The principal’s prism: A Mandarin dual language bilingual educational leadership perspective

Mandarin Dual Language Bilingual Education (MDLBE) programs are increasingly popular in California, growing to serve both Mandarin-speaking and English-speaking families. This growth has not been accompanied by adequate preparation and guidance for MDLBE instructional leaders, whose effectiveness undergirds program sustainability. This quantitative study examined the training, support, and self-efficacy of current MDLBE principals through a 48-question survey incorporating the American School Leadership Panel (ASLP) instrument and the Norwegian Self-Efficacy for Instructional Leadership Scale (NSEILS). The study identifies a lack of both pre-service preparation and in-service professional development opportunities, with implications for leadership training programs, district support systems for current and aspiring principals, and policy initiatives for MDLBE programs.