The Professional Development of Principals: Innovations and Opportunities

This article articulates the importance of professional development programs as complementary to preservice preparation. While on-the-job inservice programs offer preservice administrators a glimpse of the requirements for the position, they do not offer ample time to learn everything about the job prior to practicing. This article offers information about sources of professional development including universities, professional associations, governmental agencies, and not-for-profit organizations. Each source is analyzed, including the focus of the program, its purpose, curriculum, instructional strategies, location, internal coherence and integration of technology. The article also provides examples of exemplary programs offered by each source.