A missing link? Contemporary insights into principal preparation and training in Russia

Abstract

Over the last decade, the Russian education system has undergone significant transformation that has radically changed the expectations placed upon the school principals. This current reform process has placed far greater responsibilities and accountabilities upon principals to secure school effectiveness and improved student learning outcomes. This article offers some insights into the way in which principals in Russia are currently prepared and trained. It outlines initial quantitative findings from Russian principals, as part of a contemporary, large-scale empirical study of principal leadership preparation and training. The emerging empirical evidence highlights that the new principal standards and training requirements in Russia reinforce “managerial approaches” that are not necessarily meeting the needs of principals.

Keywords::

• principal leadership
• professional training
• professional development
• retraining
• distributed leadership
• managerial approaches

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Dmitry Shevtsov from NRU HSE for taking part in the data collection organization and translation of the article into English, and to Anatoly Kasprzhak and Rustam Baiburin for active participation in the discussion of the findings.

Notes

1. There are the data of the Federal Statistical observations in the field of education (form “83-RIK: Information about structure and quantity of the educational institution employees that implements programs of general education”).

2. The study was implemented in the framework of the Basic Research Program at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE) in 2014, and based on the data of the Federal Statistical observations in the field of education (form “83-RIK: Information about structure and quantity of the educational institution employees that implements programs of general education”).

3. There are the data of the Federal Statistical observations in the field of education (form “83-RIK: Information about structure and quantity of the educational institution employees that implements programs of general education”).

4. The project “Development of a model of multi-vector system of continuous education (advanced training) with the use of modular programs for school directors in the general education system of the Russian Federation” implemented by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation in 2008–2010 in most regions of Russia.

5. The school may have its own funds providing paid services, renting premises, taking donations and spend them on development purposes by the decision of the Governing Council.