Urban school districts across the country face a twofold challenge in recruiting talented individuals for the principalship and in supporting them on the job. In this exploratory study, we identified administrative stress and socialization variables that impact on the attitudes and performance of new and experienced principals. In spite of specific group differences, the two most significant findings are (1) that the attitudes of new and experienced principals are remarkably similar, and (2) that experienced principals perceive greater role conflict than do new principals. Implications for restructuring central office-principal relationships are presented to reduce role conflict and distrust in experienced principals.
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