Leadership Fellowship 2004 – Frank Farrell Award
NSW Department of Education and Training
Leadership Fellowship 2004 – Frank Farrell Award
GENeration neXt
GENERATIONAL CHANGE IN THE PRINCIPALSHIP
Dr. Grahame Morgan Mr. Russell Hawkins
Principal Principal
Beverly Hills North Public School Tregear Public School
New South Wales, Australia New South Wales, Australia
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This research examined issues concerned with generational change in executive positions within the NSW Department of Education and Training (DET). The research found that more than fifty percent of executive and a larger percentage of principals are over fifty years of age and are approaching retirement.
The researchers conducted interviews with new principals and professional learning providers in New Zealand and South Australia. These interviews formed case studies which were examined in conjunction with a review of service provision for leadership development within NSW DET. A literature review on best practice in principal preparation was conducted.
The research concluded that there is currently a large range of program offerings and initiatives to support aspiring, new and experienced principals. There is significant agreement on the most effective means of preparing school leaders despite the general lack of research to support the efficacy of principal preparation programs. The features of effective principal preparation include:
· A coherent research base or framework.
· Links between theory and practice.
· Content applied in authentic settings addressing common issues.
· Practical skills developed in context.
· Challenging relevant simulations to improve decision making.
· Supportive groups providing a social structure for skills acquisition.
· Mentoring to guide new leaders.
· Co-ordination of leaderships support.
· Sequential development across the different stages of leadership.
The comprehensive offerings within the NSW DET may benefit from the co-ordination of support involving state wide frameworks, regional initiatives and key stakeholders’, notably principals’, organizations.
New and aspiring principals would also benefit from the construction of a coordinated cycle of leadership preparation and development through the stages of school leadership. Program offerings should utilize the expertise of current and recently retired school leaders applying the NSW DET Leadership Capability Framework and utilising trained and accredited mentors.
FORWARD
The research was undertaken in response to impending generational change in the principalship resulting from the aging population of school executive within NSW DET. The report is based on research undertaken by the authors and study tours of Auckland, New Zealand and Adelaide, South Australia during 2005.
The purpose of the research was to:
· Develop methods of identifying those principals approaching retirement who could provide support to aspiring and new principals.
· Provide recommendations on the ways in which the NSW DET and the NSW Primary Principals Association (PPA) could develop systems to ensure effective leadership knowledge transition.
· Provide recommendations in terms of the current leadership capability framework by establishing the relative importance of different aspects of leadership knowledge.
· Identify leadership skills and knowledge domains seen as important by generation “x” principals and compare these with those seen as important by current “baby boomer” principals.
· Identify any particular skills that new and aspiring principals are bringing with them and those that current principals may transfer before retirement.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This report was produced by Dr. Grahame Morgan and Mr. Russell Hawkins joint recipients of a Leadership Fellowship 2004 – Frank Farrell Award awarded by the Hon Andrew Refshauge Deputy Premier, Minister for Education and Training. We would like to express thanks to the NSW Department of Education and Training and the NSW Primary Principals Association for providing the opportunity to undertake this research.
We would also like to thank:
New Zealand
Lionell Mickell – Leadership Unit Consultant University of Auckland.
Cherie Taylor-Patel – Principal Flanshaw Road School
Madeline East – Principal Farm Cove Intermediate School
Ross McGowan – Principal Pakuranga Health Camp School
Suzanne Billington – Principal Bairds Mainfreight Public School
Tina Voorouw – Principal Rongamai Public School
David Eddy – School Leadership Centre University of Auckland
South Australia
Andrew Plastow – Alberton Public School
Nancy Schpelius – South Australian Centre for Leaders in Education (S.A.C.L.E)
Wendy House – South Australian Centre for Leaders in Education (S.A.C.L.E)
Sue George-Duiff – Croydon High School
Sue Burtenshaw – Gipps Cross Girls High School
Tony Cocchiaro – Director Metropolitan West District
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION --------------------------------------------------------------------------7
THE NEED TO PLAN FOR GENERATIONAL CHANGE -------------------------8
PRINCIPAL PREPARATION ------------------------------------------------------------11
NEW SOUTH WALES --------------------------------------------------------------------17
NEW ZEALAND ---------------------------------------------------------------------------22
SOUTH AUSTRALIA ---------------------------------------------------------------------35
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS --------------------------------------40
BIBLIOGRAPHY ---------------------------------------------------------------------------48
APPENDIX A – METHODOLOGY -----------------------------------------------------50
APPENDIX B – PRINCIPAL SURVEY -------------------------------------------------51
APPENDIX C – NSW SCHOOL EXECUTIVE AGE DISTRIBUTION -----------53
INTRODUCTION
Across the western world the profession of teaching in general and the principalship in particular sits on the cusp of a significant workforce transformation. An aging workforce means that over the next ten years many of the “baby boomer” generation will retire from their senior teacher and leadership positions in schools. The corporate knowledge of these retiring school leaders need not be lost. Succession planning can be utilized to shape a more empowered group of educational leaders who are ready to meet the challenges of schooling in the future. To ensure high quality leadership it may be necessary to think beyond the traditional boundaries of succession planning. This research suggests that the nature of the leadership roles within schools which Generation X will inherit should not be left to chance but rather constructed in partnership with the DET, key stakeholders and current school leaders. The NSW public education system would therefore benefit from the development of a coherent system of knowledge transition.
A new generation of teachers, educational leaders and parents observe schooling with a growing sense that they are inheriting a very different world from that of the post World War II baby boomer generation. The emerging leaders of Generation X are leaving the relative certainty of more conservative times well behind. Coping with relationships, building wealth, working and living in information rich environments and dealing with the ambiguities of modern life are challenges for current generations. Twenty and thirty something teachers have embarked on teaching and school leadership careers with many variables and few certainties. A recent history across Australian education systems of bureaucratic central control conflicts with a march towards professionalism and autonomy. This has created a tension between the comfort of the past and the uncertainty of a changing future in which increasingly educated, skilled and politically astute Generation X professionals will be working within traditional bureaucratic contexts. This research considers some of the key issues which confront school leaders and systems faced with a significant workforce transformation in times of rapid change.
Beyond the immediate consideration of succession planning it might also be appropriate to ask, what future do we want for educational leadership? The authors assert that succession planning should be about more than preparing people to fill vacant positions. It should also be about building futures. Although the quantity and quality of future leaders is important to systems of education in terms of workforce planning, the future direction of the role should be a central concern for current school leaders. A broader view of succession planning gives rise to more global issues about school leadership given that it is not sufficient to consider school leadership out of a systemic context. Leadership and the nature of its values, range of responsibilities and levels of influence is integral to the type of system in which it is embedded. Proposing changes in leadership roles in terms of the skills set we expect these people to acquire and how we prepare future leaders has implications for the systems of education in which these leaders will operate.
The writers suspect that future generations of principals will be less inclined to operate within traditional bureaucratic systems. More to the point, the type of professionals who would best lead professional school communities are not necessarily the type of people who would respond well to high levels of bureaucratic control. Instead, such people may select other careers with higher financial rewards or those with more self-direction where professionalism is respected, valued and acknowledged as core to the function of the organisation. In this respect generational change in the principalship would seem to be inevitable however, the associated cultural change which will attract and successfully prepare the best quality leader is more problematic. As Hale & Moreman (2003:19) point out “the bad news is that a radically new generation of school leadership is needed and the preparation programs of today are not yet up to the task of equipping these leaders for the challenges of the 21st century”.
THE NEED TO PLAN FOR GENERATIONAL CHANGE
The popular press has reported that significant numbers of school principals in Australia will be retired by the end of this decade. Within the NSW Department of Education and Training (DET) workforce planning statistics supports these reports, with more than half of all principals due to retire within the next ten years. This evidence of impending significant change in principal demographics has considerable ramifications for schools and school systems. High quality succession planning will become an imperative as the experience and skills of current school leaders is lost through retirement and a new generation with different life experiences emerges to take their place. The need for succession planning for the principalship has been well established in current research. At this time of generational change it might also be opportune to look at how the DET can create ongoing systems of succession planning.
As indicated the NSW Department of Education and Training workforce planning statistics highlight significant impending change across all levels of school leadership. This change will see an increasing number of retirements and a loss of some of the systems most experienced school leaders at all levels.
Graph 1: Age distribution of Primary Principal
The age distribution of primary principals (Graph1) within the NSW DET reveals that 1102 of the 1775 principals or approximately 63% are currently over fifty years of age. An analysis of secondary principal’s ages reveals that 323 or approximately 82% of principals are also over fifty years of age. These DET workforce planning statistics highlight the impending significant generational change in the principalship across NSW.
Graph 2: Age distribution High School Principals
The problem is not unique to NSW, indeed education systems around the world are experiencing or anticipate problems in the supply of quality school leaders. Kelempen & Richetti (2001:1) in the United States indicates that, “the nation’s reservoir of experienced principals is about to become seriously depleted, leaving reform to rookies. Forty percent of elementary, middle and high school principals are about to retire, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics”.
In the Canadian context Phillips (2003:1) indicates that, “of the incumbent school leaders approximately 30 to 57%, depending upon the province, are expected or are able to retire in the next 3-5 years. The average age of principals is 46-51 years. Decreasing numbers of candidates are applying for school leadership positions and even within the current pool of vice-principals many express no desire for the principalship, e.g., a survey of New Brunswick vice-principals stated that only 19.5% of them were interested in a principalship. Williams states that the outflow of qualified persons through retirement strongly outnumbers newly qualified persons entering the field. (The number of replacement-qualified persons over the five year period is only 44 per cent of those projected to retire - a decrease in the pool of 56 per cent).”
While traditionally school principal positions have been filled with experienced Assistant Principals, Head Teachers and Deputy Principals, similar age distributions are evident in these promotions positions. This leaves a possible future where many inexperienced school principals will be supported by other school executives who are also new to the role.
In total the NSW Department of Education and Training has approximately 5393 executive staff who are currently over fifty years of age. This represents 50% of all executive staff in public schools in NSW.
In the United States shortages of principals are reported in some areas. Archer (2002) discusses the strain that is being placed on New York City schools due to significant number of new principals taking on the role with only limited leadership experience or training. Within the NSW context of a statewide staffing approach it is unlikely that shortages would eventuate. The real possibility exists however of the inequitable distribution of the most qualified and competent candidates. While shortages are not likely in NSW it is important that strategies are in place to manage generational change. System should be concerned not only about filing vacant positions but also about ensuring that we have the right sort of leaders with the right sort of skills and values for schools across the system.
As indicated the problem is not unique to NSW and is evident in the United States, Canada and elsewhere. Hale and Mooreman (2003:1) point out that, “it is impossible to ignore the escalating need for higher quality principals - individuals who are prepared to provide the instructional leadership necessary to improve student achievement”.
PRINCIPAL PREPARATION
The need to prepare effective school leaders is a critical issue for education systems as Davis et al (2005) indicates there is recognition that school leadership is second only to teacher performance in improving student outcomes. Hale & Moreman (2003:19) support this message indicating that “the principal’s role in determining school quality and students achievement is decisive”. Traditional methods of preparation utilizing progression through school based executive positions have provided a vehicle for leadership training and a supply of school leaders. It is becoming increasingly evident that this may be inadequate in modern education systems which are facing a unique set of circumstances in that large numbers of leadership vacancies will occur within the context of a rapidly changing educational environment. Lashway (2003) argues that those who are currently taking on first time principal roles will be entering educational environments which are significantly different from those of only five years ago.
Davis et al (2005:6) indicates that the role of principal is increasingly complex as “principals are expected to be educational visionaries, instructional and curriculum leaders, assessment experts, disciplinarians, community builders, public relations/communications experts, budget analysts, facilities managers, special programs administrators, as well as guardians of various legal, contractual and policy mandates and initiatives. In addition, principals are expected to serve the conflicting needs and interests of many stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers, district office officials, unions, state and federal agencies. As a result, many scholars and practitioners argue that the job requirements far exceed the reasonable capacities of any one person”.