Showing papers in "Educational Administration Quarterly in 2016"
TL;DR: In this paper, a 3-year mixed-methods national study (Impact Study) was conducted to investigate associations between the work of principals in effective and improving primary and secondary schools in England and student outcomes as defined by their national examination and assessment results over 3 years.
Abstract: Purpose: This article illustrates how successful leaders combine the too often dichotomized practices of transformational and instructional leadership in different ways across different phases of their schools’ development in order to progressively shape and “layer” the improvement culture in improving students’ outcomes. Research Methods: Empirical data were drawn from a 3-year mixed-methods national study (“Impact Study”) that investigated associations between the work of principals in effective and improving primary and secondary schools in England and student outcomes as defined (but not confined) by their national examination and assessment results over 3 years. The research began with a critical survey of the extant literature, followed by a national survey that explored principals’ and key staff’s perceptions of school improvement strategies and actions that they believed had helped foster better student attainment. This was complemented by multiperspective in-depth case studies of a subsample of 20 schools. Findings: The research provides new empirical evidence of how successful principals directly and indirectly achieve and sustain improvement over time through combining both transformational and instructional leadership strategies. The findings show that schools’ abilities to improve and sustain effectiveness over the long term are not primarily the result of the principals’ leadership style but of their understanding and diagnosis of the school’s needs and their application of clearly articulated, organizationally shared educational values through multiple combinations and accumulations of time and context-sensitive strategies that are “layered” and progressively embedded in the school’s work, culture, and achievements. Implications: Mixed-methods research designs are likely to provide finer grained, more nuanced evidence-based understandings of the leadership roles and behaviors of principals who achieve and sustain educational outcomes in schools than single lens quantitative analyses, meta-analyses, or purely qualitative approaches. The findings themselves provide support for more differentiated, context sensitive training and development for aspiring and serving principals.
547 citations
TL;DR: It was found that the evaluation reforms provided a common framework and language that helped facilitate principals’ feedback conversations with teachers, however, it was also found that tasking principals with primary responsibility for conducting evaluations resulted in a variety of unintended consequences which undercut the quality of evaluation feedback they provided.
Abstract: Purpose: New teacher evaluation systems have expanded the role of principals as instructional leaders, but little is known about principals’ ability to promote teacher development through the evalu...
142 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a conceptual framework for caring in schools and caring school leadership is proposed, which analyzes and synthesizes literatures from philosophy and education to propose a framework for care in schools.
Abstract: Purpose: This article (1) analyzes and synthesizes literatures from philosophy and education to propose a conceptual framework for caring in schools and caring school leadership and (2) reports the...
107 citations
TL;DR: It is proposed that high school course taking patterns provide evidence of program effectiveness and equity in access and have the potential to raise awareness about how educators and school leaders approach educational equity and access, key elements central to the spirit of EL education policy.
Abstract: Purpose: English learner (EL) education policy has long directed schools to address EL students’ linguistic and academic development without furthering inequity or segregation. The recent Every Student Succeeds Act reauthorization expresses a renewed focus on evidence of equity, effectiveness, and opportunity to learn. We propose that high school course taking patterns provide evidence of program effectiveness and equity in access. Research Design: Using data from the nationally representative Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, we employ multinomial regression models to predict students’ likelihood of completing two types of high school coursework (basic graduation, college preparatory) by their linguistic status. Findings: Despite considerable linguistic, sociodemographic, and academic controls, marked disparities in high school course taking patterns remain, with EL students experiencing significantly less academic exposure. Implications for Policy and Practice: Building on McKenzie and Scheurich’s...
94 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore high school administrators' instructional leadership in math and science, and explore the feedback administrators provided to students in terms of feedback provided by teachers and administrators.
Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore high school administrators’ instructional leadership in math and science. Specifically, the study explored the feedback administrators provided to ...
58 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the evaluation systems have recently undergone scrutiny and reform, and district and school leaders play a key role in interpreting and enacting these evaluation systems, and this article uses frami...
Abstract: Purpose: Educator evaluation systems have recently undergone scrutiny and reform, and district and school leaders play a key role in interpreting and enacting these systems. This article uses frami...
56 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a qualitative case study explores one school leader's enactment of social justice leadership in an elementary school in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, focusing on the severe needs of families and students in one of the world's most violent cities.
Abstract: Research Approach: This in-depth qualitative case study explores one school leader’s enactment of social justice leadership in an elementary school in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Analysis of interviews and observations revealed how this leader adapted her leadership to prioritize the severe needs of families and students in one of the world’s most violent cities. Findings: The article describes how the leader made sense of the community and its needs. Then, it examines how the leader enacted social justice leadership by addressing the out-of-school challenges that affected student achievement and well-being. Consequently, the leader’s focus shifted toward meaningful family engagement through adult education, community advocacy, and critical questioning of the status quo. Implications: Implications for future research, theory, and administrator preparation programs are presented at the conclusion of the article.
50 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a comparative case study examined the cultures of learning among adults and students in two highly effective high schools and two less effective high school with similar demographics in a single large, urban school district.
Abstract: Purpose: Research indicates that a culture of learning is a key factor in building high schools that foster academic achievement in all students. Yet less is known about which elements of a culture of learning differentiate schools with higher levels of academic performance. To fill this gap, this comparative case study examined the cultures of learning among adults and students in two highly effective high schools and two less effective high schools with similar demographics in a single large, urban school district. Research Method: Using 135 interviews and focus groups with administrators, teachers, and students across four case study schools, the authors analyzed the extent to which various elements of a culture of learning was present within and across schools. Findings: Effective high schools had stronger cultures of learning with distinct structures and practices that distinguished them from the less effective schools. These included frequent opportunities for formal collaboration, shared goals cent...
50 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors employed meta-analysis first to test if there are significant differences in perceptions of the instructional leadership practices of male and female principals, and then the results were further analyzed to describe the nature of differences that were revealed in the first-stage analysis.
Abstract: Purpose: Instructional leadership has assumed steadily increasing importance within the general role set of principals over the past 60 years. One persisting finding within this corpus of studies concerns the consistently higher ratings obtained by female principals on instructional leadership when compared with their male counterparts. This article employed meta-analysis first to test if there are significant differences in perceptions of the instructional leadership practices of male and female principals. Method: Then, the results were further analyzed to describe the nature of differences that were revealed in the first-stage analysis. The database for the meta-analysis consisted of 40 data sets drawn from 28 studies that had used the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) in studies of gender and instructional leadership. The data sets comprised perception data collected variously from principals and teachers on more than 2,000 principals between 1983 and 2014. The data were analyzed...
49 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a case study investigated district leaders' orientations and strategies as their elementary schools proceeded with state-mandated implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and identified differences between schools achieving above-predicted outcomes on state CCSS assessments (odds-beaters) and schools achieving predicted outcomes (typical performers).
Abstract: Purpose: This multiple case study investigated district leaders’ orientations and strategies as their elementary schools proceeded with state-mandated implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). We identified differences between schools achieving above-predicted outcomes on state CCSS assessments (“odds-beaters”) and schools achieving predicted outcomes (“typical performers”). Theory: The implementation of multiple race-to-the-top (RTTT) innovations recommends a theoretical hybrid consisting of policy implementation theory, leadership theory, organizational change theory, and organizational learning theory, especially learning-focused leadership strategies such as bridging, brokering, and buffering strategies for crafting coherence across organizational boundaries. Research Methods: This mixed methods study used statistical regressions for sampling and interviews to collect data. Inductive and deductive methods were used to identify themes that might differentiate the two kinds of sample sch...
48 citations
TL;DR: The authors explored how features of data and teachers' perc... and found that teachers' use of data has become a large part of educational leaders' instructional leadership, drawing on sense-making theory.
Abstract: Purpose: Supporting teachers’ use of data has become a large part of educational leaders’ instructional leadership. Drawing on sensemaking theory, we explore how features of data and teachers’ perc...
TL;DR: In this paper, a mixed-methods article investigates plan quality, factors associated with plan quality and the relationship between plan-quality and implementation, drawing on the first 3 years of a Los Angeles Unified School District school improvement initiative.
Abstract: Purpose: A common strategy used in school improvement efforts is a mandated process of formal planning, yet little is known about the quality of plans or the relationship between plan quality and implementation. This mixed-methods article investigates plan quality, factors associated with plan quality, and the relationship between plan quality and implementation, drawing on the first 3 years of a Los Angeles Unified School District school improvement initiative that relied on formal school planning. Research Design: Our research team rated all 206 school plans submitted to the district in the first 3 years of the initiative and drew on surveys of applicant teams and principals implementing the plans. We use these data in descriptive analyses to explore relationships between plan quality and various inputs and outcomes. We also utilized school- and system-level qualitative data to contextualize and explain our findings. Findings: We find that, although average plan quality was relatively low throughout the...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the importance of principals' leadership roles in the success of a charter school and the role of the principal's role in its success as the number of charter schools increases and as we have learned more about the influenc...
Abstract: Purpose: Knowledge about principals’ leadership roles in charter schools’ success has become more important as the number of charter schools increases and as we have learned more about the influenc...
TL;DR: This paper examined the causal impact of McREL International's Balanced Leadership Professional Development (BLPD) program on school principals' learning, beliefs, and behaviors and whether there were differences in the types of outcomes the professional development influenced.
Abstract: Purpose: This multiyear experimental study was designed to examine (1) the causal impact of McREL International’s Balanced Leadership® Professional Development (BLPD) program on school principals’ learning, beliefs, and behaviors and (2) whether there were differences in the types of outcomes the professional development influenced. Outcomes included principals’ reported sense of efficacy, perceptions of school climate, and leadership behaviors. Research Methods: Approximately 100 school principals in rural Michigan were randomly assigned to either a treatment group that was offered 2 years of BLPD training or a control group that conducted business as usual. We employed principal survey data from the first and third years of the School Leadership Improvement Study. The treatment effect on each outcome was assessed through regression analysis, which controlled for baseline scores and school demographics. Findings: Results from the School Leadership Improvement Study show that BLPD participants reported su...
TL;DR: This article examined the utility of framing formative feedback to improve school leadership with a focus on task-based evaluation of distributed leadership rather than on role based evaluation of an individual leader, and found that taskbased multirater feedback provided transparency in communicating a clear theory of action for school improvement and fostered formal and infor...
Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this article is to examine the utility of framing formative feedback to improve school leadership with a focus on task-based evaluation of distributed leadership rather than on role-based evaluation of an individual leader. Research Methods/Approach: Using data from research on the development of the Comprehensive Assessment of Leadership for Learning, we examine ways to design formative evaluation and feedback organized around distributed leadership practices. This study draws on qualitative data from iterative design research conducted with middle and high school principals, assistant principals, teachers, and staff in 2011. Findings: Many challenges in providing actionable, multirater feedback were addressed by using an assessment instrument that focused on measuring distributed instructional leadership practices. Users reported that task-based multirater feedback provided transparency in communicating a clear theory of action for school improvement and fostered formal and infor...
TL;DR: In this article, the factors contributing to superintendent turnover are poorly understood, and most prior quantitative studies of the factors that contribute to the turnover of a superintendent have focused on the recruitment of new teachers.
Abstract: Purpose: Superintendent retention is an important goal for many school districts, yet the factors contributing to superintendent turnover are poorly understood. Most prior quantitative studies of s...
TL;DR: In this article, the role of trust in capacity building, and the importance of teacher trust in district administration, is discussed, and a line of inquiry around teacher trust is established.
Abstract: Purpose: We set out in this study to establish a foundation for a line of inquiry around teacher trust in district administration by (1) describing the role of trust in capacity building, (2) conce...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the impact of personal and program characteristics on the placement of graduates of principal preparation programs in assistant principal, principal, and principal positions in assistant principals.
Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of personal and program characteristics on the placement of graduates of principal preparation programs in assistant principal, principal...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that culturally and linguistically diverse students frequently do not receive equitable educational opportunities in public and private schools, and they highlight the need to support these students.
Abstract: Purpose: Culturally and linguistically diverse students frequently do not receive equitable educational opportunities. Schools across public and private sectors that are striving to ameliorate this...
TL;DR: The past decade has seen considerable debate about how to best evaluate the efficacy of educational improvement initiatives, and members of the educational leadership research community ha... as discussed by the authors, and the authors of this article
Abstract: Purpose: The past decade has seen considerable debate about how to best evaluate the efficacy of educational improvement initiatives, and members of the educational leadership research community ha...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the type of professional interaction among/between district and school leaders particularly around the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and characterised such interaction by key factors.
Abstract: Purpose: Researchers and scholars have called for greater attention to collaboration among and between educational leaders in districtwide reform. This work underlines the important social aspect of such collaboration and further investigates the type of professional interaction among/between district and school leaders particularly around the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and characterizes such interaction by key factors. Research Method: The work takes place in one school district of more than 30 schools serving students from traditionally marginalized backgrounds. Descriptive statistics, multilevel social network modeling, and network sociograms are used to understand the characteristics of professional interactions around CCSS implementation among district and site leaders. Findings: The findings indicate similarities and differences in characteristics of leaders who likely seek CCSS advice and leaders who likely provide that CCSS advice. Leader self-efficacy in implementing the CCSS positively e...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the effects of parent social network, school outreach, and neighborhood health on parent role construction and parent efficacy in an urban school district, using a partially latent structural regression model.
Abstract: Background: Despite devotion of substantial resources and effort to increase parent/school partnerships, gaps remain between policy rhetoric and practice, especially in high-poverty communities. Current research focuses on parent involvement or effects of parent motivational beliefs on parent choice for behavior; however, it does not address the formation of beliefs or social factors that influence parent motivation to become involved. To gain a better understanding of factors that influence parent motivational beliefs, we examined the effects of parent social network, school outreach, and neighborhood health on parent role construction and parent efficacy in an urban school district. Method/Analysis: Survey data were collected from a random sample of 30 fifth-grade parents from 56 elementary schools in a large urban district in the Midwest. Using a partially latent structural regression model, we tested the relationships between school outreach, neighborhood health, parent social network, and parent moti...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored direct and indirect relationships between leadership and student Citizenship Outcomes in Cyprus middle schools and found that a number of contextual student variables and one classroom variable were found to have a direct effect on citizensh...
Abstract: Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to explore direct and indirect relationships between Leadership and Student Citizenship Outcomes in Cyprus middle schools. In the case of indirect effects the mediating role of School Academic Optimism and Instructional Quality was examined. Method: The specific study adopted a value-added quantitative design. Student achievement data were collected at the beginning and end of the term during which the subject of Citizenship Education was taught. Students also provided data about the quality of instruction, whereas teachers provided data about leadership and school academic optimism. Overall, a multistage sample of 20 middle schools, 114 classes, and 1,596 students participated in the current study. Multilevel modelling and single-level regression techniques were used to identify the relationships between the main variables of this study. Findings: A number of contextual student variables and one classroom variable were found to have a direct effect on citizensh...
TL;DR: This article present a reflexion sobre el 60o aniversario de the decision judicial de la Corte Suprema en el caso Brown v. Board of Education and discute las lecciones significativas aprendidas of esta and las subsiguientes decisiones of la corte.
Abstract: ResumenEl proposito: Este articulo presenta una reflexion sobre el 60o aniversario de la decision judicial de la Corte Suprema en el caso Brown v. Board of Education y discute las lecciones significativas aprendidas de esta y las subsiguientes decisiones de la corte. El argumento: Afirmamos que un nuevo dialogo fundamentalmente diferente referido al legado del caso Brown es necesario si apuntamos a entender de manera critica el pasado, el presente y el futuro de las relaciones raciales como telon de fondo de las cuestiones de segregacion escolar en este pais. Implicaciones: El legado problematico de Brown provee una oportunidad para interrogar la cuestion de por que nosotros como un pais continuamos teniendo fe en este caso en particular como solucion por la inequidad racial. Invitamos a los lectores a “soltar” simbolicamente a Brown para imaginar nuevas posibilidades de la justicia racial, la oportunidad educacional, y la reforma social.