bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Who Moved My Curriculum? Leadership Preparation Programs and the Core Technology of Schools
Authors: Doolittle Gini , Browne Evelyn Gallagher
Published: January 2019

This cross-case study utilizes the publically available data of three urban low-performing, low-socioeconomic-status districts designated as districts in need of improvement under No Child Left Behind legislation. Despite multiple interventions aimed at improving student learning, these and other districts remain in corrective action. Critics attribute responsibility for such low-performing schools in part to leadership preparation programs and their failure to prepare leaders who are capable of improving student learning. Current research points to the value of preparation programs focusing on the development of instructional leaders and a curriculum that focuses on improving student achievement (Darling-Hammond, Meyerson, LaPointe, & Orr, 2010). We argue that preparation programs must prepare leaders who can ensure that a well-articulated curriculum aligned to the state standards exists and, more important, is implemented effectively.
The School Leader Communication Model: An Emerging Method for Bridging School Leader Preparation and Practice
Authors: Dotger Benjamin H.
Published: January 2019

School leaders make countless decisions but do not receive adequate preparation for communicating their decisions to parents, students, and teachers. Building on the need to prepare school leaders for a variety of complex professional situations, this article introduces the medical education pedagogy of standardized patients to the field of school leader preparation, outlining how simulated interactions serve as a pedagogical bridge between school leader preparation and practice.
Academic Optimism of High School Teachers: Its Relationship to Organizational Citizenship Behaviors and Student Achievement
Authors: Wagner Charles A. , Dipaola Michael F.
Published: January 2019

The purpose of this study is to build on an emergent research base for academic optimism by testing the construct and its relationship to student achievement and organizational citizenship behaviors in schools in a sample of public high schools. All participants in this study were full-time teachers guidance counselors, and other full-time professional instructional faculty from 36 public high schools in Virginia serving Grades 9–12. Although not random the sample comprised a demographic and geographic range of Virginia's 308 high schools featuring Grades 9–12. The data for this study were aggregated at the school level to support the school as the unit of analysis. The three dimensions of academic optimism were shown to correlate significantly with student achievement even when controlling for student family background. The findings in this study also confirm that academic optimism and organizational citizenship behaviors in schools are strongly correlated. Measuring teachers’ beliefs and perceptions about themselves, their colleagues, and their schools can provide important insights into the school's collective belief about instruction, learning, and student achievement and help principals improve the quality of schools’ learning contexts.
Inadvertent Exemplars: Life History Portraits of Two Socially Just Principals
Authors: Scanlan Martin
Published: January 2019

This study creates life history portraits of two White middle-class native-English-speaking principals demonstrating commitments to social justice in their work in public elementary schools serving disproportionately high populations of students who are marginalized by poverty, race, and linguistic heritage. Through self-reported life histories of these principals, I create portraits that illustrate how these practitioners draw motivation, commitment, and sustenance in varied, complicated, and at times contradictory ways.
Multilevel Considerations of Family Homelessness and Schooling in the Recession Era
Authors: Miller Peter , Schreiber James
Published: January 2019

This mixed methods investigation of homeless education in a major urban region identified a number of significant developments and dilemmas amid the larger homeless crisis in the United States. We found that the wider community demographics of homelessness have shifted in recent years, resulting in a higher number of homeless families—many of whom were experiencing homelessness for the first time. In the education domain, these families experienced wide-ranging problems that they perceived as limiters to their advancement. The findings are framed with the help of several elements of Bronfenbrenner's bio-ecological theory, and several implications for educational leaders are posited.
Understanding the Role of Culture in Developing Inclusive Schools: A Case Study from Cyprus
Authors: Angelides Panayiotis , Antoniou Eleni
Published: January 2019

Over the last few years, there has been considerable debate regarding the ways in which the different educational systems in the world should develop more inclusive practices in their schools. An important aspect of this discussion revolves around the question of what schools can do to become more inclusive in terms of maximizing the participation of all children in their cultures, curricula, and communities. The Cyprus educational system, in responding to international developments, has made certain efforts to provide equal educational opportunities. These initiatives are undertaken centrally by the Ministry of Education and Culture without paying much attention to individual schools, their cultures, and the relations between schools and their communities. Given these efforts, this study examined how school cultures influence the development of inclusive practices, using case study in a rural primary school in Cyprus with 115 students, and through the analysis of our data, we spotted certain elements of the school's culture that contributed to the success of inclusive education. The provided examples, as well as the way that the leaders led the school under investigation toward an inclusive culture, might be helpful for educators in other contexts who struggle to develop inclusive schools.
Connecting Personal Change and Organizational Passage in the Transition from Teacher to Vice Principal
Authors: Armstrong Denise E.
Published: January 2019

This article reports on the changes that 15 vice principals experienced in their transition from teaching to administration. In-depth interviews were used to explore the personal change process that occurred, and data were analyzed for recurring themes to create a composite picture of this transition process. The findings illustrate that the novice vice principals experienced an intense socioemotional transition as they crossed organizational and professional boundaries. Former teacher roles and identities were diminished, and administrative identities and perspectives were normalized. The participants identified mediating factors related to change and transition phenomena, vertical and horizontal organizational socialization impacts, and inadequate role training and support. A visual metaphor of transitional epicycles, or cycles within cycles, was used to map the novices’ experience of this transformational trajectory and their changes in perspective.
Teacher and Principal Perceptions of Authentic Leadership: Implications for Trust, Engagement, and Intention to Return
Authors: Bird James J. , Wang Chuang , Watson Jim , Murray Louise
Published: January 2019

The focus of this study was to explore the relationships between the authentic leadership of building principals and the trust, engagement, and intention to return of their teaching staffs. School principals (n = 28) and their teaching staffs (n = 633) were surveyed. Teacher trust and engagement were found to be significantly related to principal authenticity. When schools were partitioned along a continuum of principal-teacher agreement about authenticity, the schools whose principals had lower ratings than their teachers had significantly more teacher trust and engagement, and their teachers expressed significantly greater intention to return. Results are discussed concerning implications for future research and improvement of practice.
Stress in School Administration: Coping Tips for Principals
Authors: Sogunro Olusegun Agboola
Published: January 2019

With the need for rapid school reform amid changes in socioeconomic and political situations, evidence abounds that today's school principals operate in a stress-strained environment. Participants of this study identified at least a form of stress on the job. More than 96% claimed to have experienced work-related stress at a level they believed was affecting their mental and physical health, work habits, and productivity. With continuous frustrations and challenges, many principals are thinking of quitting or seeking early retirement. The seven major stress factors identified were unpleasant relationships and people conflicts, time constraints and related issues, crises in the school, challenging policy demands and overwhelming mandates, budgetary constraints and related issues, fear of failure, and negative publicity and dealing with media. Coping tips were explicated from the perspectives of behavioral modification cues, physical exercises, relaxation techniques, professional help, and medical care. Through interviews with 52 principals in Connecticut for about 2.5 years, this article brings to the fore various causes of stress in school administration as well as some cop-ng techniques for principals. Implications for school districts, enhanced leadership preparation practices, and further research are also discussed.
Degrees of School Democracy: A Holistic Framework
Authors: Woods Philip A. , Woods Glenys J.
Published: January 2019

This article outlines an analytical framework that enables analysis of degrees of democracy in a school or other organizational setting. It is founded in a holistic conception of democracy, which is a model of working together that aspires to truth, goodness, and meaning and the participation of all. We suggest that the analytical framework can be used not only for research purposes but also to help enhance democratic professional participation. It is a resource for collaborative professional development by practitioners, offering a vehicle for school communities to reflect together on where they are as a school and where they would like to be.
Developing Critical Consciousness through Teacher Leader Preparation
Authors: Bradley-Levine Jill
Published: January 2019

This article presents findings from a qualitative study describing how a cohort of teachers pursuing their master's degree in teacher leadership developed critical consciousness through coursework and the cohort structure. The findings—collected via observations, interviews, and document review— indicate the struggles and conflicts that teachers experience as they develop their beliefs about leadership and become critically conscious.
Ecology, Democracy, and Green Schools: An Integrated Framework
Authors: Kensler Lisa A. W.
Published: January 2019

Sustainability is the integration of ecological, social, and economic approaches to ensuring healthy local and global communities for present and future generations. Although environmental science and social studies teachers have assumed primary responsibility for sustainability related programs and initiatives, whole school approaches to teaching and learning about sustainability are emerging in K–12 schools (green schools) all around the world (Henderson & Tilbury, 2004). Whole school and whole systems approaches to sustainability not only teach about sustainability via the curriculum but also encourage the school community to become a vibrant place for together learning how members might live more sustainably. Recent research highlights the importance of school leaders and leadership for successful green schools (Birney & Reed, 2009; Higgs & McMillan, 2006; Pepper & Wildy, 2008; Schelly, Cross, Franzen, Hall, & Reeve, 2010). The purpose of this article is to propose a theoretical framework that integrates democratic and ecological principles for describing, explaining, and predicting a continuum of development from more traditional schools to green schools. It ends with suggestions for future research.
Leading a Quiet Revolution: Women High School Principals in Traditional Arab Society in Israel
Authors: Arar Khalid , Shapira Tamar
Published: January 2019

This article investigates why very few Arab women persevere to become principals in Arab high schools in Israel. It identifies these trailblazers’ distinguishing characteristics through the narratives of two Arab women, high school principals, tracing their transition from teaching to management, describing the intertwining of their personal and professional lives, examining their career choices from a gender perspective, and noting the changes they have implemented within Arab high schools in Israel. Research indicates that Arab society still views school principalship as a male role and that women face political and social resistance to attain this role.
Preparation of Urban High School Leaders in Philadelphia through Multiorganizational Partnerships
Authors: Kaimal Girija , Barber Margaret , Schulman Marcia , Reed Pete
Published: January 2019

Partnerships between universities and school districts are increasingly being identified as a means to overcome the difficulties of preparing the next generation of urban high school principals. This article examines the development of such a multiorganizational partnership with a large urban school district, two universities, and a national educational organization. The partnership development is analyzed against a framework of dimensions of effective collaborations. Data include interviews and observations and are analyzed using qualitative methods. Findings indicate that challenges in multi-institution partnerships are inevitable. However, the overarching focus on a common goal, defined responsibilities, authentic communication, alignment of common interests, and dynamic receptiveness to ongoing evaluative feedback enables the sustenance of an effective program.
Playing Doctor with Education: Considerations in Using Medical Rounds as a Model for Instructional Rounds
Authors: Roegman Rachel , Riehl Carolyn
Published: January 2019

This article examines the literature on medical rounds to inform the recent move toward instructional rounds as a practice of districtwide improvement and professional learning for superintendents and administrators. Based on the practice of medical rounds as a method for creating shared norms and understandings about medicine and patient care, instructional rounds is a process in which networks of superintendents (and, increasingly, principals and teachers) observe and analyze classroom teaching to develop shared norms and understandings about instruction. Research on the practice of medical rounds highlights potential challenges for the medical community that also might apply to education: challenges of purpose, worldview, pedagogy, content, expertise, voice, and power/status. Understanding and addressing these challenges can inform the development of instructional rounds.
Distributed but Undefined: New Teacher Leader Roles to Change Schools
Authors: Margolis Jason , Huggins Kristin Shawn
Published: January 2019

This article examines teacher leader role development and definition by looking at one emergent model of distributed leadership: the hybrid teacher leader (HTL). HTLs are teachers whose official schedule includes both teaching K–12 students and leading teachers in some capacity. Participants included six HTLs across four school districts over 2 years, as well as their administrators. Extensive qualitative data were collected and subsequently analyzed, including interviews, on-site observations, and artifacts. Findings included a pervasive lack of role definition for the HTLs amid heightened organizational complexity, leading to numerous de facto definitions emerging. Conflicting de facto definitions led to diminished success for the HTLs, relationship deterioration, a reversion to professional development removed from the classroom, and a lack of capacity to account for HTL efficacy. The study concludes that for new teacher leaders to be successful, states and districts will need to much more clearly define roles and priorities and be specific about how budget-compensated teacher leader time is used.
Forty Acres and a Mule: A Critical Audit of California's Williams Legislation Implementation and the Implications for Educational Leaders
Authors: Vang Maiyoua
Published: January 2019

This study investigated educational leaders’ critical evaluations of California's landmark contemporary school equity legislation Williams v. the State of California. Qualitative interview analysis indicated that leaders perceived the equity measure to be necessary but insufficient in advancing the larger project of educational justice. Hence, policy directives governed by political expediency ultimately fall short in ushering disruptive change. Renorming the privileged hierarchy of the leadership class was central to fomenting change. Participants argued that leadership practice for educational justice required leaders to transgress normative structures that hurt the children and the communities they serve, whether those norms resided within the school, within themselves, or within the dominant power structure. Critical issues and leadership implications are forwarded.
Differentiated Jurisprudence? Examining Students’ Fourth Amendment Court Decisions by Region of Country
Authors: Torres Mario S.
Published: January 2019

This study examined federal and state court decisions related to student Fourth Amendment rights following the New Jersey v. T.L.O. ruling in 1985. There has been minimal research in judicial treatment of students’ Fourth Amendment rights across regions of the country and less to what extent regional rulings implicitly or explicitly transmit cues about acceptable administrative behavior. From data gathered from case law and the National Center for Education Statistics, the analysis examined the link between the characteristics of the school where the search occurred, aspects related to the search of the student, and the outcome of the case by national region. Catagorical analyses revealed a considerable regional effect associated with highly discretionary elements of Fourth Amendment law. Findings of note suggest a greater likelihood of students losing in court within urban contexts and considerable discrepancies in rulings between national regions with respect to search intrusiveness and the severity of the offense. Implications for legal decision-making and implementation are discussed.
High-Stakes Decisions: The Legal Landscape of High School Exit Exams and the Implications for Schools and Leaders
Authors: Holme Jennifer Jellison , Heilig Julian Vasquez
Published: January 2019

High school exit exam requirements are affecting a growing number of U.S. students—particularly low-income students and students of color. This article examines the policy and legal landscape of exit testing policy to shed light on some of the key issues facing local school leaders charged with implementing these policies. The article first analyzes federal and state court cases related to exit testing and examines the conditions under which courts have permitted and bounded their use. It then discuses the broader legal and legislative environment that has affected leaders’ ability to respond to exit testing requirements. The article concludes with implications of high-stakes exit testing and policy considerations for local leaders as well as state policymakers.
Using Teacher Instructional Leadership as a Predictor of Principal Leadership
Authors: Muth Rodney , Browne-Ferrigno Tricia , Bellamy Thomas , Fulmer Connie , Silver Michael
Published: January 2019

Untold numbers of professional educators hold administrative certificates or licenses but do not use them, never taking formal administrative roles in schools. Why do so many of the graduates of our principal-preparation programs forego taking school-leadership positions and simply stick with teaching or assume other, nonadministrative-leadership positions in schools? Is the time and effort spent preparing potential administrators with such small success and great cost worth it? Informal discussions with those who pursue formal leadership positions—and with some who do not—suggest that some graduates who start their program with school-leadership experience were more likely to seek and accept formal leadership obligations. To examine this anecdotal evidence more rigorously, we undertook a three-university analysis of past graduates’ preprogram school-leadership activities. Through exploratory, secondary analyses of existing data at three institutions as well as postprogram-position information, we generally found that program participants who (1) expressed commitment to becoming formal leaders, (2) had already held responsible leadership roles in their schools working with adults, or (3) had earned an advanced degree before entering a preparation program were more likely to take administrative posts. These tentative findings have implications for the recruitment and selection of participants for principal-preparation programs, potential for raising the quality of these programs, and possibilities for decreasing costs while increasing benefits of preparation programs.
The Impact of Isolation on the Job Satisfaction of New Principals
Authors: Bauer Scott C. , Brazer S. David
Published: January 2019

Professional isolation has hampered the quality of the work experience for employees inside and outside public education for decades. This study explores the role that isolation plays in predicting the quality of the work experience among new principals. The analysis tests whether isolation serves as a mediator in the relationship between factors that are known to affect the quality of work life of principals (social support; role ambiguity, role conflict, and role overload; and participation in a structured coaching relationship) and the job satisfaction of new principals. Regression analysis shows that isolation fully mediates the relationship between social support and job satisfaction and partially mediates the relationship between role ambiguity and job satisfaction.
The Impact of Superintendent Support for Curriculum Mapping on Principals’ Efficacious Use of Maps
Authors: Danna Stephen , Spatt Ingrid
Published: January 2019

Pressures on school leaders to reform are pervasive within the United States. Prior studies show that superintendents who provide clear expectations and goals, collaborate, ensure quality professional development, and attend to curriculum alignment develop effective building leaders (Marzano & Waters, 2009; Wahlstrom, Louis, Leithwood, & Anderson, 2010). New York State public school principals in schools containing Grade 7 were the target population for this quantitative survey study. Superintendent support for curriculum mapping was the independent variable. Dependent variables were (1) curriculum map use by principals, (2) use of maps as boundary objects (i.e., within schools, boundary objects are tools that principals can use to promote professional conversations with teachers about curriculum, instruction, and student learning), and (3) principals’ efficacy to use maps. Findings showed that significant positive relationships exist between superintendent support for curriculum mapping and each dependent variable—principals’ use of curriculum maps, use of maps as boundary objects, and efficacy to use maps. Results also showed a lack of accountability and monitoring of principals’ use of curriculum maps by superintendents.
Leading Learning-Focused Teacher Leadership in Urban High Schools
Authors: Portin Bradley S. , Russell Felice Atesoglu , Samuelson Catherine , Knapp Michael S.
Published: January 2019

Drawing on findings from a national study of learning-focused leadership in challenging urban settings, this article examines the work of teacher leadership in urban high schools. In this context, a recently emerging cadre of nonsupervisory teacher leaders, working in collaboration with supervisory leaders, exercises a form of “distributed instructional leadership,” creating new channels for instructional renewal. Extensive qualitative data from four high schools in different urban districts across the United States illuminate the nature of these teacher leaders’ work in support of teaching and learning, the ways they and their supervisory counterparts worked as instructional leadership teams, and the role that they played in supporting teachers in classrooms within schools that face significant challenges. Study findings highlight the unique expertise necessary for these teacher leaders—including content expertise, pedagogical coaching skill, ability to build relational trust, and capacity to link the classroom with district- and school-determined learning improvement efforts. In conclusion, the article sketches the implications for reconfiguring supervisory leaders’ work so that the efforts of all remain productively and persistently focused on learning improvement.
Defining and Activating the Role of Department Chair as Instructional Leader
Authors: Kelley Carolyn , Salisbury Jason
Published: January 2019

With strong connection to schoolwide policy and vision and to the realities of the daily life of teachers and students, the department chair is uniquely positioned to play an important role in advancing instructional effectiveness (Printy, 2008; Weller, 2001). This article provides an in-depth look at the efforts of three urban comprehensive high schools to revision the role of department chair as instructional leader. The case studies identify building a shared vision, trust, role clarity, professional development, modeling, and application as critical elements of leadership development. The article defines the role of department chair as instructional leader and examines the effects of efforts to strengthen this role. Findings suggest that department chairs found their new role to be motivating and enriching, but significant training and reshaping of school norms were needed to provide the skills and legitimacy for them to lead instructional improvement in their departments.
African American Women Aspiring to the Superintendency: Lived Experiences and Barriers
Authors: Angel Roma B. , Killacky Jim , Johnson Patricia R.
Published: January 2019

Focused on the absence of a viable population of African American women in the superintendency, this study addressed barriers described by 10 credentialed, district-level Southern women who hold advanced education degrees coupled with years of leadership experience. This phenomenological study used interview methodology to uncover the lived experiences of African American women who were positioned professionally to apply for the superintendency. A Black feminist construct was employed to interpret personal themes—early expectations, family influences, ethical beliefs, vigilant preparation—that converged with external themes—disconnection from networks, oppression, and selection processes—to reveal obstacles to applying for the superintendency. Profiles of well-credentialed African American women educators are provided.
A Cultural Approach to Understanding Professional Experiences of Foreign-Born Faculty in U.S. Educational Leadership Preparation Programs
Authors: Khrabrova Iryna , Sanzo Karen L.
Published: January 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the professional experiences of foreign-born faculty members serving in U.S. educational leadership preparation programs, utilizing a cultural approach to discern their lived experiences related to professional life. Cultural values were explored as reflected in professional life experiences. The information, gathered through the phenomenological approach, was used to analyze the influence of national background on the professional experiences of foreign-born faculty in educational leadership preparation programs.
Exploring Principals’ Nonroutine Problems in Bilingual Immersion Schools: Lessons Learned for Multicultural Leadership
Authors: Schwabsky Nitza
Published: January 2019

The present study examines the nonroutine problems that eight Anglo-American principals encountered in managing three elementary bilingual immersion schools in the Northwest United States. Using qualitative inquiry to collect data, I employed the multisited ethnographic research model. The principals reported nonroutine problems in the following educational areas: interpersonal communication, academic practices, organization and administration, and teaching and learning. The findings indicate that social and cultural factors are important in affecting the reporting of these problems. The discussion focuses on the exploration of what makes these problems nonroutine and what lessons are to be learned from these problems concerning leadership in multicultural educational settings.
Learning and Leading for Growth: Preparing Leaders to Support Adult Development in Our Schools
Authors: Drago-Severson Eleanor , Blum-Destefano Jessica , Asghar Anila
Published: January 2019

Currently, scholars and practitioners seek to improve leadership programs so that educational leaders can more effectively support adult development—especially since it is connected to improved student achievement. Interview findings presented here stem from a larger mixed methods study. This research investigated how a university course on leadership for adult development influenced participating leaders’ thinking and on-the-ground practices years after course completion. Findings describe students’ reported course learnings, ways that they translated learnings to practice, and obstacles that they still encounter. This investigation offers insight into how leadership coursework can help leaders support adult development in schools and build systemic and school structures that would better enable them to build capacity.
School Board Elections: Theories Meet Reality
Authors: Garn Gregg , Copeland Gary
Published: January 2019

This exploratory article relies on qualitative data generated from observations and focus group interviews to investigate what motivates citizens to vote in school board elections and how they choose among candidates. Our review of literature suggests that capture theory, dissatisfaction theory, retrospective voting, partisanship, issue voting, character voting, and sociological theories of voting might be useful in better understanding voting behavior in school board elections. We conclude that the greatest potential for theoretical development is found in a sociological approach: According to our data, voters care most about candidate character and seek this information through social networks. We also suggest several areas for future research related to deepening our understanding of school board elections.
Internal Accountability and District Achievement: How Superintendents Affect Student Learning
Authors: Hough Kimberly L.
Published: January 2019

This quantitative survey study was designed to determine whether superintendent accountability behaviors or agreement about accountability behaviors between superintendents and their subordinate central office administrators predicted district student achievement. Hierarchical multiple regression and analyses of covariance were employed, controlling for district socioeconomic status. Superintendents who agreed with subordinate administrators about their accountability behaviors or underestimated these behaviors led districts with significantly higher student achievement in mathematics and reading than did superintendents who overestimated their accountability behaviors. Effect sizes were strong, with the self–other rating agreement category explaining 22% of the variance in mathematics scores and 19% of the variance in reading scores.
Superintendent–Business Executive Collaboration in Intermediary Organizations: Moral Agency and Democratic Functioning
Authors: Bennett Jeffrey V. , Mckee Tiffany , Martin Staci
Published: January 2019

This case study describes collaboration between business executives and superintendents to influence local/regional K–12 educational change. Specifically, we examine participant like-mindedness about the ethics and appropriate focus of K–12 intermediary collaboration, the extent of democratic functioning, and key individuals to involve. Data sources consist of existing semistructured interviews with 6 superintendents and 28 business executives involved in intermediary organizations (i.e., chambers of commerce, business– education roundtables, educational nonprofits) within a metropolitan area of the U.S. Southwest. Furman's (2004) ethic of community frames the analysis. Participants narrate common moral purpose motivated by civic duty for the public good over profit-driven interests. Moreover, deficiencies in democratic collaborative processes formed divergent views on how this should be operationalized and thus caused some voices to be silenced. Superintendent inattention to democratic processes reinforced deficiencies despite the enabling potential of certain business executives.
Using Social Network Analysis to Promote Schoolwide Instructional Innovation: A Case Study
Authors: Woodland Rebecca H. , Barry Shannon , Roohr Katrina Crotts
Published: January 2019

Social network analysis (SNA), a methodological approach that enables the mathematical examination of interprofessional relationships, can be an important tool for understanding and leveraging the social relationships that support and restrain instructional innovation and the quality and pace of school reform initiatives. In this article, we explicate the conceptual underpinnings of SNA and summarize how it has been used in a range of preK–12 educational evaluation contexts. A school-based case study is presented in which school leaders examined formal and advice-seeking networks among teachers, staff, and administrators and used the findings to reduce teacher isolationism, promote efficient communication, and increase system capacity for instructional innovation. Challenges associated with SNA for educational evaluation and school improvement are also discussed.
AVID Teacher Leadership: Administrator and Teacher Perceptions of Leadership Attributes
Authors: Mills Shirley J. , Huerta Jeffery J. , Watt Karen M. , Martinez Jorge
Published: January 2019

This study examined the perceptions of teachers and administrators with regard to AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) teacher leaders. The purpose was to compare whether teachers and administrators agree on the types of attributes needed for teacher leaders involved in implementing AVID as a school reform effort. Results revealed that there is agreement among teachers and among administrators regarding the importance of a teacher's personal attributes and attributes related to classroom environment. When compared to teachers, administrators generally feel that certain leadership attributes are more important, such as open communication with the principal, creative problem solving, collegiality on campus, organizational skills, and respect for other teachers.
The Cognitive Information-Processing Systems of Leaders and Their Relation to Student Learning Outcomes
Authors: Cerni Tom , Curtis Guy J. , Colmar Susan H.
Published: January 2019

Research has shown that school principals who display transformational leadership are likely to influence organizational commitment and job satisfaction (Koh, 1990), and this in turn is thought to influence student learning outcomes. Based on a sample of experienced educational leaders ( n = 88), this study examined if transformational leadership and information-processing systems according to cognitive-experiential self-theory predict teachers’ job satisfaction and student learning outcomes. The rational system and constructive elements of the experiential system were found to have a significant positive connection with student learning outcomes.
The Impact of Principal Perception on Student Academic Climate and Achievement in High School: How Does it Measure Up?
Authors: Urick Angela , Bowers Alex J.
Published: January 2019

The purpose of this study is to examine the independent direct effects of student and principal perceptions of academic climate on student achievement in high school. To date, few studies have considered the influence of principal perceptions of academic climate on student achievement. In the present study, we test a set of two-level hierarchical linear models using the large, nationally representative Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 to examine the independent effects of principal and student perceptions of academic climate on student achievement in mathematics, controlling for leadership and student and school background and context variables. Results suggest that principal perception of academic climate may have a direct effect on student achievement. Combining these results with the recent literature, we propose a mediated effects model of principal perceptions of leadership on student achievement.
The Rural Superintendency and the Need for a Critical Leadership of Place
Authors: Rey Janeil C.
Published: January 2019

This article examines how school superintendents and parents in high-needs rural districts conceptualized educational quality. Specifically, this comparative case study of two rural school superintendents presents a contextualized understanding of rural superintendents’ and other educators’ mainstream views of educational quality, parents and other rural community members’ place-based views, and the tensions among these. Primary data sources featured interviews with two superintendents and their constituents, including Board of Education members, principals, teachers, parents, and community members. Findings indicated that both superintendents worked to create an aspirational culture in which education was the way out of poverty for their students, aspirations that were frequently at tension with community values. This article concludes with a proposed critical leadership and pedagogy of place that may help superintendents navigate these tensions.
Two Charter School Principals’ Engagement in Instructional Leadership
Authors: Bickmore Dana L. , Dowell Margaret-Mary Sulentic
Published: January 2019

This comparative case (Merriam, 2009) study explored two charter school principals’ engagement in instructional leadership. Analysis of three data sources—interviews, observations, and documents—revealed that principals were almost exclusively focused on state accountability and possessed limited knowledge of pedagogical practices. In particular, these two principals had difficulties managing aspects of the instructional program and sustaining a positive school climate, possibly related to their limited educational experience. As a result, these two principals focused on structural changes, delegated instructional issues, and appeared to rely heavily on commercial programs as opposed to enhancement of teacher classroom practices. Comparisons of charter principal practices with traditional principal instructional leadership models are made and implications discussed.
Secondary School Department Chair Roles: Principal Expectations
Authors: Brent Brian O. , Deangelis Karen J. , Surash Barbara M.
Published: January 2019

The literature on the principalship is extensive, revealing ways in which principals can foster or impede school success. At the same time, another formal secondary school-level position, the department chair, has garnered little scholarly attention. Thus far, the literature offers a limited account of the roles that chairs should or do perform in schools. Our purpose here is to draw much-needed attention to the position by examining the relative level of importance that principals assign to various chair roles. Specifically, we report findings from a survey of New York State secondary school principals indicating that principals assign a high, though varied, level of importance to chair roles, some of which are associated with the structural characteristics of the position. We discuss the implications of this and other findings.
Parent Social Networks and Parent Responsibility: Implications for School Leadership
Authors: Curry Katherine A. , Adams Curt M.
Published: January 2019

Family–school partnerships are difficult to initiate and sustain in ways that actually promote student learning, especially in high-poverty communities. This quantitative study was designed to better understand how social forces shape parent responsibility in education. Based on social cognitive theory as the conceptual framework, the relationships between parent responsibility and two types of parent social networks were tested according to a partially latent structural equation model. Findings indicate limited contact among parents in schools and a positive, statistically significant relationship between both types of networks and parent responsibility.
Measuring Leadership of Math Instruction: Investigating the Validity of a Survey Scale for Principals’ Leadership of Middle School Mathematics
Authors: Katterfeld Karin
Published: January 2019

This analysis investigates a survey scale for principal leadership of middle school mathematics instruction. It assesses scale validity by comparing results from an item response theory analysis with a hypothesized two-level structure for the construct developed from prior research. Contrary to expectation, results show that patterns of math-specific leadership are similar to patterns of principal leadership more generally across subject areas. However, differences appear in the task of setting instructional vision. The task of setting vision for mathematics appears to be relatively more difficult, compared with other tasks, than the task of setting schoolwide vision. Additional items may be needed to optimally measure all levels of principal leadership for mathematics, and the higher level of the construct may require reconceptualization.
Principled, Pragmatic, and Purposive Leadership
Authors: Dantley Michael E.
Published: January 2019

This article reimagines educational leadership using Cornel West's notions of prophetic spirituality. Three categories of leadership—principled, pragmatic, and purposive—are proposed. All three are grounded in the components of West's prophetic spirituality, namely, a deep-seated moralism, an inescapable opportunism, and an aggressive or profound pessimism. The article argues that the transformation of educational leadership necessitates searching for a unique way to alter its construction. Using an African American spiritual frame is suggested as one way to bring about such fundamental change in the field.
Lost in Transition?
Authors: Mcclellan Rhonda L. , Casey Patricia
Published: January 2019

As new assistant principals, our participants spoke of the importance of gaining experience. In this qualitative study, four years later, they admit that professional expertise must be a combination of challenging experiences and honest feedback from mentors. Furthermore, they present that this expertise is contingent upon identity. Transitioning along a career pathway becomes interplay of what the job requires, how the leader adapts when accepting and performing those responsibilities, and a deepening awareness of the congruence between personal and professional identity.
Online Communities of Practice
Authors: Macgregor S. Kim , Vavasseur Cynthia B.
Published: January 2019

This mixed-method study examined the ways that principals and teachers coparticipated in discipline-focused online communities of practice designed to foster instructional improvement in two middle schools. Findings derived from interviews and content analysis of the online discussion threads revealed the emergence of a shared language about learning between principals and teachers, as well as how the scaffolding of knowledge development among those teachers was supported. Principal participation allowed teachers to gain insights about their principals’ priorities, values, and beliefs about learning and was found to influence the quality of teacher-developed instructional units and teaching efficacy. Participative and directive leadership styles were represented by the principals, and their influence on the communication process and performance outcomes is discussed.
Problematizing Notions of Leadership for Social Justice
Authors: Dantley Michael E. , Green Terrance L.
Published: January 2019

In the field of educational leadership, there has been a proliferation of empirical and theoretical research on social justice leadership. However, a diluted and homogenized rendition of social justice has seeped into the discourse and practice, thus positioning social justice leadership to be reradicalized. As such, the purpose of this article is twofold. First, we explore notions of more radicalized social justice leadership within the discourse of accountability. Second, we offer a four- part framework that holds educational leaders and educational leadership preparation programs accountable to the project of grounding their work in a substantive social justice/civil rights agenda. Our framework for accountability to social justice includes the following: anger for social justice, the historical and prophetic imagination, graduates of educational leadership preparation programs, and the local neighborhood communities where preparation programs are located and where leaders who have been equipped to lead through a social justice agenda serve as school administrators. We conclude with six practical strategies for achieving accountability to graduates of educational leadership programs and four strategies for accomplishing accountability to the local community.
Connecting Principal Succession and Professional Learning
Authors: Parylo Oksana , Zepeda Sally J.
Published: January 2019

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the connections between principal succession and professional learning through the analysis of the current practices in leader development, support, and retention in two Georgia state school districts. The findings of the cross-case analysis were summarized in five major themes: First, a key component to the overall success of principal professional learning and succession is a visionary superintendent. Second, planning for principal succession, school districts strongly favor local applicants. Third, building leaders from within the district is an effective way to ensure leader continuity. Fourth, developing future principals, school districts express strong preference for the nonuniversity leader preparation programs, designed to address their specific needs. Finally, leader professional development and succession are tightly connected. Implications for research and practice are offered.
Principals’ Uses and Interpretations of Student Growth Percentile Data
Authors: Clauser Amanda L. , Keller Lisa A. , Mcdermott Kathryn A.
Published: January 2019

Increasing numbers of states have incorporated measures of students’ academic growth into their data and accountability policies. Measuring growth is a statistically complicated task and complex growth measures can be easy to misinterpret. This paper reports on a survey of 317 Massachusetts principals’ understanding of the Student Growth Percentile (SGP), a popular growth model. The survey was designed to produce information about how Massachusetts principals use and interpret the SGP and the extent to which they have misconceptions about what SGPs mean. The survey reveals some common misconceptions, often based on confusion about the differences between the norm-referenced SGP and the state's criterion-referenced assessments. We conclude that there is a risk that principals will make inappropriate decisions based on SGPs. Because of their central role in school improvement, principals need better opportunities to learn about how to use SGP and other growth model data.