A Renewed Call to Action: Update Principal Selection Methods

Many states have committed to adoption of Common Core State Standards, necessitating extensive preparation for both teachers and students. School districts and particularly school principals have been responsible for ensuring transition and readiness. This demand illustrates the complexity of the principalship and its relationship to student achievement. Principal selection is of paramount importance. This mixed methods study sought to determine which of 21 leadership responsibilities were important to top-level school district administrators when hiring principals and how top-level school administrators assessed these responsibilities during principal selection. Results of this study indicated all 21 leadership responsibilities are important for top-level school administrators to consider when hiring school principals. However, most of the participants indicated they do not have a methodical method to evaluate the 21 leadership responsibilities.