Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare supervisors' assessments of traditionally certified site administrators and administrators certified via examination on leadership performance as measured by the ISLLC Standards for School Leaders . Methodology. The study population in the present study consisted of site administrators employed in Riverside County, California. The process consisted of (a) an online survey instrument to site administrators to identify those traditionally trained and those certified via examination and (b) a survey administered to their supervisors. Findings. Demographic data revealed that site administrators certified via examination have more years of education experience and graduate education than their traditionally trained counterparts. Examination of quantitative data collected from supervisors revealed no significant differences in assessed performance were observed. Conclusions. The following conclusions were made: (a) districts should be proactive in their identification of teachers within their organization with high levels of teaching experience and education who have the desire to enter school administration in order to encourage them to become certified via examination; (b) graduate school administration programs and school districts should identify those characteristics and dispositions of successful administrators in order to recruit potential school administration candidates and provide them with the experiences and education that will contribute to their being effective on the standards for school leaders; (c) school districts may want to reconsider their hiring practices and eliminate the requirement a credential be earned through coursework as an unnecessary barrier to employment. Recommendations. Further studies are recommended and include: (a) a replication study with traditionally trained site administrators and administrators certified via examination from other counties and districts within the state of California; (b) a study to identify the dispositions and characteristics of successful site administrators in order to develop a profile for identifying potential administrative candidates within school districts; (c) explore the motivations and barriers to employment of site administrators certified via examination; (d) explore the employment rates and types of schools served by site administrators certified via examination; and (e) determine if the type of administrative certification influences the effectiveness of the school based on state and federal performance standards.