Dimensions and Implications of the Professionalization of School Principals (The Case: Girls' High Schools in Mashhad)

The purpose of this study was to study the dimensions and implications of the professionalization of school principals in Mashhad girls' high schools. The research method is qualitative and a case study has been done. A semi-structured interview and document analysis were used to collect the required data. The key informants formed top principals and teachers. Sampling method was purposeful and snowball, with theoretical saturation (with 25 interviews). The data were analyzed in two stages of open and axial coding. The results of this research showed that the most important dimensions of the professionalism of principals are: psychological characteristics, ethical characteristics, technical competencies, managerial competencies and skills in school environment management. Also, the main implications for the professionalization of school administrators are: Meritocracy in the selection of principals, redefinition of the duties and responsibilities of school administrators, special training to improve the effective management and the scientific process of choosing school administrators.