Chapter 2: Who is Offering University-Based Principal Preparation, to what Extent, and where?: A Focus on the Master’s Degree and Why Change Matters

Perrone and Tucker’s (2019) updated look at educational leadership preparation program offerings and degree production from 2000 to 2014 revealed several clear trends. Most pertinent to principal preparation, the study found tremendous overall increases in the number of institutions offering principal preparation master’s degrees and the number of such degrees awarded in the 21st century, though a slight decrease in master’s conferrals began in 2010. The overall growth seemed to outpace national needs for principals and was disproportionately driven by new preparation programs at less selective institutions, which could have serious implications as many of these programs may have limited capacity to provide the program features required for high quality preparation. Also notable is that principal preparation degree conferral varied tremendously by state and was generally incommensurate with estimated state needs for principals.