本研究旨在探討美國現行校長證照制度，以提供我國未來擬議及設計校長證照制度的參考架構。本研究採用文獻探究法，對於現行美國校長證照制度進行資料的整理與分析。全文分為以下幾個主要部分：(一)校長證照制度的意義；(二)校長證照的種類；(三)申請校長證照的相關規定；(四)校長執照升級、續證、停證、吊證；(五)學校領導考準則與校長證照制度；(六)學校領導者證照測驗；(七)綜合討論、結論與建議。 本研究結論有下列各點：(一)校長證照制度有其必要性；(二)執照的分級及效期制度值得肯定；(三)領導者準則及指標的建立對於校長培育、校長執照的測驗、發照、換證、初任校長導入階段、及校長專業發展，均有深遠的影響；(四)初任校長導入制度值得學習參考與推廣；(五)校長表現評量的制度值得效法。 本研究主要建議如下：(一)發展本土性學校領導者準則及指標，並建立領導者實作測驗題庫；(二)設立全國性教育人員專業標準檢定協會；(三)廣設校長培育學程及專業發展課程；(四)建立完善的校長評鑑制度與校長分級制度；(五)結合校長証照制度與校長專業發展，以建立校長專業制度。

　　　　　The present study investigates current licensure and certification for principals in the U.S. with a view to providing a framework for designing a counterpart system in Taiwan. Resorting mainly to literature review, this study gives a descriptive study and a preliminary analysis of current licensure and certification practices in the U.S. It subsumes the following main parts: (1)the meaning and legal bases of principal's licensure and certification; (2)types of principal licenses and certificates; (3)rules and regulations pertaining to application for principal's licenses and certificates; (4)upgrading, renewal, suspension, and revocation of principal's licenses and certificates; (5)standards for school leaders' performance and their relationship to principal's licenses and certificates; (6)school leaders licensure assessment; and (7)general discussion, conclusions, and recommendations. The study comes to the following conclusions: (1)There appears to be a need for establishing principal's licensure and certification in Taiwan; (2)There is a good reason for types and terms of certificates for principals; (3)Standards for school leaders and relevant indicators have far-reaching effects on principal preservice education, performance assessment for principals, licensure and certificates, issuing of certificates, license and certificate renewal, induction for beginning principals, and principals' professional development; and (4)Induction for beginning principals in the US merits consideration for adoption in Taiwan, so does principal's performance assessment. The study makes the following recommendations: (1)Using the standards for school leaders in the US as a framework of reference, Taiwan may develop an indigenous licensure and certification system for principals; (2)Researchers in Taiwan are urged to make a task analysis of the principal's job to come up with useful indicators of the core knowledge, dispositions, and performance for successful principalship. (3)Authorities concerned in Taiwan are urged to develop an indigenous licensure and certification system for elementary and secondary principals; (4)A career ladder system for principals may be established in Taiwan based on level of experience an skill of the principal; (5)Using the Colorado model, Taiwan may consider designing its principal's licensure and certification to fall into three main types: provisional license, professional license, and master principal certificate; (6)Taiwan may consider running a prservice education program for elementary and secondary principals at institutions of higher learning, addressing both theoretical and practical aspects of the principals; (7)Taiwan may consider developing an induction system for beginning principals; (8)Taiwan may consider developing a viable system of professional development of principals; (9)Taiwan may consider making efforts to strengthen the relationship among the three stages of preservice, induction, and inservice for its principals; (10)Taiwan may consider establishing a sound principal evaluation system; (11)Taiwan may consider establishing professional associations of school administrators as well as a board of professional standards for school principals.