State-Mandated Principal Preparation Program Redesign: Impetus for Reform or Invitation to Chaos?

Abstract

Increasing criticism of practicing educational leaders has led to additional critiques of the university programs in which they are prepared. In response, many states have mandated statewide university preparation program redesign. The articles in this special issue describe five unique cases of principal preparation program redesign—including both process and product—presented through the chronology of state-level policy development and local implementation. These five case studies establish a literature base that examines the following research questions: (a) Whether and to what degree did externally imposed redesign mandates influence substantive program changes, (b) How did university program faculty respond to the state mandates, and (c) To what degree did program redesign efforts reflect emerging empirical research guidelines on the characteristics of quality educational leadership programs?