Middle Level Principal Preparation and Licensure -- Policy Brief

Abstract

While much attention has been focused on the need for specialized preparation and licensure of middle-level teachers, relatively little consideration has been given to the preparation and licensure of middle-level principals. Currently, only seven states (Alaska, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Oklahoma) report some form of specialized preparation for middlelevel principals. Upon closer investigation many of these states, and the universities providing the programs, require very limited study in the area of middle schools, with most simply requiring an internship in a middle-level school.