Understanding Mentoring In Leadership Development: Perspectives of District Administrators and Aspiring Leaders

According to Daresh, collaboration between veteran and new or aspiring leaders can promote an environment that is conducive to high levels of student achievement. This study sought to understand the mentoring relationship between veteran school leaders and aspiring leaders within a district that is in Year 2 of a School Leadership Program grant. Results focused on two main themes: (a) accountability time pressures and (b) development and sustainability of the mentor/mentee relationship. Implications for school district leadership and university leadership preparation programs are discussed. Keywords mentoring, leadership development, principal preparation In educational settings, mentoring relationships play an important role in the leader-ship development of aspiring school leaders (Browne-Ferrigno & Muth, 2004; Cro