iPrincipals: How a California University Educational Leadership Program is Preparing the Next Generation of School Administrators Online

Oct 15, 2026

iPrincipals: How a California University Educational Leadership Program is Preparing the Next Generation of School Administrators Online examines national and state shifts in PreK-12 and higher education toward fully online delivery. It describes strategies used by Azusa Pacific University’s Educational Leadership faculty to build innovative, fully virtual preparation for school leaders. The narrative links growth in virtual schooling with charter school expansion, hybrid and fully online degree trends, and the goal of meeting future iY generation learning needs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Program context: online education trends

From charter schools to virtual learning

iPrincipals and faculty strategy

Virtual leadership preparation model

Moving toward a virtual program in California

Program redesign and cohort capstone

iPrincipals: How a California University Educational Leadership Program is Preparing the Next Generation of School Administrators Online Teri A. Marcos William V. Loose Azusa Pacific University This program report provides insights on the growing national and state trends in PreK-12 and higher education to deliver fully online programs for learners of all types and from many walks of life. It documents the strategies and program constructs Azusa Pacific University’s fully online Educational Leadership faculty engages within their innovative, fully virtual program. As Baby Boomer professors, they are vested in building and nurturing what they term, iPrincipals, for both traditional and virtual schools. They are focused on the iY generation in this endeavor, as they strive to meet the learning needs of future school leaders in the state. Traditional forms of schooling in California, and the nation, are currently facing a radical change in educational delivery models (Rand, 2005; Wagner, 2012; Pink, 2006; Elmore, 2013; CAVA, 2013) . As the option of charter schools became law for K-12 public education in California during the era of AB740 in 1992 (US Dept. of Ed., 2013), virtual teaching and learning became a viable next step with the advent of online delivery portals originally intended for high school independent study programs across the state (Center on Education Policy, 2002; LAO, 2013) . Universities were already well ahead of this implementation as, during the same era, fully online university programs for everything from degree completion programs to teacher licensure were designed and developed to eventually become functional, if not preferred, options to traditional “brick and mortar” delivery by new markets of degree seeking students (Schools of Education Learning Collaborative, 2008) . Out of twenty years of growth in online course delivery, particularly manifested early through hybrid models,(within which approximately one half of a course is delivered face-to-face, and the other half online), the rise in fully online university degree programs for both graduate and undergraduate students is the new reality in institutions of higher education, and growing worldwide within the K-12 environment (Nagel, 2009) . Kolar (2011) notes: “Virtual courses are no longer just for college students. In 2011, over 700,000 high school students were taking at least on online class from either a public or private virtual school” (p. 1) . And, in California, from the birth of the charter school movement in 1992, the state’s free public charters have grown to currently comprise over 800 organizations. One of the largest, The California Virtual Academies, delivers the state’s curriculum in a fully virtual learning environment while serving California’s K-12 population. Educational Leadership and Administration: Teaching and Program Development Volume 25, March 2014 ISSN 1532-0723 © 2014 California Association of Professors of Educational Administration In addition to enrolling 15,000 students within virtual classroom environments, CAVA offers more than 100 online clubs ranging from photography, Quiz Bowl, 4-H, and Book Buddies, to debate, cooking, volunteering, model UN, and babysitters club. Student organizations including National Junior Honor Society and Student Ambassadors are available (CAVA, 2013) . Indeed, the nature of schooling is changing. Moving Toward a Virtual Leadership Preparation Program in California The growth of virtual schools and virtual learning is growing at a remarkable rate. A recent Wall Street Journal article focused on the rapid growth of technology companies trying toreinvent higher education through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) . One such firm reports having 80 schools producing online courses with 375 classes offered and having 500+ professors teaching the courses (Fasimpaur, 2013) . Recent developments include a May 14, 2013 announcement that Georgia Tech will offer an onlin

FAQs

What does the iPrincipals initiative refer to in the document?

iPrincipals refers to the approach Azusa Pacific University’s Educational Leadership faculty uses to build and nurture future school administrators for both traditional and virtual schools.

Why does the document say schools and universities are shifting toward online delivery?

It links the shift to rapid growth in virtual schooling options and the expansion of online course delivery models, including charter school influences and the rise of fully online higher education.

How did Azusa Pacific University redesign its Educational Leadership program?

The Master of Education in School Administration was replaced with a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, delivered as a hybrid model across seven courses with embedded field experience, using a linear cohort design and a case study capstone.

Oct 15, 2026

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