Do administrative licensure policy reforms address social justice concerns? By analyzing the policy discourse (in interviews and documents) in Indiana and North Carolina, this article shows that policy actors believe the focus on heightened standards will raise the quality of leadership candidates. In turn, they believe that this focus on quality will address diversity, achievement gaps, and other equity issues. However, they are concerned about whether higher education can and will adequately implement the needed curricular practices. The complexities of administrator shortages, budget shortfalls, and high-stakes testing complicate implementation of reforms in leadership preparation. By focusing on social justice, this analysis reveals ways in which the two states’ policy actions have treated equity and social justice as components of quality.
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