A Study of the City Public Schools' Leadership Academy for Aspiring School Leaders

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the City Public Schools" Leadership Academy has met its primary goal of preparing public school administrators to serve the school division. This study is built on research that reveals that there are a number of principal preparation programs available for future school leaders that do not adequately prepare the applicants for leadership roles. Collaborative partnerships between school divisions and colleges and universities are being formed in order to prepare public school leaders for the administrative demands of today's public schools, challenged by the mandates of the No Child Left Behind legislation. In particular, school divisions are forming grow-your-own leadership academies in order to meet the need for filling positions that are being vacated by retiring administrators. This study utilizes mixed-methodologies comprised of quantitative and qualitative data. Eleven completers of the City Public Schools" Leadership Academy who obtained administrative positions in the division during the 2004-2006 school years were a part of the study. In addition, their supervisors participated in the study.

The research highlights, in quantitative data, the survey responses of ten novice administrators who were completers of the City Public Schools" Leadership Academy. Seminars that the novice administrators experienced were based on the six Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards. Thus, the survey and interview questions were adapted from the ISLLC standards. Adding richness to the study is the data that was generated in the form of in-depth interviews with the eight principals and five supervisors of the novice administrators. Findings revealed that the novice administrators had an overall perception that the City Public Schools" Leadership Academy prepared them to be school leaders. Although the supervisors felt, that the novice administrators were prepared, there were a few areas where they felt the program was in need of improvement. Additional findings gave school leaders a basis from which to make programmatic decisions that should result in a more effective leadership training program.