3.7 An imperative for leadership preparation programs: preparing

Introduction

Public dissatisfaction with student learning outcomes in PK-12 educational programs has resulted in calls for improvement in the quality of educational leaders serving students, schools, and communities. This dissatisfaction with the state of US educational systems has resulted in demands for change and accountability in school administrator preparation programs at the university level. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act: No Child Left Behind of 2001 responded to these demands by requiring greater accountability in the performance of school administrators (U.S. Government, 2002). Universities have responded by analyzing and implementing changes in educational leadership preparation programs. Professional organizations such as the American Association of School Administrators (AASA, 1993), Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO, 1996; CCSSO, 2008), National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA 1993; NPBEA 2002a; NPBEA 2002b; NPBEA 2008), National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE, 2002), and the Education Leaders Constituent Council (ELCC, 2002) among others, along with individual state education agencies have responded by reviewing and revising standards for practicing school administrators and educational leadership preparation programs.

The high unemployment rate and downsizing of industries has prompted the increased development of alternative educational executive leadership programs with an eye on providing positions in schools for the newly unemployed. These movements are blurring the lines of professional preparation between schools, business, industry, nonprofit, and governmental agencies. One result of questioning the effectiveness of educational leadership preparation programs has been a philosophy adopted by some that the training of corporate leaders and military personnel to fill leadership positions in schools will result in improved school operation, instruction, and student learning outcomes. An example of this type of program is The Broad Foundation’s Superintendents Academy which prepares CEOs and senior executives from business, nonprofit, military, government, and education backgrounds to lead urban public school systems. As explained by Quinn (2007):