چکیده (انگلیسی):

The purposes of this study are to describe the redesigned instructional leadership program at the
University of South Alabama and to evaluate its ecacy in preparing future principals to become instructional leaders. Three cohorts of students in USA's redesigned program were assigned to mentor
principals in local schools for a semester to practice instructional leadership skills. District superintendents paid for substitute teachers. Multiple measures were used to assess residents' performance,
including the Leadership Practices Inventory® (LPI), locally-designed surveys, and paired sample t
tests to evaluate the value of Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership®. Thirty-three principals and
28 residents evaluated the redesigned leadership program on a 4-point, Likert-type instrument. Mentor
principals' evaluations reected their belief that the residency is eective, but needs some improvement.
Residents' responses were similar. Paired sample t tests were conducted on the LPI's Five Practices of
Exemplary Leadership. Gains in each practice between the rst and second administrations were statistically signicant. All residents passed the norm-referenced PRAXIS examination and are eligible for
state licensure. Tomorrow's instructional leaders should practice leadership in school settings. Authentic
experiences enable new principals to move through the survival stage of leadership preparation.