This qualitative study examines principals' perceptions of effective principal professional development programs and needs. Results from this research study are valuable because they can provide impactful insights for state departments of education, district leadership, and principals in the planning, development, and administration of principal…

Recent research shows that a developmental school counseling program can be an important tool for improving student academic achievement and school community well-being. Yet, it appears that school administrators do not take advantage of the school counseling resource, often assigning school counselors to tasks that are outside of their area of…

Two reports have recently been published that are critical of higher education and its preparation of school leaders. One of these reports entitled "Educating School Leaders" by Arthur Levine (2005) offered a 9-point template for judging the quality of school leadership programs. The other by Hess and Kelly (2005) entitled "Learning…

Conflict management is among the skills necessary for the development of successful school leaders. Those in campus leadership positions are certain to face conflict situations on a regular basis. This study focused on four questions about conflict in the professional lives of campus administrators: (1) What is the frequency of conflict…

With the evidence that improved leadership in schools produces increased student learning and with the accountability demands of No Child Left Behind and the Missouri School Improvement Program, it is imperative that school leaders in Missouri be prepared to support student learning at its highest level. Therefore, Missouri has made a substantial…

Lately, preparation programs for PreK-12 school leaders have been at the center of controversy. Infamous among university circles is the 2005 "Educating School Leaders" report, which calls for an overhaul of university-based principal and superintendent preparation programs. The focus of the report is that school leadership programs are in…