Content-Specific Leadership: Identifying Literature-Based Implications for Principal Preparation

Abstract

Principals are increasingly called upon to support effective instruction and student learning across content areas. Content and process standards emphasize the need for leadership that addresses teachers’ pedagogical and content understandings. The purpose of this article is to conceptualize content-specific leadership in mathematics and science for considerations for preparation programs through a systematic literature review. Prior research suggests both the importance of leadership development related to content-specific leadership practices and the possibilities associated with distributed leadership models aimed at the improvement of mathematics and science instruction. Specifically, leadership preparation programs must equip and support principals to make strategic school-based investments in mathematics and science instruction.