Defining Preparation and Professional Development for the Future

Abstract

This paper reports on the current thinking about the position of principal and superintendent in America's schools. The positions of school principal and district superintendent have been undergoing changes in definition and scope over the last century and a half. As America undergoes significant societal transformation, the definition of these two positions has to evolve to meet the complex demands the country puts on its schools. The history of the development of the principalship and superintendency is given to provide context for the challenges aspiring education leaders will face in the new millennium. A noted systemic problem in higher education is the inability of many universities to provide adequate instruction relevant to today's leadership needs in education. Recommendations include leadership preparation programs being redesigned to reflect collaborative instructional leadership that works through transformational processes. Such programs must be organized around problems of practice and delivered in collaboration with practitioners. Developmental evaluation processes need to be contained to assess aspiring leaders based upon their level of development. Programs should have a critical mass of five to six faculty devoted to the preparation of new forms of leadership for the schools. (Contains 51 references.) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

Complexity and the beginning principal in the United States: perspectives on socialization

“…Traditionally professional socialization in the USA focuses only on what happens in the university, through coursework and perhaps internships. However, a more rigorous form of professional socialization for new principals in a complex society engages districts and schools, as well as universities, working together as agents in the process of learning the role (Grogan and Andrews, 2002). Since leadership is context-specific, blending university and school/district context in the preparation protects against the university training being brushed aside as irrelevant and provides a stronger learning opportunity for aspiring principals to develop the context-specific knowledge, skills, and dispositions.…”

“…Seeing oneself as an advocate for social justice-oriented schooling and learning is a different personal orientation than typically found with previous generations of beginning principals but is beginning to be viewed as a critical part of US principal preparation programs (Grogan and Andrews, 2002).…”

Preserving the Status Quo or Renegotiating Leadership: Women’s Experiences With a District-Based Aspiring Leaders Program

“…However, less is known about some of the more formalized processes of mentoring. In step with changing performance standards for administrators, major organizations such as the National Council for the Accreditation of Colleges of Education (NCATE), the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC), the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA), and the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) as well as researchers (Cline & Necochea, 1997;Daresh, 1997;Firestone & Fisler, 2002;Goldring & Sims, 2005;Grogan & Andrews, 2002;Herrington & Wills, 2005;Jackson & Kelley, 2002;Jacobson, 1996;Milstein & Krueger, 1997;Young, Petersen, & Short, 2002) have called for reform in leadership preparation. Recent literature has revealed a concentrated effort to highlight leadership preparation programs that have resulted from collaborative efforts between school districts and universities.…”

Reactions to Articles Commissioned by the National Commission for the Advancement of Education Leadership Preparation

“…Peterson (2002 [this issue]), for example, articulates the creative concept of "career-staged" principal preparation with specialized training for aspiring, new, and experienced principals. Grogan and Andrews (2002) also discuss some newer ideas relating to leadership preparation and development. Grogan and Andrews (2002) also discuss some newer ideas relating to leadership preparation and development.…”