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Title: BREAKING THE MOLD: IMPLEMENTING RADICAL INNOVATION AT THE DISTRICT AND SCHOOL LEVELS.
Creator: Holcombe, Joseph, Shockley, Robert, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
Abstract/Description: Very little research exists around the implementation of innovative practices in traditional public schools. However, research indicates that innovation and creation of an organizational culture and climate that fosters innovation are both practices associated with improvement in overall organizational performance. This study aims to examine leadership practices, both at the school and district levels, which support the implementation of a radical innovation in traditional public schools....
Show moreVery little research exists around the implementation of innovative practices in traditional public schools. However, research indicates that innovation and creation of an organizational culture and climate that fosters innovation are both practices associated with improvement in overall organizational performance. This study aims to examine leadership practices, both at the school and district levels, which support the implementation of a radical innovation in traditional public schools. Specifically, this study asks three key questions: How did the plan to implement personalized learning develop, how did district and school leaders gain acceptance for the implementation, and how did Very little research exists around the implementation of innovative practices in traditional public schools. However, research indicates that innovation and creation of an organizational culture and climate that fosters innovation are both practices associated with improvement in overall organizational performance. This study aims to examine leadership practices, both at the school and district levels, which support the implementation of a radical innovation in traditional public schools. Specifically, this study asks three key questions: How did the plan to implement personalized learning develop, how did district and school leaders gain acceptance for the implementation, and how did school leaders manage school climate change during the implementation? In this context, radical innovation is defined as an innovation that significantly changes the ways in which the school organization operates and delivers education to students (Zaltman, Duncan, & Holbek, 1973).
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013537
Subject Headings: Public schools, Innovation, School leadership
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Relationship between Principal Cultural Intelligence and Graduation Rates of Black and Latinx Students: A Study of Cultural Responsiveness in Public High School Principals.
Creator: Stefanovic, Melanie Ann, Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
Abstract/Description: Our nation’s culturally diverse public school students require transformative social justice school leadership that values, affirms, and includes all cultures. Studies focused on educational leadership for diverse student populations increasingly center around cultural responsiveness just as empirical studies on cultural intelligence (CQ) outside the field of education are also proliferating. This study was built upon a conceptual framework that highlights the overlaps between culturally...
Show moreOur nation’s culturally diverse public school students require transformative social justice school leadership that values, affirms, and includes all cultures. Studies focused on educational leadership for diverse student populations increasingly center around cultural responsiveness just as empirical studies on cultural intelligence (CQ) outside the field of education are also proliferating. This study was built upon a conceptual framework that highlights the overlaps between culturally responsive school leadership (CRSL) and the multi-dimensional framework of CQ. Based upon evidence of CQ as an antecedent to a number of positive outcomes in culturally diverse settings, the purpose was to uncover the extent to which principal CQ predicts Black and Latinx students’ high school graduation rates. Data collection involved the 20-item Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS) (Ang et al., 2007) and federal data on high school graduation rates for Black, Latinx, and White students. The sample was drawn from 18 of the state’s 67 districts, and included 28 principals with a tenure at their current schools of three years or more. A bivariate correlation analysis, a multiple regression analysis, estimators of cross-validated R2, a test of differences of R2, and moderation tests were conducted using a new program developed by Morris and Lieberman (2021). Four significant correlations were detected. Black student graduation rates positively correlated to metacognitive CQ and the combination of cognitive CQ, motivational CQ, and behavioral CQ. Cognitive CQ and motivational CQ correlated to one another, as were cognitive CQ and metacognitive CQ. Results indicated that CRSL plays a positive role in education, with particular promise for Black students. However, results could not be cross-validated from the sample to the population. Furthermore, race/ethnicity did not moderate the relationship between graduation rates and CQ and its subscales. Limitations included a lack of power related to the small sample, the use of a course metric (graduation rates) with limited variance as an outcome variable, and the challenges inherent in investigating an indirect relationship such as that between principal and students. This study has begun the task of filling the CQ gap in the educational leadership literature, and recommendations for greatly needed additional research are made.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013682
Subject Headings: School leadership, Educational leadership, Cultural intelligence
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: TRANSITIONAL TURBULENCE: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE, POWER, AND AN INCOMING PRINCIPAL.
Creator: Varo-Haub, Amy L., Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
Abstract/Description: This qualitative case study explored the changing relationships and cultural evolution that occurred over the course of the initial year of a principal transition within a private upper school. Collected data included interviews, observations, and documents. All data were reviewed and analyzed in order to understand the experience that the transitioning principal, administrators, faculty, college counselors, and staff encountered during the course of the transition. The conceptual framework...
Show moreThis qualitative case study explored the changing relationships and cultural evolution that occurred over the course of the initial year of a principal transition within a private upper school. Collected data included interviews, observations, and documents. All data were reviewed and analyzed in order to understand the experience that the transitioning principal, administrators, faculty, college counselors, and staff encountered during the course of the transition. The conceptual framework of this study was based on a social constructivist mindset and was ethnographic in nature: the researcher understood and defined the culture and transition experience through data synthesis, revealing varied interpretations of the culture and transition on the place and self.
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Date Issued: 2019
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013424
Subject Headings: Corporate culture, School principals, Educational leadership
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Relationships Among the Behavioral Agility of School Leadership Teams, Culture, and Performance.
Creator: Shaw, Carletha B., Shockley, Robert, Morris, John D., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: This quantitative, non-experimental study was conducted to investigate the relationship among the behavioral agility of school leadership teams, school culture, and school performance. Additionally, the study sought to determine whether the influence of these variables and/or their relationships are modified by alterable and unalterable characteristics of the school. The study utilized Pisapia’s (2009) Strategic Leader Questionnaire (SLQ) to measure school leadership team’s behavioral agility...
Show moreThis quantitative, non-experimental study was conducted to investigate the relationship among the behavioral agility of school leadership teams, school culture, and school performance. Additionally, the study sought to determine whether the influence of these variables and/or their relationships are modified by alterable and unalterable characteristics of the school. The study utilized Pisapia’s (2009) Strategic Leader Questionnaire (SLQ) to measure school leadership team’s behavioral agility in using five leadership influence actions (managing, transforming, bridging, bonding, and bartering). Cameron and Quinn’s (2005) Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) was used to determine if the school’s dominant organizational culture type (adhocracy, clan, hierarchy, or market) mediated the behavioral agility of school leadership teams and school performance. The study included 65 schools and approximately 1,500 classroom teachers from a very large urban school district located in the Southeast United States. The results indicate that behavioral agility, unidimensional and multidimensional factors, were significantly correlated to each organizational culture type, with the exception of the managing behavior subfactor in clan and adhocracy cultures. Student suspension moderated the relationship between behavioral agility and school culture. There was no relationship found between school culture and school performance; however, it was found that minority percentage negatively correlated market culture and school performance and student attendance negatively correlated both hierarchy and market cultures and school performance.
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Date Issued: 2018
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005966
Subject Headings: Educational leadership, Organizational culture, Schools, Agility
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An analysis of opportunities for middle and high school principals to develop public speaking skills for effective educational leadership.
Creator: Agnon, Doris Stahl., Florida Atlantic University, Gray, Mary B.
Abstract/Description: Recognized leadership skills generally include communication skills and public speaking ability. Some children develop leadership and public speaking skills early in life. Some high schools and colleges emphasize public speaking. Adults frequently enroll in seminars such as Dale Carnegie programs or join organizations such as Toastmasters International. The researcher's own years of teaching and speaking experience have led her to believe in the potential value of public speaking for children...
Show moreRecognized leadership skills generally include communication skills and public speaking ability. Some children develop leadership and public speaking skills early in life. Some high schools and colleges emphasize public speaking. Adults frequently enroll in seminars such as Dale Carnegie programs or join organizations such as Toastmasters International. The researcher's own years of teaching and speaking experience have led her to believe in the potential value of public speaking for children, adults, and leaders in education organizations. Principals must speak competently and professionally. The purpose of this study was to determine how and when secondary school principals learned public speaking skills. The research also assessed their public speaking involvement and the importance they placed on public speaking for themselves, their staff, and their students. The researcher developed a questionnaire which was distributed to 101 middle and high school principals in Broward and Palm Beach county school districts in Florida. Completed responses were received from 52 principals. The most frequently cited-preparations for public speaking were college and high school courses. Public speaking skills were learned during high school and college years for 32 respondents. Only two had taken a Carnegie or Toastmasters course. Six principals said Carnegie or Toastmasters Youth Leadership type programs were offered in their schools, but 33 said they would be interested or wanted additional information. The principals most often cultivated public speaking skills by encouraging teachers to invite students to speak in class, inviting teachers and students to speak at assemblies, or by having drama clubs or debate teams. The last question was, "How important is public speaking in what you do today?" Very important was checked by 48 principals; somewhat important was checked by the remaining four respondents. The researcher believes that public speaking should be cultivated at all levels of education. Future research may consider whether resiliency of at-risk students could be enhanced by offering formal training in public speaking. The findings support the researcher's hypothesis that if school administrators recognize the importance of public speaking in their own experience, they are more likely to support its development among staff and students.
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Date Issued: 1999
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12612
Subject Headings: School principals, Educational leadership, Public speaking
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: PERCEIVED IDEAL LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOR OF PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS IN FLORIDA (SUPERINTENDENTS, KEY DESIGNATED ADMINISTRATORS, FIVE REPORTING REGIONS).
Creator: BECKER, KENNETH RAYMOND, Florida Atlantic University, Smith, Lawrence E.
Abstract/Description: Procedure. The Ideal Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire (ILBDQ) was the instrument used with 516 respondents in this study. The ILBDQ provided an Initiating Structure score and Consideration score for each respondent. Findings. On a statewide basis, among participants, no significant differences in perception were observed at the .05 level of confidence except for high school principals on the Consideration dimension. Also, certain significant differences were observed between some...
Show moreProcedure. The Ideal Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire (ILBDQ) was the instrument used with 516 respondents in this study. The ILBDQ provided an Initiating Structure score and Consideration score for each respondent. Findings. On a statewide basis, among participants, no significant differences in perception were observed at the .05 level of confidence except for high school principals on the Consideration dimension. Also, certain significant differences were observed between some regions and within some regions. Differences were noted by years of academic experience, degree earned, age of respondent, and/or position held. Recommendations. (1) Incorporate variables of administrative level, region, years of experience, degree, and age in the development of principal competencies. (2) Initiate follow-up studies using the same methods to determine the impact of competency training. Include elementary and middle school principals and compare results. (3) Investigate the regions that are most widely divergent and explore the cause(s) of divergence. (4) Initiate a follow-up study of a comparison of the items on the ILBDQ with the Florida principal competencies.
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Date Issued: 1984
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11854
Subject Headings: Leadership
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Principals' perceptions of professional learning communities.
Creator: Ball, Louise A., Florida Atlantic University, Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia
Abstract/Description: This multi-site case study focused on principals who participated in a unique professional development model: a learning community. The study was twofold. First, research was conducted in order to describe the experiences and perceptions of principals involved in a professional learning community and second, to understand how participation in a professional learning community influences principals' thinking and leadership practice. This inquiry was conducted in two districts located in the...
Show moreThis multi-site case study focused on principals who participated in a unique professional development model: a learning community. The study was twofold. First, research was conducted in order to describe the experiences and perceptions of principals involved in a professional learning community and second, to understand how participation in a professional learning community influences principals' thinking and leadership practice. This inquiry was conducted in two districts located in the northeast and southeast parts of the United States. The sample consisted of twenty-one participants: sixteen principals, four learning community coaches, and one administrative director. Data was collected from 21 interviews, 39 hours of observations, and 66 documents. The study revealed nine major findings. The research found that the learning community provided a new level of professional development for principals and eliminated isolation. It was found that the demands of the principal's position limit the depth of involvement. The role of the learning community coach is significant. It was also found that challenges exist in sustaining the learning community. Goals of the learning community emerged as the group developed and perceptions of principals' work varied. Further, membership in the learning community fostered the principal's role as lead staff developer. Finally, there was evidence that changed professional practice and thinking exists for principals who participated in the learning community. Recommendations for design, establishing a system of accountability, promoting district and state support, and future research are provided. The design of the learning community needs a clearer, more defined role of the principal. A system of accountability, including documentation and evidence of improved performance may assist by giving credibility to the model. Documentation and evidence may also enlist the support of the district and state, which is greatly needed for sustaining this model. Finally, further research is needed regarding professional development for principals, particularly learning communities.
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Date Issued: 2004
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12074
Subject Headings: Career development, Educational leadership, School principals
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Mentoring across multiple generations of school leaders.
Creator: Andrews, Janis., Florida Atlantic University, Bogotch, Ira
Abstract/Description: Higher expectations for student achievement, administrative shortages, and more diverse emotional, social and learning needs of students, make the job of the educational leader a challenging one for today's school principals and district administrators. Superintendents and educators across the nation report a shortage of qualified candidates to fill principal vacancies. Mentoring was studied as a strategy to support the retention and development of school leaders. This phenomenological study...
Show moreHigher expectations for student achievement, administrative shortages, and more diverse emotional, social and learning needs of students, make the job of the educational leader a challenging one for today's school principals and district administrators. Superintendents and educators across the nation report a shortage of qualified candidates to fill principal vacancies. Mentoring was studied as a strategy to support the retention and development of school leaders. This phenomenological study focused on mentoring practices across multiple generations of educational leaders that had been successfully mentored. Selected mentors identified proteges whom they had mentored. The identification of mentors and proteges continued through five school leader mentoring generations. Each family consisted of five participants who had served as both mentor and protege. Each participant was asked open-ended interview questions about their roles as a mentor and as a protege. A total of 10 school leaders participated in this study. There were two interrelated research purposes of this study: (a) To understand the different meanings/practices of mentoring and being mentored, and further; (b) to explore whether there may be intergenerational patterns of mentoring that have been "inherited" by members of mentoring "families." In studying the relationship between mentoring and leadership development, the research design identified two distinct "families" of mentors and proteges. The significance of this design allowed the researcher to focus on "inherited" patterns of mentoring in order to better understand how mentoring might simultaneously promote cultural transmission and reproduction as well as the need for mutual and continuous learning. This study found that the cultural norms and values of Mentoring Family 1 and of Mentoring Family 2 were passed on from the first generation to the next through traditional mentoring and/or co-mentoring strategies. Mentoring strategies passed on from one generation to the next in both Family 1 and in Family 2 through mentors providing opportunities that opened doors that lead to advancement, socialization of proteges into new professional roles, and the development of trust and friendship. Role modeling and informal communication were the key learning strategies identified. These mentoring traits passed on relatively unchanged from one dyad to the next in both families.
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Date Issued: 2003
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12036
Subject Headings: Educational leadership, Mentoring in education, School principals
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: IDEAL LEADER BEHAVIOR OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL: EXPECTATIONS OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, AND PRINCIPALS.
Creator: YATES, EDRIS YORK, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: Problem. This study sought to answer the following research questions: (1) Is there a difference between the expectations of district administrators, teachers, and principals concerning the leader behavior dimension of Initiating Structure of the elementary school principal? (2) Is there a difference between the expectations of district administrators, teachers, and principals concerning the leader behavior dimension of Consideration of the elementary school principal? Procedures. Forty-five...
Show moreProblem. This study sought to answer the following research questions: (1) Is there a difference between the expectations of district administrators, teachers, and principals concerning the leader behavior dimension of Initiating Structure of the elementary school principal? (2) Is there a difference between the expectations of district administrators, teachers, and principals concerning the leader behavior dimension of Consideration of the elementary school principal? Procedures. Forty-five elementary school principals, forty-five teachers, and forty-five district administrators constituted the sample for the study. The Ideal Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire developed at Ohio State University was utilized to gather data. The research instrument yielded scores for each respondent along two subscales or dimensions, namely, Initiating Structure and Consideration. The statistical technique of one-way analysis of variance was used with the .05 level of significance selected upon which to evaluate the results. In addition, items were ranked according to importance as indicated by the responses of individuals in each group. Findings. (1) District administrators, teachers, and principals did not differ significantly in their expectations concerning the ideal leader behavior dimensions of Initiating Structure or Consideration of the elementary school principal. (2) District administrators, teachers, and principals expected the ideal principal to exhibit moderately high levels of Initiating Structure and Consideration. (3) Examination of item responses revealed dissimilarities as well as similarities between the expectations of the groups concerning the ideal principal. Recommendations. Research could be conducted to determine: (1) if moderately high Initiating Structure and Consideration behaviors are actually being exhibited by the principals as is expected by the reference groups, (2) the degree of relationship existing between the expectations of teachers and the principal in school centers, (3) if teachers in particular situational environments have different expectations for the ideal principal than do teachers in other environments, (4) if principals with particular leader behavior preferences are observed as being more effective in certain situations, and (5) why respondents expect the principal to behave in certain ways.
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Date Issued: 1980
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11763
Subject Headings: Elementary school principals--Florida, Leadership
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A COACHING CONNECTION FOR SCHOOL PRINCIPALS TO PREPARE ASPIRING LEADERS IN BUILDING AND SUSTAINING EQUITABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.
Creator: Policastro, Katherine Rena, Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
Abstract/Description: Demographics of the United States’ school system continue to change and diversify. Meeting the needs of diverse learners is critical to the success of all children. Building and sustaining equitable learning environments has proven to be a challenging task for school leaders. Barriers that hinder equity continue to plague schools and are rooted in systems of organizational injustice. Research suggests that leaders who are able to utilize socially just and culturally responsive leadership...
Show moreDemographics of the United States’ school system continue to change and diversify. Meeting the needs of diverse learners is critical to the success of all children. Building and sustaining equitable learning environments has proven to be a challenging task for school leaders. Barriers that hinder equity continue to plague schools and are rooted in systems of organizational injustice. Research suggests that leaders who are able to utilize socially just and culturally responsive leadership practices build and sustain equitable learning environments. School leaders have a large impact on the equity driven practices that exist within the organization; however, research indicates that they may not be prepared to lead such practices. Therefore, supporting the path of aspiring leaders through coaching, since they will eventually lead the charge, has great potential to be critical in the success of equity in our schools, and was the focus of this study. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore and describe the coaching relationship between the principal and aspiring leader in order to understand how this relationship furthers the development of the aspiring leader into a school leader devoted to building and sustaining equitable learning environments.
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Date Issued: 2023
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014355
Subject Headings: School principals, Educational leadership, Educational policy
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: MUSLIM WOMEN LEADING ISLAMIC SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES: THEIR STORY.
Creator: Shatara, Leila H., Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: The number of Islamic schools continues to increase in the United States and the majority of these schools are led by Muslim women (Islamic School League of America, 2021). Whether women in general or Muslim women specifically, research on women in leadership remains sparse; the need to document the stories of these leaders is imperative. Muslim women are targets of negative imagery in the media and are sometimes secondary players within their own communities because cultural traditions often...
Show moreThe number of Islamic schools continues to increase in the United States and the majority of these schools are led by Muslim women (Islamic School League of America, 2021). Whether women in general or Muslim women specifically, research on women in leadership remains sparse; the need to document the stories of these leaders is imperative. Muslim women are targets of negative imagery in the media and are sometimes secondary players within their own communities because cultural traditions often overshadow religious rights. Islam is clear on the position of women as equal to men as illustrated in Surah 33 Verse 35: The submitting men, the submitting women, the believing men, the believing women, the obedient men, the obedient women, the truthful men, the truthful women, the steadfast men, the steadfast women, the reverent men, the reverent women, the charitable men, the charitable women, the fasting men, the fasting women, the chaste men, the chaste women, and the men who commemorate Allah frequently, and the commemorating women; Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great recompense. As the above verse clearly identifies the status of men and women in the Quran, often Muslim communities, like much of the world, tend to judge women and treat women differently than their male counterparts. The reality is that both Muslims and non- Muslims have misconceptions about the position of women in Islam. This study provides a platform for Muslim women leading Islamic schools, their perspective, and is founded in a framework centered on Prophetic characteristics of leadership.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013964
Subject Headings: Muslim women, Muslim school principals, Educational leadership
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: THE HANDCUFFS OF POVERTY: AN ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN A LARGE URBAN DISTRICT.
Creator: Grasinger, Justin, Meredith Mountford, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
Abstract/Description: In this study, the researcher uses quantitative methods to examine the extent to which Title I funding helps public schools with large populations of economically-disadvantaged students increase student academic achievement in reading and math in grades 3–5, and whether the leaders of these schools utilize specific social justice actions identified through a review of literature. The researcher gathers grade level student proficiency data for students in grades 3–5 and performs a bivariate...
Show moreIn this study, the researcher uses quantitative methods to examine the extent to which Title I funding helps public schools with large populations of economically-disadvantaged students increase student academic achievement in reading and math in grades 3–5, and whether the leaders of these schools utilize specific social justice actions identified through a review of literature. The researcher gathers grade level student proficiency data for students in grades 3–5 and performs a bivariate correlation and a simple regression analysis to determine the extent to which identified schools receiving Title I funds are able to increase student proficiency rates over a three-year period. The researcher further analyzes the data through a social justice lens to determine possible social justice solutions to the persistent problem of the income-achievement gap.
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Date Issued: 2024
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014411
Subject Headings: Elementary schools, Social justice, Poverty, Educational leadership
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY OF SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT: THE CENTRALITY OF LEARNING FOR EFFECTIVE PRINCIPAL SUPERVISORS.
Creator: Green, Vivian Morris, Reyes-Guerra, Daniel, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
Abstract/Description: The role of principal supervisors has changed significantly, moving away from a focus on compliance and towards a greater emphasis on nurturing principals' instructional leadership skills. As a result of this evolution, there is now an increased presence of supervisors in schools, but there are no clear guidelines for their activities. This study aims to fill this gap by developing a theory that explains how principal supervisors can effectively support principals in their roles. The insights...
Show moreThe role of principal supervisors has changed significantly, moving away from a focus on compliance and towards a greater emphasis on nurturing principals' instructional leadership skills. As a result of this evolution, there is now an increased presence of supervisors in schools, but there are no clear guidelines for their activities. This study aims to fill this gap by developing a theory that explains how principal supervisors can effectively support principals in their roles. The insights gained from this study will have significant implications for the future training and professional development of principal supervisors, which aims to improve the effectiveness of principal leadership and, in turn, enhance student outcomes. The study seeks to answer the key research question: "How do principal supervisors and their principals perceive how principal supervisors provide effective support?" Using a qualitative approach and grounded theory design, the study collected data through 15 semi-structured interviews involving three principal supervisors and 12 principals who had worked together for at least three years. The resulting grounded theory outlines a comprehensive framework that explains how principal supervisors can offer impactful support to principals.
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Date Issued: 2024
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014482
Subject Headings: School principals, Educational leadership, Educational administration, School management and organization
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: School principal influence actions, climate, culture, and school performance.
Creator: Miron, Bree J., Pisapia, John, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: This quantitative, non-experimental study was conducted to investigate the link between school principal influence actions, climate, culture, and school performance. Additionally, this study sought to determine if the influence of these variables or the relationship among them is altered by individual and/or institutional characteristics. The first phase of the study was conducted to determine whether or not the Customer Survey aligned to distinct dimensions. Two factors were identified:...
Show moreThis quantitative, non-experimental study was conducted to investigate the link between school principal influence actions, climate, culture, and school performance. Additionally, this study sought to determine if the influence of these variables or the relationship among them is altered by individual and/or institutional characteristics. The first phase of the study was conducted to determine whether or not the Customer Survey aligned to distinct dimensions. Two factors were identified: Staff Attitudes and Student Disruptions. The second part used regression to examine the relationships among four constructs and test the seven hypotheses.
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004307, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004307
Subject Headings: Critical pedagogy, Educational leadership -- Influence, School improvement programs -- Evaluation, School mangement and organization, School principals -- Influence
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Organizational servant leadership and its relationship to secondary school effectiveness.
Creator: Herbst, Joel David., Florida Atlantic University, Pisapia, John
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to determine if schools where higher degrees of servant leadership were practiced performed better than schools that practiced lower degrees of servant leadership. Servant leadership is the understanding and practice of leadership that places the good of those led over the self-interest of the leader. The characteristics of servant leadership include valuing people, developing people, building community, displaying authenticity, providing leadership, and sharing...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine if schools where higher degrees of servant leadership were practiced performed better than schools that practiced lower degrees of servant leadership. Servant leadership is the understanding and practice of leadership that places the good of those led over the self-interest of the leader. The characteristics of servant leadership include valuing people, developing people, building community, displaying authenticity, providing leadership, and sharing leadership. Variables utilized to determine the relationship between servant leadership and school effectiveness included the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) test scores in writing, reading, mathematics, annual learning gains in mathematics, annual learning gains in reading, annual learning gains made by the lowest 25th percentile of students, attendance, dropout rates, and critical incidents. Additionally, contextual variables were examined to determine their relationship between servant leadership and school effectiveness. Contextual variables included principal tenure, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and school size. The primary means of data collection for this exploratory quantitative non-experimental study were obtained utilizing the Organizational Leadership Assessment (OLA) instrument developed by James Laub (1999). This study gathered data from 24 high schools (N = 24) in Broward County, Florida. Each school was provided with 46 servant leadership surveys for completion by the school principal, 5 assistant principals, 12 department chairpersons, and 28 instructional staff members. A total of 1,104 servant leadership surveys were distributed and 884 were returned resulting in an 80 percent aggregate return rate. The data were subjected to correctional analyses utilizing a .10 level of significance due to the exploratory nature of the study. The major find of this study was that positive relationships were found to exist between servant leadership and student achievement. The study also found a relationship of bipolarity between servant leadership and ethnicity. However, the study did not find any significant relationship between other contextual variables and servant leadership. In general, in schools where greater degrees of servant leadership are being practiced, students are achieving at a higher rate than in schools were lower degrees of servant leadership are being practiced. The findings lend support to the conclusion that principals who embed the characteristics of servant leadership throughout their organizations may expect high levels of student achievement, particularly in mathematics, reading, and annual learning gains.
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Date Issued: 2003, 2003
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12066
Subject Headings: Educational leadership, School improvement programs, School principals, School management and organization
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: PRINCIPALS BUILD TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH NOVICE AND EXPERIENCED TEACHERS AND STRENGTHEN TEACHER RETENTION IN LOW-PERFORMING, UNDERSERVED URBAN SCHOOLS.
Creator: Kosches, Sara Melissa, Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
Abstract/Description: Teacher turnover is a problem in all types of schools at all levels and is especially troubling in low-performing, high minority, urban schools. School principals have the challenge of building relationships with teachers in order to improve teacher retention while also balancing the many tasks and responsibilities they have throughout the day. Principals of low-performing, urban schools have difficulty retaining teachers and are challenged with hiring qualified teachers as many teacher...
Show moreTeacher turnover is a problem in all types of schools at all levels and is especially troubling in low-performing, high minority, urban schools. School principals have the challenge of building relationships with teachers in order to improve teacher retention while also balancing the many tasks and responsibilities they have throughout the day. Principals of low-performing, urban schools have difficulty retaining teachers and are challenged with hiring qualified teachers as many teacher candidates turn down opportunities to work in their schools. Teachers willing to work in low-performing schools are often lower quality, for example they have temporary teaching certificates or are teaching out of their content area (Baugh, 2021; Darling-Hammond & Post, 2000; Peske & Haycock, 2006). This staffing challenge, combined with vacant positions, has a negative impact on student achievement (Ronfeldt et al., 2013). This study explores the impact of school leadership on teacher retention in an urban school district specifically focusing on high minority, low-performing, underserved schools. This qualitative multi-site case study explored ways that principals in four low-performing, urban schools in Miami-Dade County established and sustained relationships with novice and experienced teachers as they managed their day-to-day activities. The research was guided by the research question: How do school principals develop and sustain trusting relationships with teachers at low-performing schools and how do these relationships impact teacher retention? Data was collected through principal interviews, focus groups with novice and experienced teachers, and document reviews. Case data was analyzed individually and through a cross-case analysis.
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Date Issued: 2023
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014308
Subject Headings: Teacher turnover, Urban schools, Low-performing schools, Educational leadership, School principals
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Examining the Impact of a Leadership Team’s Cognitive and Behavioral Agility on Student Achievement in Broward County Middle Schools.
Creator: Grant, Shernette D., Reyes-Guerra, Daniel, Pisapia, John, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: The extant literature on school leadership is bifurcated around the question: Are leaders important, or, is leadership important? Many who think leaders are important, do so because they believe the school’s tone, values, and aspirations start with “a” leader, the principal. However, there are those who believe leadership is not really about a single leader, but about a collective practice among people who work together, with a focus on accomplishing a shared goal. While leadership teams have...
Show moreThe extant literature on school leadership is bifurcated around the question: Are leaders important, or, is leadership important? Many who think leaders are important, do so because they believe the school’s tone, values, and aspirations start with “a” leader, the principal. However, there are those who believe leadership is not really about a single leader, but about a collective practice among people who work together, with a focus on accomplishing a shared goal. While leadership teams have been studied in a variety of contexts, little research is available on the cumulative effect of a school team’s ability to think collectively to raise student performance. Noteworthy however, is that this study makes the assumption that the sum total of individual agility as measure by instruments designed to assess individual agility equates to an accurate measure of team agility. This study was designed to better understand the relationship between a school leadership team’s cognitive and behavioral agility, school climate, and student achievement in a population of middle schools in Broward County, Florida. Theoretically, the study provides a model in support of the collective leadership approach in moving schools toward improved student achievement. A non-experimental, quantitative research design was utilized and The Strategic Thinking Questionnaire (STQ) and Strategic Leadership Questionnaire (SLQ) were used to assess cognitive and behavioral agility, respectively. Climate data, analyzed as a mediator, was extracted from the schools’ Annual Customer Survey. Student achievement was measured as overall school performance on standardized assessments as part of the State of Florida school accountability system. The STQ and SLQ were administered by way of a survey and descriptive statistics, correlation and mediation analysis were used to analyze data. The research did not point to any statistically significant correlations between school leadership teams’ cognitive and behavior agility as they relate to predicting student achievement; even with school climate acting as a mediator. This may be due in part to the assumption that agility data captured is an accurate reflection of team functioning. The study provides opportunities for additional research on the efficacy of leadership teams in K-12 education.
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Date Issued: 2018
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013126
Subject Headings: Middle schools--Florida, Educational leadership--Florida, Leadership -- Psychological aspects, Student achievement
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A new look at distributive leadership in title I and non-title I schools: does distributive leadership impact student achievement and school culture?.
Creator: Givens, Keietta Latraill, Mountford, Meredith L., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a difference in how leadership is distributed in Title I and Non-Title I schools and to examine the relationship between distributive leadership and student achievement in Title I and Non- Title I schools. Additionally, the study investigated the relationship between distributive leadership and school culture in Title I and Non-Title I schools. Finally, this study determined if the relationship between distributed leadership,...
Show moreThe purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a difference in how leadership is distributed in Title I and Non-Title I schools and to examine the relationship between distributive leadership and student achievement in Title I and Non- Title I schools. Additionally, the study investigated the relationship between distributive leadership and school culture in Title I and Non-Title I schools. Finally, this study determined if the relationship between distributed leadership, school culture, and student achievement is moderated by Title I status. This study was significant in the realm of education as it explored distributive leadership, its working definition, and possible relationship to increased student achievement and positive school culture. A quantitative method, including three statistical analyses, was implemented to answer each of the five proposed research questions and five corresponding null hypotheses. A bivariate correlation analysis revealed there was not a relationship between distributive leadership and school culture; distributive leadership and student achievement in a middle school setting. Further, a moderation analysis determined that distributive leadership and school culture, distributive leadership and student achievement were not moderated by Title I status. Additionally, a t-test showed there was not a difference in how leadership was distributed within Title I and Non-Title I schools. A discussion of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations for K-12 were explained in detail, followed by suggestions for future research.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA0004022
Subject Headings: Academic achievement, Distributive leadership, Educational accountability, Educational leadership, School management and organization
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: UNDER PRESSURE: EXPLORING SCHOOL LEADERSHIP CHANGES PERICOVID-19 AND POST-GEORGE FLOYD USING AN ABDUCTIVE APPROACH.
Creator: Su-Keene, Eleanor, Bogotch, Ira, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: In the last two years, the United States has been greatly impacted by the global health pandemic of COVID-19 and a renewed national recognition of racial injustice catalyzed by the murder of George Floyd. These crises have created extensive pressures for school leaders to revamp their policies and procedures to ensure physiological safety and address systemic racism in schools, respectively. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how school principals dealt with and reacted to...
Show moreIn the last two years, the United States has been greatly impacted by the global health pandemic of COVID-19 and a renewed national recognition of racial injustice catalyzed by the murder of George Floyd. These crises have created extensive pressures for school leaders to revamp their policies and procedures to ensure physiological safety and address systemic racism in schools, respectively. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how school principals dealt with and reacted to COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd and the pressures of this crisis context. Guided by multiple contextual lenses and theoretical frameworks, this study used an abductive analysis approach to uncover surprising and anomalous data to build renewed understandings in educational leadership. In doing so, I discovered elements of healthcare and sensemaking around life and death that led to the integration of a healthcare humanization framework. Together, this study found that principals adopted new or shifted roles and identities that focused on humanizing practices. Principals became first responders; mediators of health, political, and humanizing communications; needs-based leaders; civil rights leaders; and leaders who sought agency by supporting others in uncontrollable situations. These changes were embedded in systems that remained acontexual and dehumanistic that created tensions for leaders to navigate. These findings supported the early developments of a humanizing leadership peri-crisis framework to elucidate leaders’ responses in crisis contexts particularly when loss is imminent. This research is significant because the literature on theoretical frameworks for crisis school leadership is small and even fewer studies have operationalized humanizing school leadership practices. Recommendations based on the findings are also proposed for researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014074
Subject Headings: Educational leadership, COVID-19, Floyd, George, 1973-2020., School leadership
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The concept of fit: intersections in educational leadership.
Creator: Smith, Scott Vaughn., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this mixed method study was to understand how demographic fit, organizational fit, and group fit influenced secondary school assistant principal (AP) selection and assimilation for candidates who completed the Paradise School District (pseudonym) leadership training program during the 2004-2005 to 2008-2009 school years. However, the results indicated that Hispanic candidates were selected at a higher rate than other groups of candidates. The results also indicated that Black...
Show moreThe purpose of this mixed method study was to understand how demographic fit, organizational fit, and group fit influenced secondary school assistant principal (AP) selection and assimilation for candidates who completed the Paradise School District (pseudonym) leadership training program during the 2004-2005 to 2008-2009 school years. However, the results indicated that Hispanic candidates were selected at a higher rate than other groups of candidates. The results also indicated that Black candidates were selected at the same rate as the average for all candidates ; however these results may be misleading because Black candidates were disproportionally over-represented in the study sample. Regarding organizational fit, the study results suggested that candidates who indicated one of three specific Myers-Briggs personality types (ESTJ, ENTJ, or ENFP) were selected at higher rates than candidates of the other 13 personality types. The suggested personality traits for secondary school APs found in this study included (a) Extroversion (E), (b) Feeling (F), and (c) Judging (J). Candidates who referenced more than one hiring administrator, at or above the level of principal, were selected at higher rates than candidates who referenced only one principal. The inverviews suggested balancing the demographics of a school's administrative staff, using gender and race/ethnicity, to the the community the school serves was related to selection. The interviews also disclosed that Black, Hispanic, and candidates with expertise in operations and curricula might be suggested over other candidates. The interviews also suggested that networking, sponsorship, interview impressions, and references were related to the selection processes.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3361061
Subject Headings: Educational leadership, School management and organization, Strategic planning, Interpersonal relations
Format: Document (PDF)

Educational leadership (39)	+ -
School management and organization (19)	+ -
School principals (11)	+ -
Critical pedagogy (5)	+ -
Educational change (5)	+ -

School improvement programs (5)	+ -
Educational leadership. (4)	+ -
School improvement programs. (4)	+ -
Mentoring in education (3)	+ -
School leadership (3)	+ -
School management and organization. (3)	+ -
Teacher turnover (3)	+ -
Education (2)	+ -
Educational leadership--Florida (2)	+ -
Educational leadership--United States (2)	+ -
Group work in education (2)	+ -
High school principals (2)	+ -
In-service training (2)	+ -
Leadership (2)	+ -
Leadership -- Psychological aspects (2)	+ -
Motivation in education (2)	+ -
Professional learning communities (2)	+ -
School improvement programs--United States (2)	+ -
School management and organization--Decision making (2)	+ -
Social justice (2)	+ -
Strategic planning (2)	+ -
Teachers (2)	+ -
Women school administrators (2)	+ -
Academic achievement (1)	+ -
Academic achievement--Cross-cultural studies (1)	+ -

United States (5)	+ -
Florida (3)	+ -
Educational leadership--Florida (2)	+ -
Academic achievement--Florida (1)	+ -
Academic achievement--Florida--Broward County (1)	+ -

Catholic Church--Education--Florida (1)	+ -
Charter schools--Florida--Broward County (1)	+ -
Educational leadership--Florida--Broward County (1)	+ -
Educational leadership--United States (1)	+ -
Educational tests and measurements--Florida (1)	+ -
Floria (1)	+ -
Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (1)	+ -
High school principals--Florida (1)	+ -
Motivation in education--Florida (1)	+ -
School improvement programs--Florida--Broward County (1)	+ -
School improvement programs--United States (1)	+ -
School management and organization--Florida (1)	+ -
School management and organization--Florida--Broward County (1)	+ -
Social aspects (1)	+ -

No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. (2)	+ -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004. (1)	+ -

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