Mentor principals as key facilitators in aspiring leaders’ residency programs: the role of school–university partnerships in effective principal preparation

Purpose This qualitative research study examines the experiences of aspiring leaders who completed a school-to-university 15-month field-based residency, proceeded through the principal pipeline, successfully secured an assistant principal position, and grew into a campus principal or district leader. Design/methodology/approach The authors use an exploratory narrative qualitative design to investigate the impact of principal mentoring from a leadership exchange lens years after program completion. The following research question guided this study using the experiences of four principal residency program graduates: What mentoring and leadership exchanges do aspiring leaders identify as most influential during a 15-month residency? A deductive analysis approach informed by leader–member exchange (LMX) theory framed the study’s findings. Findings The study’s findings categorized the high-quality exchanges between the mentor principal and the aspiring leader in four areas: (1) empowerment through guided autonomy, (2) open dialogue and feedback, (3) modeled leadership practices, and (4) systems thinking and strategic leadership. The low-quality exchanges involved (5) outsourcing mentoring activities to other individuals and (6) a lack of instructional leadership. Originality/value The study’s findings contribute to the literature in multiple ways. First, this exploratory study investigates the post-program impact of a principal preparation program and their mentoring experiences several years after aspiring leaders completed their field-based leadership residency in their home district. Secondly, the findings operationalize an effective mentor principal, the lynchpin of all preparation programs, within a LMX framework. Lastly, the practices described from field-based residency experiences are important feedback on program structures and expectations for future aspiring leaders.