Tomorrow’s School Leaders - What Do We Know about Them? A Case Study - Volume 16 - Fall 2004

Oct 15, 2026

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Large numbers of projected retirements are expected to create urgent demand for recruiting and preparing capable future school leaders. This case study examines the characteristics of candidates in an administration preparation program, the factors shaping their career decisions, and the implications for recruitment strategies and the design of stronger leadership preparation programs for schools.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Background

Research focus and rationale

Methodology

Population and sample

Research questions

Tomorrow’s School Leaders: What Do We Know about Them? A Case Study Jim Ritchie, Phyllis H. Lindstrom, & Noni Mendoza-Reis San Jose State University Abstract: Large numbers of projected retirements have created the need for recruiting and preparing capable school leaders for the future. This study explored the characteristics of candidates in an administration preparation program, factors for their career decisions, and the implications of these factors for recruiting candidates and building stronger preparation programs. Background In the years ahead, the nation and State will witness a massive change in educational leadership due to the large number of projected retirements among educational administrators (Peterson & Kelley, 2001). This shift in leadership poses significant implications for those institutions that prepare school administrators. The development of new school leadership, including recruiting and preparing capable leaders, promises to remain a critical priority for the years to come. Educators committed to the long-term survival of public schools knowthat the leadership of the schools of tomorrow will be entrusted to Volume 16, Fall 2004 37 the generation of school leaders now preparing for that challenge. A 2003 study by the Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning (McRel) group examined the issue of effective school leadership by analyzing significant studies of school leadership completed in recent years. The conclusion of theMcRel study was that competent leadership does indeed contribute to improved performance for schools (Waters, Marzano, & McNulty, 2003). It seems, therefore, logical to also conclude that the development of competent leadership is a critical self-renewal function for public schools. It has long been argued that the quality of public schools is largely dependent on the quality of its leaders (Fullan, 2003; Heck & Hallinger, 1999). In a recent review of the literature, Heck and Hallinger (1999) concluded“principal leadership does have indirect effects on student outcomes via a variety of in-school processes”(p.141). It seems critical that those responsible for preparing the next generation of school leaders need to develop and maintain high quality leadership preparation programs that address both the needs of schools and the needs of candidates who are in the programs. In spite of substantial evidence that the leader of the school is critical to the progress the school makes, the No Child Left Behind Act (U.S. Department of Education, 2002) aggressively speaks to the importance of a highly qualified teacher in every classroom, yet largely ignores requirements about school principals. Some districts and states are developing more proactive, purposeful, recruiting methods for prospective principals that look for specific leadership qualities. Such districts often actively recruit among their employees, and then ask individuals to enter a training program where a specific set of competencies is taught (Russo, 2004). It would seem apparent that the recruitment of capable new leaders is becoming a critical issue in school improvement. Efforts to attract appropriate, high quality candidates to school leadership training must be strategically undertaken. Who are the future leaders now preparing to be the next generation of educational leaders? What motivated them to undertake this preparation? What can be learned from an analysis of candidates entering an administrative credential preparation program? This study presents an analysis of data from two years of candidates entering the administrative credential program at a public university in California. This paper focuses on the results of that study, as well as includes a discussion about implications from this study for recruiting new leaders. The careers of educators generally reflect certain stages and developmental needs (Lindstrom & Speck, 2004). The key career stage for developing school leaders appears t

FAQs

What problem does the study address regarding school leadership?

Projected retirements among educational administrators are expected to create a major need for recruiting and preparing capable future school leaders.

What does the study investigate about candidates in preparation programs?

The study explores candidate characteristics, factors influencing career decisions, and implications for recruiting candidates and improving preparation programs.

How was the study’s sample defined?

The population was about 500 candidates enrolled in the university’s Educational Leadership Program in 2002 and 2003, with a survey sample of 109 candidates.

Oct 15, 2026

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