High School
School administration calls for a high level of education and experience. For this reason, you should begin preparing for the job by taking a wide range of college preparatory courses, including English, government, mathematics, psychology, science, music, art, and history. Computer science and business classes will also be beneficial. A broad secondary school education will help you as you pursue your college degrees and gain admittance into strong colleges of education.
Postsecondary Training
Principals and assistant principals are generally required to have a master's degree in educational administration or leadership in addition to five years' experience as a classroom teacher.
School superintendents are usually required to have had graduate training in educational administration, preferably at the doctoral level. Some larger districts require a law degree or a business degree in addition to a graduate degree in education. Candidates for the position of school superintendent generally must have accumulated previous experience as an administrator.
Many universities offer graduate programs in educational administration accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. Programs are designed specifically for elementary school principals, secondary school principals, or school district superintendents, and include such courses as school management, school law, curriculum development and evaluation, and personnel administration. A semester of internship and field experience are extremely valuable. Visit https://caepnet.org/provider-search?tab=providersearch for a list of accredited programs.
Certification
Some colleges and universities offer undergraduate and graduate certificate programs in school administration, school leadership, school business leadership, educational leadership and administration, and related fields. Programs typically last six months to a year and are available in online, in-person, and hybrid formats. Contact schools in your area for information about available programs.
Other Education or Training
The National Association of Elementary School Principals provides educational sessions at its conferences, as well as webinars. Past offerings included Grit, Mindset, and Determination: The Key to Leading by Influence and Moving Ordinary Schools to Extraordinary: Five Essential Skills for Every Effective Principal. The National Association of Secondary School Principals and AASA, The School Superintendents Association also provide continuing education opportunities. Contact these organizations for more information.
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