Looking for school leaders.

• Author: Groff, Frances

School districts across the country are facing a shortage of qualified school leaders so state policymakers are looking at different ways to increase the pool of qualified and interested candidates.

Wanted: An energetic individual with experience in personnel management, negotiation with union and nonunion staff, community relations, team building, data analysis, local and state level lobbying (federal experience would be a plus), budget oversight, and facilities management. The candidate should also have knowledge and experience with public speaking and working with children of varying socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. Experience as a social worker, teacher, custodian, bus driver, mechanic, secretary and chef would also be helpful. Salary not commensurate with education and experience.

School districts across the country are trying to find qualified and interested people to become superintendents and principals. The problem isn't new. For the last 20 years, New York city, the nation's largest school district, has had on average a new school chancellor every two years. The Los Angeles Unified School District has seen six new superintendents in the last decade. "We have a true blue shortage of administrators, says California Senator Jack Scott.

States across the country are examining ways to address the shortage of candidates for positions in school leadership. Some states have passed legislation that allows teachers with leadership experience and master's degrees in areas other than administration to become certified as administrators. Others have passed laws that grant a waiver to people who hold master's degrees in business management or public policy and who have been hired by a school district that allows them time to complete the educational requirements for certification. Other states are looking at their certification requirements and gauging whether those rules reflect what is actually needed to be a successful school leader. Still others are looking at recruiting from other states by easing the reciprocity requirements for licenses and finding ways to make retirement and benefit packages more portable.

WHERE ARE THE ADMINISTRATORS?

The average time a superintendent stays on the job is between four and five years. By 2008, the number of principals needed to fill new positions is expected to increase up to 20 percent. In addition to that, 40 percent of current school administrators will be eligible to retire within the next six...