Considerations of Administrative Licensure, Provider Type, and Leadership Quality

Abstract

This article reviews U.S. administrative licensure regulations, focusing on type of school leader licensure, provider types, and leadership quality. Licensure obtained through university-based and alternative routes is examined. Due to limited research on alternative school administrative licensure, regulations in medicine, psychology, engineering, law, and teaching are reviewed, as well as research on their effectiveness, to identify policies potentially relevant to school leadership. Licensure regulations are uniform in medicine, psychology, and engineering, with some variation in law, and licensure options vary greatly in teaching and school administration. The article concludes with recommendations for research, policy, and practice in school administrative licensure.