, becoming a…

Leadership training and administrative experience are key components of sponsored mobility as the candidate's participation in district- or school-sponsored training for aspiring school principals combined with the opportunity to avail of administrative experiences effectively constitute a pipeline to the principalship. The literature reveals that…

With the rapid growth of leadership research and the increasing complexity of research methods, preparing doctoral students to do research in leadership studies is becoming more challenging. This article outlines an exploratory research study and presents results of what is currently being done by university PhD leadership programs to prepare…

Self-efficacy is considered a key component for successful leadership; however, educational leadership doctoral programs do not often focus on leader self-efficacy (LSE) for principals. The purpose of this study was to understand perceptions of Ed.D. alumni who are currently principals regarding what contributed to the development of leader…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the coaching structures that aspiring principals associate with developmentally consequential coaching interactions; identify structural features/functions/attributes that shape a structure's developmental utility and use; and consider how a multifarious coaching structure might advantage the…

Research Findings: Effective leadership is one necessary element of achieving high quality in early childhood (EC) and early childhood special education (ECSE) programs. To date, little leadership literature and research are available for EC/ECSE professionals. Using a mixed-methods research approach, this study investigated local leadership…