bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teachers’ Perceptions of High-Stakes Testing
Authors: Reese Marianne , Gordon Stephen P. , Price Larry R.
Published: January 2019

Over 900 Texas teachers were surveyed on their perceptions of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS), which at the time of the survey was Texas's high-stakes achievement test. The sample included elementary middle and high schools within each of four test performance levels: exemplary recommended, acceptable, and low performing. Respondents answered questions on how students were prepared for the high-stakes test and the effects of the test on their school and its curriculum, students, and teachers. Respondents reported that tested curriculum received increased emphasis, high-stakes testing did not motivate students to learn, and that the test was not an accurate measure of student learning or school effectiveness. Results indicate serious incongruence among proponents’ arguments for testing, teachers’ perceptions of test effects and the research on authentic pedagogy and student achievement.
Job Desirability of the University Professorate in the Field of Educational Leadership
Authors: Pounder Diana G. , Crow Gary M. , Bergerson Amy Aldous
Published: January 2019

This survey research study uses job choice theory to assess recent educational leadership doctoral graduates’ perceptions of the desirability of the educational administration professorate. Results reveal attractive and unattractive aspects of professorial work as well as those job attributes that are most strongly related to candidates’ assessment of overall job desirability and job intentions.
“Yes, but …”: Education Leaders Discuss Social Justice
Authors: Marshall Catherine , Ward Michael
Published: January 2019

This article presents answers to the question: What do powerful educational leaders think about training practitioners for social justice? The data are drawn from interviews with a former governor and leaders from the American Association of School Administration (AASA), National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the National School Boards Association, the Council of Chief State School Officers the National Association of State Boards of Education, and others. Respondents noted that social justice issues must be addressed but barriers exist, including that administrators are stressed; the topic is considered too controversial by many; and dominant societal values are barriers. Respondents provided specific advice about training, such as: using policy levers like No Child Left Behind as motivators; start with “the higher calling”; be ethically appealing; put social justice requirements in licensure policy; use coalitions; and write articles in plain language for practitioners. Respondents’ advice can be used to construct good leadership preparation and, ultimately, can lead to a reconstruction of leadership.
Why Leadership-Skilled Women Teachers are Saying “No” to the Principal's Role: A Matter of Individual Choice or Institutional Constraint?
Authors: Brown Kathleen M. , Wynn Susan
Published: January 2019

According to recent data, the pool of principal candidates is shrinking. How is the role perceived and what can school districts do to make it more attractive in recruiting and retaining highly qualified administrators? This open-ended, qualitative study sought to uncover the underlying reasons leadership-skilled women teachers choose to remain in the classroom rather than seek administrative positions. Analysis of the data revealed a complex mix of individual choice and institutional constraint. The participants’ strong sense of personal teaching efficacy, commitment to family, and satisfaction derived from nurturing (and mentoring) their colleagues combined with their negative perception of the principalship contributed to their reasons for saying “no” to the principal's role.
The Leadership of Heritage: Searching for a Meaningful Theory in Official-Language Minority Settings
Authors: Lapointe Claire , Langlois Lyse , Godin Jeanne
Published: January 2019

This article has two purposes: the first is to give a voice to school leaders in official-language minority schools; the second is to present an empirically based critical analysis of some of the main current models in the field of educational leadership in order to verify whether they are relevant in official-language minority settings. This original perspective is gleaned from a research project that is currently being conducted in official French-language minority schools across Canada. The article presents a brief explanation of the Canadian context with regard to the constitutional rights of official-language minorities to education in their language, describes the method used to conduct the first phase of the research project, and presents some of the main findings.
Distributed Leadership and the Culture of Schools: Teacher Leaders’ Strategies for Gaining Access to Classrooms
Authors: Mangin Melinda M.
Published: January 2019

Formal teacher leadership roles—such as coach and coordinator—have become a standard component of education reform efforts intended to support teachers’ instructional improvement efforts. Yet the culture of schools is widely understood to favor autonomy and egalitarianism, suggesting that classroom teachers may be resistant to peer leadership. This study examines how 12 elementary-level teacher leaders negotiate access to classrooms and encourage instructional change in light of teacher resistance. Findings suggest that teacher leaders make concessions that may ultimately limit their impact on instructional improvement. Also for these positions to contribute to instructional change, teacher leaders require the support of school administrators who offer guidance to teacher leaders and set expectations for teachers with regard to the enactment of teacher leadership roles.
Liberating Discourses: Spirituality and Educational Leadership
Authors: Shields Carolyn M.
Published: January 2019

Because spirituality connects us to the most profound realities of life it has an integral role to play in education. Public education and spirituality as distinct from the teaching of or expression of religion, are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, spirituality is both epistemological and ontological. It constitutes one of many legitimate ways of knowing. Hence, I argue that it is incumbent upon educators in public schools to connect what we teach to the multiple lived realities of children. This requires the educational leader to become aware of his or her own spirituality, to become open to the spirituality of others, and to create spaces— liberating conversations—in which participants can bring the totality of their lived experiences.
Spirituality, School Leadership, and Islam
Authors: Sayani Anish
Published: January 2019

This article begins with two nonfiction narratives that are used throughout the article to defend and nuance the rationale for educational leaders to create dialogical spaces in schools for students to explore their spiritualities. The reasons for the inclusion of spirituality in schools are clustered into four categories for the sake of coherence: (1) moral vision, (2) linked aims and purposes, (3) meaning system, and (4) presence. It is argued that spirituality for some is inextricably connected to religion, which can pose a problem for educators and educational leaders, especially if the religion, such as Islam, is incorrectly associated with violence and terrorism. Finally misconceptions of Islam are addressed and ways are suggested that educational leaders can engage both Muslim and non-Muslim students in a meaningful dialogue about a spirituality rooted in Islam.
School Administration and the Changing Face of Masculinity
Authors: Feuerstein Abe
Published: January 2019

In the first part of this article, I examine new concepts of masculinity and the implications of these concepts for the practice of school administration. I also discuss the “gender subtext” of school organizations as one of the mechanisms through which masculinity is enacted and masculine stereotypes are reinforced within the school setting. In the second half of the article, I offer a vision of gender in schools that seeks to make the full range of gender expression available to all organizational members. I also describe several strategies that could be used by educational leaders committed to gender equity and the cause of social justice. Finally, I assert that there is a need to alter the socialization and preparation of school administrators for these changes to occur.
A 17-Year Case Study of an Elementary School's Journey: From Traditional School to Learning Community to Democratic School Community
Authors: Cate Jean Mcgregor , Vaughn Courtney Ann , O'Hair Mary John
Published: January 2019

This case study explores one elementary school's 17-year evolution from a traditional Title I elementary school into a learning community and, eventually a high-achieving democratic school community. The investigation adds specificity and context to the existing theoretical framework outlining this change process. The school's journey is reflected and described through shared learning, leadership, and practices across four thematic findings.
LEADing for Social Justice: A Journey of Inquiry and Reflective Practice
Authors: Rodriguez Gloria M. , Baum Joel
Published: January 2019

This article discusses the Leading for Equity, Achievement, and Democracy program, which is a partnership administrative credential program of the California State University, East Bay (formerly Hayward), and the Bay Area Coalition for Equitable Schools, based in Oakland, California. This developmental journey involves a process of introspection, reflection, and direction (“next steps”) toward a deep understanding of what it means to lead for equity and social justice. Central to this work has been the instructional and pedagogical support for inquiry and reflective practice throughout the cohort year. This article presents illustrations of how instructors can support aspiring leaders to develop skills that strengthen their ability to take actions that transform schools into sites of powerful teaching and learning.
Beyond Relativism to Ethical Decision Making
Authors: Walker Keith D. , Donlevy J. Kent
Published: January 2019

This article examines the ethical conundrum of educational decision makers when faced with a plethora of conflicting value-based decisions. It offers an analysis of a well-known fable as the foil to demonstrate the problematic nature of ethical relativism and postmodern ethics in resolving that conundrum while advocating the use of five core commitments that enable reasonable, consistent, and justifiable warrants for ethical choices.
The Choice to Homeschool: Home Educator Perspectives and School District Options
Authors: Dahlquist Kari L. , York-Barr Jennifer , Hendel Darwin D.
Published: January 2019

Schools today are increasingly market driven, and public schools are competing for students with numerous other educational options. Homeschool education continues to grow rapidly as one such option. Minnesota, considered a leader in school choice, has experienced rapid growth in the incidence of home-educated children. Such growth raises questions for school administrators about why parents choose to homeschool their children and about implications for school district policies and practices. A sample of 600 Minnesota home educators was surveyed to explore these questions. Reasons for homeschooling corroborated those reported in previous studies, including religious beliefs, family closeness, dissatisfaction with socialization in schools, opportunities for hands-on learning, and a flexible lifestyle. Interactions with local public school personnel were reported to be largely supportive, and ideas were offered for improving support. Implications are offered, focused on public school policies and practices. Specifically discussed are considerations for determining whether to assume inclusive or exclusive stances toward homeschool children and their families.
Leadership Capacity and Collective Efficacy: Interacting to Sustain Student Learning in a Professional Learning Community
Authors: Olivier Dianne F. , Hipp Kristine Kiefer
Published: January 2019

This article explores a reciprocal relationship between leadership capacity and collective efficacy in a pre-K–8 school in the Southern United States that continually advances as a professional learning community. Survey data from this mixed methodology study showed significant positive correlations among subgroup scales measuring leadership capacity collective efficacy and professional learning community dimensions. Additionally school performance, as measured by accountability systems, resulted in growth and sustainability of student achievement. The interviews made these findings come alive through four emergent themes: high leadership capacity; a strong sense of collective efficacy; continual and undeviating focus on learning for students and teachers; and a strong sense of collective responsibility, collaboration, and teamwork. This study provides clear evidence that capacity building and collective efficacy can be enhanced through success as a professional learning community.
Teachers as Leaders in a Knowledge Society: Encouraging Signs of a New Professionalism
Authors: Andrews Dorothy , Crowther Frank
Published: January 2019

Challenges confronting schools worldwide are greater than ever and, likewise, many teachers possess capabilities, talents, and formal credentials more sophisticated than ever. However, the responsibility and authority accorded to teachers have not grown significantly, nor has the image of teaching as a profession advanced significantly. The question becomes, what are the implications for the image and status of the teaching profession as the concept of a knowledge society takes a firm hold in the industrialized world? This article addresses the philosophical underpinnings of teacher leadership manifested in case studies where schools sought to achieve the generation of new knowledge as part of a process of whole-school revitalization. Specifically, this article reports on Australian research that has illuminated the work of teacher leaders engaged in the IDEAS project, a joint school revitalization initiative of the University of Southern Queensland and the Queensland Department of Education and the Arts.
Accomplishing Districtwide Reform
Authors: Sharratt Lyn , Fullan Michael
Published: January 2019

This is a mystery story. It is about a district that apparently did the right things but seemed not to get commensurate results across all classrooms and schools. In this article, we look closely at the details and discover an important lesson about districtwide reform. The district is York Region District School Board, which is a large multicultural district just north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. York is a rapidly growing district with a diverse sociocultural and linguistic population, with over 100 different languages spoken in its schools. The school board has been opening, on average, at least 5 elementary schools a year for the last 5 years. There are 140 elementary schools and 27 secondary schools, with over 108,000 students and 8,000 teachers.
Identifying and Leading Effective Professional Learning Communities
Authors: Stoll Louise , Mcmahon Agnes , Thomas Sally
Published: January 2019

This article reports key findings from a 2-1/2-year mixed methodological study of professional learning communities, the first of its kind in England. In particular, the concept of effectiveness is explored as it relates to professional learning communities. We describe three ways in which effectiveness can be construed, arguing that any comprehensive assessment of professional learning community effectiveness by school leaders needs to identify and attend to all three aspects.
A Cultural Shift toward Distributed Leadership
Authors: Bedell Claudine P. , Burrello Leonard C.
Published: January 2019

The story of Bryon Elementary School's 10-year transformation is a story of school improvement. Moreover, it's a story of a cultural change that altered roles, responsibilities, and expectations and led to significant gains in student achievement. A principal, faculty, and staff who were driven by a common vision, who spoke a common language, and who produced work and opportunities based on a common instructional framework were at the foundation of this shift. This case study offers an analysis of leadership activity that was distributed in nature, one that practitioners can examine and interpret as they consider their own leadership practice.
Cultivating Principals’ Self-Efficacy: Supports that Matter
Authors: Tschannen-Moran Megan , Gareis Christopher R.
Published: January 2019

This study sought to identify important antecedents of principals’ self-efficacy (PSE) beliefs among 558 principals in Virginia. Analysis of variance demonstrated that the school context variables of school level, school setting and the proportion of low-income students had no significant relationship to PSE. Multiple regression revealed that, by and large, demographic variables of gender and race were not strong predictors of PSE. The set of interpersonal support variables at the school-building level (teachers, support staff, students, and parents) was the strongest predictor of PSE, followed by principal preparation and district-level support (interpersonal support from the superintendent and central-office staff, as well as resource support).
Brokers and Boundary Crossers in an Urban School District: Understanding Central-Office Coaches as Instructional Leaders
Authors: Swinnerton Juli
Published: January 2019

This article highlights the boundary crossing and brokering work of two instructional coaches in one Washington State urban district. A distributed leadership frame helps foreground how the coaches, based in the central office, exercised instructional leadership across the district. This inquiry contributes to emerging pictures of the kinds of roles that central-office leaders—in this case, those of instructional coaching—play in prompting and supporting systemwide instructional improvement. Important implications for systemwide reform efforts emerged, including issues about strategic communication opportunities afforded by boundary crossers in a system, as well as considerations about preparing and supporting those who assume brokering and boundary-crossing roles in a multilevel system.
Preparing First-Time Leaders for an Urban Public School District: An Action Research Study of a Collaborative District–University Partnership
Authors: Simmons Juanita Cleaver , Grogan Margaret , Preis Stacey Jones , Matthews Kristin , Smith-Anderson Sheila , Walls Betty Porter , Jackson Audrey
Published: January 2019

This article reports the results for the first cycle of an action research study about a district–university partnership. Two district facilitators and two university facilitators co-constructed a principal preparation program for an inner-city school district to help prepare the next generation of building leaders. Twenty-two students participated in the 15-month nontraditional program. The study found that in preparing first-time school leaders, the most helpful experiences were those that developed self-understanding and readiness for the role change. New instructional techniques and the full-time residency facilitated this earning. It also found that the partnership, though providing new and exciting opportunities to deviate from the traditional preparation model, needed further development.
Teacher Retention Issues: How Some Principals are Supporting and Keeping New Teachers
Authors: Brown Kathleen M. , Wynn Susan R.
Published: January 2019

Beginning teachers continue to exit the classroom in alarming numbers, despite numerous recruitment and retention strategies. High teacher turnover rates result in a deficit of quality teachers and instruction; a loss of continuity and commitment; and time, attention, and funds devoted to recruitment versus support. The purpose of this empirical inquiry of teacher retention issues is to better understand the leadership styles of principals who lead schools that have low attrition and transfer rates. Through the use of semistructured interviews with 12 principals, as well as focus group interviews with 4 to 6 new teachers (i.e. teachers with 1 to 3 years of experience) at each of the 12 schools (n = 61), data were triangulated, and some common characteristics and successful strategies that principals use to support and retain teachers were identified and analyzed through the lens of professional learning communities. Findings indicate that the following principals are retaining teachers at a rate higher than that of their peers: principals with a keen awareness of issues affecting new teachers; principals with a proactive versus reactive approach in supporting new teachers; and principals with a commitment to professional growth and excellence for themselves their students, and their teachers (new and veteran alike).
Exploring Success-Based Learning as an Instructional Framework in Principal Preparatory Programs
Authors: Schechter Chen
Published: January 2019

The professional expertise of educational leaders has been defined through the lens of problem-solving processes. Problem-based learning has therefore become an increasingly popular instructional approach in principal preparatory programs. As such, this study represents an initial attempt to explore learning from success (i.e., success-based learning) as an alternative instructional framework in leadership preparation. The study explores what students in a principal preparatory program consider as affecting their ability to foster collective learning from success as a leadership practice strategy. Data analysis of interviews, reflective journals, and participant observations revealed the following themes: immediate results versus long-term learning processes, switching cognitive gears, legitimacy and legitimation, efficacy, criteria for measuring and choosing successes, time and space, generosity, and the principal's role. This study reinterprets principal preparation programs to include the collective process of learning from success, thus providing an alternative instructional framework on how to prepare principals for today's public school reality.
An Expansion of a Scholar's Social Justice Perspective: A Meeting at the Crossroads
Authors: Reed Latish C.
Published: January 2019

Using a life notes methodology (Bell-Scott, 1994; Dillard, 2000, 2006; Simmons, 2007), I use personal narratives to describe my epistemological influences on my approach to educational practice, research, and the preparation of school leaders. Second, I share personal accounts of how my social justice lens expanded to be inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered individuals. Finally, I draw four important lessons from my personal social justice journey for educators to incorporate within their social justice educational leadership curriculum. These lessons include helping students be reflective practitioners, acknowledging the baggage of misinformation and prejudice that they may bring to a social justice education, being able to connect with students at their points of advocacy, and reminding future leaders of their unquestionable responsibility to support all students regardless of their identities.
Constructing a Positive Intrasection of Race and Class for the 21st Century
Authors: Mccray Carlos R.
Published: January 2019

This article attempts to provide some transparency with regard to how the intersection of race and class negatively affects African Americans in their effort to fight for social justice with regard to classism. Based on the explicit historical attempt to definitively make race and class synonymous, such a manufactured intersection is powerfully ingrained within the American psyche, and it has successfully created a quagmire with middle-class Blacks in their effort to fight against class injustice—specifically, those who are discriminated against in our society because of their lack of educational pedigree, economic standing, and job occupation. Thus, this article attempts to infuse sociological theoretical concepts with strands of critical race theory to provide insight into the potential barriers of middle-class Blacks’ amalgamation with African Americans of lower-wealth communities.
Looking for Social Justice: Competing Perspectives as Methodological Instrument in a Study of School Leaders for Social Justice
Authors: Radd Sharon I.
Published: January 2019

This article describes research dilemmas recorded and analyzed while I studied school leaders for social justice. Data consist of (1) my observations, reflections, and memos from interviews with school leaders and social justice experts (as dissertation research), (2) my observations from national and international research conferences, and (3) observations from my practice of school leadership. These data challenged and disrupted my Marxist perspective because they revealed evolving and conflicting definitions and understandings of social justice in the scholarly lexicon and in practitioner discourse and action. As a result, Deweyan thought provided an analytical and interpretive frame with which to consider alternative interpretations of the data. As a methodological reflection, this article describes the limits of a monolithic theoretical orientation in research and practice; it then advocates for examining centers of familiarity with competing notions to improve the ethical and pragmatic outcomes of school eadership for social justice.
“At Every Turn”: The Resistance that Principals Face in Their Pursuit of Equity and Justice
Authors: Theoharis George
Published: January 2019

This article details the struggles that principals faced as they sought to enact an equity-oriented agenda. Utilizing a qualitative approach combined with principles of autoethnography, seven urban principals described the resistance they faced “at every turn” in their pursuit of equity and social justice. This resistance was produced by such factors as the scope of the principalship, the momentum of the status quo, obstructive staff attitudes and beliefs, privileged parental expectations, formidable bureaucracy, unsupportive central-office administrators, prosaic colleagues, a lack of resources, harmful state and federal regulations, and principal preparation. These leaders also explained the physical and emotional toll they experienced as a result of facing this resistance.
Beyond Relativism to Ethical Decision Making
Authors: Walker Keith D. , Donlevy J. Kent
Published: January 2019

This article examines the ethical conundrum of educational decision makers when faced with a plethora of conflicting value-based decisions. It offers an analysis of a well-known fable as the foil to demonstrate the problematic nature of ethical relativism and postmodern ethics in resolving that conundrum, while advocating the use of five core commitments that enable reasonable, consistent, and justifiable warrants for ethical choices.
Student Achievement and Principal Quality: Explaining the Relationship
Authors: Knoeppel Robert C. , Rinehart James S.
Published: January 2019

This study considered the question, how do principals influence student achievement? We adopted a direct-effects model with antecedent effects to measure the relationship between principal characteristics and student achievement. Using such a model, we postulated that preservice principal characteristics, such as training and experience, enable one to predict principals’ actions in the school setting that influence student learning. Findings reveal that principal characteristics were significant predictors of student achievement and so explained 3.9% of the variance in achievement. Findings also reveal that principals, as currently distributed, may not have the necessary training to implement change in an era of standards-based reform.
Money down the Drain: Mandated Professional Development
Authors: Kragler Sherry , Martin Linda , Kroeger Diane C.
Published: January 2019

Federal, state, and district policy mandates are increasingly affecting primary grade teachers—especially, those in at-risk schools, given that they face more mandated curriculum and professional development. This study investigated K–3 teachers in two inner-city schools as they navigated through various mandates. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed. The results indicated that the teachers attempted to make sense of the curricular changes and that they had confidence in their colleagues’ abilities. They were concerned about how to implement the expected changes from these mandates and what impact the mandates would have on their students’ achievements; however, little change was observed in their instruction.
The Need for Transformational Leadership in Singapore's School-Based Reform
Authors: Retna Kala S. , Ng Pak Tee
Published: January 2019

In Singapore, decentralization and school-based reforms are key words within the current education reform agenda. This article argues that a key success factor in this agenda is transformational leadership in school. With more autonomy given to the school, transformational leadership at the school level will facilitate the development of school culture and staff capacity, which will in turn facilitate bottom-up initiatives. This article reviews the literature on transformational leadership, reports some research on transformational leadership in schools in other countries, and draws on the results of previous research on transformational leadership in a Singapore school to support its argument.
The Nature and Function of Trust in Schools
Authors: Adams Curt M. , Forsyth Patrick B.
Published: January 2019

Our purpose was to advance and test a theoretical model of the nature and function of trust in schools. Unlike other studies, ours specified school trust as a latent construct manifested through parent and teacher trust perceptions. We hypothesized that trust would have a larger direct effect on collective teacher efficacy and achievement motivation than on school performance. Furthermore, we predicted that the total effects of trust on school performance would be stronger than the total effect of poverty. We used structural equation modeling to test our hypotheses. Results support the prediction that trust provides a lubricant for effective school performance by having more direct influence on social conditions than on actual performance. We also found that trust attenuates the negative relationship between poverty and school achievement.
Relationships among Principal Authentic Leadership and Teacher Trust and Engagement Levels
Authors: Bird James J. , Wang Chuang , Watson Jim R. , Murray Louise
Published: January 2019

This study examined the relationships among the authentic leadership style of school principals and the trust and engagement levels of their teachers in a county school district in a Southeastern state. The authenticity of the school principal was found to be significantly positively related to teacher trust and teacher engagement levels. The participant demographic measures held no relationships of significance with any of the components of the study. The results are discussed with regard to their implications for future research and the improvement of practice.
The Administrator as Action Researcher: A Case Study of Five Principals and Their Engagement in Systematic, Intentional Study of Their Own Practice
Authors: Dana Nancy Fichtman , Tricarico Katie , Quinn David M.
Published: January 2019

The purpose of this case study was to understand engagement in action research as a form of professional development for practicing principals and the subsequent knowledge constructed as a result. The research team followed five principals through 1 year of professional development, which focused on supporting each principal in the design and implementation of an action research project on one's own leadership practice. Data sources included artifacts, field notes, video- and audiotaped transcriptions of meetings, and interview transcripts. Two assertions with supporting evidence are reported First, the high-stakes testing environment and era of accountability dramatically shaped the topics of principals’ inquiries and the ways that they understood the inquiry process. Second, collaboration with other principals, regardless of felt time constraints, played a critical role in the ways that principals made sense of the action research process as well as their own practice as administrators, and it precipitated deeper thinking about school and administrative practice. This study revealed that action research provides administrators with opportunities to engage in meaningful professional development that affects their own practices, the practices of other principals, and those within their school communities, thus making the act of reflection systematic and intentional.
Leading Change under Pressure: An Examination of Principal Leadership in Low-Performing Schools
Authors: Finnigan Kara S. , Stewart Tricia J.
Published: January 2019

Through case studies of 10 elementary schools in Chicago, this article examines principal leadership in low-performing schools. The data include 331 interviews with teachers, administrators, external partners, and others over a 2-year period. Using transformational leadership as a lens, we found that principals in schools that moved off probation in a short period articulated the school vision, provided support and resources to teachers, established collaborative structures and norms, developed commitment to collective goals, and managed the school. Their leadership responses were closely linked to their interpretation of the accountability policy. All the principals centralized decision making. Our study suggests that districts should carefully assign to these schools leaders with appropriate knowledge and skills and reassign ineffective principals given the critical role that principals play in bringing about improvement under pressure.
An Examination of Differential Item Functioning on the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education
Authors: Polikoff Morgan S. , May Henry , Porter Andrew C. , Elliott Stephen N. , Goldring Ellen , Murphy Joseph
Published: January 2019

The Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education is a 360-degree assessment of the effectiveness of principals’ learning-centered leadership behaviors. In this report, we present results from a differential item functioning (DIF) study of the assessment. Using data from a national field trial, we searched for evidence of DIF on school level, geographic region, and urbanicity. We found evidence of intercept DIF for urbanicity on four items and slope DIF for urbanicity on one item, although all magnitudes were small to moderate. We conclude that the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education's items are not biased on the basis of these school characteristics, bolstering its use in schools around the country.
Developing an Industry-Education Community: The United Auto Workers/General Motors Quality Educator Program
Authors: Jacobson Stephen , Walline James
Published: January 2019

In this paper we review the evolution of the Quality Educator Program (QEP), a program sponsored by the United Auto Workers (UAW)/General Motors (GM) that employs school teachers, administrators, and college and university faculty each summer in GM assembly plants. The QEP provides educators and those in industry the unique opportunity to interact and observe one another in a common workplace for a 4–6 week time period. Participation in the QEP allows educators the chance to observe first-hand the UAW/GM's use of “quality networks.” We argue that quality networks hold promise for improving the day-to-day operation of public schools by allowing new and better relationships to develop among educational professionals, and between educators and the communities they serve.
Drawing on a Knowledge-Based Trust Perspective to Examine and Conceptualize Within-School Trust Development by Principals
Authors: Cosner Shelby
Published: January 2019

Research has revealed the importance of trust to schools and pointed to the central role that principals play in cultivating within-school trust, yet less is known about the ways that principals cultivate such trust. Moreover, divergent perspectives and varied contexts for examining trust have limited the transfer of trust scholarship to practice by principals as well as by those who prepare and develop principals. With these issues in mind, I examine and conceptualize ways that principals cultivate within-school trust as a means of advancing understanding and practice. A multidisciplinary review of trust theory and research led me to focus this investigation in several ways to be instructive related to the cultivation of within-school trust by principals. First, rather than examine myriad types of trust and trust processes, I center on the development of knowledge-based trust, a critical lens for considering the development of within-school trust given that it has been regarded as a primary mechanism for trust development within organizations. Second, I consider two important within-school trust referents that are directly or indirectly responsive to principal activity: trust in leader and trust between colleagues. From this perspective, I explore organizational benefits derived by trust in leader and by trust in colleagues; I also examine and conceptualize ways that principals cultivate both forms of within-school trust. Finally, I share implications for practice and future research.
Limited Control and Relentless Accountability: Examining Historical Changes in Urban School Principal Pressure
Authors: West Deborah L. , Peck Craig , Reitzug Ulrich C.
Published: January 2019

Influential texts have long identified principals as being essential to school success. Accordingly, high expectations and pressures have attended the principalship and affected the professionals who occupy it. This exploration asked three interrelated questions: What pressures have urban school principals typically faced, in the past and today? What new pressures have emerged? What effects have these pressures had on principals and the prospect for lasting urban school improvement? To answer these questions, historical and contemporary artifacts were analyzed, as well as data from interviews with 17 principals from one large urban district. Findings indicate that today, even more so than in the past, the urban principalship is characterized by extensive responsibilities and limited control, nested in a context of relentless accountability.
The Relationship between Adequate Yearly Progress and the Quality of Professional Development
Authors: Wolff Lori A. , McClelland Susan S. , Stewart Stephanie E.
Published: January 2019

Based on publicly available data, the study examined the relationship between adequate yearly progress status and teachers’ perceptions of the quality of their professional development. The sample included responses of 5,558 teachers who completed the questionnaire in the 2005–2006 school year. Results of the statistical analysis show a significant relationship between adequate yearly progress status and teachers’ agreement that professional development activities (1) advance teachers’ understanding of effective instructional strategies derived from scientifically based research; (2) forward teachers’ understanding of effective instructional strategies for improving student academic achievement; (3) are developed with extensive participation of teachers, administrators, and parents in the school of district; and (4) provide training to help teachers effectively use technology in the classroom to improve instruction and learning.
Taking it to the Streets: A New Line of Inquiry for School Communities
Authors: Boske Christa A. , Benavente-McEnery Lillian
Published: January 2019

Educators must develop effective ways of interacting and working with students of diverse backgrounds. In this 2-year study, home visits were utilized to build a stronger, more impactful learning community for all stakeholders. Participants included 2 school leaders, 1 school social worker, 9 teachers, 2 parents, and 4 elementary children. The theoretical framework involved the funds of knowledge stance and investigated how school leaders and teachers redefined their roles to engage with their school community. Findings indicate the critical influence of people's backgrounds, educational philosophies, and dispositions in building bridges between school and home and establishing meaningful relationships with students and families.
Lacking a Shared Vision: Practitioners and the Literature on the Topic of Strategy
Authors: Eacott Scott
Published: January 2019

Strategy is an ambiguous term in the field of educational leadership. This article reports on a study in which I sought to investigate how practicing school principals and the literature construct the concept. Specifically, I investigated the congruence between two sources of data: the transcribed texts of interviews with practicing principals and a systematic search of peer-reviewed journal articles extending over a 28-year period. The poor match between practitioners and the literature in how they portray the strategic role of school leaders challenges scholars and practitioners alike to reconsider the conceptualization of strategy. If strategy is to become a meaningful construct in the field, then a broader, more discursive lens is required; otherwise, the concept risks fading into obscurity or becoming little more than yet another adjectival form of leadership.
Revealing the Principal's Role in the Induction Process: Novice Teachers Telling Their Stories
Authors: Bickmore Steven T. , Bickmore Dana L.
Published: January 2019

As part of a larger study of two middle-grade schools, we interviewed novice teachers, their mentors, and administrators to determine their perceptions of various aspects of a multifaceted induction program. During the initial analysis, stories repeatedly surfaced about the administrator's role in the induction process. Reanalysis of the data revealed a higher frequency of stories about the administrator in relationship to other elements of induction. The narratives of novice teachers revealed the importance of the school administrator in the induction process. The principal positively contributed to teachers’ personal needs through interactions and orchestration of a healthy school climate.
Cultivating Students of Color: Strategies for Ensuring High Academic Achievement in Middle and Secondary Schools
Authors: Mayer Anysia P. , Tucker Shuana K.
Published: January 2019

Opportunity gaps are not just a phenomenon that exists among low-achieving and average students; they are a significant feature among high-performing students as well. We present a review of research-based practices that support students of color such that they achieve at high levels in middle and secondary schools. We identify five key strategies for success: close monitoring of students’ academic and social growth, access to high-quality curriculum, appropriate scaffolding to ensure academic success, academically oriented supportive peer groups, and opportunities for social and emotional growth.
Perceptions of Principal Leadership Behaviors in Massachusetts in the Era of Education Reform
Authors: Provost John , Boscardin Mary Lynn , Wells Craig
Published: January 2019

Perspectives of principal leadership behavior contribute to how principals and other school leaders understand the role of the principal in an era of significant educational reforms. A Q methodology was used with 30 principals, assistant principals, and other educational administrators working in a variety of roles and different types of districts to ascertain how the perceptions of the school leaders align with reform mandates. Data analysis identified one component that accounted for 41% of the variance observed in the ways that these administrators sorted 21 statements about principal leadership behavior. The quantitative analysis was completed as the first stage of the data analysis; the qualitative data were analyzed to triangulate and cross-check the results of the Q sort. The level of agreement among the participants demonstrates a shared understanding of the role of the principal and suggests that principal leadership aligns with the models of site-based management and instructional leadership that support educational reform.
The Role of Superintendents in Supporting Teacher Leadership: A Study of Principals’ Perceptions
Authors: Wells Caryn M. , Maxfield C. Robert , Klocko Barbara , Feun Lindson
Published: January 2019

This article documents a study in which principals were asked to examine the concepts related to the development of teacher leadership in their districts by responding to an original survey sent electronically via SurveyMonkey. Half the respondents were chosen from districts that were involved with a program identified as preparing teacher leaders; the other half had no program affiliation. This descriptive study used quantitative measures that revealed some differences between perceptions of principals in school districts based on involvement in teacher leadership programs. Principals from all schools reported that the role of the superintendent was important in developing teacher leaders, although they seldom experienced the support. The article concludes with suggestions for superintendents to consider as they use a research-based approach to changing the culture of their schools to include teacher leadership.
Beyond Coffee with the Principal: Toward Leadership for Authentic School–Family Partnerships
Authors: Auerbach Susan
Published: January 2019

This article problematizes conventional school–family partnerships, as geared toward narrow school agendas or mandates for collaboration, and documents efforts to lead more authentic partnerships as part of socially just urban schools. Just as meaningful parent involvement needs to go “beyond the bake sale,” so, too, must leadership for authentic partnerships go beyond symbolic activities such as coffee with the principal. Based on qualitative data from two studies of Los Angeles administrators in predominantly Latino immigrant schools, this article proposes a continuum for understanding varying approaches to leadership for partnerships and composes portraits of three school leaders dedicated to dialogue, parent advocacy, and community revitalization.
What Leadership Looks Like: Using Photography to See the School Leaders that City Youth Desire
Authors: Zenkov Kristien , Harmon James , Bell Athene , Ewaida Marriam , Lynch Megan
Published: January 2019

In the city setting in which this article's investigation took place, high school dropout rates have remained above 50% for better than three decades. This article reports on a photographic inquiry into urban youth's perceptions of the very institution of school, revealing reasons behind the multigenerational school disengagement represented by these graduation rate statistics. Relying on visually based mechanisms with which city students are already proficient, the findings suggest that these tools can provide previously inaccessible data on school detachment as well as deepen our perspectives on what these youth believe about school leaders and leadership.