Voices of Superintendents: 'Give Us Relevant and Challenging Preparation for a Tough Job'

This manuscript reports results from two open-ended questions from a larger descriptive study that sought to gather perceptions from practicing Illinois superintendents on coursework and other program characteristics in superintendent preparation programs. The study surveyed all Illinois superintendents (873 districts) using an online survey. We asked superintendents two open-ended questions about the knowledge and skills that should be included in superintendent preparation programs and what advice they might offer professors of educational administration to improve superintendent preparation programs. Responses to the first question essentially aligned with national standards for school leadership preparation. When asked to provide advice to superintendent preparation programs, practicing superintendents stated the importance of program relevancy to rapidly changing and challenging school district environments. Respondents provided important insights into moral leadership, political acumen, university faculty credibility, and characteristics of learning experiences. The most often mentioned learning experience was the internship. No respondent reported his or her internship experience had been too rigorous. (Contains 1 table.)