SCHOOL

ADMINISTRA
TION AS
DISCIPLINE
The principal of a school is like
the center of a wheel. The
principal keeps everything in line
and in good working order. The
principal is in charge of keeping
the school working so that
teachers, students, and support
staff can function and complete
their respective jobs.
A principal needs to be a strong
leader to staff, a fair hiring agent
for new teachers and aides, an
advocate to students, and a
disciplinarian when necessary. A
principal also serves as an
intermediate between the
county board of education and
the school system in which they
are employed.
 How to
Become a
School
Principal
STEP 1:
Earn a Bachelor's
Degree

6
School principals usually begin their

careers serving as teachers, which

generally requires a bachelor's degree in
education or a specific subject field, such
as English or math. Many colleges and
universities offer degree programs in
elementary, secondary and special
education, which typically take 4-5 years
to complete. 7
Coursework is structured according to the

grade levels and subjects that one is planning

to teach. Most degree programs feature
classes in educational philosophy, classroom
management and working with diverse
students. In order to become certified,
education majors are also commonly
expected to fulfill a student teaching
internship during the course of their
bachelor's degree program. 8
STEP 2:
Get a Teaching
Certificate

9
All states require public school teachers to be
licensed before they can start teaching. Licensing

requirements vary by state, but most licensing

boards require candidates to complete a bachelor's
degree and a supervised internship that includes
classroom teaching. Candidates must also
frequently pass a state licensing exam that tests
general teaching skills, methods and subject
knowledge. Aside from a bachelor's degree and a
student teaching internship, certification
requirements for teacher differ by state. 10
STEP 3:
Gain Work
Experience

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Before advancing into school administration positions,
many principals gain motivational, leadership and

communication skills as teachers. Acquiring work

experience in the education field supplies aspiring
principals with the basis to comprehend the teaching
field, the teacher's responsibilities and classroom
practice. Additionally, it's typical for states to expect a
couple of years of teaching experience to acquire
licensure as a principal. The years of experience
required varies by state, so individuals should check
with the state to find out exact requirements.
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STEP 4:
Complete a
Graduate Degree

13
Teachers prepare for advancement into school
principal positions by earning a master's or doctoral

degree in education leadership or educational

administration. Master's degree programs in education
administration typically take two years to complete and
may require students to hold a teaching license prior to
enrollment. Courses may include instruction
supervision, curriculum development, administrative
leadership, school law and school finance. Students
may be required to complete internships and capstone
projects in order to graduate.
14
STEP 5:
Obtain a Specialist
License

15
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,

the majority of states require school principals to

have a school administrator license. To be eligible
for licensure, most states require applicants to hold
graduate degrees along with sitting for a state
licensing exam. Work experience and mentoring
experience may also be necessary to meet school
administrator licensing eligibility. Specifications
vary by location, but many states permit an
individual to add a principal endorsement to a
current teaching license. 16
21
School leadership is the key to
school improvement. School
principals are the front-line
managers, the small business
executives, the battlefield
commanders charged with leading
their team to new levels of
effectiveness. In this new era of
accountability, where school leaders
are expected to demonstrate22
bottom-line results and use data to
The rise of charter schooling,
increasing school choice, and
more flexible teacher
compensation and hiring have
granted thousands of principals
new opportunities to exercise
discretion and operate with
previously unimagined leeway. In
this environment, school23
improvement rests to an
unprecedented degree on the
In this changing context, an array
of scholars has asked whether
traditional approaches to
preparing and licensing principals
are sufficient (Elmore 2000; Fordham Foundation 2003; Hess
2003; Murphy 2001; Tucker 2003). Leaders of the
University Council for Education
Administration have asserted that
in order to build programs that 24
support leadership for learning
we must rethink and revise our
A recent four-year study by the
president of Teachers College at
Columbia University, Arthur Levine (2005),
raised the stakes in this debate by
harshly assessing the quality of
educational administration programs.
Based on a survey of practicing
principals and education school deans,
chairs, faculty, and alumni, as well as
case studies of 25 school leadership
programs, Levine concluded that the25
majority of [educational administration]
In particular, he found that the
typical course of studies required
of principal candidates was largely
disconnected from the realities of
school management, though
Levine did not seek to analyze the
content of these courses. In light
of the Levine analysis, and given
the increasing demands on school
leaders, the question of what 26
candidates are actually being
 7 (SEVEN)
AREAS
OF PRINCIPAL
RESPONSIBILITY 27
 managing for results
managing personnel
technical knowledge
external leadership
norms and values
managing classroom instruction &
leadership
school culture. 28
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