Education Commons^™

Principals As Instructional Leaders: Supporting New Middle School Principals To Implement Systems Allowing For Instructional Leadership, Jason Kaiz

Dissertations

This study is a collection, interpretation, and, eventually, recommendations based on data collected through interviews with current middle school principals. The research questions examine how middle school principals can increase their effectiveness as an instructional leader within the building. The research begins by examining the factors contributing to the principal being an instructional leader and what systems can be implemented to support this goal. These systems should include the ability for principals to facilitate learning for staff, just as staff facilitate learning within their classroom. Policy implications and recommendations highlight the need to look at resources available for principals as …

Internship Experiences For Aspiring Educational Leaders: Student Understanding And Effectiveness, Adam Douglas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate East Tennessee State University alumni's perceptions of the effectiveness of internship experiences as students learned the PSEL and TILS standards and the role of mentor support as they prepared for principalship. The participants obtained their administrative license and worked currently with an administrative license that is current in the state they reside. This research focused on the perception of the PESL and TILS standards, the effectiveness of the 540-hour internship experience, and the value of the site based and university mentor as the participants completed their activities in multiple settings.

Findings supported …

Do School Finance Courses Teach What Aspiring Principals Need To Know, Steve Baule

Essays in Education

This study conducted a review of school finance syllabi in order to determine how the topics presented in midwestern school finance courses for aspiring school administrators align with the topics identified as important by a previous study of practicing school administrators. The study highlights discrepancies between what practicing educational administrators articulate as the most important topics early career principals need to master in comparison to the topics university syllabi include.

The Relationship Between Leadership Styles Of A Principal And African-American Student Achievement In Elementary Reading, Joel James Abe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between the self-assessed leadership style of a building principal and the achievement of elementary African-American students on a state level reading assessment. The results of this study could have an impact on principal training and preparation, impacting decisions made by central office personnel, as well as improving the performance of the identified group of students in reading. The relationship between a principal’s self-assessed style of leadership and the combined pass rate of third through fifth grade African-American students in their school on the end-of-year state assessments. Principal leadership …

Ineffective School Leadership: Teachers Weigh-In, Jerry Burkett, Sonya D. Hayes

School Leadership Review

Effective school leaders are essential to the success of the school environment. Teachers have left schools due to poor and ineffective campus leadership, but often do not report the reasons why they left or do not have a safe mechanism in place to support their claims and drive campus change. The purpose of this qualitative study is to understand the perceptions of teachers who work in elementary, middle, and high schools in Texas on the qualities of ineffective principals and how these qualities affect teacher retention. Respondents in an open-ended survey reported that ineffective principals lacked character, professionalism, and ethics; …

Sustainable Leadership During Turbulent Times, Paul Marietta

Dissertations and Theses

Teachers, administrators, and staff in schools are leaving the profession at unprecedented rates. The principal pipeline has significantly decreased in the past years and our public school system is at a breaking point. Now more than ever, we need to focus on sustainable leadership during turbulent times and helping the organization, students, families, teachers-and also their leaders-thrive. This dissertation proposal follows the Portland State University (PSU) multi-paper format which comprises a compilation of three papers in a journal article style format, with sole or multiple authors, and although PSU policy does not require it, the topic of the papers in …

Perceptions Of School Administrators On The Role Of Support Systems In Attrition Among Principals And Assistant Principals, Karina N. Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School administrators hold complex, varied, and challenging roles. As literature has suggested, these campus leaders must acquire a vast amount of information and knowledge during their formative years in leadership. Yet, the majority have reported that educational preparation programs do not adequately prepare them for the realities of their roles. Without purposeful, structured guidance, school administrators are left to navigate the complexities of their roles with little support or in isolation, which leads to exhaustion, burnout, and attrition. Attrition results in instability for teachers and students and has a financial impact for school districts. The district of study has experienced …

Principal Supervisor Professional Learning In A Community Of Practice., Jessica Rosenthal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Principal supervisor professional learning is an area of educational professionalism that is under-researched and under-developed (Casserly et al., 2013). Because K-12 students deserve to have the best leaders possible impacting their school experience, K-12 principal supervisors need professional learning that strengthens their ability to coach and evaluate K-12 principals (Waters & Marzano, 2006). This study utilized a principal supervisor community of practice as a form of role-specific professional learning. Semi-structured interviews occurring before and after four community of practice convenings along with transcripts from the convenings were used to answer questions that explored principal supervisors’ characterization of a community of …

Principals’ Perceptions Of School Sponsored Field Trips, Melissa Suzanne Giannantonio

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the views, attitudes, and ideas that school principals have on school-sponsored field trips. As society continues to change it is increasingly necessary to contemplate the growing significance of field trip facilities’ educational roles and garner “information about the audiences they serve” (Anderson et al., 2015, p. vii). Additionally, the past decade has seen a decline in the number of field trips taken by schools, and in 2020, field trips came to a complete halt due to COVID-19 (Center for Disease Control (CDC), 2020; Mathews, 2014; Mehta, 2008; Plummer, 2014; Reeves & …

The Principal’S Role As Mentor In New Teacher Attrition Rates: The Importance Of Teaching Teachers, William Dockery

Theses & Dissertations

Research Focus. Research tells us that it takes years of deliberate practice and ongoing coaching to become an “expert” in any field and that it can take from 3 to 7 years for a new teacher to grow into an effective educator. Yet, in America today, more than 50% of teachers quit in their first 5 years of service. In low performing economically disadvantaged schools, teachers leaving the profession in their first 3 years increases to 60%. The impact of highly effective teachers on students’ success can be seen through the increase in percentile on Math scores, moving the needle …

Administrative Evaluations Of Teachers In Tested And Non-Tested Subjects., Natasha Lanham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The teacher evaluation process seeks to help teachers grow and thrive, and as a result, affect student achievement. Administrators evaluate teachers from different subjects, grade levels, and experience levels. This qualitative study examined the perception of feedback given through the cooperating school district’s evaluation system from both the teacher and the principal viewpoint in order to explore their perceptions of the quality and quantity of feedback given during the evaluation process. Participants were arts teachers, tested subject teachers, and their evaluating administrators from a suburban school district in Kentucky. The analysis revealed that generic evaluations do not differentiate for teachers …

Because “Culture Eats Strategy For Breakfast:” An Examination Of Selected Minnesota Principals’ Use Of Social Media To Influence School Culture, Alicia Fischer

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of high school principals about the impact their use of social media has on school culture. The problem of this study emerges from the lack of empirical research in the field examining the ways in which high school administrators use social media platforms to influence school culture. The urgency in the need for the research is derived from the increased use of social media in education as well as other industry areas. School principals have been using social media for real-time communication and updates, however this study’s focus is on …

Student Inclusion In The Least Restrictive Environment, Jennifer Grossman

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This school improvement project explores student inclusion in the general education environment. Inclusion is an important topic in schools and is important to discuss. Inclusion is defined and explained. This school improvement project will explore the problem, leadership assistance, differentiated instruction, and implementation of inclusion in the least restrictive environment. Inclusion is imperative to student success in the inclusive environment. An analysis of inclusion suggests students with varying abilities be included in as much of the general education environment in order to succeed in social and academic domains. Results of inclusion in the general education environment indicate that students with …

A Professional Profile Of Culturally Responsive Continuation High School Principals, Benjamin Charles Wardrop

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

With more than 10% of all high school age students taking classes at a continuation school at some point in their high school career, this normally forgotten alternative learning environment is one that serves many of our most historically marginalized student groups: Black, Latinx, those with learning differences, and English Learners (Ruiz de Velasco et al., 2012). Leadership in schools is the difference-maker in student learning efficacy (Wahlstrom et al., 2010; Whitaker, 2020). This qualitative study was situated on the theoretical framework created by Madhlangobe and Gordon (2012), Culturally Responsive Leadership (CRL). The aim of this study was to build …

Grit And Leadership: How Exemplary Middle School Principals Use The Principles Of Grit To Accomplish Extraordinary Results, Gabriela Aldana

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe how exemplary middle school principals use the five principles associated with grit (courage, conscientiousness, long-term goals, resilience, and excellence versus perfection) to accomplish extraordinary results in their organization.

Methodology: This phenomenological study described the lived experiences of exemplary middle school principals in Los Angeles and Orange County. The participants were selected through nonprobability purposeful sampling and met the criteria for exemplary middle school principals. As a member of a thematic research team of nine peer researchers and three faculty advisors, we developed a semistructured interview protocol for data …

How Exemplary Title I Elementary School Principals Lead With An Infinite Mindset, Lindsey Rae Gatfield

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe how exemplary Title I elementary school principals perceive practices of Sinek’s infinite mindset framework are embedded in their organization to inspire achievement of extraordinary results. A further purpose of this study was to understand organizational supports and barriers exemplary Title I elementary school principals perceive affect infinite mindset development. Methodology: This phenomenological study explored experiences of exemplary leaders and their perceptions of how the five practices of infinite mindset are embedded in their organization. The target population for this study was exemplary Title I elementary school principals in Orange …

Principal Perceptions Of The Impact Of Turnaround Practices On Student Achievement In New York City Charter Schools, Christina D. Brown

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Principal leadership is at the core of successful school turnaround. This qualitative study explored principals’ perceptions of the success or failure of turnaround methods in their New York City charter school communities. Principal leadership of low-performing schools is one of the most important elements of turnaround success (Stronge & Xu, 2021). While much research has been conducted to determine what makes a principal effective or ineffective, not much research exists that reveals the perspective of turnaround principals regarding the importance of their roles in dramatically increasing student achievement. The theoretical framework for this study was guided by the work of …

Weathering The Storm: Veteran Elementary Principals Navigating Hyperstress Through The Covid-19 Pandemic, Matt Hilderbrand

Educational Leadership Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

School Districts across the nation are looking for the best principals to lead their schools. There is a need for highly effective school principals in public schools for the benefit of students, staff, and the general community. The role of the principal can offer extensive challenges and elevated levels of stress. School principals face this elevated pressure and stress on a continuous basis. Veteran principals, those who have led for a decade or more, have come to understand this stress. However, the consuming impact of the COVID-19 pandemic created hyperstressful conditions for elementary principals. Hyperstressful environments are classified as intense …

An Exploration Of Hispanic Female Principals’ Career Advancement Through The Lens Of Intersectionality, Natalie Baptiste

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceived impact of barriers created by the intersection of gender and ethnicity on the advancement of Hispanic females to the K-12 principalship. A second purpose of this study was to identify strategies Hispanic females leverage to overcome barriers due to intersectionality while advancing to the K-12 school principalship.

Methodology: This qualitative research study employed a phenomenological approach to describe the lived experiences of nine Hispanic female principals serving in public K-12 schools in Orange and Riverside counties in California. Data collection included an interview protocol of 13 …

The Relationship Between Systems Thinking By Building Leaders And Academic Outcomes For Marginalized Students, Dunham Obadiah

Education Dissertations

Despite the attempts by lawmakers to legislate a closing of the achievement gap, persistent gaps in performance for students based on ethnicity, race, economic level, disability, and first language persist throughout public schools in the United States. Occasionally, a principal will receive attention for raising the performance of minoritized groups in their school. However, while admired, the principal’s efforts are not easily replicated. Furthermore, principal development programs fail to produce building leaders that can reliably achieve the change marginalized communities need.

There have been numerous studies that have shown that principals impact the academic performance of their students. For the …

Through The Looking Glass: An Autoethnography, Jennifer Pryor Halter

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an autoethnography studying my experiences as a female high school principal in the south. Autoethnography is qualitative research that analyzes personal experiences to understand a particular culture (Ellis et al., 2011). I share my lived experiences in fictionalized composite examples to protect myself and others possibly implicated in the research (Law & Fine, 2004). Through analysis, I use feminist theories and metaphors to understand the school and community and the presence of southern culture in this school’s context. Through research, I found glass metaphors describing women in leadership roles and their obstacles (Simpson & Kurma, 2015). I …

Examining Attention To Leadership When Hiring School Administrators In A High Poverty, Ethnically Diverse School District: A Case Study, Veronica A. Tigert

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods case study was to understand the hiring practices of a school district when considering a principal and how the school district attends to leadership within those hiring practices. The central premise of the study was leadership matters and is second to teaching in student achievement. However, the historical record paints a picture of less than adequate attention to effective hiring practices and a limited scope when addressing leadership. A small school district in California was selected to participate in the study. The design incorporated mixed methods to analyze the hiring practices through a survey …

A Mixed Methods Inquiry Into The Decision-Making Of California’S Principals During Local Control, Adrienne Ortega-Magallanes

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The 2013 implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula and Local Control Accountability Plan in California granted school districts the opportunity to create their own expense plans based on student needs, with the aim of returning decision-making to those closest to students. Within subsidiarity is the belief that those at the least centralized decision-making level should have the dignity and freedom to decisions that affect the problem at its source, in this case, how to improve student achievement. It is argued here that principals, who have a strong indirect link to student achievement, are the least centralized. To explore the …

Standards, Evaluations, And Preparations: A Case Study Of The Perceptions Of Principal Pedagogy And Its Effectiveness In Developing Leaders In South Carolina, Melanie Louise Sigmon-Vaughn

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored the perceptions of new principals regarding their ability to fulfill the nine requirements of the South Carolina Program for Assisting, Evaluating, and Developing Principal Performance. The findings revealed that novice administrators believed they were effective at implementing the nine principles and that a district program for new principals may assist them. Although novice principals were concerned about effective administration and school-community interactions, they felt most prepared in the areas of vision and interpersonal skills. In spite of their conviction that their principal preparation programs were beneficial, the study's novice principals emphasized an area of need …

Evaluators' Perceptions On The Quality Of Training For Conducting Classroom Observations, Mark Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThere is a problem in the state of Michigan’s evaluation system regarding the training received by those conducting classroom teacher observations. A performance gap between teachers and students and provides training solutions for classroom observers was identified. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of school administrators regarding their preparedness and ability to conduct effective observations of teachers. Social cognitive theory and its six constructs was the conceptual framework used for this research study. Research questions addressed the perceptions of school administrators about the training they have received and their need for additional training. A …

Evaluators' Perceptions On The Quality Of Training For Conducting Classroom Observations, Mark Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThere is a problem in the state of Michigan’s evaluation system regarding the training received by those conducting classroom teacher observations. A performance gap between teachers and students and provides training solutions for classroom observers was identified. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of school administrators regarding their preparedness and ability to conduct effective observations of teachers. Social cognitive theory and its six constructs was the conceptual framework used for this research study. Research questions addressed the perceptions of school administrators about the training they have received and their need for additional training. A …

Administrators' Capacity For Supporting Reform-Oriented Science Instruction: An Urban School District Case Study, Venicia Ferrell, Joanna K. Garner

Center for Educational Partnerships Publications

Secondary school administrators play a vital role as instructional leaders, but little is known about their knowledge of science practices and perceptions of strategies for supporting reform-oriented science instruction. This multiphase, mixed-methods Q-Methodology study explored administrators' perceptions of instructional leadership and, in particular, high-quality science instruction. After a concourse of 40 items was developed through a review of literature and an expert panel, n = 22 administrators from one urban school district completed a Q-sort and a post-sort questionnaire in which they commented on a lesson excerpt. Principal components analysis with varimax rotation was used to assimilate the participants into …

Middle And High School Administrators’ Perceptions Of Retention Factors At Title I Campuses, Creseda Hawk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPrincipal turnover has a negative influence on the stability of a school’s culture and climate and on student achievement. Many U.S. principals leave their positions by the end of their 2nd year, and this number is disproportionately higher for low-income school districts. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate middle and high school principals’ perceptions of factors influencing administrator turnover at Title I schools across a southeastern U.S. state. Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation grounded this study. The research questions were focused on principals’ perceptions of motivation and hygiene factors. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 purposively …

Middle And High School Administrators’ Perceptions Of Retention Factors At Title I Campuses, Creseda Hawk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPrincipal turnover has a negative influence on the stability of a school’s culture and climate and on student achievement. Many U.S. principals leave their positions by the end of their 2nd year, and this number is disproportionately higher for low-income school districts. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate middle and high school principals’ perceptions of factors influencing administrator turnover at Title I schools across a southeastern U.S. state. Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation grounded this study. The research questions were focused on principals’ perceptions of motivation and hygiene factors. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 purposively …

The Urban Pedagogue To Principal Pipeline: Elementary School Teacher Leaders' Perceptions Of Mentorship And Its Impact On Their School Leadership Preparation, Erica Jewel Littleton

All ETDs from UAB

Schools are complex and dynamic systems that require innovative leaders who are willing to invest in classroom teachers by giving them opportunities to lead beyond the four walls of the classroom. Because principals play an integral role in the academic achievement of students in their schools, it is incumbent upon principals to invest in teacher leaders to support students’ unique and multifaceted needs. The knowledge teachers gain because of leadership experiences often strengthens their professional dispositions and expands their interest in other critical roles in the system such as becoming an instructional coach, interventionist, principal, or curriculum specialist. A systematic …