Education Commons^™

A Delphi Study Of The Most Desirable Qualifications For Selecting Entry-Level School Site Administrators With No Prior Administrative Experience, Toshimi Minami

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this policy Delphi study was to identify the qualifications expert K-12 Human Resources administrators identify as most important when selecting a candidate with no prior administrative experience for an entry-level administrative position. It was also the purpose to have the experts rate the importance of the identified qualifications and have the experts describe what they look for in the top-rated identified qualifications.

Methodology: The research design used a Delphi approach allowing data collection from a panel of experts. The Delphi study collected qualitative and quantitative data during various rounds of electronic surveys. The electronic surveys consisted …

The Intersection Of School-Based Leadership Practices And School Grades In The State Of Florida, Wendelynn A. Mcpherson

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this non-experimental, quantitative study was to examine to what degree 12 self-reported leadership behaviors were associated with and predictive of school grades in the state of Florida. The study participant sample was exclusively comprised of educational leaders from elementary schools located in Florida. In this descriptive study, elementary principals were surveyed to determine the frequency of leadership behaviors (independent variable) and school grades (dependent variable). Two research questions and hypotheses were posed to address the study’s research problem. Research question one utilized a simple linear regression to assess the predictive variable of the overall leadership practices for …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Principals Who Implemented A Schoolwide-Positive Behavior Intervention And Supports Framework, John P. Frias

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of principals who had implemented Schoolwide-Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (SW-PBIS) frameworks in New York State. The theory guiding this study was Situational Leadership Theory, as it focuses on the idea that leadership is contingent on the situation that is presented. The researcher sought to understand those varying leadership experiences which surround the implementation of this framework. Research data came primarily from interviews with 10 principals who had experience implementing this framework; however, data was also collected from timelines and from analysis of documents from the implementation process. Data …

The Impact Of School Socioeconomic Status On The Effectiveness Of A Statewide Principal Mentoring Program, Michael Portwood

Dissertations

The professional demands on today’s school principal are varied and expansive, and as a result, relevant training and preparation is of utmost importance. Because of these rising demands, principal turnover is not uncommon, especially in low-SES schools. Formalized and strategic principal mentoring, however, has been shown to reduce principal attrition, keeping leaders in their roles and contributing to increased student achievement. This quantitative study examined the responses from school leaders on their experiences in a statewide principal mentoring program and analyzed the connection, in relation to their administrative peers, between their experience as a protégé and their status as a …

Exploring Principals’ Experiences With Social Justice Issues In Their Work As School Leaders, Djimtibaye Otalbaye

Dissertations

Social justice has taken on a special importance in education today, although it is not a new concept in terms of human history. Social justice is not a local issue, but exists in all parts of the world (Jean Marie et al., 2014). Differentiation among social environments of schools and increasing elements of diversity and roles of schools to create a socially just structure can be seen as main reasons for these issues (Turhan, 2010). Schools are therefore challenged to address the social conditions and hardships of students by responding to their needs (Avant, 2014).

The purpose of this basic …

Pennsylvania Principals’ Describe Their Work, Examined Through The Theory Of Transformational Leadership, Shannon O'Donnell

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Being raised in a district composed of rural and suburban communities and later spending years teaching in urban and suburban school districts, I was able to define one key factor: successful students had one or more significant adult who provided them with meaningful guidance and support. For many, a classroom teacher and the experiences, mentorship, and compassion they provided happen to be that significant factor that changed the lives. I observed that as a classroom teacher, individuals are only responsible for designing instruction and activities, and regularly interacting with 20-30 students on a consistent basis. I felt that as an …

Technology Leadership Qualities In Secondary School Principals In Nebraska Who Support Student-Led Social Media Teams, Jill M. Johnson

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study addresses secondary school principals in Nebraska who are dealing with the negative ramifications of their students’ social media interactions. To combat the problem, this study sought to identify the technology leadership qualities possessed by secondary school principals in Nebraska who support student-led social media teams. A purposeful sampling of six secondary school principals in Nebraska, who have all been practicing principals for at least three years, engaged in individual semi-structured interviews via Zoom in January 2021. The primary research question was: What technology leadership qualities are possessed by secondary school principals in Nebraska who support student-led social media …

Principal Mentoring As A Retention And Effectiveness Strategy In Comprehensive Improvement Schools., Robert Fulk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines Comprehensive Improvement Schools (CSI) principals’ experiences with mentoring programs and their perceptions of how such programs may mitigate administrative attrition. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight practicing CSI principals and the study utilized the pragmatic framework. The interviews captured principal’s experiences with being a principal mentee during their first year of CSI principalship, and what actions or activities in their mentorships aided their retention in the position. The analysis suggested several recommendations for practice in principal mentoring programs to increase school leader retention. At the heart of these recommendations was an emphasis on the importance of …

Building-Level Administrators And Collaborative Special Education Iep Meetings: Addressing Barriers To Active And Inclusive Participation, Trevor A. Addis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors serving as barriers to effective building-level administrator participation in special education individualized education program (IEP) meetings. For the purposes of this study, research was conducted in the multidisciplinary areas of social cognitive theory and self-efficacy, along with an examination of school-building administrators as instructional leaders, the role(s) of building-level leadership in special education and building administrator knowledge and understanding of special education policies and practices. A qualitative research approach was used to examine local building-level administrator participation in the special education IEP process. Building Level Administrators, in the district were …

An Analysis Of Opinions About Special Education Inclusion Among Virginia Elementary And Middle School Administrators, Pattye Keeling Leslie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Past research has shown a relationship between individuals’ attitudes and their intentions to act. The attitudes of principals and assistant principals can impact the implementation of inclusion in the public school setting. This predictive correlational study used multiple regression to analyze the linear relationship between the opinions about inclusion and the factors of administrative assignment, school level, administrative experience, special education endorsement, gender, percentage of minority students served, percentage of students served identified as economically disadvantaged, and percentage of students served identified with a disability. The sample included 104 elementary and middle school principals and assistant principals representing 26 Virginia …

Strategies That Exemplary Elementary Dual Immersion Principals Use To Create An Organizational Culture Of Inclusiveness, Stephanie K. Smart

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods study was to identify and describe the leadership strategies that exemplary elementary dual immersion principals in Orange and San Diego counties in Southern California use to create an organizational culture of inclusiveness using Kennedy’s (2008) five leadership qualities of cultural differences.

Methodology: This sequential explanatory mixed methods research study utilized quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews of 15 exemplary elementary dual immersion principals in Orange and San Diego counties in Southern California to identify and describe the strategies used to create an organizational culture of inclusiveness according to Kennedy’s (2008) five qualities …

Principals’ Perceptions Of Enabling And Hindering Behaviors, Rules, And Structures In New York State School Districts, Matthew W. Darby

Theses and Dissertations

There has been increasing recognition among researchers and practitioners that the demands of the principalship have become unsustainable. School districts play a pivotal role in supporting school leaders in the execution of their responsibilities. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to further uncover how school district bureaucracies enable and hinder the work of principals. In the quantitative phase of the study the researcher analyzed survey responses from 244 New York State principals to determine the extent to which district structures were perceived as hindering or enabling their work. In the qualitative phase, the researcher interviewed two principals, one …

Urban School District Principals’ Perceptions Of Job Satisfaction, Darcy Lynn Woodcock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Principals in urban school districts directly and indirectly affect school communitiesthrough student achievement, teacher retention, and school climate. When a high-quality school principal leaves a school, it can negatively affect these areas due to the interruption of progress toward school improvement goals to increase student achievement. Seeking to address this issue, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the perceptions of job satisfaction among urban school district principals. The conceptual framework was Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory. The key research question concerned investigating the perceptions of job satisfaction among urban school district principals. Qualitative data were collected via virtual, …

The Lived Experiences Of Male Educational Leaders, Natisha Myra Murphy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School systems have been faced with the attrition of male educational leaders in school districts. In particular, male educational leaders in the Maryland school district are pursuing non-educational leadership career paths instead of educational leadership career paths. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative, descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of male educational leaders in the Maryland school district who chose to pursue non-educational leadership career paths instead of educational leadership career paths. The conceptual frameworks that guided this study were Rogers’s concepts of ideal self, self-image, and self-worth and Dawis and Lofquist’s concepts of personality, need, and …

Approaches School Leaders Employ Regarding Students Who Experience Socioemotional Crises, Ronald Stephen Gorney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many students in the local school district in a northeastern state suffer from socioemotional challenges that negatively influence their academic success. In the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study, researchers found negative socioemotional outcomes resulting from ACEs. Risk factors associated with ACEs, and the influence of ACEs on poor school outcomes form the framework of this project study. To determine measures school leaders take to meet the needs of students in socioemotional crisis, a sample of semi-structured interview participants was selected based upon their roles in addressing students in socioemotional crisis, also forming the basis of this basic qualitative study. The …

A Comprehensive Audit Of Professional Development For K-12 School Leaders In The Commonwealth Of Virginia, Melissa Davis Hill, Melisa J. Naumann, Timothy M. Tillman, Major R. Warner Jr.

Doctor of Education Capstones

The intent of this paper is to provide a mixed-methods audit of professional development provided to K-12 school leadership in Virginia's diverse landscape to include identification of providers, funding, effectiveness, and expectations.

In the Commonwealth of Virginia, geographical, political, and socio-economical differences across 132 school divisions cause variability in leaders' experiences with professional development. A mixed-methods approach was used, including a review of current literature, an online survey, virtual interviews, and virtual focus group discussions. This data collection results in a comprehensive audit of professional development provided to school leaders in Virginia's diverse landscape. The study defines effective professional development …