Although nearly everyone agrees that principals need formal training to prepare for their positions, few agree on what the nature of this training should be. Advanced university education may teach examples of leadership behaviors, but is it likely to transmit the practical knowledge and behaviors that are the hallmarks of successful principals? This study focused on the 13 critical success factors for school leaders as created by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB, 2002). The purpose of the study was to identify the extent to which these 13 standards have been addressed in formal and informal development training experiences of school principals in Tennessee. Data were collected using an open-ended interview guide while interviewing principals. The findings from this study suggested that the use of scenarios, cohort groups, experienced staff, and using current research were strategies that universities can use to develop a strong principal training program and support effective teaching of the 13 critical success factors. Two university training limitations became evident during the interview process: (a) lack of some type of internship or hands-on programs and (b) not having experienced instructors. In addition, the study's results led to recommendations that the following critical success factors, although they are currently addressed, should be addressed more effectively. Those factors are time organization, current instructional practices, parent involvement, understanding data, use of resources, obtaining support from central office, and increased use of professional development.

The purpose of this study was to discover which southern universities have graduate preparatory programs in community college leadership and how, if at all, ethics is addressed in their curricula and in instruction. Surveys were mailed to 38 southern universities located in the Southern Regional Education Board member states. Of the 21 responses received, there were 16 usable responses from universities in these states. Through an examination of databases of Council for the Study of Community Colleges Graduate Studies and the American Association of Community Colleges Leadership Programs for Community College Professionals databases, 38 senior universities were found to have community college leadership programs. State programs were further confirmed through the survey to personnel listed on program websites for the universities. 15 of 16 southern universities responding to the survey item were found to have community college leadership preparatory programs that provide ethics instruction. Although the results of this survey indicate that the majority of the respondents include ethics in their curricula and in instruction, the manner in which they integrate it is varied and shows a lack of consensus among southern universities. Of the institutions that responded, the majority of respondents indicated that ethics instruction is integrated into specific discipline- or department-based courses. Offering ethics in an elective or general core course requirement was noted as a less common approach, but a viable alternative to the specific discipline- or department-based course method. Additionally, several respondents revealed that ethics instruction is institution-wide. This finding, in particular, is hopeful because it suggests that colleges are going beyond the confines of courses and degree programs and making ethics instruction a university priority. A review of the graduate preparatory programs in community college leadership courses, syllabi, and course descriptions revealed that a number of universities often incorporated instruction in ethics-based courses such as Ethical Decision Making or Ethics in the Workplace and Education. Conversely, the majority of the universities in this study addressed ethics through community college leadership core courses to include, but not limited to, The Community College, The History and Philosophy of the Community College, and Legal Aspects of Higher Education.