Education Commons^™

Principals’ Roles In Developing A Positive School Culture Through Communication And Building Relationships, Manakshi Panindranauth

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore high school principals’ perceptions of how a supportive environment, strong family-community ties, and trust assist educational leaders in improving the culture within their schools. Participants of this study included 15 high school principals in the New York City Department of Education’s public schools. Data were captured through virtual interviews, where all participants were asked the same questions and analyzed through themes and codes. The three research questions that guided this study included how principals perceive creating a positive school culture by (a) improving the supportive environment; (b) improving strong family-community ties; and (c) …

Case Study: Principal Knowledge, Principal Practice, And Student Achievement, Maritza Olivarez Braxton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A school principal is a critical asset to the success of a campus, teachers, and students. Their role is and will continue to be complex with many responsibilities and challenges. Researchers have implied a disconnect between the level of a principal’s practice to their knowledge in the production of student success. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to reveal a deeper understanding of the theory-to practice gap between the professional practices of high school principals and their knowledge. This study attempted to answer the what, how, and why to help establish foundational information for improving and creating ongoing …

Urban High School Principals' Leadership Practices And Academic Progress For At-Risk Students, Mary Delouise Duhart-Toppen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have shown that principals are vital to improving student academic achievement. Urban principals often face significant challenges in their environments and have large populations of at-risk students. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore and describe the perceptions of urban high school principals regarding the type of leadership practices needed to support the academic progress of at-risk students. Elements from transformational leadership, transformative leadership, and effective leadership practices informed the conceptual framework. Research questions addressed how principals described and perceived the practices, processes, and procedures used to create environments that support students in urban high schools …

Secondary School Principals' Orientations Toward And Uses Of Data For Improvement, Lisa Cala Ruud

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This descriptive and multiple case study was designed to explore and understand secondary principals’ role orientations and decision-making regarding data, evidence, and research in three urban-suburban called “positive outlier schools” (POS). POS are New York State schools that are identified as exemplars in closing educational opportunity and outcome gaps among diverse high school youth, including African American, Hispanic/Latino, and English language learner students (ELLs).

Principals' Perceptions Of Student Performance On The Nigerian Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, Comfort Fubara Oghu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failure of high school students on the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) in Nigeria is severely limiting the number of students qualified to enroll in college. The purpose of this multiple case study of 6 high schools in southern Nigeria was to describe principals' perceptions of student performance on the SSCE and the principals' influence on school climate, teacher expectations and approaches, and student performance. The theories of reasoned action and planned behavior provided the framework for the study. The research questions focused on the extent to which principals developed and sustained a school climate that supported positive outcomes. Qualitative …

From The Voices Of California Female High School Principals: Examining Barriers And Support Systems In A New Era Of Educational Reform Through The Lens Of Activity Theory, Janice M. Jones

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the perceived barriers and support systems female high school principals experienced, through the lens of activity theory, while attaining and serving in their current position during the newest era of educational reform in a specific geographical region.

Methodology: Semistructured interviews were conducted with current female high school principals to gather data on the barriers and support systems they experienced. The theoretical framework of activity theory was used to analyze the subjects’ interaction with their environment as they sought the outcome of becoming and serving as high school principals. …

Managing Multiple Roles As A School Leader: A Phenomenological Study Of Female Alabama High School Principals, Amanda Webb Esslinger

All ETDs from UAB

The United States Department of Labor (2012) provided that women’s participation in the workforce has grown over the past 50 years. With increased responsibilities outside of the home, many women are experiencing work-family conflict (Shakeshaft, 1989). With a focus on educational leadership, this study examined how female high school principals navigated multiple roles and the strategies they implemented to minimize conflict. The participants acknowledged that as high school principals they occupy multiple professional roles which require a great deal of their time and energy. The demands and emotional nature of their principalships created conflict with their family roles. The participants …

The Development Of Professional Expertise Through Reflection In The Principalship, Eric Mclaren

Eric McLaren

The study of principals as learners is important because the landscape of public education is changing. Schools are becoming more diverse and the demands on schools more varied and complex. The role of the principal is increasingly ambiguous, complex, and varied. Principals must adapt and develop'their professional practice. Effective principals learn from experience to meet the shifting expectations of the role and the needs of the school. Multiple learning experiences help principals become more proficient in their jobs. Initial certification, induction into the role, continuing professional education, and learning from experiences are means to the development of expertise. This study …

A Study Of Leadership Dispositions Of Transformational Leaders In Georgia High School, Todd Douglas Veland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Education reform has reached new levels of urgency and accountability over the last decade. The role a principal plays in leading the direction of a school is of vital importance. Leadership theories suggest that transformational leadership is the best way to achieve the goals of schools in the 21st century. Educational leadership programs try to emphasize transformational leadership skill, but these schools need to identify transformational leaders before they enter into school leadership. Dispositions are innate qualities and not necessarily a skill that can be taught by educational leadership programs.

The purpose of this study is to identify dispositions of …

Narratives Of Longevity From The Perspective Of Seventh-Day Adventist School Administrators In North America: A Multiple Case Study, Janet Ledesma

Dissertations

Problem. The average length of stay for school principals in the Seventh-day Adventist system of education in North America is 2.5-4.0 years. Elementary principals remain in leadership for 2.5 years, day academy principals stay for 3.6 years, and boarding academy principals stay for 4.0 years. Many studies have identified reasons why school principals leave their jobs. However, few studies have been conducted to understand why principals in the organization stay.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of principals who have remained in leadership in the Adventist system of education in North America longer than 10 …

Perceived Roles And Responsibilities Of Secondary School Principals And School Resource Officers Towards School Security, Macel Ely Ii

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study is to identify the perceptions of Tennessee’s high school principals and school resource officers as to their roles and responsibilities during a school security crisis. Four thematic elements are discussed as existing among principals and school resource officers. Those thematic elements include relationships, school environment, roles, and obstacles between both groups. Previous research has examined an array of school security issues, but few have delved into this specific topic. Such knowledge is essential for the citizenry to maximize efforts of protecting students attending public schools.

Exploration Of Barriers And Solutions For Women In The Pathway To The High School Principalship, Tracy Shook Skinner

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate barriers women face when entering school administration as well as perceptions of the high school principalship held by female high school principals and assistant principals aspiring to the principalship. Work conflicts and job demands for women were explored as well as the significance of mentoring and networking along the pathway to the principalship. The information gathered through a critical feminist approach was used to assess women's barriers to the principalship and describe methods employed to overcome those barriers.

A Replication Study: New York Public High School Principals' Attitudes On The Impact Of Tenure On Principal Performance, Raymond Gary Cooper

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Changes In African American Urban High School Principals' Leadership Behaviors In An Era Of No Child Left Behind, Johnathan T. Jefferson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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A Study Of Perceived Job Satisfaction Among Middle School And High School Principals In Specific Dfg Groupings In Hunterdon And Somerset Counties In New Jersey, Beth A. Bournias

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The Development Of Professional Expertise Through Reflection In The Principalship, Eric Mclaren

Publications & Research

The study of principals as learners is important because the landscape of public education is changing. Schools are becoming more diverse and the demands on schools more varied and complex. The role of the principal is increasingly ambiguous, complex, and varied. Principals must adapt and develop'their professional practice. Effective principals learn from experience to meet the shifting expectations of the role and the needs of the school.

Multiple learning experiences help principals become more proficient in their jobs. Initial certification, induction into the role, continuing professional education, and learning from experiences are means to the development of expertise. This study …

An Empirical Study Of High School Principals' Data -Driven Decision-Making Practices And Their Relationships To Contextual Variables, Mingchu (Neal) Luo

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which Nebraska high school principals practiced data-driven decision-making and to determine the relationships between principals' data-driven decision-making and the contextual factors. The following leadership dimensions were surveyed: school vision, school instruction, school organization, collaborative partnerships, moral perspective, and larger-context politics. Three categories of contextual variables were included for study: principal characteristics as people factors, leadership dimensions as problem factors, and school setting as organization factors.

A Study Of Job Satisfaction Among High School Principals In Pennsylvania, Robert Lombardo

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to determine the overall job satisfaction of high school principals in Pennsylvania. The Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire long form was the instrument used for this study. The study used a proportional random sampling to survey the four hundred and twenty six high school principals in Pennsylvania. The study surveyed two hundred and twenty five male high school principals and eighty female high school principals. The study determined the level of intrinsic and extrinsic satisfaction and determined the relationship of selected factors of gender; age; ethnicity; levels of education; salary level; years of experience; number …

Similarities And Differences In Role Conflict, Role Commitment, And Job Satisfaction For Female And Male High School Principals, Ellen Eckman

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of gender, role conflict, role commitment, and job satisfaction on the high school principal. Data were collected from high school principals in three midwestern states. The results indicated that there are differences between female and male high school principals in their personal and professional attributes as well as in role conflict. There were similarities between female and male high school principals in terms of role commitment and job satisfaction.

A Comparison Of The Congruence Between The Actual And Espoused Valued Work Of The New Jersey Secondary Principal, Anne Marie M. Esmerado Mcnamara

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Nebraska Public High School Principals' Perceptions Of How State Standards Impact Schools, Mark William Weichel

Student Work

The purpose of this survey study was to test whether Nebraska high school principals perceive state standards will greatly impact schools in the state of Nebraska. Specifically, research questions sought to determine principals' perceptions of the possible effects of Nebraska state standards and whether or not differences existed between areas such as principals' gender, age, schools' free and reduced lunch percentage, school classification, years as an administrator, and amount of prior standards/assessment/accountability training.

An Assessment Of The Perceived Administrative Effectiveness Of Boarding School Principals In The North American Division Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Malcolm E. Hutchinson Jr.

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine the views held by those whose duties include the management and day-to-day operations of the secondary boarding schools within the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This refers specifically to superintendents, principals, and staff members

Method. The survey method was used to gather the data. Respondents were asked to complete an 84-item questionnaire. The population sample was made up of 320 staff members, 32 principals, and 31 superintendents. The data were analyzed using mean scores, percentile rankings, and ANOVA at an alpha of p < .05.

Findings. The major findings in …

Power In Religious Organizations: A Study Of Principals' Perspectives As Seen In Three Religious High Schools In Michigan, Patrick L. Allen

Dissertations

Problem. Power is a phenomenon that is known to almost everyone, and is evident in any relationship that involves at least two individuals. Despite its inescapability, not many individuals are aware of its nature and characteristics and how it displays itself, especially in the organizational setting. This study focused on how power displays itself in religious organizations, and described particular activities that occur in the context of three religious schools in Michigan.

Method. To accomplish the purpose of the study the literature on power was reviewed to identify the existing theories. This documentary approach was combined with case studies to …

An Evaluation Of The Deputy Principals' Leadership Development Program, Ronald F. Chalmers

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The Deputy Principals' Leadership Development Program (DPLDP) was researched and developed by the Calgary Board of Education from 1983 to 1987. It was conducted for the first time in Western Australia when deputy principals from schools in the Narrogin Education District participated in the program during the period 1989-91. This study is an evaluation of the DPLDP. It was designed to determine whether there is justification for the continued use of the program as a means of enhancing the instructional leadership capacities of deputy principals in the Narrogin Education District. This research is located within the naturalistic paradigm. It can …

The Legal Status Of The Virginia High School Principal In Maintaining Pupil Discipline, Barry Jason Last

Master's Theses

This study will determine the legal position of a Virginia high school principal with respect to discipline. Is his position hindered continuously by court rulings? Many principals state that they cannot discipline effectively with the courts "breathing down their necks."

In comparing the questionnaires received from Virginia principals with a case law study of pupil control decisions, the question of legal limitations on the principal's authority may be resolved. Within the question of limita- tions, the determination of the legal points which either are not known or not understood by Virginia high school administrators can also be ascertained. As a …

A Study Of Selected Central Washington Secondary Principals’ Effectiveness From Teachers’ Perceptions And Principals’ Estimates Of These Perceptions, Albert E. Carpenter Jr.

All Master's Theses

The problem to be investigated was the absence of data about the degree of agreement between the principal and his staff as to his effectiveness as an educational leader.

Personnel Responsibilities Of Assistant Principals In Washington State Public High Schools With Enrollments Of Twelve Hundred Or More Students, Curtis G. Horne

All Master's Theses

It is the purpose of this study to determine the extent to which assistant principals are involved in building-level personnel administration. Very specifically, the problem is: to what extent are assistant principals currently being assigned building-level responsibility in the area of personnel administration?

The Role Of The Principal As The Adviser To The High School Student Council, Robert J. Marum

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was (1) to investigate the means by which a principal can effectively counsel and guide a student council into becoming a democratic and constructive organization dedicated to active and effective student participation in school government; (2) to evaluate the various methods and techniques of leadership one must use in order to promote and encourage sound organization, and to effect a very real laboratory in citizenship and democratic living; and (3) to gather criteria for the improvement of student council leadership.