Although there is a recurrent call for substantive reform in graduate programs in educational leadership, little has been written from the perspective of the new principal. This article reports the results of a survey of first-, second-, and third-year principals and assistant principals in which participants were asked to identify the knowledge and skill areas they perceived to be important to their initial success. The results suggest that principal preparation programs and district induction programs evaluate their individual areas of emphasis and make adjustments as appropriate.
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