Administration courses establish a foundation for prospective principals. Classes such as foundations of educational administration, educational administration, administration and leadership, administration of special services and race, and class and gender issues in administration, are required in a principal certification program. Administration classes are designed to help students understand the role of principals as leaders in various aspects of school policy and decision-making, including teacher evaluation and developing programs for at-risk students.
Principals must stay abreast of local school legislation and laws that govern how institutions operate. Courses such as campus-level school law and public school law provide knowledge about statutes, case law, court decisions and regulations as they specifically relate to Texas public schools. Students learn the standards for how discipline is meted out in public schools, teacher rights and responsibilities and the structure and duties of local school boards.
Courses in leadership help students acquire the skills necessary to run and motivate a school staff, and provide tools for effective decision-making. Classes such as instructional leadership development training and administration and leadership for student educational services instruct students in various methods of involving families and the community in school matters. Leadership courses also provide assessment techniques to evaluate the effectiveness of classroom instruction.
A key aspect of being a good principal is learning how to manage school resources, especially as they relate to an annual budget. Courses such as school resources management, and finance and business management, focus on federal, state and local funding, budgeting, accounting methods and supply management. Communications and public relations classes are designed to bolster a prospective principal's ability to communicate with families, community members and the media at school board meetings and parent-teacher sessions, as well as with public school students.