Introduction

There is a general consensus in educational research that the role of the principal is essential to overall school success. In the typical operation of a school, the principal is both the chief executive officer (CEO) and the chief operating officer (COO), ultimately responsible for all of the formal and informal educational activities of the school (Keller, 1998). These activities include such highly diverse functions as supervising instruction; hiring, evaluating, and managing support staff; securing a safe environment; operating athletic and fine arts programs; maintaining communication with stakeholders; and being aware of and responsive to legal, state, and national standards and policies (Lashway, Mazzarella, & Grundy, 1997). Because of the complexity of many of these tasks and the added complication of their simultaneous presentation, the identification and preparation of potential school leaders has received considerable attention (Anderson, 1991).