Evolution in Administrator Preparation Programs

Developments in beliefs and practices regarding the preparation of educational administrators are described in terms offour major themes. These themes relate to the growth of preparation programs, program content, theory-practice relationships, and program differentiation. Changes in administrator preparation have resultedfrom the generation of proposals for improving such specific aspects as the knowledge on which programs are based, the methods of instruction, and the application of concepts to the practice of administration. Although there have been significant developments in each of these areas over the past three decades, the basic issues and challenges are still evident and demand renewed attention.