The Uncharted Nature of Licensure Requirements for Charter School Principals: Implications and Possibilities for Policy Action

Abstract

The authors drew upon state policy documents and other public sources to review licensure requirements for charter school principals. The results indicate that few states have adopted licensure requirements for charter school principals compared with traditional public school principals, and many exempt charter school principals from licensure altogether. They found that training and support for charter school principals is available, but is concentrated in the states with the highest number of charter schools. These findings have significant implications for policy makers, charter school advocates, and authorizers. These implications are discussed and related to the existing literature regarding principal preparation and licensure.