Principal and
Superintendent Advice Improving Educational Leadership Programs: Will It Improve or
Hinder Increased Student Achievement?
Thomas A. Kersten
Professor Emeritus
Chicago/Schaumburg, Illinois
One of the
greatest challenges principals and superintendents face is increasing student
achievement. Today, educational stakeholders demand that school leaders
demonstrate the requisite knowledge and skills necessary to improve teaching
and learning. No longer is it sufficient for administrators to merely talk a
good game. School leaders must show results.
At the same
time, educational administration professors are themselves under increased
scrutiny regarding the effectiveness of their principal and superintendent
preparation programs. Even some of our nation's most well known educational
leaders have questioned the effectiveness of administrative preparation
programs in preparing administrators to lead school improvement and increase
student achievement (Darling-Hammond, et. al., 2007; Levine, 2005). These
criticisms, though, raise an important question that both school administrators
and professors of educational administration cannot ignore. Are our educational
leadership programs truly providing school leaders with the knowledge and
skills necessary to improve schools and increase student achievement?
An answer
to this question may be partially embedded in recent studies of principals' and
superintendents' perceptions of the efficacy of educational leadership
preparation programs. When asked how they would improve educational leadership
programs, a substantial number of principals and superintendents were quick to
offer the advice. They recommended that professors focus more pragmatic
concerns and real school experiences, especially related to improving student
performance. They suggested that professors place less emphasis on theory,
which is not clearly linked to helping administrators improve their schools. In
addition, they encouraged professors to spend more time in schools to develop a
deeper understanding of how successful principals and superintendents make a
difference. They cautioned them to resist the temptation to isolate themselves
from the day-to-day realities of school leadership by becoming university-bound
(Hunt, Watkins, Kersten & Tripses, 2011; Kersten, Trybus & White, 2010).
This advice
raises important issues that educational administration professors should
consider if they truly want to partner with school administrators and
contribute to the improvement of teaching and learning. Professors must ask
themselves if they have the knowledge necessary to advise administrators on how
to improve student achievement. If not, they must become achievement experts
not only at the theoretical but also implementation level. If they do not,
administrators will choose to look elsewhere for this expertise. Second,
professors must focus on developing a true understanding of what educational
leadership means at the building and district levels, especially if they have
never administered schools or have not done so recently. This will require them
to place a priority on connecting with administrators and teachers onsite
rather than merely as part of research studies or course instruction. Once they
heed this advice, educational leadership professors will open the doors to true
partnerships with school administrators. They will then be in a position to
work collaboratively to improve our nation's schools and increase student
achievement.
References
Hunt, J., Watkins, S., Kersten, T., & Tripses, J. (2011). Restructuring (retooling) superintendent leadership programs to enhance district leadership. Educational Leadership Review Special Issue: Portland Conference, 12(3), 43-48.
Kersten, T., Trybus, M., & White, D. (2010). Administrative internships: Considering principals’ voice from the field. International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation. 5(1). Retrieved February 8, 2010 from http://ijelp.expressacademic.org
Levine, A. (2005). Educating school leaders. Washington, DC: The Education Schools Project.
White, D. L., & Kersten., T. A. (2010). Improving administrative internship programs:Recommendations from secondary school principals. School Leadership Review, 6(1), 133-126.
