Mentoring and induction for new assistant principals: the Kansas Educational Leadership Institute

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present findings from an initial year of mentoring and induction provided to new assistant principals (APs) served by the Kansas Educational Leadership Institute (KELI) and to identify program characteristics that support leadership development for first year APs. Design/methodology/approach – The current research utilized surveys and interviews for data collection. The participants included 12 new AP mentees and five mentors currently participating in the KELI program. Two comparable questionnaires are designed to examine perceptions of both groups on the effectiveness of the program in general, mentoring/induction approaches used, and the appropriateness of the intensity of engagement required. The semi-structured interviews provide contextualized understanding of the same aspects examined in the surveys. Findings – The findings reveal that mentees found mentoring/induction experiences with KELI highly valuable. The mentor-mentee matching mechanism together with other structured components in the KELI program such as mentor coaching training and multiple professional learning opportunities was instrumental for promoting a trustful relationship, reciprocal learning, and personalized and growth-based assistance that are key to successful mentoring/induction experiences. Research limitations/implications – The study findings will inform the research-based requirements in KELI’s model and further define effective components in serving the unique and varied responsibilities inherent in the AP position. Originality/value – There is a need to identify elements in effective mentoring and induction support for new APs and to encapsulate best practices to further develop skills and dispositions for this important leadership position.

Assistant Principal Mobility and Its Relationship With Principal Turnover

“…APs in some areas also receive role-specific mentoring/induction and ongoing professional development, activities that tend to mark professions within education (Ingersoll & Collins, 2018). For example, Kansas offers tailored early career support to APs through a statewide mentor program (Liang & Augustine-Shaw, 2016), and a number of districts now operate programs solely focused on recruiting and training aspiring APs. However, responsibility for the socialization and development of APs still lies largely with principals, who continue to retain greater authority over the AP in matters of school leadership (Cohen & Schechter, 2019).…”

Architecture of innovative internship coaching models within US principal preparation programs

“…In the USA and other countries, increasingly, principal preparation programs and school districts are utilizing leadership coaches to help grow and sustain high-quality school leaders (Barnett and O'Mahony, 2013; Fletcher and Mullen, 2012; Rhodes and Fletcher, 2013). There is strong consensus among scholars that coaching is an exemplary feature of leadership onboarding and ongoing capacity development for practicing assistant principals and principals (Barnett and O'Mahony, 2013; Bickman et al , 2012; Cardno and Youngs, 2013; Crow and Whiteman, 2016; Duncan et al , 2011; Farver and Holt, 2015; Forde et al , 2013; Goff et al , 2014; Gordon et al , 2016; Huff et al , 2013; Knight, 2006; Liang and Augustine-Shaw, 2016; Schön, 1983; Searby et al , 2016). Coaching is viewed as effective because it helps aspiring leaders internalize their learning.…”

Ready or Not: The Experiences of Novice Academic Heads in School Leadership

“…KELI is a partnership of government agencies and professional organizations that provides induction and mentoring to new academic leaders in the state of Kansas, USA. In building leaders in their district, KELI, as a state model, makes support available to new school principals and assistant principals by assigning senior and skilled principals in the mentoring and induction programs (Liang & Augustine-Shaw, 2016). In a study about succession planning, the importance of the induction program as an important undertaking of administration for new academic leaders came out.…”

“…Such practice involves a professional education leader guiding a new academic leader in a mutually enriching engagement that fosters learning and development. The established relationship is based on mutual trust, openness, and respect (Liang et al, 2016). Similarly, a study found out that it is better to have candidates for leadership positions coached long before their official appointment.…”