Where Are the Principal Candidates? Perceptions of Superintendents

Abstract

This article reports the findings of a study on superintendent perceptions of the quantity and quality of candidates for the principalship. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 10 superintendents of variously sized school districts. Of the respondents, 90 percent indicated a moderate to extreme shortage of principal candidates, with the problem more severe at the high school level. Superintendents offered suggestions for ways to increase the candidate pool for principalships.