An Analysis Of The Aspiring Principal Preparation Programs Provided By Florida School Districts

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An Analysis of the Aspiring Principal Preparation Programs Provided by Florida School Districts

Author : Deborah E. Lawrence
Publisher : Universal-Publishers
ISBN 13 : 1599423081
Total Pages : 223 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (994 download)

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Book Synopsis An Analysis of the Aspiring Principal Preparation Programs Provided by Florida School Districts by : Deborah E. Lawrence

Download or read book An Analysis of the Aspiring Principal Preparation Programs Provided by Florida School Districts written by Deborah E. Lawrence and published by Universal-Publishers. This book was released on 2010-03 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of the study was to identify the basis of the aspiring principal preparation program (APPP) components Florida school districts provide to their aspiring principals and their relationship, if any, to the state and ISLLC Standards. A total of 50 school districts in Florida participated in this study. The research was guided by the following questions: To what extent do the Florida school districts provide a formal APPP to their current assistant principals? (b) Upon what are the formal APPPs for current assistant principals based: the Florida Principal Competencies (FPCs), the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Standards, or another source? (c) To what extent do the school district APPPs in the 67 Florida districts have component requirements that include professional development, mentoring, and a performance-based experience? and (d) Are there differences among the APPP components provided by Florida school districts of various sizes? The findings of the study were found through an examination of quantitative and qualitative data that were collected from the Florida Aspiring Principal Program Assessment (FLAPPA) survey and the school districts' APPP brochures located on their websites. This study supported the following conclusions: (a) 75% of the school districts in Florida do provide an APPP for their aspiring principals, (b) the FPCs and the ISLLC Standards are a part of the bases of the components found in APPPs provided by Florida school districts, (c) Florida school districts do provide APPPs that include components of a mentor principal, a performance-based experience, and professional development, (d) very large-sized school districts with a population over 100 thousand students contained the largest percentage of standards-based components in the APPP; small-sized school districts with a population of under 7 thousand students contained the least percentage of standards-based components in the APPP, (e) school districts in Florida recognized the need to modify and were in the process of modifying their APPPs according to the new Florida leadership standards, especially the component of technology, and (f) a lack of funding, time, and assessment were identified as APPP weaknesses and components in need of improvement. Recommendations of this study included: (a) further research on Florida school districts redesign of their APPP components to identify whether or not the components are based upon the new Florida Leadership Standards, especially technology; and the ISLLC educational standards; and (b) further research on Florida school districts providing a mentor principal and support team; professional development, and a performance-based experience to their current assistant principals who participate in an APPP, thus ensuring best practices in the APPP and improving the quality of their future principals.

An Analysis of the Principal Preparation Program in a Large Urban Florida School District

Author : Walter L. Jr Christy
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 372 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (36 download)

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Book Synopsis An Analysis of the Principal Preparation Program in a Large Urban Florida School District by : Walter L. Jr Christy

Download or read book An Analysis of the Principal Preparation Program in a Large Urban Florida School District written by Walter L. Jr Christy and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

An Urban School District's Preparing New Principals Program

Author : Kelly A. Pelletier
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 214 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (891 download)

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Book Synopsis An Urban School District's Preparing New Principals Program by : Kelly A. Pelletier

Download or read book An Urban School District's Preparing New Principals Program written by Kelly A. Pelletier and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this study was to measure the extent to which school leaders who completed the preparing new principals program in School District A perceived the program's effectiveness in preparing them to demonstrate Florida's principal leadership standards as adopted in November 2011. This study also identified the components of the preparing new principals program that influenced the professional practice of the program completers in their current leadership roles within School District A. This study was conducted at the request of the professional development services designee in School District A and is a companion study to research conducted by Eddie Ruiz and Wesley Trimble. The Preparing New Principals Program Completer Survey was sent to 90 administrators in School District A who completed the preparing new principals program between 2008 and 2011. Follow-up interviews were conducted with six volunteers in order to further clarify responses to the survey and to gather additional input from program completers. Survey results as well as interview data were analyzed in order to give the professional development services designee information for designing a new principal preparation program for School District A.

Who Controls the Preparation of Education Administrators?

Author : Arnold B. Danzig
Publisher : IAP
ISBN 13 : 1641136952
Total Pages : 431 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (411 download)

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Book Synopsis Who Controls the Preparation of Education Administrators? by : Arnold B. Danzig

Download or read book Who Controls the Preparation of Education Administrators? written by Arnold B. Danzig and published by IAP. This book was released on 2019-09-01 with total page 431 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first volume in the re-imagined series Research and Theory in Educational Administration. The volume includes a variety of perspectives written by university professors in the field of educational administration, which moves our thinking beyond the traditional scope of organizational theory and institutional analysis. It is this combination of theory, of new directions in leadership preparation and new narratives of participation that we hope will contribute to a more engaging volume for its readers—graduate students, researchers, and practitioners. The volume will provide evidence of and explanation for changing patterns of institution production explored through academic and epistemic drift. It also provides a deeper understanding of how state regulation is related to the school administrator pipeline or pathways. The concepts explained and illustrated in the volume hopes to provide a better framework for understanding how administrator preparation is unfolding across the U.S. and internationally, as well as the direction of the field of educational administration in the future.

Florida's Principals' Perceptions of Their Principal Preparation Program

Author : Justin Faulkner
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (14 download)

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Book Synopsis Florida's Principals' Perceptions of Their Principal Preparation Program by : Justin Faulkner

Download or read book Florida's Principals' Perceptions of Their Principal Preparation Program written by Justin Faulkner and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 2020, the National Association of Secondary School Principals revealed that a staggering 42 percent of principals plan on leaving the profession and that compounds the already alarming rate of teachers leaving the field (National Association of Secondary School Principals, 2020). More locally in Florida, the landscape of educational leadership has changed quickly also adding to this problematic exodus of principals. In order to better understand the principal experience in Florida, particularly with principal preparation, this study seeks to understand how principal preparation, specifically Level II certification preparation, influences efficacy once at the helm of a school. This research uses a modified version of Megan Tschannen-Moran's Principal Sense of Efficacy Scale survey to gauge the perceptions of current principals to inform practice of preparation for leaders of tomorrow. Results reveal that descriptive statistics provided valuable insights into how principals across Florida perceive the impact of their preparation program on their effectiveness. Notably, the utilization of independent-samples t-tests uncovered a significant correlation between gender, particularly female gender, and principal perception. However, when examining the relationship between race and years of service through one-way ANOVA statistics, no significant connections were found, suggesting that these factors did not strongly influence principal perception of their preparation. In a conclusive manner, regression analysis indicated that gender, race, and years of service did not serve as significant influencers on principals' perceptions of their preparation program's efficacy impact. Overall, findings from this study indicate additional research is needed to better understand how efficacy can increase in not just all principals as the result of preparation but also specifically with female principals. Research consistently indicates that principals have the second greatest impact on student outcomes, just behind teachers. When Florida principals express only moderate confidence in their leadership abilities, it raises concerns about their performance in schools. This gap between theoretical knowledge and practical implementation negatively affects students, who deserve better. To address this issue, more attention should be given to developing robust preparation programs that are meaningful and impactful in shaping and sustaining effective principals. By doing so, we can ensure that students receive the best possible educational leadership and support for their academic journey.

Dissertation Abstracts International

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 498 pages
Book Rating : 4.F/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Dissertation Abstracts International by :

Download or read book Dissertation Abstracts International written by and published by . This book was released on 2009-08 with total page 498 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Senior-level School District Administrators' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of a Florida Preparing New Principals Program

Author : Eddie A. Ruiz
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 197 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (879 download)

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Book Synopsis Senior-level School District Administrators' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of a Florida Preparing New Principals Program by : Eddie A. Ruiz

Download or read book Senior-level School District Administrators' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of a Florida Preparing New Principals Program written by Eddie A. Ruiz and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 197 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this study was to examine and measure Preparing New Principals Program completers and their readiness to meet the 2011 Florida Principal Leadership Standards. This study was also conducted to identify the Florida Principal Leadership Standards that senior-level school district administrators identified as the most beneficial to future principals in improving student achievement despite increased accountability within the state. A group of 40 senior-level school district administrators who served on the superintendent's cabinet between 2008 and 2011 were sent a perceptual survey regarding the Preparing New Principals Program and the Florida Principal Leadership Standards. Survey participants had the opportunity to voluntarily participate in a structured interview to obtain further information regarding the survey. All data from the surveys and interviews were studied and disseminated to the district for redesigning the school district's principal preparation program.

Principal Preparation Programs for Effective School Leaders

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 178 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (816 download)

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Book Synopsis Principal Preparation Programs for Effective School Leaders by :

Download or read book Principal Preparation Programs for Effective School Leaders written by and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Effective school leaders foster improved student learning and higher academic achievement. Many critics of university-based principal preparation programs fault universities for failing to improve efforts to prepare candidates to address the complex issues facing principals in today's high stakes accountability environment. Each principal faces local, state, and federal pressure to influence continuous improvement in achievement results for every demographic group of students. The challenge facing school districts is not the shortage of school administrators, but the shortage of qualified principal candidates who have the ability to collaborate with stakeholders, and the skill to develop an instructional program that ensures all students are learning and achieving at a high level. To support the development of school leaders to lead schools in the 21st century, school districts and universities are joining forces. This qualitative case study examined the Aspiring Administrators Program, a principal preparation partnership program between the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) and San Diego State University (SDSU). The researcher conducted and analyzed course documents to better understand the nature of the program. Also, the researcher conducted and analyzed individual and focus group interviews to ascertain the perceptions of the program's first cohort of participants, principal coaches, district personnel, and university faculty. This study particularly examined the goals of the program and the various program features intended to help achieve the goals. As well, the study explored the nature of the district/university collaboration that facilitated the program's design. Finally, the study examined preliminary evidence that indicated the extent to which the program's candidates were acquiring the necessary skills, knowledge, and dispositions necessary for effective school leadership. The results suggest that the Aspiring Administrators Program shows promise increasing the extent to which aspiring administrators obtain the skills, knowledge, and dispositions needed to improve school-wide achievement, resulting in the closing of achievement gaps.

Supervising Principals' Perceptions of Preparing New Principal Program Completers

Author : Wesley Todd Trimble
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 190 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (871 download)

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Book Synopsis Supervising Principals' Perceptions of Preparing New Principal Program Completers by : Wesley Todd Trimble

Download or read book Supervising Principals' Perceptions of Preparing New Principal Program Completers written by Wesley Todd Trimble and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study sought to determine to what extend completers of School District A's Preparing New Principals Program (PNPP) are prepared to meet the 2011 Florida Principal Leadership Standards (FPLS). Major questions addressed (a) the perception of principals regarding how well prepared completers of School District A's principal preparation program were to meet the 2011 Florida Principal Leadership Standards, (b) if the perceived importance of the 2011 Florida Leadership Standards varied by leadership level, (c) if the perceived importance of the 2011 Florida Leadership Standards varied by a school's free/reduced lunch percentage, and (d) the 2011 Florida Principal Leadership Standards perceived as the most beneficial to increasing student achievement. This mixed method study employed an online survey. The participants in this study included 46 supervising principals of Preparing New Principals Program completers from an urban school district in central Florida. Findings indicated that principals believed that Preparing New Principals Program completers were prepared to meet the 2011 Florida Principal Leadership Standards. Principals also believed that the following experiences would enhance the program: (a) more meaningful experiences that require participants to solve identified deficiencies, (b) an 18 to 24 month principal internship as opposed to the current eight-week principal internship, and (c) differentiating principal preparation based on participants' experiences and school district needs.

School Administrator Succession Planning

Author : Lou L. Sabina
Publisher : IAP
ISBN 13 : 1648029310
Total Pages : 291 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (48 download)

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Book Synopsis School Administrator Succession Planning by : Lou L. Sabina

Download or read book School Administrator Succession Planning written by Lou L. Sabina and published by IAP. This book was released on 2023-01-01 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Across the United States and globally, school districts are regularly facing a shortage of both willing and highly qualified candidates to assume positions as school leaders. A number of factors have contributed to this shortage including but not limited to: (1) retiring baby boomers leaving P-12 schools (ex. Aaronson & Meckel, 2009; Carlson, 2004; Parylo & Zepeda, 2015; Wiedmer, 2015), (2) shifting demographics and population changes across the United States workforce and schools (ex. Betts, Urias, & Betts, 2009; Brimley, Garfield, & Verstegen, 2005; Brown, 2016; Miller & Martin, 2015; Mordechay & Orfield, 2017), (3) increasing demands for school administrators making the position less desirable (ex. Grissom, Loeb, & Mitani, 2015; Lortie, 2009; Norton, 2002; Yan, 2019), and (4) the shift of schools to 21st Century Learning centers, which have changed the role of school administrators (ex. Crow, Hausman, & Scribner, 2002; Huber, 2014). According to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics, the current demand for school principals continues to increase (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2019) and will accelerate in the coming 10-20 years. Because of the high need for school administrators, many schools and school districts are creating unique, targeted, and innovative programs to find principals who can meet the changing needs in our school system.

Leadership for School Improvement

Author : Cherie B. Gaines
Publisher : IAP
ISBN 13 : 1641136049
Total Pages : 145 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (411 download)

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Book Synopsis Leadership for School Improvement by : Cherie B. Gaines

Download or read book Leadership for School Improvement written by Cherie B. Gaines and published by IAP. This book was released on 2019-03-01 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the inaugural issue in the Leadership for School Improvement (LSI) Special Interest Group (SIG) Book Series, this volume serves as a reflection on the foundations of the field of school improvement. Contents include connections between school improvement and the agency of principals, districts, universities, and policy. This volume will be placed in the school improvement literature with examinations of evolution, trends, policies, and future foci in the field of school improvement. This book is rich in research and literature about school improvement, school effectiveness, and school reform policy and implementation and thus holds significance for educational practitioners, scholars, and policy makers at all levels.

Resources in Education

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 764 pages
Book Rating : 4.U/5 (183 download)

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Book Synopsis Resources in Education by :

Download or read book Resources in Education written by and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 764 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Connecting the Dots

Author : Rich Newman
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 209 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (129 download)

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Book Synopsis Connecting the Dots by : Rich Newman

Download or read book Connecting the Dots written by Rich Newman and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Despite years of criticism aimed at university-based principal preparation programs, most of these programs continue to be judged less than successful in producing effective school leaders. Furthermore, there is also little rigorous and systemic research about principal preparation in general; there is even less work focused on understanding how preparation programs might assist emerging school leaders in developing the sorts of intellectual capacities needed to be successful in an era when principals are expected to be instructional leaders and work with teachers to improve student achievement. Consequently, little is known about how principal preparation programs can help individuals (a) incorporate theory on leadership and instruction into their own belief systems and (b) link these belief systems to their on-the-job behavior. This study examined how one innovative program, resulting from a university/school district collaboration, impacted the belief systems of the aspiring principals who participated in the program. The study also examined how participants' espoused beliefs aligned with their on-the-job activity and which program components appeared to have the greatest impact on participants whose beliefs were altered in significant ways. Interviewing, participant observation and document analysis techniques were used to explore the above issues. The findings suggest that: (a) principal preparation programs can impact participants' beliefs in rather dramatic ways; (b) participants' on-the-job behaviors frequently were consistent with the beliefs they espoused; (c) certain contextual factors—most notably the role-related constraints experienced by those program participants who became vice principals rather than principals—kept some participants from acting in ways that are consistent with both their espoused beliefs and the theory of action promoted by the program that prepared them to be school administrators; and (d) the problem-based learning strategy appeared to have the greatest impact on participants whose beliefs had changed in significant ways and whose on-the-job actions were consistent with their newly developed belief systems.

Handbook of Research on the Education of School Leaders

Author : Michelle D. Young
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1317531892
Total Pages : 449 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (175 download)

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Book Synopsis Handbook of Research on the Education of School Leaders by : Michelle D. Young

Download or read book Handbook of Research on the Education of School Leaders written by Michelle D. Young and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-08-19 with total page 449 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Handbook of Research on the Education of School Leaders brings together empirical research on leadership preparation and development to provide a comprehensive overview and synthesis of what we know about preparing school leaders today. With contributions from the field’s foremost scholars, this new edition investigates the methodological foundations of leadership preparation research, reviews the pedagogical and curricular features of preparation programs, and presents valuable insights into the demographic, economic, and political factors affecting school leaders. This volume both mirrors the first edition’s macro-level approach to leadership preparation and presents the most up-to-date research in the field. Updates to this edition cover recent state and federal government efforts to improve leadership in education, new challenges for the field, and significant gaps and critical questions for framing, researching, evaluating, and improving the education of school leaders. Sponsored by the University Council of Educational Administration (UCEA), this handbook is an essential resource for students and scholars of educational leadership, as well as practitioners, policymakers, and other educators interested in professional leadership. .

Transformational Leaders Wanted

Author : Jennifer Lee Parvin
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (846 download)

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Book Synopsis Transformational Leaders Wanted by : Jennifer Lee Parvin

Download or read book Transformational Leaders Wanted written by Jennifer Lee Parvin and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this research was to explore and describe the development, implementation, and impact of the Dallas Independent School District's (ISD) Aspiring Principals Program. This study of principal preparation has relevance as a K-16 issue for two primary reasons. First, K-12 schools are focused on graduating students who are college and career ready and strong principal leadership is an essential component in achieving this post-secondary success. Second, most school leaders are prepared - and certainly certified - through a university program so a discussion of best practices in principal preparation is pertinent as a K-16 issue. Following the review of literature which examined the changing role of the principal from colonial to contemporary times, the impact of school leadership on student achievement and best practices in principal preparation, the research methodology was discussed. A qualitative methodology was used in order to richly describe the case of the Aspiring Principals Program. The case study facilitated a deep understanding of the development, implementation, and impact of the Aspiring Principals Program through an examination and analysis of archival documents and interviews. Interviews were conducted with 13 Dallas ISD leaders at different levels in the organization - senior executive, principal, and teacher - who were involved with the development, implementation, and/or the impact of the Aspiring Principals Program. Because of the emphasis on equity as a key component in school effectiveness, the theoretical framework was critical theory. Findings were reported regarding the purpose and process for developing the Aspiring Principals Program, the description of the philosophy and components of the program, as well as the impact of the program. Program impact was addressed through an analysis at multiple levels from participant attitude to organizational support and student achievement. Since critical theory was the theoretical framework, the impact of the equity focus of the program was assessed. Recommendations regarding the program, with a focus on impact and sustainability, were made as were suggestions for further research, including analyzing program impacts on student achievement and examining models for sustainability.

Leading Schools in Challenging Times

Author : Bruce Anthony Jones
Publisher : IAP
ISBN 13 : 168123369X
Total Pages : 265 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (812 download)

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Book Synopsis Leading Schools in Challenging Times by : Bruce Anthony Jones

Download or read book Leading Schools in Challenging Times written by Bruce Anthony Jones and published by IAP. This book was released on 2016-03-01 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the past 30 years our public school system has received an unprecedented amount of attention as this concerns methods of school reform and policy strategies for bringing about this reform. During the 1980s the emphasis of school reform was on transparency through school-community partnerships. Business and philanthropy, for example, became involved with issues of schooling that was unheard of prior to this period. The 1980s also gave rise to issues of school finance and student performance that went beyond traditional views that tended to focus on finance “adequacy” to views that focused more on school finance arrangements that would lead to actual “equitable outcomes” in student performance. The 1990s witnessed the emergence of the comprehensive school reform movement whereby curriculum outsourcing occurred at rates that had never occurred before. With this movement, the role of teachers and school leaders in the creation of school curriculum diminished as school districts increasingly purchased vendor-related curriculum packages, which included teacher and leader training modules and methods of curriculum assessment. On the heels of the increasing tendency of school districts to outsource school curriculum to curriculum-vendors came a rise in demands for school accountability and school outcomes. This was particularly evident with the passage of No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) (2001). NCLB was also developed within a political context that called for demands in the academic improvement of schools and school districts that housed historically disenfranchised students. These demands were particularly important as the nation experienced and continues to experience dramatic increases in student racial and ethnic diversity. This volume, entitled, Leading Schools in Challenging Times: Eye to the Future, discusses varying types of school leadership in the context of key topics that have been at the center of on-going school reform in the United States. These topics include challenges, opportunities and issues associated with our administrator and teacher leadership pipeline, preparation and development; leadership and school finance reform, leadership and changing student and population demographics; leadership and the role of community; issues of leadership, policy, public accountability and school performance outcomes. The authors also explicate these issues with a view to the future and the status of leadership in our public school system.

Principal Preparatory Programs

Author : Trenae Hill
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (12 download)

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Book Synopsis Principal Preparatory Programs by : Trenae Hill

Download or read book Principal Preparatory Programs written by Trenae Hill and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Principal preparation programs often leave aspiring leaders with misaligned perceptions of the role. The knowledge, skill set and attributes taught within preparation programs should accurately mirror the reality of the position. Because perceptions are developed from experiences, the following research question guided this study; are leadership preparatory programs equipping aspiring leaders with the knowledge, skill set, and attributes applicable to the real-world experience of school leadership? Principal preparation programs aim to give aspiring leaders the quality experience needed to feel ready for campus leadership, but often leave them with perceptions that vary from reality. The purpose of this study was to examine aspiring leaders’ preservice perceptions of the principalship based on their preparation programs, and compare those perceptions to their actual experiences as principals. This was a qualitative study with ten participants, comprising a convenience sample of nine assistant principals and one principal within their first through fifth year of the role, from ten elementary schools in a large suburban school district in Texas, Gavin ISD (pseudonym). The data were gathered through ten recorded one-on-one cognitive interviews, during which five questions were asked of the participants. The content analysis technique was utilized to transcribe the interviews for accuracy and the responses were analyzed for trends and commonalities relating to their principal preparation programs, which guided their perceptions of the role. The results of the study revealed that the preparation programs attended by the school leaders interviewed for this study, did not provide real-world experiences, were not rigorous and were misaligned with the realities of their current position. In conclusion, the cognitive interviews and research revealed that principal preparation programs are in need of revamping to become more aligned with real-world skills that will be applicable to the daily responsibilities of the campus leader.