부산대학교 도서관

Elementary principals are increasingly responsible for the supervision, support, and evaluation of early childhood teachers and young children. Previous research demonstrated that principals may prefer to hire elementary-certified rather than early childhood-certified teachers and that principals without early childhood preparation may not advocate for developmentally appropriate practices. This study examines elementary principals' preparation for and perceptions of early childhood education, including their knowledge of child development and hiring preferences. We use state certification data to understand principals' preparation and survey data to explore principals' perceptions and practices. Findings indicate that few principals hold early childhood certification while most supervise early childhood teachers and young children. Principals also indicated a lack of commitment to the PreK-3 continuum. Along with previous literature, our findings suggest that principal preparation requirements should be revised to ensure that all who support and evaluate early childhood teachers and young children receive relevant coursework and experiences.