This is worth reading over. The Education Schools Project released in March a report of a major study concluding that the quality of most preparation programs for education leaders (principals, superintendents, …) ranges from “inadequate to appalling.”
According to the report, some institutions consider Ed.D. programs as “cash cows.” (I’ve sat in meetings where senior institution administrators acknowledged this point, proudly.) The report writers call for abandoning the Ed.D. degree.
I’ve worked with hundreds of Ed.D. holders and served on committees while others earned that degree. A small percentage of them prepared through rigorous behavioral research studies and examinations equal to top level Ph.D. programs. Many developed esteemed careers that contrast with conclusions in this study. I hope those who prepared studiously full time for years to earn the Ed.D. do not end up tarnished also by this report.