School Leaders’ Perceptions of Preparation for Rural Southern Schools

The role of today’s school leader has expanded far beyond managerial tasks, and an emphasis has been placed on both managerial and instructional leadership tasks (Jackson et al., 2021; McBrayer et al., 2018b). Inadequate preparation for this changing role has created gaps in the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to effectively lead 21st-century schools. Closing this leadership gap is critical to preparing school leaders ready to effectively lead schools and supporting practicing principals to lead for continuous school improvement (Pannell & McBrayer, 2020). Further, closing the leadership gap could be critical in reducing leader attrition which Pannell et al. (2022) found to negatively impact every category of Georgia\u27s College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI). This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of school leaders in a rural Southern region of the United States to better understand their educational leadership preparation program experiences and how training shaped their current leadership knowledge, skills, and dispositions. This phenomenological analysis discovered three overarching research themes that were expressed: (1) practical leadership lessons, (2) meaningful leadership mentorship, and (3) community-centered education needed. Implications for practice will lead to a better understanding of the successes and challenges of current educational leadership preparation to improve programs to ensure school leaders are prepared for today’s educational arena