Learning to Lead: What Gets Taught in Principal-Preparation Programs

Abstract

The authors would like to express their thanks to the Olin Foundation and to the Program on Education Policy and Governance for the support that made this research possible. We would also like to thank Michael Hartney, Rosemary Kendrick, and Emily Kluver for their invaluable research assistance. Executive Summary Today, school principals are asked to lead in a new world marked by unprecedented responsibilities, challenges, and managerial opportunities. Are principal preparation programs equipping their charges for this new role? We examined the content of instruction at a stratified sample of the nation’s principal preparation programs, including the programs training the most candidates, the programs regarded as the most prestigious, and more typical programs. We surveyed 56 programs and collected at least four “core ” course syllabi from 31 that met the standards permitting systematic coding for a total of 210 syllabi. The syllabi yielded 2,424 total course weeks. Key findings include:- Generally, there were surprising similarities across the various types of programs.- Just 2 % of 2,424 course weeks addressed accountability in the context of school management or school improvement and less than 5 % included instruction on managing school improvement via data, technology, or empirical research.- Eleven percent of 2,424 course weeks made mention of or reference to statistics,