bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Taking a Strengths-Based Focus Improves School Climate
Authors: Tschannen-Moran Megan , Tschannen-Moran Bob
Published: January 2019

The purpose of this study was to learn whether focusing on strengths through appreciative inquiry would be related to measurable changes in school climate and trust within a small urban school district. The district studied was a beleaguered, underperforming school district in the Midwest Rust Belt. Through an appreciative inquiry initiative, the district identified three areas of inquiry: student achievement and success, trust and respect, and community pride and involvement. The inquiries led to new initiatives in each area. A longitudinal study was conducted over 2 years, with data collected at two points, once 12 months before and again 12 months after the appreciative inquiry process was introduced. Significant improvements were shown in seven of the eight climate and trust variables assessed.
Leadership Coaching: Coaching Competencies and Best Practices
Authors: Wise Donald , Hammack Marc
Published: January 2019

Leadership coaching is now seen as a valuable tool to assist school leaders. Through a survey of school principals, this study identified specific coaching competencies used by leadership coaches that were perceived by principals to influence key best practices for schools. These best practices have in turn been correlated to increased student achievement in the literature. The findings have been incorporated into an instrument that can be used by coaches and clients to focus and refine their work together.
When Inclusion is Innovation: An Examination of Administrator Perspectives on Inclusion in China
Authors: Hu Bi Ying , Roberts Sherron Killingsworth
Published: January 2019

This article examines administrator perspectives of innovative services for the inclusion of young children with disabilities in regular preschool classrooms in China. Twelve directors from 12 pilot inclusion preschools in Beijing participated in this study. Qualitative interview results revealed the following sub-themes: definition, advocacy, teacher attitude, classroom concerns, resources, benefits of inclusion for children with disabilities, benefits of inclusion for children without disabilities, challenges of inclusion for children with special needs children, and challenges of inclusion for children without disabilities. Discussion and recommendations were provided on the basis of research findings.
The Mentoring and Induction of Educators of Color: Addressing the Impostor Syndrome in Academe
Authors: Dancy T. Elon , Brown M. Christopher
Published: January 2019

The professional development, mentoring, and induction of faculty of color are critical, given that they prepare education leaders and workers across educational contexts. In this article, we juxtapose the unique experiences of faculty of color with a critical review of impostor syndrome and other psychosocial stress disorders, as these phenomena potentially contribute to disparate trends among oppressed groups. Research suggests that faculty and scholars of color potentially reproduce impostor syndrome among school administrators, educational leaders, and the faculty they train. We cluster implications in five general areas of practice.
Redefining Leadership: Working Together to Change America's Education Paradigm and Prepare for Tomorrow's World
Authors: Futrell Mary Hatwood
Published: January 2019

America's education system is facing daunting challenges of equity engagement, and excellence. However, due to the increasing demands of being an educational leader, it is evident that no one person can address all the complex roles and responsibilities required of such positions today. Thus, an important component of the response to these challenges is redefining school leadership as a more distributive model. Beyond administrative skills, strong leadership is critical to addressing the disparities in our education system and developing collaborative advocacy (internal and external) for enhancing the quality and rigor of academic studies for all students. This article addresses educational leadership by first considering an earlier transformational period in our school system. It then focuses on some of the cultural, economic, and political challenges that will redefine education and schooling in the 21st century and why we need to develop new models of school leadership. Just as transformative changes were made a half century ago, so they can and must be made now.
Keeping the Fire Burning: The Evolution of a University–District Collaboration to Develop Leaders for Second-Order Change
Authors: Korach Susan
Published: January 2019

A university and a large urban district began collaborating in 2003 to intensify and customize the preparation of principals. District leadership viewed the principal as the keystone to improving academic achievement for all students. The university and district reciprocally collaborated on the design and implementation of this principal preparation program. From 2005, a case study research design consisting of document review, surveys, interviews, and observations has provided ongoing data for program development and district information. The experiences of the new leaders have informed both systems of their current organizational cultures and the barriers and levers for second-order change.
Principal Preparedness: Superintendent Perceptions of New Principals
Authors: Cray Martha , Weiler Spencer C.
Published: January 2019

National advocacy groups have undertaken significant efforts to define the performance capacities needed by principals to lead schools in this era of continuous improvement and accountability. There has been little articulation between the core skills essential to new principals and the leadership capacities of experienced peers. This study focused on the needs of new principals as noted by superintendents. This study posed an open-ended question to superintendents asking for a list of challenges observed in newly hired school principals. Superintendents identified three discrete areas of deficit: experience with and understanding of the range of demands faced by principals, understanding differentiated instructional practices and best practices, and functional use of personnel management strategies.
Professional Development for School Improvement: The Case of Indiana
Authors: Ruddy Anne-Maree , Prusinski Ellen
Published: January 2019

Drawing on data collected during an evaluation of Indiana schools receiving Title I 1003(g) School Improvement Fund grants in the 2008–2009 school year, this article explores how professional development can be used to support school improvement efforts. This article upholds the conclusion that when activities support the development of a collaborative community of educators and the effective use of data, professional development can be a vital element of school improvement efforts. By engaging teachers as leaders and learners, professional development can help to ensure that school improvement efforts are embraced by all staff and to prevent teachers from feeling isolated during the school improvement process.
“Are you Prepared to Defend the Decisions You've Made?” Reflective Equilibrium, Situational Appreciation, and the Legal and Moral Decisions of School Leaders
Authors: Pauken Patrick
Published: January 2019

This purpose of the study was to explore moral literacy and legal reasoning through educational leadership decision making. Participants in the study were students enrolled in a law and ethics course in an educational leadership graduate program. Each student drafted a personal code of ethics at the beginning of the course. Throughout the course, aspects of law, ethics and leadership were examined from a problem-based, case study approach offering students opportunities to examine school leadership decision making through legal and ethical lenses. At the end of the course, students wrote a reflection essay on the content studied, with a connection back to their personal codes and the relationship that those codes have to their legal knowledge, moral reasoning, and professional decision making in leadership. Respondents’ essays reflected each legal theme covered in the course, bringing ethical leadership to the study and practice of law. In addition, the essays illuminated ideas of reflective equilibrium and situational appreciation, both of which speak not only to the students’ personal codes of ethics but also to the approaches that the students bring to professional decision making. Educational leaders bring their personal ethics to the professional decisions they make and, as a result, to the defenses of those decisions. In the end, the questions asked and answered by the statutes, regulations, and cases covered in the course are not merely legal. They are also moral. And the issues raised speak not merely to legal compliance; they speak to leadership.
The Importance of Belonging: Learning from the Student Experience of Democratic Education
Authors: Hope Max A.
Published: January 2019

This article grew out of an extensive piece of grounded theory research that explored students’ experiences of democratic education. A small democratic school in the south of England is used as a case study. Students in this school experienced a strong sense of belonging—to the school itself, with teachers, and with peers. This appeared to make a significant contribution to school outcomes. Data indicated that students’ sense of belonging was in part influenced by the democratic nature of the school, including its style of leadership. This resonated with existing literature. This article outlines key features of the school alongside empirical data about belongingness. A brief review of literature is provided. It concludes with a series of recommendations for practitioners.
Influence Matters: The Link between Principal and Teacher Influence over School Policy and Teacher Turnover
Authors: Jackson Karen M.
Published: January 2019

This study outlines the relationship between teachers’ and principals’ perceptions of their influence over policies within their school and teachers’ actual employment decisions—specifically, teachers’ decisions to stay (continue their affiliation with their school), to move (transfer to a different school), or to leave the teaching profession. This article outlines a theoretical orientation that brings the exercise of influence within an organization together with three theories of school leadership to focus on the extent to which teachers’ and principals’ perceptions of their exercise of influence over school policy affects teachers’ turnover decisions. Using data from the 1999-2000 Schools and Staffing Survey in a series of multinomial logistic regressions, the analysis finds that increases in teacher influence over school policy are associated with greater teacher job stability (stayers), whereas increases in principal influence over school policy are associated with a higher incidence of teachers leaving the teaching profession (leavers). This study highlights the important role that principals’ perceptions of their own influence over school policy play in teachers’ employment decisions and, therefore, the employment stability of teachers in their schools.
Socialization of Novice Teachers
Authors: Pogodzinski Ben
Published: January 2019

Guided by new structuralism theory, this study examined the context of novice teacher socialization, identified the frequency and substance of interactions between novice teachers and their mentors and other colleagues, and reported on novices’ evaluation of the support that they received. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with district human resource directors and teacher association presidents, as well as surveys of novice teachers in six districts in Michigan and five districts in Indiana. Findings suggest that researchers should examine the informal social structure within schools, which can mediate formal induction policy, and that administrators should institute a network approach to socializing novice teachers.
The Legal Aspects of Bullying and Harassment of Students with Disabilities: School Leaders’ Legal Obligations
Authors: Eckes Suzanne , Gibbs Jesulon
Published: January 2019

Research demonstrates that students with disabilities are harassed more than their nondisabled peers. Students with disabilities who have been severely harassed have argued that they are not receiving a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) as required by Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). A school district's failure to respond to known acts of harassment could result in district liability. In addition to IDEA, Title II of the American's with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) also prohibit school districts from discriminating against students with disabilities.

Employing traditional legal research methods, this paper examines the legal issues surrounding the bullying and harassment of students with disabilities. Legal cases involving disability-based harassment under the IDEA, the ADA, and Section 504 will be coded to determine implications for schools leaders. It is hoped that school leaders will gain a better perspective on disability law and their school's antibullying/harassment policy in order to minimize litigation and more importantly to provide a socially just public schooling environment for all students.
Teacher Unions and No Child Left behind Reconstitution: The Calm before the Storm
Authors: Mcneal Laura
Published: January 2019

This article examines the intersection of teacher unions, school reform and the No Child Left Behind Act. Specifically, this article highlights the legal challenges that school leaders are likely to experience as they attempt to implement No Child Left Behind Act's reconstitution mandates in failing schools, while not infringing on teachers’ legal rights. There is also a discussion of the discriminatory impact of NCLB reconstitution mandates on teachers of color and the legal and policy implications.
Teacher Perceptions of Principals’ Leadership Qualities: A Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Hauserman Cal P. , Ivankova Nataliya V. , Stick Sheldon L.
Published: January 2019

This mixed methods sequential explanatory study utilized the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, responses to open-ended questions, and in-depth interviews to identify transformational leadership qualities that were present among principals in Alberta, Canada. The first quantitative phase consisted of a random sample of 135 schools (with student populations in excess of 250 students) in Alberta, Canada. Selected teachers from these schools completed the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and additional open-ended questions to identify transformational leadership qualities among principals. An initial response rate of 55.1% (N = 744) was reduced to 37.7% (n = 509), as some surveys were not acceptable for data analysis. Teacher ratings of principals on the variables of extra effort, effectiveness, and satisfaction were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling. The survey results provided nominal categories used to stratify the principals based on transformational leadership qualities as perceived by teachers. In the second phase, qualitative data analysis occurred in two steps. Step 1 consisted of the analysis of the open-ended responses completed in Phase 1. This included 166 teachers who categorized their principals as highly transformational and 93 who viewed their principals as exhibiting low levels of transformational leadership. Step 2 consisted of in-depth telephone interviews conducted with nine selected teachers who had principals identified in the highest (n = 5) or lowest (n = 4) quartile of transformational leadership qualities. Schools were randomly selected to be represented in each quartile. Once the list of the 10 selected schools was compiled, individual teachers from the schools were asked to participate in a phone interview. The quantitative results indicated that the transformational leadership scores did not account for the differences in the variance of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire output variables. The qualitative interpretation of the open-ended responses and subsequent interviews allowed for concluding that teachers preferred school principals who displayed transformational leadership characteristics in the areas of idealized influence, individual consideration, inspirational motivation, and intellectual stimulation. This mixed methods study allowed for the researchers to identify qualitatively the transformational leadership qualities that were deemed the most desirable in principals based on teacher perceptions. It reinforced the need for principals to be cognizant of meeting the expectations of school-based personnel when implementing change. More research is required to determine methods of implementation and measurement of transformational leadership in the field of education. The educational importance of the information relates to administrator preparation and in-service development.
Learning-Focused Leadership in Urban High Schools: Response to Demanding Environments
Authors: Knapp Michael S. , Feldman Susan B. , Yeh Theresa Ling
Published: January 2019

This article traces how the work of instructional leadership in the urban high school embodies a response to particular pressures in the school's environment. Based on evidence from multiple–case study research in four urban districts, the article demonstrates how supervisory and nonsupervisory leaders fashioned responses to the district (and state) system of instructional guidance and support, accountability, and the press for data-based practice. The analysis shows that in schools that display evidence of progress on a learning improvement agenda, the responses to environmental pressures reflect active engagement with what the environment offers, rather than the reactive compliance that can so often accompany reforms that emphasize high-stakes accountability.
The Subtlety of Age, Gender, and Race Barriers: A Case Study of Early Career African American Female Principals
Authors: Jean-Marie Gaetane
Published: January 2019

While all educational leaders face challenges in achieving success, African American female principals often face a unique set of challenges associated with the complexity of their gender, race, and, as examined in this study, age. This case study investigates the experiences of two highly visible, early career African American female principals who confront barriers in their pursuit of the principalship and careers as principals. The primary research question for this study is, what are the experiences of highly visible, early career African American principals in a large urban school district? Specifically, how do age, gender, and race intersect in their professional experiences? Four findings emerged from the study: first, confronting the age barrier on the journey to the principalship; second, barriers at every turn—subtle sexism and racism; third, reaching its apex—the intersection of racism, sexism, and ageism; and, fourth, transcending race, gender, and age barriers—“this too shall pass.” Furthermore, implications for aspiring leaders and leadership preparation programs are presented to explicate how African American females and women in general can challenge barriers that continue to persist in educational leadership.
The Effects of Transformational Leadership and the Sense of Calling on Job Burnout among Special Education Teachers
Authors: Gong Tao , Zimmerli Laurie , Hoffer Harry E.
Published: January 2019

This article examines the effects of transformational leadership of supervisors and the sense of calling on job burnout among special education teachers. A total of 256 special education teachers completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory and rated their supervisors on the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. The results reveal that transformational leadership was negatively related to emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and positively related to personal accomplishment. Moreover, the present study indicates that the relationship between transformational leadership and teachers’ burnout was mediated by the sense of calling. This finding suggests that transformational leadership indirectly affects job burnout by developing a sense of calling in followers or helping them find meaning and purpose in their experiences through transformational leadership behaviors, which can ultimately protect followers from being exposed to emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and enhance the feeling of personal accomplishment.
Character in Action: A Case of Authentic Educational Leadership that Advanced Equity and Excellence
Authors: Beard Karen Stansberry
Published: January 2019

The third pillar of No Child Left Behind emphasizes determining which educational programs and practices have been proven effective through rigorous scientific research. This study addressed Davis, Darling-Hammond, LaPointe, and Meyerson's (2005) call for a “need for additional research to determine the impact and relative importance of leadership in such key areas as curriculum, assessment, and adaptation to local contexts” (p. 1). Through the lens of authentic leadership, as defined by Avolio and colleagues (Avolio, 2007; Avolio, Gardner, & Walumbwa, 2007; Avolio, Gardner, Walumbwa, Luthans, & May, 2004; Avolio & Luthans, 2006), the decisions made by a deputy superintendent to increase achievement gains and close the achievement gap in her large urban district were examined. Given the relevance and importance of authentic leaders who, as Darling-Hammond, LaPointe, Meyerson, and Orr (2007a) determined, “understand instruction and can develop the capacities for teachers and of schools are key to improving educational outcomes for all students” (p. 1), this study seemed timely. Reform efforts call for maintaining a strong commitment to accountability and flexibility for states and districts, with the assurance that “every classroom in every school is a place of high expectations and high performance” (Duncan, 2011, p.1). As states increasingly request waivers from key provisions of No Child Left Behind, committed, focused, authentic character in action is critical to the goal of closing gaps in achievement and increasing student achievement for all students.
Response to Intervention: Perspectives of General and Special Education Professionals
Authors: Bineham Susan C. , Shelby Liz , Pazey Barbara L. , Yates James R.
Published: January 2019

Federal legislation allows local education agencies to use a student's response to scientific research-based interventions as a method of identifying specific learning disabilities. As a result, educational leadership is challenged to implement response to intervention (RTI). Despite increased literature addressing RTI, no consensus on implementation has been reached. This national study was conducted to capture and report general education and special education professionals’ perceptions and implementation practices of RTI. Study participants were randomly selected to include general and special education administrative, instructional, or support personnel on elementary and high school campuses. The wide variances, misunderstandings, and lack of training reported in this nationwide study could explain the mixed results of recent research on RTI. Implications for school leadership are deduced from the data and highlight the need for pre-service and continuing professional development concerning all aspects of RTI.
From the Classroom to the Living Room: Eroding Academic Inequities through Home Visits
Authors: Johnson Eric J.
Published: January 2019

This article illustrates the experiences of teachers who conducted home visits as a way to cultivate sustainable avenues of school–home communication with families from an immigrant and/or language-minority background. The data stemming from these experiences are used to outline a sociocultural approach to conducting home visits and strengthening relationships with parents. This particular analytical lens addresses a significant gap in the literature concerning how educators across the K–12 spectrum should implement home visits. This article is especially relevant for school administrators seeking to establish what Auerbach (2012b) calls “leadership for authentic partnerships” with families and communities.
Planning for Principal Succession: A Conceptual Framework for Research and Practice
Authors: Russell Jennifer Lin , Sabina Lou L.
Published: January 2019

Many school districts struggle to recruit sufficient high-quality principals for their schools. A variety of conditions contribute to this challenge, including the retirement of the baby boom cohort and diminishing interest in administrative careers due to the expanded responsibilities of school principals. In response, districts enact a range of policies and programs explicitly aimed at identification and development of school leaders. Our study examined the actions taken by six districts drawing on the succession-planning perspective, which is common in the public and private sector management literature but less represented in education research. We found that intentional succession planning enabled districts to develop a pool of high-potential administrative candidates through integrated attention to candidate selection and development. While analyzing the effectiveness of “homegrown” leaders is beyond the scope of this inquiry, leaders in our six focal districts believed that they were able to increase the quality and effectiveness of their principals through intentional succession planning. We present a model for principal succession planning in education based on our empirical findings and on literature-based principles that can guide program design and future research.
Toward Developing Authentic Leadership: Team-Based Simulations
Authors: Shapira-Lishchinsky Orly
Published: January 2019

Although there is a consensus that authentic leadership should be an essential component in educational leadership, no study to date has ever tried to find whether team-based simulations may promote authentic leadership. The purpose of this study was to identify whether principal trainees can develop authentic leadership through ethical decision making in team-based simulations of cases that they had experienced. Fifty principal trainees volunteered to participate in the study. A four-dimension model of authentic leadership was constructed, which may suggest that leadership programs should include team-based simulations in ethical contexts to develop the authentic leadership of the future.
Perceptions of Principal Attributes in an Era of Accountability
Authors: Mosley Jahmal I. , Boscardin Mary Lynn , Wells Craig S.
Published: January 2019

This study investigated the perceptions of leadership attributes held by 35 principals who performed a Q-sort on 45 transactional, transformational, and laissez-faire leadership statements from the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. The factor and qualitative data analysis revealed two distinct groups of participants who sorted their cards similarly. Factor A members preferred attributes that were collective in mission, purpose, and goals to achieve organization objectives. Factor B members preferred attributes that expressed collegiality, collaboration, and a synergy for meeting the needs of the individuals. The study concludes with the introduction of a transformational mission-oriented collaborative leadership model based on a synthesis of the results. The strength of this study rests in the fact that it can be replicated in different environments and can accommodate the examination of multiple leadership attributes and thought processes supporting choices with regard to leadership styles.
Where's Houdini when you Need Him? Breaking Out of the U.S. Educational Reform Straightjacket to Reclaim our Democracy
Authors: Gross Steven Jay
Published: January 2019

Currently, educational reform has been narrowly defined to mean a combination of essentialism and market forces, thereby removing from our national dialogue other philosophical traditions, each having its own rich tradition and potential for guiding policy and practice. The purpose of this article is to problematize the concept of a monolithic definition of reform by providing multiple perspectives and thereby creating the basis for a robust debate among those holding opposing ways of seeking what they call educational reform. Specifically, I propose to accomplish in three ways. First, I briefly describe four philosophical traditions that have shaped education reform debates for the past century along with a newer force that has energized the debate. Second, I demonstrate the marriage between two of these traditions and how their ascendency now threatens to eclipse all other perspectives, thereby precluding a robust democratic debate about the future of education in America. Third, I conclude with suggestions to bring other reform philosophies back into our national debate so that we can return to a democratic national dialogue.
Catalysts of Change
Authors: Woulfin Sarah L.
Published: January 2019

Using framing theory to analyze reading coaches’ leadership practices, this article surfaces the competency of framing reform. It presents findings from a qualitative case study of coaches’ work in the implementation of a reading reform in an urban school district. As instructional leaders, coaches engaged in framing to catalyze change. The three focal coaches advanced frames with the aim to motivate teachers to enact aspects of the district's reading reform. Coaches employed four socially skilled tactics to increase the resonance of their frames. Coaches’ professional learning community, schools’ collaboration routines, teachers’ dispositions, and coaches’ previous work experiences affected when and under what conditions each coach deployed various tactics. This article advances our understanding of how school leaders strategically communicate with teachers about reform's ideas.
Public School Principals
Authors: Kohansal Rokhsareh
Published: January 2019

This article focuses on the leadership practices that four public school principals in two Northern California large urban school districts used during the process of implementing the state-mandated reading curriculum. These four school principals’ leadership approaches are described and analyzed through the lens of neoinstitutional theory to understand how they influenced instructional practices in their schools. The findings of this research suggest that the extent of school principals’ instructional, cultural, and political knowledge influenced their actions as agents of bridging and/or buffering.
Teacher Perceptions of Principals’ Confidence, Humility, and Effectiveness
Authors: Oyer Brenda J.
Published: January 2019

Humility in leadership has received growing scholarly attention in recent years. However, the literature is devoid of empirical studies of the relationship among humility, confidence (an attribute consistently linked to effective leadership), and leader effectiveness. This quantitative study examined the understudied relationships among these three constructs. In this study, 137 teachers from K–12 educational settings completed a survey measuring teachers’ perceptions of their principals’ confidence, humility, and leader effectiveness. Results showed that humility and confidence were strongly and positively related to each other and to leader effectiveness. The findings provide support for the importance of humility and confidence as attributes of effective leadership and have potentially important implications for educational leadership.
Seagulls and Eagles
Authors: Buckmiller Thomas
Published: January 2019

Historically, Native American students have lagged far behind their non-Native peers in education achievement. While no consensus exists in the research of effective school reform efforts, one factor does surface in report after report—strong school leadership. This qualitative case study analyzed data from in-depth interviews with four Native American school principals who recently completed an education leadership program designed for leaders of schools that serve Indian students either on or off the reservation. Based on Brayboy's (2006) TribalCrit theoretical framework, the analysis revealed themes related to the importance of having a Native American principal, understanding and being committed to the local and community values, and sorting out those Western schooling ideas that are not compatible to Indian cultures.
Communication Competence and Trust in Leaders
Authors: Sutherland Ian E. , Yoshida Roland K.
Published: January 2019

Trust is recognized as a critical component of effective leadership. One way trust forms is through the experiences in the history of communication transactions between individuals. This study was a first step to test the relationship between communication competence skills and trust in leaders. A sample of 1,138 international school teachers in the East Asian Regional Council of Schools responded to a survey which measured teacher perceptions of the communication competence and trustworthiness of their principal. The findings showed a significant relationship between the three communication competence factors and trust, and that the attentiveness-coordination factor was the strongest predictor of trust.
A Case of Teacher–Assistant Principals
Authors: Beltramo J. Luciano
Published: January 2019

Increasingly, teacher leaders are being asked to undertake administrative practices, particularly around instructional policy implementation. Yet little is known about this approach to teacher leadership in current educational contexts or how it may support teachers’ work as boundary spanners between administration and faculty. This case study explores the duties and collegial interactions of two teacher–assistant principals (teacher-APs) and examines the challenges and resources activated through their professional endeavors. Findings suggest that the teacher-APs served as consiglieres, instructional leaders, and mediators between faculty and administration. This work positioned the participants as boundary spanners, who activated resources around policy alignment but also faced substantial challenges like ambiguity, overload, and instructional trade-offs.
A Case Study of Technology Leadership in Situ
Authors: Hughes Joan E. , Boklage Audrey , Ok Min Wook
Published: January 2019

This research examined how technology leadership functioned in the first year of a tablet computer (iPad) learning innovation in one U.S. high school and its district. This article presents a descriptive case study of leader interactions that contributed to setting direction, providing professional learning, and making the organization technologically ready. Qualitative data, collected through interviews and observations, revealed a “bottom-up” innovation with “top-down” support. Yet, the school's entrenched structural and cultural practices undermined attempts to enact the learning-focused vision. This study emphasizes the need for a truly distributed vision, in which all organizational structures, practices, policies, and expectations are reconsidered.
Critical Issues in Teacher Leadership
Authors: Jacobs Jennifer , Gordon Stephen P. , Solis Rachel
Published: January 2019

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify (1) teacher-leaders’ descriptions of their roles and activities, (2) perceptions of characteristics, knowledge, and skills of successful teacher leaders, (3) barriers to and support needed for teacher leadership, (4) the extent to which teacher leaders helped teachers understand and respond to different cultures, and (5) the rewards of teacher leadership. Phase I of the study consisted of a survey of 177 teacher leaders across eight states representing all regions of the country. In Phase II we conducted interviews with 20 of the survey respondents to supplement survey data. Findings point to the complex nature of the roles and activities of teacher leaders. The data have implications for teacher leadership preparation and the ongoing support teacher leaders will need to actualize their roles within schools.
Exploring the Role of the School Principal in Cultivating a Professional Learning Climate
Authors: Cherkowski Sabre
Published: January 2019

This case study was initiated to gain a deeper understanding of the learning journey of one principal in a rural, secondary school. Three findings emerged from the data: (1) creating a shared vision tor learning emerged as the principal worked to cultivate a sense of possibility for change in the school; (2) a more personal approach to learning was important for creating a climate of hope and trust among the teachers; and (3) modeling a commitment to publically shared professional learning was a key element in cultivating a learning climate among teachers. Attending to complexities of particular cases of school leadership adds new layers of description to the current understanding about the role of the school principal in leading learning communities.
Defining “Comparable”: An Analysis of Reduction in Force Provisions in Ohio School Districts
Authors: Ingle W. Kyle , Willis Chris , Herd Ann
Published: January 2019

Guided by Honig and Hatch's (2004) conceptualization of bridging and buffering, we undertook an analysis of reduction in force (RIF) provisions from 546 Ohio teacher collective bargaining agreements. We asked the following question: Are the most disadvantaged school districts providing greater protections to tenured teachers when making RIF decisions? Logistic regression analysis revealed a negative relationship ( p < 0.05) between the percentage of students within the district living in poverty and bridging to state efforts to reform the use of seniority alone in RIF decisions.
Principals Going above and Beyond: Understanding Organizational Citizenship Behavior among School Principals
Authors: Nutov Liora , Somech Anit
Published: January 2019

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) refers to all behaviors outside the formal role definition but which contribute to organizational functioning and performance. To date research has focused on teachers’ OCB in an attempt to identify the causes and consequences of such behavior for the individual and the organization. Questions that have yet to be addressed in the literature are: Do principals also engage in OCB? And if so, how do they interpret OCB, and what are its characteristics?

Since this is the first study to inquire into the phenomenon of OCB in the context of principalship, the qualitative method was chosen for the investigation. Fifteen post-elementary school principals were interviewed. Our findings identified four categories of principals’ OCB: effort invested in the school community; initiatives; supporting the local community; and other exceptional behaviors. We conclude by delineating the findings’ theoretical and practical implications and by introducing a proposed platform for new directions in OCB research.
Within-School Differences in Professional Learning Community Effectiveness: Implications for Leadership
Authors: Voelkel Robert H. , Chrispeels Janet H.
Published: January 2019

Research suggests effective professional learning communities (PLCs) enhance teacher collaboration and student achievement. Within-school variation in PLC processes, however, is underexplored. This study highlights differences in teacher behavior and teams’ perceptions of principal leadership in well-functioning teams versus less well-functioning ones. Analysis of interviews of principals and team members showed teams differed in intensity of analysis of student work and the level of changes in instructional practices. High-functioning teams felt supported by the principal while the less well-functioning teams did not. These findings suggest the need for more active principal facilitation of PLCs to achieve full benefits.
Assistant Principals’ Perceptions of Value Added to School Success
Authors: Sun Anna , Shoho Alan R.
Published: January 2019

With the quantitative and G-theory methodologies, this study investigated the perceptions of assistant principals in the states of Pennsylvania and Texas about their evolving roles and responsibilities. The research results suggest there was consistency in terms of the importance of the 56 school activities to the success of schools in teaching and learning as rated by assistant principals. Most of the 56 activities were considered important to teaching and learning by assistant principals regardless of their gender, age, years in present position, and years of experience in education, although there was still some unexplained variability in each assistant principal's rater group.
Central District Office Leadership for Diversity and Equity: Constraints and Opportunities for Policy Intermediaries
Authors: Mattheis Allison
Published: January 2019

This article reports the findings of a multiyear investigation of school district central office directors of diversity and equity in Minnesota, who play an important role in school desegregation/integration policy implementation. Ethnographic and survey data were collected to examine a range of leadership activities and perspectives in communities across the state that received state funding for integration programming. In this article, I present findings that illustrate the role of integration leaders as boundary-spanning policy intermediaries who navigate competing frames of meaning about the purpose and value of diversity in learning environments. Learning from these school district leaders’ focus on educational equity in the context of changing demographics offers opportunities to address local community needs more directly.
Sense-making of Federal Education Policy: Social Network Analysis of Social Media Discourse around the Every Student Succeeds Act
Authors: Curran F. Chris , Kellogg Ann T.
Published: January 2019

Grounded in the sense-making literature, this study explores the discourse around and sentiment toward the newly passed Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) as discussed on the social media platform Twitter. The study explores the characteristics of and connections between users, the content of posts, and the sentiment toward ESSA. Data consisted of 12,544 tweets posted by 8,063 users analyzed through discourse analysis and social network analysis. Findings suggest that the discourse appears generally nonnegative with a clear pattern of clustering around sentiment. This suggests that users are in discourse with other users who share their view of the law. Discussion of policy issues such as local implementation and equity were common as were discussions of teacher preparation and comparisons to NCLB. Implications for the ongoing implementation of ESSA are discussed.
Supportive Principals and Black Teacher Turnover: ESSA as an Opportunity to Improve Retention
Authors: Campoli Ayana Kee
Published: January 2019

In U.S. public schools, the shortage of teachers of African descent specifically, and teachers of color more generally, is a worsening problem that has severe, detrimental effects on students. This shortage of Black teachers is driven in part by high turnover, much of which is precipitated by the poor working conditions in their schools. In this study, I analyze data from a sample of approximately 1,600 Black teachers who participated in the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS, 2007–2008). My findings about the role of supportive principals have implications for how state departments of education should use Every Student Succeeds Act funds.
Putting the Public Back in Public Education: Community Advocacy and Education Leadership under the Every Student Succeeds Act
Authors: Sampson Carrie , Horsford Sonya Douglass
Published: January 2019

In this article, we argue that ESSA provides a unique policy window for district-level leaders to advance an equity agenda by working closely with local community advocates. Drawing from a larger qualitative, multiple case study on the role of school boards in three U.S. Mountain West school districts, we focus on community advocacy committed to expanding educational equity and opportunity for underserved Black, Latinx, and English learner students Guided by community equity literacy as an organizing framework grounded in the literature on school–community relations, partnerships, and collaboration, we find that community advocates, who in some cases became school board members, identified educational inequities through various forms of knowledge, and then took deliberate actions to dismantle inequities in their respective school districts. We conclude with recommendations for how district-level leaders might leverage community advocacy and education leadership at the local level under ESSA.
Policy Brief: Using ESSA to Improve Secondary English Learners’ Opportunities to Learn through Course Taking
Authors: Callahan Rebecca M. , Hopkins Megan
Published: January 2019

The 2015 federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) affords states flexibility in adopting accountability measures that assess opportunity to learn, and requires that state and district leaders use evidence-based interventions to address any inequities. For English learners (ELs) at the secondary level, one important measure of opportunity to learn is access to and completion of rigorous, college preparatory coursework. Drawing from ESSA's definition of “evidence-based,” which aligns closely with requirements for EL programs outlined by Castañeda, we propose course taking as a valid and reliable statewide indicator of student success, and offer recommendations for local interventions that would support secondary ELs’ opportunity to learn
The Administrative Internship: Effective Program Characteristics
Authors: Chance Edward W.
Published: January 2019

This paper represents a synthesis of characteristics of effective internship field experiences and programs. The internship serves an important function in the preparation of educational administrators, as it bridges the gap between classroom preparation and professional practice. An effective internship program may be designed in several ways, but it is the conclusion of this paper that the internship should address several general areas.
Administrative Considerations for Development and Implementation of Dropout Prevention Projects
Authors: Addis Sandy
Published: January 2019

Pilot programs that serve at-risk students have identified planning and management considerations that are unique to dropout prevention and are applicable to a variety of project designs. Dropout rates and other measures of success are elusive and must be standardized before a project begins. Staff selection, duty assignments, and work loads are different for at-risk educators; they are crucial to project success. Reduction in the true dropout rate impacts other measures of school effectiveness, and this impact must be anticipated. These conclusions are based on district-wide implementation of a multi-component pilot project under the U.S. Department of Education's Dropout Demonstration Assistance Program. Early consideration of this information by educators who plan and implement dropout prevention programs is essential for long-term project success.
High Retention Rates, No Dropouts among Hispanic Students in California High Schools
Authors: Pulido J. Alex
Published: January 2019

One of the nation's most serious problems is the high dropout rate among Hispanic students in public school systems throughout the country. The consequences to youth who drop out and to the nation's economic and social well-being is obvious. The investigator has collected data and looked at school systems throughout California with low dropout rates among Hispanic students. Programs and factors which have a positive influence on retention and keep students from dropping out have been identified. Other pertinent data that have been investigated, ncluding academic achievement, staffing patterns, discipline programs, and leadership correlate well with low dropout rates.