Educational administration: Superintendents and principals' perceptions of critical skills needed by novice principals

Abstract

This study sought to examine the degree of congruence between the perceptions of principals and superintendents regarding critical skills needed by beginning principals. It was designed to replicate a study performed by Schmieder, McGrevin, and Townley in California in 1994. Schmieder et al. used Daresh and Playko's taxonomy of critical skills for novice principals and rank ordered them. This study differed from Schmieder et al.'s in that the critical skills were organized into three categories, which were used to determine whether principals and superintendents agreed on the skills that were important. Factors such as gender, ethnicity, and school district size were also examined, and two ancillary questions were investigated. These ancillary questions addressed critical skills that would match more precisely with the actual needs of the position which might be incorporated into pre-service preparation for principals and determined whether there was agreement among superintendents regarding the greatest challenges for beginning principals. This study utilized two theoretical frameworks to view the issue of principal effectiveness. The first was a taxonomy of skills necessary for effective management of people. Three categories of skills that superintendents believed to be critical for new principals were identified: technical skills, self-awareness, and socialization skills. The second theoretical framework was socialization. Six operational null hypotheses were tested by analysis of variance and correlation statistical techniques. Four hypotheses were accepted. Two ancillary questions were also investigated through the use of open-ended questions. The findings for the ancillary questions indicated that both principals and superintendents felt that courses should be taught by instructors familiar with the day-to-day operations of public schools. Further, they believed instructors should connect the theoretical base with a practical perspective and that internships as well as mentoring programs should be addressed in the training of pre-service administrators.