This paper examines how California’s system for preparing principals and other administrative leaders has evolved over the past decade. Alternative entry routes—led by the test-only CPACE pathway, along with emergency waivers—now account for nearly half of all new administrative credentials, even as the state has strengthened its practice-based performance standards for traditionally prepared candidates. The analysis underscores how this shift challenges the consistency and quality of administrator preparation, raises questions about fairness for students, and expands the burden on induction and district supports to ensure that leaders are adequately prepared.