Rural students need trained principals

School leadership is second only to classroom teaching as an influence on student learning (Day et al., 2010; Leithwood, Louis, Anderson, & Wahlstrom, 2004; Hallinger & Heck, 1996). A significant 46% of Australian respondents to surveys said they had received no preparation to become a school leader and only 29% had attended short courses on leadership (Halsey, 2011, p. 8). Large numbers of students who live in rural areas with over 27% of Australian students attending rural schools (Thomson, De Bortoli, & Underwood, 2016).

UNESCO data highlights that in rural Australia,[2] across all age ranges, the testing of reading, math’s and science, shows Australian rural students are achieving less than their urban counterparts. Indeed, students in Australian rural schools perform 56 score points lower than students in Australian cities or large city schools (OECD, 2013, p. 6).

We need to train principals so they can lead schools that give rural students equal access to quality education.

[1] http://www.education-inequalities.org/ UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report , accessed 28/04/2017. [online report].[2] http://www.education-inequalities.org/countries/australia#?dimension=community&group=|Rural&year=latest, accessed 28/04/2017. [online report].