Intentions and Feedback from Participants in a Leadership Training Program

The shortage of school leaders has led several universities to offer training programs to increase the number of qualified and certified individuals prepared to assume future leadership positions in public schools, such as assistant principals and principals. The purpose of this study was to develop, deliver and evaluate a participatory leadership training program so that more qualified individuals would take positions as leaders in the public schools. Armed with data regarding the shortage of leaders being ready to assume leadership positions in schools, a proposal was written and approved for the leadership training program that was established through grant support funding for a small university on the east coast of the United States of America. This study took place in a small suburban university with a student population of less than ten thousand students. The training university collaborated with a large county school system with which it has had partnership programs for more than 15 years. Working in collaboration with the county school system, 16 individuals were chosen in spring 2008 to participant in an educational leadership training program for 18 months. The program ended in spring 2010. The financial aspect of the leadership training program was sponsored by a federal agency. The leadership training program met its objectives satisfactorily. The 15 program participants met the state's standards for certification as Level I, School Administrators (as assistant principals). This also suggests that the leadership training program adequately prepared participants to assume the roles of school leaders. However, there were areas that needed improvement based on feedback from the participants.