In this monograph the author offers the reader a new perspective on an important, dynamic, and sometimes daunting issue: managing successful school-based leadership. Organized around the seven elements of art criticism, the author uses an arts-based approach to weave together notions of research-based leadership skills for successful school-based management with standards of professional competence as represented by the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Standards for School Leaders.

Educational administrator preparation programs have been under attack for inadequate program quality. Despite these charges, there are embedded critical skills numbering thirteen, or a baker's dozen. These skills throughout each the principal preparation programs establish a foundation for the effective preparing of effective administrators. In addition, the bakers dozen drive programmatic decisions providing future educational leaders with opportunities to connect their knowledge base through carefully designed experiences woven into the academic program.

Nationally recognized experts in the field of educational leadership and administration contribute to this book, with chapters focused on the past, present, and future of the preparation of our nation's school leaders. Every field of professional practice must periodically reflect on its past, assess current conditions, and chart a course for the future. This book is designed to stimulate thinking and action for the field of educational leadership. The authors portray historical achievements and short comings, describe what is transpiring now, and explore implications of current developments.

The purpose of this paper was to explore the role and purpose of school administrators in international schools and obtain data helpful in redesigning principal preparation programs. An ethnographic case study was designed to obtain perceptions of issues related to leadership, curriculum, teachers, students, and parents in two U.S. accredited international schools located in Colombia, South America. The study provided a comprehensive picture of school administrators and their perceptions of their roles and how their former principal preparation programs affected their leadership skills. Additionally, results provide insights helpful in redesigning principal preparation programs to prepare global leaders. This ethnographic study also interjects the researcher’s personal experiences as a graduate of an international school, a teacher with experiences both in U.S. and Colombia, and finally as an administrator in the U.S.

We offer the collaborative inquiry-action cycle as a framework for principals’ practice and principal preparation. The cycle is a pragmatic tool that does not prescribe behaviors or contexts. Moreover, the cycle does not represent another programmatic solution or model for leadership. Rather the power of the cycle is that it drives collaboration, inquiry, and action as anchors for improving teaching and learning. The cycle uses these anchors to advance the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of principal candidates so they become inquiry-minded and action-oriented. Finally, this framework can be used by pre-service principal preparation educators to fulfill three important functions: (1) provide a realistic educational experience for future school principals, (2) move away from a strict adherence to standards (what is taught) toward advances in the pedagogical experiences for students (how curriculum is taught), and (3) to meet external accreditation mandates.

Those of us who were educated and trained as school administrators two or three decades ago recall sitting through classes at the university every week, where professors delivered three-hour lectures. There were no on-line classes, no communication by e-mail, no chat rooms or discussion boards, and an advisor was difficult to even locate. In a large university with tens of thousands of students and instructors, I felt isolated. It was difficult for me to consider using anyone at the university as a mentor or sounding-board, which is really what I needed after I completed my program and began working as a new principal.

Simulations are presented that are interactive and use video clips to present problem scenarios that are followed by decision-making or discussion opportunities for students. In this online set of simulations are three case studies of typical administrative problems that school leaders and teachers might encounter. The topics for the three cases involve the following: a) a student's walkman-type radio is stolen from him on a school bus; b) some teachers complain to the principal about another teacher who is consistently late in picking up her students; c) one special education student and one regular student in an inclusive classroom get into a fight with a variety of different versions of the fight presented--each of which leads to different problem solving opportunities. In addition, there is a manual that suggests ways in which professors and students may use the simulations, and the manual also provides an overview of decision making theory for students to review.

The primary objective of this project was to provide a more detailed description along with "real time" information to the community of educational administration preparation programs in the State of New Jersey as to what are considered to be the critical elements, skills and competencies current Chief School Administrators (CSA) in the state deem important when evaluating school building leaders. Additionally, the secondary objective was to determine the operational effectiveness of the ISLLC standards as they are understood and applied by New Jersey school superintendents.
Using a quantitative survey design, the results of this descriptive study, based on a limited sample of suburban Chief School Administrators, suggest that, in general, suburban CSAs believe that student and staff safety, child advocacy, strategic planning, ethical behavior, collaboration, trust building, nurturing learning and instruction, sustaining high expectations, maintaining and sustaining family relationships and understanding the legal aspects of decision making are essential elements to be considered when developing summative evaluations for their district’s principals.

Joseph Murphy argues in this essay that much of university preparation of educational leaders is, at best, of questionable value and, at worst, harmful. Let me start with a few points to ground my claims.

The Levine report presented a dismal portrayal of principal preparation programs, charging that these programs are so inadequate that they should be replaced with professional preparation programs. This article uses the criticisms from the Levine report as the basis for proposed improvements that could be made to existing masters programs in educational administration.

A major recommendation, or mandate in some cases, handed down to principal preparation programs from accrediting agencies, state certification departments, or other bodies, is to prominently include school districts in the program. This might include Advisory Councils that include public school administrators, involving districts in the selection of mentors for fieldwork experiences, or other such efforts. The authors’ university has also included public school administrators in another, unique, way. After replacing the traditional, program-ending comprehensive exam with an oral portfolio defense, public school administrators were invited to participate on the defense panel. A focus group of administrators who participated as panel members was facilitated to determine their opinions on a number of questions related to program quality, the defense format itself, and the overall quality of candidates. The focus group provided meaningful information resulting in recommendations for making the program and the oral defense process even stronger.

This article explores the possibility of providing potential administrators an opportunity to practice and perfect their administrative skills before they face the challenge of the “real world.” Other professions have practice fields. Why shouldn’t we have administrator-training programs?

Graduate programs in Educational Administration use a variety of screening strategies, including the Graduate Records Examination, when selecting and admitting students. In order to earn Standard Principal Certification in Texas, an Educational Administration candidate must also pass the Standard Principal TExES. This study examined the correlation between an Educational Administration student's GRE score as a predictor of that students TExES score. Data demonstrate a correlation between the Graduate Records Examination and the Standard Principal TeXES. Having identified this correlation the study also derived a linear equation for predicting Standard Principal TExES score using GRE scores. Data demonstrate a correlation between the Graduate Records Examination and the Standard Principal TeXES. Having identified this correlation the study also derived a linear equation for predicting Standard Principal TExES score using GRE scores.